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Make a Wish	By : NormanCharles Category: Harry Potter > Threesomes/Moresomes Views: 117347 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 4
Disclaimer: Okay, okay. I'm NOT JK Rowlings, I do not own Harry Potter. I make no money from writing these stories, I do it because it's fun and other people seem to enjoy what I write - the best of whom write review and tell me when I get it right a

Chapter List
- 36
- 37
Chapter
37 � The New Age

Quick
note, be sure to catch the Omake at the end of this chapter, you�ll be glad you
did!

N!

Harry woke to the familiar sounds and smells
of the Hospital Wing at his beloved Hogwarts.� He was about to speak, or try to
speak, when he heard urgent whispering from the other side of his privacy
curtain.

�...just don�t know... could be poisonous to
him now... no... core.�

Luna spoke in a natural voice. �He�s awake. I
can feel him eavesdropping.�

The curtain was thrown back and Luna and
Hermione, followed by Poppy and Pansy, surrounded his hospital bed. Millicent,
who stood a full head and shoulders taller than the rest, stood behind Poppy.
It was obvious that all the girls, except Luna, had been crying, Hermione more
than any of them.

Hermione knelt by his bed, devastated, �Oh,
Harry, we didn�t want to leave you like that, please, try to understand, we
c-couldn�t resist the Presence...�

Harry tried to speak, but felt as though
someone had poured sand down his throat.

Luna bent down to kiss Harry lightly on his
dry, chapped lips, then asked, �How about a nice herbal tea with honey and
lemon?�

Harry nodded and tried to get up, but winced
in pain.� His right shoulder was heavily bandaged and he couldn�t move his
right arm at all.

Luna and Poppy helped him sit up as Pansy
tipped the warm tea to his lips.

The tea seemed to dissolve the grit in
Harry�s mouth and throat, �Oh,� he managed to croak. ��That�s marvelous, thank
you.�

Then he looked at the heavy bandages on his
arm in confusion.�

He�d had broken limbs before - hell, he�d had
to have all the bones in his entire right arm re-grown before, but this was the
first time since entering the magical world he�d been in a cast.

�You see, dear, we�re afraid to give you any potions,
which might speed the healing process, because, well-�

Hermione stepped up. �What Poppy is saying, sweetheart,
is that potions don�t always work with, um, people with little or no magical
ability.�� The last words came out as a hiccoughing choke and she began to cry
again.

�So. . .� Harry rasped, then gratefully
accepted another sip of tea, �So I�m a, what? A muggle - or maybe a squib?�

Luna dabbed his chin with a flannel, �Only
witches have magic anymore, Harry.�

He laid his head back on his pillow and said,
�Oh, is that all?�

Then Harry slept.

All the Witches in the room looked puzzled,
except for Luna, who smiled enigmatically.

�Sleep, dear.� Poppy said, placing a tender
kiss on his forehead. ��Right now, it�s the best medicine I can offer you.�

)O(

When Harry woke, he noticed the sun was low
in the west. It had been just after dawn when we woke before. His throat was
dry, again, and he was burning with fever.

�We don�t have the luxury of waiting any
longer. His infection is getting worse, and Doctor Marsh says it�ll be a
miracle if he keeps the arm.�

�Don�t I get a say?� Harry managed to whisper.

The Coven Witches who were in the infirmary
gathered around his bed, some looked like they were trying desperately to be
brave for him, and failing miserably.

Luna held his left hand, �Harry, we have both
magical and Muggle healers here, all of whom seem to have different opinions
about the best way to treat you.�

�What are my options?� he rasped, his voice a
bit stronger.

�If we let the mundane healers, the Doctors,
take you to their hospital, they say they can treat the fever with
antibiologics.�

�Antibiotics,� Hermione corrected between
sobs.

�Yes, those anti things, but they say that you�ll
never have the use of your right arm again, even if they can save it.�

�The magical healers are of two minds. Some
say we should treat the wound as we would a curse, that is, use counter-curses
to try to reverse the injury.� This could restore the damaged muscles and
tendons. Some of our healers want to give you a dose of Reset.� That�s the
potion that rebuilds your body from the inside out.� Problem is, the potion and
the spells that go along with it are dependent upon the patient�s magical core
for efficacy.�

��Efficacy, is that a real word,
Luna?�

�Yes, it is.� she said brightly. ��I know you
are attracted to intelligent women so I�ve been building my vocabulary.�

�It�s true, the smarter the better, and right
now you�re scary smart and I love you all the more for it.�

An amethyst crystal pulsed twice.

Poppy stood so quickly that the chair in
which she�d been sitting skidded across the floor. �Harry, what just happened?�

�Nothing, love, I was just telling our Luna
how much I adore her.�

The crystal pulsed again.

�Expecto Patronum!�

The living caduceus that was Poppy�s Patronus
formed in the air before her. �Gather all the witches, all who love Harry, and
hurry.�

The winged serpent nodded her scaly head and flew
from the room.

Poppy placed her hands on either side of
Harry�s face, �My Lord, my love, my husband, how much do you love me and
our two daughters?�

The amethyst began to pulse, in a staccato
rhythm.

