Happy one year anniversary to this fic! I am very surprised with how consistent I've been, and that I've written over 70k words! Anyway, I hope you like this chapter, but I'm sure you'll like the next one even more ;) Hoping to post it sometime within the next few days if I can.
This chapter is 4.6k words, and I wrote 1.6k of it in 2hrs last night...but I needed sleep so I only posted it in the morning.
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20th May 1998- Wednesday
"-is a complicated art, driven by emotion and- your Lordship, please pay attention."
Harry, at the sharp, disapproving tone, jolted out of his thoughts, his hand slipping from his face, and straightened from his slouch. Turning to face the irate-looking woman in front of him, he gave a sheepish grimace. "My apologies, Professor. Please continue."
Her ruffled feathers soothed with his attention, and she turned back to her chalkboard- magically conjured onto a plain wall in his back rooms- beginning once more. "As I was saying, to cast the Dark Arts, a certain amount of emotion is needed-"
He zoned her out once more, unwillingly. He was just too caught up in his own thoughts at the moment. The sudden death of Victoria was a shock to both him and the Court as a whole, and despite the fact he barely knew her, he felt affected by her death. It revealed the darker side of the harem, whether it had been by suicide or, if his gut feeling was correct, by murder. He had witnessed more of the darkness than he expected he would within his first year in the harem, the two miscarriages also weighing heavily on his mind, which he also saw as being caused by outside sources.
Professor Bailey cleared her throat again, having caught his mind wandering once more. Her tone was stern like McGonagall's had been whenever she caught him 'up to no good'. Harry liked to think he was a perfectly well-behaved student, thank you very much, it was just her bias towards anything Potter that got him into trouble. "Your Lordship, I am here to-"
Sensing the direction she was about to head in based on the tone of her voice, he interrupted before she could say something damning or rude. He didn't want his maids that were milling about to interpret her words as rude and report the woman for 'undermining a concubines, and therefore the Emperor's, divine authority', or even worse, spread rumours that could cause him scorn for being weak towards those who are 'lesser'. "Professor Bailey, may we end our session early today? I feel as though I am too distracted to take in the lesson."
The woman frowned slightly, a noise of discontent at being interrupted bubbling in the back of her throat before she bowed stiffly. "As you wish, your Lordship. Shall I come back tomorrow at the same time?"
"Yes, please." Harry smiled, smoothing out his robes for something to do, watching as she vanished the chalkboard and began to put her equipment away. She left swiftly after packing her bag, glancing in his direction as she went, a severe crease to her brow. He could only hope this didn't affect her opinion of him, Harry quite liked the no-nonsense but fair woman, but he knew how slights were taken within the Court. Even the way he drank his tea in the presence of others was examined with great scrutiny, most so bored that they would go so far as to start petty squabbles over perceived slights.
Such as how Noble Cordelia tried to have him punished for such a thing as his 'tone'. Luckily, Harry had yet to be further involved in situations such as that one, but with his slow realisation that, perhaps, he had the ambition to take the top position as well, he was beginning to grow bolder in the presence of those he'd previously avoided.
Harry sighed, relaxing on the sofa and closing his eyes, feeling a headache beginning to form behind them. This was all so tiring. His previous notions that, whilst the harem wouldn't be a walk in the park, he'd at least enjoy it to the fullest, were beginning to sound like the childish dreams of a starry-eyed child who'd looked upon the Emperor all those years ago and greedily wanted.
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| INTIMACY | - HPxTMR
Fiksi Penggemar● Word Count: 175k ● ◇ Ever since he was young, Harry had been fascinated with the Emperor, the founder of the Slytherin Dynasty and ruler of the world. When the chance appeared to become a part of his Harem, Harry jumped at it, eager to figure out...