�Daughters?�

�Yes, Harry, our daughters.� We�re
having twins. I wanted to tell you before, but we had so much to be getting on
with that the time just wasn�t right.�

Soon all the witches were in the infirmary, all
those who wanted to support Harry, if not marry him outright as well.

�How many of us carry Harry�s children?�

Minerva stepped forward.

�Minnie?� Harry smiled.

�Yes, milord, a son, and high time, too.�

Millicent stepped up.

�Millie?�

�Oh yes, Harry, please, it�s all right, innit?�
He�ll be our little boy.�

The crystal no longer beat a rhythm; it
hummed and glowed brighter and brighter.

Pansy stepped up. �I got mine when you were
in the hospital the last time. A girl.�

Hermione stepped up. �I�m not pregnant yet,
Harry, but I love you with all my heart and want to be the mother of your
children.�

The mundane doctors looked about. �What�s
happening here?�

Luna explained. �We all joined our magic to Harry�s
when we pledged ourselves to him. In effect, we�ve been sharing the same
magical core with our Coven Sisters, and now each of us is contributing as much
as we can to rekindle his magic.�

Luna raised her voice. �All Witches present,
Coven or not, do you love Harry?�

The room reverberated with, �Aye!�

�Think of your Witches, Harry. Every one of
them; Su, Trish, Alicia, Angelina, all your Vipera and your Leaenae,
Poppy and the Witches who have come just to love you.� Bask in their love and
return it in equal measure.�

The crystal glowed so brightly that it became
impossible to look upon.� Poppy had to put it back into its wooden box, lest it
blind them all.

Harry�s favorite nurse placed a golden beaker
to his lips, saying, �Sip now, small sips until it�s all gone.�

Harry did, then slipped back into
unconsciousness.

)O(

When he opened his eyes again he was looking
into the large, brown eyes of a little girl with thick, black hair and
Mediterranean complexion.

�Hello.� Harry said, smiling.

�Hi.� The little girl�s smile was brilliant,
and showed nearly all of her bright, straight teeth.

��Hi� yourself... do I know you?�

�Not really, but you know my Mommies.�

Harry tried to shake the cobwebs out of his
head, but found he couldn�t. Also, the shaking of the head part?� Bad idea.

�I�m Harry.�

�I�m Amber.�

�Pleasure to meet you, Amber.�

�Glad to meet you.�

A pleasant voice with an American accent, to
match his daughter�s, called from the door.� �Amber, Sweetheart?�

�Mr. Potter needs his rest, Tatlem.�

�Okay, Daddy.� Gotta go, Harry, see ya.�

Poppy entered and checked Harry�s vitals.�
Smiling, she announced, �Have a decent breakfast and you can free up this bed
for someone who may need it, dear.�

They had a typical English breakfast
delivered by ecstatic house elves. �Word had spread like wildfire that the Dark
Lord was well and truly dead.� While the news was welcome, celebrations were
somewhat subdued. �Half the magical world had lost its magic, there were, in
fact, no more wizards.

Poppy explained. �Harry, we�re letting it be
known that Voldemort allied himself with a powerful demon who, out of spite,
robbed the Wizarding world of its magic.

�We may have hinted that you were
responsible for the destruction of the demon, as well as Voldemort.�

�Oh great... more fame.�

Poppy wandlessly vanished the empty plates
and trays from breakfast, �Come along, dear, we have a nice tub waiting for
you.�

She helped Harry out of bed and supported him
as he got his �land legs� back.� After a few steps, he was able to walk
unaided, but continued to hold onto her hand.�

�You�re not using a wand, Poppy.�

The nurse smiled. �None of us use them
anymore. �When the Goddess reclaimed your magic... She, in fact, gave it to
us.�

�So, you don�t need wands anymore?�

�No, Harry, they�re just sticks.�

Rounding the third floor corridor corner,
they came to a door Harry recognized.

�The Prefect�s bath?�

�One and the same, dear.�

Upon entering, he was nearly bowled over by
an enthusiastic Hermione and Padma, who wasted no time divesting Harry of his
bathrobe and pajamas.� For the first time ever, the prefect�s bath was filled
to capacity as the Coven Sisters, joined by Nymphadora Tonks, all luxuriated in
the steaming, fragrant bubbles.

Winky sat with Jimmy and Lily, the first of
what would be many Potter babies in the adjacent, shallow kiddies� bath.�

Harry stepped carefully into the gloriously
relaxing water and found the most comfortable lap in the world, his beloved
Millie�s.

Padma and Su washed his hair as the rest of
the coven took turns kneading and relaxing muscles made sore by overexertion
and then under use.

Poppy promised him a special massage
once he felt up to it.

)O(

The next day Harry woke in his own bed,
flanked by his �chaser girls�, Angelina and Alicia.� They were all content to
snuggle and cuddle; anything more strenuous would take a few more days.

When they finally emerged, Harry noticed that
all his Coven Witches were in the great room of his Hogwarts apartment. All the
Witches stood as he entered.

�Please, don�t get up.�

All the Witches knelt, with their heads
bowed.

�Hermione, Minnie, Luna, Millie, all of you,
what are you doing?�

�Hush, Harry, and listen carefully as we
renew our vows.�

�I,� Each of the witches spoke their name
simultaneously, �Do hereby pledge my loyalty, my life, my magic, all that I am,
and all that I will ever be to my Lord, Harry James Potter.� This I do swear on
my life and on my magic, so mote it be.�

�And I, Harry James Potter, do swear to love
and cherish my Witches and ask; will you share my name, all that I am, all that
I will ever have, all that I will ever be for as long as any of us walk this
Earth?�

A resounding, �I will!� echoed in the great
room.

Harry settled on his favorite couch, Hermione
sat to his right, Myrtle to his left.� The Coven Witches easily conjured
comfortable chairs by simply wishing them into existence as they sat.

�Now, will someone please tell me what I�ve
missed over these past few days?� Be sure to use small words.�

Luna began. �The Essence of Magic, in one
form or another, has been around for fifty-thousand years, but it�s only been
the past five thousand years or so that men have been able to wield it.

�The original magic of the Earth is creation
magic, specifically the ability to give life, and only women can do that.�

�So,� Harry interjected, �in times past, only
the women were magical, not men?�

All heads nodded.

�So... how did wizards come to be?�

Padma explained, �Witches, or �Wise Ones�
were essential to the success of any communal group.� Sometimes the Wise One of
a clan or tribe wouldn�t have a female offspring, so she would ask for, and usually
get, special dispensation from the Mother Goddess to teach a son the ways of
magic, and to share in equal parts her magical core.�

�Too soon, apparently, these �gifted� sons began
to embody the male aspect into magic, aggression, destruction, subjugation.� The
nurturing matriarchal societies were replaced by domineering male oligarchies,
self-perpetuating autocracies, if you will.�

Minerva took over, �Thus began fifty
centuries of dark times for witches. Oh, we�ve been treated better in the past
fifty years or so, but my grandmother could tell you tales of the �burning
times�, when tens of thousands of innocent women were tortured and killed on
suspicion of witchcraft.�

�Their crimes?� They were guilty of being
better at anything than a man, being literate, being a mid-wife, or simply being
wise.

�Nearly all of the girls killed were either Muggles
or squibs, no true magic wielder could be so easily caught or killed.�

Hermione stood. �Last week the Mother Goddess
said �Enough!�, and took back her magic.� She took a deep breath as she concluded.

�Harry, there are no more wizards. Only
Witches and Magicians.�

�Magicians?�

�Charles Norwood is an example; you met his
daughter, Amber.�

�Yes.�

Minerva explained, �Charles is Professor
Sinestra�s fiance, and is a music mage. �He can do basic magic with music,
levitate objects, and affect moods and the weather.� We�ve never had a proper
music program at Hogwarts, I thought it was high time we did.� So I hired him,
much to the delight of Professor Sinestra and his daughter.�

�Music is nice, but getting back to the
point, am I a squib or a muggle?�� He looked hopefully to Hermione, �A magician,
perhaps?�

Millicent gently placed her large hand on
Hermione�s shoulder and suggested, �Let�s test your hypothesis, shall we?�

�Well, Minnie came up with the idea.�

Minerva held up a scroll. �I don�t really
know whose idea it was, but when I lit this white candle, the words, �A coven
shares its magic, even with a gender-challenged squib� appeared on the
parchment. You, Hermione dear, came up with the hypothesis.�

Poppy looked concerned. �I still wonder who
left you the parchment and candle... a seer, perhaps?�

�Harry,� Hermione asked, �will you try
something for me?�

�Sure.�

She gave him his holly and phoenix-feather wand.

�Cast a spell, any spell.�

He noticed a feather duster on an end table.

�Um, Wingardium Leviosa?�

A single feather detached itself from the
duster and floated upward.

Shouts of �Yes!� punctuated the general
applause in the room.

When the noise calmed down he sat down, �That
wasn�t very good, was it?� I was trying to levitate the duster.�

�In the land of the blind,� Daphne said with
a smile, �the one eyed man is king.�

Luna smiled, �Harry, there are no wizards.�
Not anywhere. Not in Great Britain, the Continent, Asia or the Americas. There are no wizards on this entire planet...�

�Other than you.� Daphne finished.

�Why me?�

�Because of our pledge, our magic is yours;
you can draw from our magical cores.�

�Does that mean men can become wizards
again?�

A familiar voice answered from the open
doorway, �In time, yes.�

�Goddess!�

Astarte, fully restored to her proper size,
rolled her eyes, �Please, please, somebody call me by my name.� It�s not
difficult to pronounce, �Az-tar-tae�, you can say it, or call me �Az�, or �Tart�,
or �Par-tay Tar-tay�, oh... I like the sound of that!�

Hermione chided, �Focus, Astarte.�

�Ah, yes.� Harry, we were summoned to the
Presence, the Mother Goddess, God, whatever you care to call her.�

�She let her will be known to the �One and
Twenty�, the Witches of the Covenant.� Your witches, Harry.�

Harry stood and Astarte gathered him in her
arms and wings and wrapped her tail about his upper thighs, �copping a feel�
with the prehensile appendage.

After a long and satisfying kiss the goddess
unwrapped herself from her lover, �Let�s show him, sisters.�

The goddess sat back in Harry�s spot on the
couch, pulling him down with her so that his back was to her front with him
precariously perched on the front edge of the center cushion between Astarte�s
legs.

�Lean back, baby.� I promise you, I can take
your weight.�

He did and sighed, �Oh, Goddess, this feels
marvelous.�

Astarte beckoned her sisters to join them,
taking Hermione in her right hand, and Myrtle in her left.

�Join hands, Sisters-in-love, we�re going to
take a little trip.�

Together with Harry and the goddess, twenty-one
Coven Sisters formed a large circle in the great room.� As each Witch grasped
another�s hand she entered dreamscape.

)O(

Harry, Astarte and the coven stood on the
rise of a grassy hillock overlooking the sea.� It was dawn, and they should
have felt chilled, but the air was warm. The grass beneath their feet felt like
soft carpet.� If anyone noticed they were naked no one cared, this was their
place, and it was right and natural that they be so.

Their attention was drawn to the top of the
hillock, where a lone figure, silhouetted by the sun rising behind her, walked
toward them.

Astarte and the Witches lowered their eyes,
not daring to look upon the Presence.� Harry watched as the figure came into
focus.

�Mum?�

�This is not my true form, Blessed Son.�
No mortal can gaze upon my true self and live.�

Harry lowered his eyes.

�Harry, Sisters of the Covenant, you can look
upon me.�

As one they raised their heads.

�You have questions, now is the time for
answers.�

Harry asked the first question, �Why me, God?�

�That is the question asked by every one
of my children, through all the ages, some because they feel they are being
punished for the sins of others, some because they feel burdened by impossible
expectations.� Why do you ask, my Son?�

�I just want to know why I�m allowed magic,
when so many others, better wizards, better men, are left powerless,
reduced to Muggles and Squibs.�

�A fair question, my Son.� First, I note
that your objection has to do with a perceived injustice to others, not
yourself.�

�Well, to be perfectly frank, ma�am, it seems
a very harsh punishment. You�ve stripped the magic from every male on the
planet, bar one, for the actions of a tiny fraction. It doesn�t seem fair.�

�The only thing necessary for evil to
triumph is for good men to do nothing.�

�And I can understand that point, but it
wasn�t only good men who did nothing... the vast majority of magical
people � men and women - weren�t prepared to fight. It seems that, while it was
a Dark Lord who was misusing magic, most of the women were prepared to
�pass the buck� to me and my coven. They were all unwilling to fight for
their way of life.�

�I can understand your point, my son.
However, it was men who created the destructive magicks, and it is men who must
pay the price for their gender�s hubris.�

Seeing the futility of trying to debate God,
Harry tried another tack, �There were female Death Eaters, too.�

�I do concede that point, my son, but, of
the Death Eaters, virtually none of them embraced the ideals. The rest were
coerced by their male counterparts.�

Harry tried yet another tack. �If there are
no wizards, the magical populations of the world, in every country, will quickly
die out. The magical race will end with the current generation.�

�Only if all the witches in the world
choose celibacy � the children of witches will be magical.�

Harry�s eyes narrowed. �And of the children
to the witches, will they all be gifted with magic, or just the
daughters?�

�I allowed my witches a choice, once, and
I will again.� But not until every wizard of this generation has passed on.�

�That could take over two hundred years!�

�What would you suggest, my Son?�

�How about a little Divine Justice?� Harry
proclaimed instantly. �Those who misuse their powers should have appropriate
judgments made against them. Temper the punishments. If anyone
abuses magic, they should lose their powers. It doesn�t matter if they�re male
or female. An abuser should be punished.

�I�ve noticed that magical folk tend to be
lazy, not having to put out any real effort for their own comfort and safety.�
Magic, like learning, should best serve those willing to work, and to work hard
for the benefits.�

�You would have a Magical Meritocracy.�

�Yes, Goddess. For lack of a better phrase,
that seems... fair.�

The image of Lily Evans Potter smiled and
leaned forward to kiss Harry�s forehead, her judgment made.

�There will be a penance, my son. For the
next twenty of your years, no male, bar yourself, will be able to access my
gift. After that time, witches will again be free to share their magical hearts,
what you call their �cores�, with those they love; their husbands, fathers and
sons, indeed, any they find worthy. Those who choose to misuse my gift, whether
witch or wizard, will find themselves cut off from magic forever.�

�Thank you, Goddess.� That is more than
fair.�

Hermione gasped, �Harry, your scar!�

He reached up to the familiar spot on his
forehead and felt � nothing, just the smooth skin of his forehead.

The image of the Goddess smiled and glowed with
increasing intensity until no one in the circle could bear to look upon her,
and when the light finally faded the Coven was back in the Hogwarts apartment.

)O(

Harry thought carefully before speaking. �I
think... maybe... we�d better keep this to ourselves, at least for now... don�t
you think?�

Luna smiled, holding up the parchment that
Minerva had read from earlier. �

�Someone or something wanted it known
that there was one wizard left in the world. Think of the chaos that
would ensue if this became common knowledge.�

�Oh, definitely, Harry.� Minerva agreed,
�There are hundreds of thousands of newly formed squibs all over the world that
are now completely dependent on the generosity of witches, many of whom were
used and abused by these same ex-wizards.�

�The magical government of Great Britain is being re-organized by Minister Bones as we speak. Any offices that require the use
of magic for normal day-to-day operations are now being run exclusively by
witches.�

�New positions are being thought up so that
former wizards with proven administrative abilities will man the bureaucracy,
but all positions of authority will be in the hands of witches.�

�Is that why you�re the Headmistress, Minnie?�

Minerva nodded.

�And Dumbledore?�

�Albus will teach History of Magic.� Professor
Binns has finally realized that he�s, well, history.�

�Will we still be Hogwarts School of
Witchcraft and Wizardry?�

�Sadly, no, we�ll be Hogwarts School of Magic.�

Harry smiled. �That would always have been a
better name for it, anyway.�

With a slightly watery smile, Minerva
continued. �Boys will be allowed to take courses of study that don�t require
magical talent: Herbology, Potions, History, Astronomy and Arithmancy, but
again, any practical work will have to be done by witches.

�Some magicians will be able to set runes,
but they will have to be paired with a witch to power them.� Others, like
Professor Norwood, will have a magician�s gift.� However, there will be no true
wizards for twenty years.�

�Except me.�

�Except you.�

Hermione placed a gentle hand on Harry�s arm,
�Let�s not let that Kneazle out of the bag, then, all right?�

�Hmm... changing the subject, might I suggest
we teach other subjects? Math, Science, English literature, Muggle History and
some practical, life-skills classes like bookkeeping and other business courses?�
Harry asked.

Minerva smiled. �Hermione already suggested
that, and we have all agreed.�

�Well, the Dark Lord is dead; witches now run
the magical world.� What can I do to help?�

�Exercise, eat right and keep your mind and
body active because you have twenty-two witches to keep happy.�

�Twenty-three.�

Nymphadora Potter, nee Tonks stepped forward,
�I�ve pledged my life and my magic to you, stud, and when you asked I said �I
will�.�

Minerva sighed. �It�s been a long war,
Harry.� Magical Britain has suffered more than most, there�s a new millennium
just around the corner and we�re going to need you to help us get our numbers
back up to strength.�

Harry stood at attention, performed a snappy
salute and said, �Yus ma�am, roit away ma�am!�

)O(One Year Later)O(

Harry walked through Diagon Alley with his
standard escort, two witches in front, two in back and one watching from a
distance while disillusioned.� He wasn�t in fear of his life, but so many
witches had come to petition for themselves, or their daughters, and in some
cases, both, � begging for magical children from the �Chosen One.�

He sent them all away, gently, reminding them
that they were the magical ones, and that their children, all their
children, in time, could be magical. His powers, thanks to the sterling efforts
of the coven, were back to their pre-ritual strength. He was as he had always
been; just Harry, most powerful Warlock in history, and now, the only one in
the world.� Of course, Harry had the common decency, and common sense, to not
let that little fact become public knowledge.

�No sense rubbing everyone�s noses in it.�

The shops that were doing a booming business
were those that had managed to get in touch with their feminine sides.� The
newest racing brooms were exciting colors, like Deep Plum.� Cleansweep had a
broom that would automagically match the rider�s nail varnish.

Weasley�s Wizarding Wheezes was doing a bang-up
job, mostly because the twins were still among the best potions brewers in the
world, any items that needed to be enchanted were handled by the lead witch on
the Weasley payroll, Mrs. Katie Weasley, nee Bell.� No one knew if she was
married to Fred or George, as she was equally affectionate to both.� It was
noted in several pub conversations that, Mrs. Katie Weasley seemed to �Go about
with a perpetual smile on her face.�

To quote Katie; �We�re happy and it really isn�t
anyone�s business what we get up to in our own home after business hours.�

Sirius attended meetings of the Magical
Governing body, the Magigamot, but, since few men were in positions of
authority in the government, things were running so smoothly that he found it a
dreadful bore. So he passed his duties and responsibilities to his wife, the
Lady Jennifer Black, nee Jones.

Remus Lupin never had to dread the full moon
again; his lycanthropy completely controlled by one annual wolfsbane injection,
developed by Severus and Narcissa Snape, both of whom were awarded Orders of Magic
for their innovations.

On the down side, Remus� condition left him
sterile.� But when Millicent went into labor, her mother Margaret stood by her side
- along with her husband, her gentle werewolf.� Benjamin Remus Potter had the
two proudest grandparents in the world.

Within the year there had been six more
Potter babies, and, in years to follow there would be many, many more.

)O(

One sunny afternoon in August of 2009,
twenty-nine year old Harry Potter stood on top of the astronomy tower watching
his daughters flying with their friends, some of whom flew pillion with
brothers or boyfriends.

He looked pensive.

�Knut for your thoughts, Harry?� Astarte
asked.

He gathered her in a tight embrace, caressing
her taught, very pregnant belly where two more Potters waited to greet the
world.

�I�ve truly enjoyed my life, my love, but
sometimes, I wish that it hadn�t ended the way it did. I mean, most of the
wizards I knew were hard working, family men who loved their wives and children
and never hurt anyone. Why did Neville, Sirius or Arthur have to become squibs?�

The goddess smiled; she�d heard this
particular rant before. �They�re well looked after by their witches, Harry.�
They�re still good men, and their wives and sweethearts have magic enough for
them all.

�B�sides, in another few years, most of them
will be wizards again.�

�I know, I know, and for that, I�m grateful,
but I still wish that it had turned out differently. The vast majority of
people didn�t deserve their fate. There must have been some middle
ground. I only wish...�

�If wishes were hippogriffs...� the goddess
began.

�Then beggars could fly?� Harry guessed.

Astarte snorted. �No, we�d be up to our arses
in hippogriff shit.��

The goddess took his hand and said, �C�mon baby,
Tommy and Ginny are bringing their brood over later and we need to keep the
girls from smothering them.�

�Five boys in ten years, and twins on the way,
Ginny said she was going to out-produce her mum.� They�ll have the makings of a
Quidditch team this year.�

�Mummy Goddess, Mummy Goddess!� Harry�s first
set of twins, Amphia and Zethia, were shouting as they ran up the tower stairs.

Astarte groaned, �I just can�t get anyone
to call me by my name, can I?�

Amphia started, �You promised to help us with
our, um, projects later!�� She looked surreptitiously at her dad.

Zephia finished for her sister, �Well, it�s
later!�

Harry looked stern, �Do I want to know what manner
of �projects� our own Goddess of Sex is helping my thirteen-year-old daughters with?�

�Relax, lover, nothing that�ll get them in
trouble.� B�sides, where would you rather they learn about love and sex, from
some pimply, clueless, horny adolescent boy, or from me?�

�Well, don�t be too long, we�ve just about
got the olive oil in the tub to body temperature and I want to see if you�re
still double-jointed.� He said, wiggling his eyebrows.

Both of Poppy�s twins screwed up their faces
and cried, �Ew!�

Harry laughed, �Oh good, you�re still my baby
girls!�

�Daddyyyyyyy!�

�You go on ahead, ladies, I�ll just be
up here a bit longer.�

The Lord Harry Potter-Slytherin smiled and
looked out across the green lawns of Hogwarts.

Luna and Hermione were having a heated
discussion in the shade of the gently undulating Caressing Willow. They were,
no doubt, debating the existence of some possibly hitherto imaginary creature.

Alicia and Angelina were running the
Quidditch girls through their paces.

Millicent held a Thestral steady so that
their son, Benjamin, could mount up and fly alongside his broom-riding sisters,
a true act of faith as Benji couldn�t actually see the winged equine.

Dora was doing �nose tricks� that never
failed to delight the gaggle of kids who followed her everywhere.

Magical Britain had become, in just over ten
years, a well-run, peaceful and powerful matriarchal society.� A world where there
was, at least the potential for true equality. In time, with the correct
guidance from both witches and wizards, it would become just that.

But that time was not today. For the moment,
Harry had to consider the simple fact: All the magic in the world was in the
hands of witches and one Warlock � and he was the Warlock.

Hr laughed, and thought, not for the first
time, It�s good to be the Warlock.

)O(

A/N: �Tatlem� is a Turkish endearment;
the closest translation is �Sweetheart.�

It must be said, this chapter was not
written in response to any criticism, the story was always going to end this
way, with the power going into the hands of those who would best use it.� This
was what the prophecy meant way back in Chapter 9 when it proclaimed, �One and
twenty maidens shall lift up their arms and together they will destroy magic in
order to save it.�

Thus endeth the tale.

First and foremost, let me say that I love Jo
Rowling.� She is a world builder of unparalleled skill.� I�ve devoured her
works and have happily stood in line for hours leading up to midnight for the
privilege of staying up the rest of the night so that I could read her latest
in one sitting.

I may disagree with canon pairing(s), but I
will defend to the death the author�s right to pair whomever she wants.� It�s
her world, after all.

In my alternate universe Harry is lucky
beyond his wildest dreams, surrounded by friends, lovers and family.� He also
lives the fantasy life of a feverishly hormonal teenaged male.� It is, indeed,
good to be the Warlock.

Also, in my AU, lasting changes come to the
Magical world.� In JKR epilogue, I was struck by the fact that nothing seems to
have changed in the �Wizarding� world � and some people call me sexist �
old house rivalries are intact, indeed, perpetuated by the redheaded git who
has to resort to magic to pass his muggle driver�s exam.� Draco, marked Death
Eater, continues on like nothing ever changes.

And wait, Hermione, our brilliant,
independent Hermione is a housefrau out of a 50s sitcom?

I love you, Jo.� I always will.� But I love
my wife too, and we have disagreements.� Doesn�t mean I don�t love and support
her, it just means we have our own opinions.

In my opinion, the fight to defeat Riddle was
just the beginning � the real fight will be to change the attitudes and, for
Hermione�s sake, the priorities of the Magical world, otherwise, what�s
to stop the next dark lord from springing up, fully formed, from the ashes of
the last?

Heartfelt thanks to grenouille7777
for beta efforts on chapter 37, and to Seel�vor for suggestions on making the
last part of this chapter a bit more gender-neutral, you rock!

Whew!

This has been one of the strangest stories to
ever happen to me.� It was going to be a few chapters long, an exercise in
smutty goodness, nothing more.

Then, without warning, a plot wormed its way
into the story, until the smutty was completely taken over by the plotty.

Really, it was the attack of the fifty-foot
plot bunny.

Thanx to all who read and reviewed.

Brightest
Blessings and Love to you all!

Norman

)O(

Omake
� when the previous chapter went out it created a bit of a stir on some message
boards, I was declared sexist (read that as, gasp, feminist).� Like that
was supposed to be a bad thing.� I�d �Screwed over Harry� with my blatant and
biased feminism.�

Some
of the more vitriolic flames brought tears to my eyes � I was laughing so
hard!� I�d upset someone�s world view and that felt good!

Before
the publication of the final chapter some first-rate speculations were put
forth, two of the best coming from Seel�vor, who graciously gave permission for
me to add them as omake.

)O(

First
Alternate ending

When
Harry awoke, his body was screaming in agony from his wounds... and something
else.


"Wha..." He swallowed, his mouth feeling incredibly dry. "Help..."


Poppy was at his side in a moment, helping him put on his glasses. "Here,
Harry." She pushed a glass into his hands. "It's water. Drink."


Harry leaned forward, sipping the water, feeling the cool water fill his mouth.
"Poppy... what happened?"


With a sigh, Poppy Pomfrey sat on the edge of the bed. "What's the last
thing you remember, Harry?"


He took a moment to think. "I... the coven... they chanted something at
the horsemen... and then I felt... less."


"`Less'?" Poppy asked. "What do you mean?"


Harry paused, struggling for the words. "I feel... diminished. Like I'm
not all here."


Poppy sighed again. "In a way, Harry... you're right. You're not all
there. As of this moment... you, like every other male on this planet, are a
Muggle."


Harry blinked. "Er... how can I be a Muggle?"


"The coven, Harry... they called upon the spirit of the Earth, the Mother
Goddess, to strip the magic from those who're unworthy. Since it was men who
caused most of the damage, its men who've lost their gifts."


"All men?" Harry asked, feeling an uncharacteristic anger fill
himself. "All men lost their magic?"


Poppy nodded sadly. "You have no more magic, Harry."


"But..." Harry was still in angered shock. "Why? What could I
have done that could justify... that?"


From the doorway, one of the Coven spoke. "We had no choice, Harry."
Hermione said sadly. "There was no other way."


Harry glanced at his coven... no... not his coven. As a Muggle, they
were no longer his. "You know, Hermione... this came completely out of
nowhere."


"I'm so sorry, Harry." Hermione said with a sniffle. "We
couldn't think of another way."


The thought `you could have bloody looked!' ran rampant through Harry's mind,
before he stamped it down. "So... what happens now?"


Hermione glanced at the rest of the coven. "You won't like the answer to
that, Harry."


"Believe me, Hermione, I'm already not liking what's happened today."
Harry snapped. "Tell me."


"You, and every other man, will be returned to the Muggle world, with
charms in place to prevent you speaking about magic."


"What?" Harry was shocked. "But... you can't!"


"We have no choice, Harry." Myrtle said, stepping forward, Harry's
child in her arms. "No male can be allowed to stay in the magical
world."


"But... my children..." Harry stammered, looking at the little bundle
of joy that he and Myrtle had created.


"They'll stay with us." Hermione said sadly. "They can't be
allowed to be corrupted by any male. Even you, Harry."


"You can't!"


"There's more, Harry." Pansy said, the Vipera clearing her
throat sadly. "Nothing of the magical world can be allowed to pass on to
the Muggle world. All monies, property and relics must be surrendered to the
witches before you're all banished."


Harry growled for a moment. "So... you all end up with my money, property
and children, and leave me to fend for myself in the Muggle world, knowing what
I've left behind?"


"I'm truly sorry, Harry." Hermione said, drawing her wand. "I
didn't want to do this, but there's no choice. I'll always love you,
Harry."


The coven each offered their ex-Warlock their heartfelt love, before Hermione
stepped forward. "You'll never be able to remember this, Harry. And for
that... I'm sorry. Obliviate."

)O(

A
Slightly weird and sinister version of Chapter 37:


Harry woke up in the medical tent, feeling an intense pain and an overwhelming
sense of loss. He looked around, wondering why he was alone.


"P-Poppy?" He called hoarsely, coughing as his dry throat protested.


He smiled when she walked in, but the smile slowly crumbled as he saw the hard
look on her face. "Poppy... are you okay?"


"I'm fine." She replied brusquely, staring at him with disgust and
loathing.


"What's wrong?"


"Nothing... now." Poppy replied, slowly drawing her wand.
"How're you feeling, my love?"


Inside Harry's mind, a red-alert klaxon began sounding. This was not
right. "I'm... in quite a bit of pain, to be honest."


"Good." Poppy replied simply. "As you should be."


"Eh?" Harry blinked stupidly for a moment. "Why..." He
shook his head. "I'm sorry, I don't quite understand. Doesn't your oath mean
that you should stop people being in pain, not enjoy it?"


She shook her head slowly. "Things have changed now, Potter."


The loathing in her voice, not to mention the fact that she'd called him by his
surname, made his eyes narrow as what little remained of his reserves were
called into play.


"Why do I get the feeling, Poppy, that there's more going on here than
I've been told?"


Poppy sneered. "Because, for a man, you're not completely
dense."


"Thank you." Harry snarked.


"You're lucky, Potter... you'll be the first to know."


"Wow... don't I feel special." Harry replied sarcastically. "And
what will I be the first to know of?"


"The end of your gender. As of this moment, there are no wizards. After
almost five thousand years, magic has been reclaimed by those who should have
it; the witches."


"Hmm..." Harry nodded as he reached for his wand. For some reason,
the wand felt different. The normal warm glow of his magic was gone... but
there was something else there... something new and different, yet still
familiar and comfortable. "And why are there no wizards?"


A loud `crack', the sounds of multiple apparitions, sounded from outside the
tent. Almost immediately, the flaps opened, revealing Harry's coven. Well... ex-coven,
he supposed.


"Ah, it's awake." Hermione said with a sneer. "Hello, lover."


"Hermione." Harry said, slowly hauling himself out of bed.
"Well... would you care to tell me more about this... plot?"


The expression on Hermione's face was completely new to him. He'd never seen
such... malevolence there before. "Yes... I think that'd be wise,
really." She waved her wand, forcing Harry back onto a chair painfully.
"Get comfortable, you misogynistic prick. You're not going anywhere.


"Throughout history, up to five thousand years ago, magic was controlled
by women. The only people who could use the power responsibly. Then, a foolish
woman gifted the knowledge of magic to the men. And from that time... we were
subjugated. Men tried to rule us. Control us. We swore, from that day, that we
would take back what was ours."


Harry listened, nodding slightly. "I see... if all this happened fifty
centuries ago, how do you know about it?"


"Every witch since then has been indoctrinated with the truth,
Potter." McGonagall said, stepping forward. Her wand was aimed squarely at
Harry's chest, no quiver in her hand. "We have been preparing for the day
when we would take back our power."


"Your power?" Harry asked, closing his eyes as he concentrated
on the strange feeling in his chest. He recognised it now for what it was; `the
power the Dark Lord knows not'. A gift from the universe. And a way out of this
mess. Quickly experimenting, he created an apparition field in his magical
core, holding it there in preparation.


"Yes. Our power." Hermione stepped forward. "The women of
the world will take back our rightful place, and put you pricks back where you
belong; in the dirt."


Harry stood up, smirking at Hermione. "Really... every witch in the world,
and no wizards... bar one."


Hermione frowned. "There are no wizards, Potter. Just us, now... you're
nothing more than cattle, to do with as we wish."


"Oh... I love it when you're wrong, Hermione." Harry said, allowing
the apparition field to rise to the surface. "But, thank you for telling
me. Now I know what has to be done." He vanished with a `pop'.


Hermione turned to McGonagall. "He... he apparated."


Another figure entered the tent, a six-foot Amazon with red hair and green
eyes. "You will find him, my children." Astarte said firmly, all
traces of happiness and love gone. "You will find him, and you will bring
him back to me."


Harry expected to reappear in Diagon Alley, and was shocked as hell to discover
that he was in the middle of nowhere. Around him was a bright, brilliant bright
light. "Hello?"


"Harry Potter." A voice, that was more than a voice, called
out to him. "Approach me, Harry Potter."


Feeling more than a little daunted, Harry stepped forward. The bright light
coalesced into a figure of unspeakable beauty. It was androgynous, but Harry
couldn't stop the physical reaction that happened in his pants. "Er...
hello?"


"Peace be with you, Harry Potter."


"It doesn't appear to be..." Harry muttered, feeling his knees give
out as he stared at the figure. "I'm sorry... but who are you?"


"I am the One, Harry Potter. I made you... the planet you stand on, the
air you breathe. I believe your culture has referred to me by many names over
the eons. Your current religion would refer to me as `God'."


"Oh..." Harry said stupidly. "Nice to meet you?"


"Most who look upon me go insane. You are different."


"Story of my life..." Harry muttered.


"By now, you have noticed the betrayal."


"Most definitely."


"Your witches are still yours, Harry Potter, but the one you call
`Astarte' is not what she appears to be. She is a demon, not an Angel. She
calls herself the `Saint of Women', but she is cruel and manipulative. She has
been working on this plan for almost six millennia. At the moment, she has
managed to tilt the balance of power to her controlled women."


"That I noticed. But, if they've stripped every male of his power... why
do I still have mine?"


"You are unique in the multiverse. Your power does not come from magic
alone. You have access to the fundamental powers of the multiverse. You can
call upon it as you wish. This is what prophecy called `the power the Dark Lord
knows not'."


"Dumbledore said it was love... the love for my witches."


"Dumbledore is a fool. You found your own way to channel those
energies. At the moment, that door is closed to you, but where one door closes,
another opens."


Harry frowned. "So, what do I do? I mean... there are no more wizards. No
magic... and it seems every witch will be against me. Can I fix this?"


"You not only can fix this, but you must. The world must
be in balance. Neither man nor woman must be allowed to control the other. It
will be up to you to find a way."


Harry just blinked. "You want mayo on that?"


"You have power, Harry Potter. You must find your own way of solving
this conundrum."


"At the risk of being rude, if you're God, can't you fix this?"


"With the power Astarte now controls through the witches and the
reclaimed magic, she could possibly challenge me for dominance. I cannot help
in this matter."


"Wha..." Harry shook his head. "If Astarte now has enough power
to challenge God, what the hell hope do I have?"


"You have knowledge and power, Harry Potter. You, and you alone, are
the only one capable of ending this threat to reality."


"Well... shit."
- 36
- 37
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