Harry Potter: Backstep

"I'd never kissed someone before," Narcissa whispered as she pulled back and cupped his cheek. "You're my first."

"I'm honored," he replied and kissed her again, making her giggle.

"You know," she continued, "I thought you'd be more interested in my tits. Don't guys love these more than anything?"

Harry took her by the shoulders and created some space between them. He took the time to properly look at her breasts, which were honestly more than perfect. They were large, and as Harry cupped them, he saw they were a perfect size for his palm, almost as if they had been made for him to be squeezed. He did not hesitate and gave a soft squeeze, making the blonde chuckle.

"And there's the look I've heard so many women describe. What's so interesting in these lumps of fat?"

Harry's response was to squeeze her once again. Her tits were capped with soft, pink areolas with puffy pink nipples, and Harry couldn't recall a pair looking so delicious before. He knew it was not right to compare but he couldn't help himself. He also had to marvel at how they jutted out of her chest proudly, defying gravity despite their size. He rolled them around in his palms, bouncing them freely as Narcissa shook her head with a smile.

"You're perfect," he said with so much reverence that Narcissa felt herself flush a brilliant shade of red. She slapped his bare chest.

"Don't you go embarrassing me, not right now. I want to enjoy this experience fully," she reprimanded softly. Harry nodded and leaned forward, and Narcissa watched his lips gently wrap around the tip of her breast. She felt his tongue dart forward as he began to lick and suck her hardening nub.

"Ah yes…" she groaned, threading her fingers into his dark locks and pulling him closer to her. "Oh Merlin this feels so good~"

Harry remained devoted to showering her breasts with all the attention he could muster. He knew what she wanted from him, and he was happy to give it to her. She was a woman with a body made for sin, one which he wanted to worship to both their hearts' content. He prodded her hardened nubs with the tip of his tongue before he rolled it around the nipple, covering her pink areola with his saliva. All the while, Narcissa had her head thrown back in abject pleasure as her consensual lover gave her more pleasure than she had ever felt before.

'And we've just got into it,' she thought to herself with thrill. A thrum of anticipation of what they were doing and what they would be doing in the near future shot through her, making her spine tingle and her lower lips glisten. She could feel that she was already wet and her arousal was spiking with every second that passed.

Harry felt like he had gone to heaven. There was something oddly satisfying about doing this with Narcissa. He had no idea what it was, but the mere thought had been thrilling. Now that he was actually doing this to her, he felt as if that thrill had shot through the roof.

Perhaps it was because they had grown so much close in the previous timeline. Perhaps it was because she was Malfoy's mom in the previous timeline. Perhaps it was because he cherished everything she had done for him and had fallen for her somewhere along the way. Or perhaps he had arrived in this timeline and found her to be even more charming and attractive than her older self – so much so that he was already falling for this version of Narcissa as well.

He could not pinpoint the exact reason why this felt so good, but he was not going to either overthink or look the gift horse in the mouth. He wanted to make her feel valued, and if she agreed, to save her from the doomed life that awaited her. After all, Andromeda had run away from that horrid family. There was no guarantee Narcissa wouldn't. And if she did decide to do it, he would be there for her. That was both what he wanted and the least he could do for her.

He pulled away from her breasts and saw the glistening skin. Her nipples were puffy and protruding slightly as he looked down before he dragged his eyes up to take in her beautiful face. This was a woman made to be loved, and he would shower her with all of it. Their lips met once again and he was surprised to find her even more demanding. Allowing her tongue the access it so desperately asked for, he let her plunder his mouth to her heart's content. She was aroused – he could easily tell that – and he had already decided he would go as far as she was comfortable with.

He was under no delusion that since this was her first time with a man she would be slightly apprehensive inside, no matter how much eager she seemed. And he cared enough for her to not push any boundaries she herself might not be in the mood to adhere to.

Pulling away from the kiss, Harry ignored her groan of protest and gently cupped her cheeks.

"We have time," he reiterated. "You do not have to rush, and you do not have to force yourself. I am here for you."

Narcissa stared at him in surprise for a long moment before her eyes softened. She looked down and nodded.

"If you are not ready for anything, Narcissa, I want you to know that you don't have to force yourself. We will go by your pace. You have all the right to decide."

Narcissa breathed softly and nodded. Looking up, she scooted closer and wrapped her arms around him.

"You've no idea what you're doing to me," she whispered in his ear. "I've never felt like this before…"

Harry gently stroked her bare back before he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close. One hand kept stroking her back while the other held her by the back of her head. Narcissa sighed and kissed his shoulder.

"Tell me what you want then," he replied. Narcissa clutched his firmly to herself.

"Could you hold me like this?"

Harry smiled.

"For as long as you want me," he replied and reaffirmed his hold around her.

-Break-

They did nothing more than kiss. For over an hour, they talked, they cuddled, and they kissed. By the time Narcissa decided to leave, both felt they were much closer to each other than they had been before. As Harry watched Narcissa fix her dress up, he was filled with a sense that he should say something.

Narcissa pulled her top back on and tucked it in before she looked at him.

"Zip me up?" She asked. Harry smiled and stood up, still bare from waist up. He watched her smile at him before she turned around, and he stood right behind her. His hands slowly caressed her over her top, starting at her hips and darting up to the sides of her tits before they found a stop at the back of her neck. Leaning forward, Harry dropped a few kisses along the side of her neck as he zipped her up.

Smiling with a sense of profound happiness, Narcissa turned around. Harry kept his hands on her waist as she looked up at him.

"I'll see you soon," she whispered. Harry smiled and nodded before gently kissing her. Smiling into the kiss, Narcissa reached up and cupped his cheek. It was a few seconds later when they pulled away, and with a parting smile, she turned around.

Harry stood there and watched her walk away, and he didn't avert his eyes until she turned around to give him another smile before shutting the door behind her.

"I promise I'll save you as well," he whispered in the silent room.

-Break-

There were only a few people in the castle for dinner, and Harry recalled the last time he was having a meal like this in the Great Hall.

There was one round table in the middle and everyone sat together. Dumbledore had McGonagall and Flitwick sitting on either side of him, and his old head of house was joined by Madam Pomfrey and Professor Sprout joined the matron. The remaining two seats had been occupied by him and Narcissa, with Harry sitting beside Professor Flitwick.

Much to his slight chagrin, the diminutive Charms master actively engaged him in some discussion regarding different charms and their application in various branches of magic, particularly combat. It seemed the man had found a kindred spirit in him owing to his interest in combat magic, and Harry was not very much surprised. It was common knowledge that Professor Flitwick, being a former dueling champion would be interested in another capable wizard having the same inclination.

Beside him, Narcissa ate as gracefully as she could while also chiming in with a few points. She blushed every time their eyes met, and awarded him with the same smile she had given him when they were in the Room of Requirement mere hours ago.

"I truly believe you could be a proficient duelist, Mr. Potter," Flitwick remarked. "If Albus' words are anything to go by, you could even emerge victorious if you go for it. It's been a while since Britain was represented on the circuit by someone worthy."

Harry raised his eyebrow slightly at the tone of discontentment from his former professor.

He had to admit that the idea was tempting. He knew how capable he was, and it would be a good way to keep in practice. However, the idea of showcasing his abilities at world stage made him hesitate. It was not as if he was getting cold feet. Instead, he did not want his enemies to have an idea of what he was capable of.

"I do believe Filius has a point, Harry," Dumbledore interjected with his usual grandfatherly smile plastered on his face. "I also believe you have an aptitude for excelling on the circuit, and it is always up to you to decide how you want to fight your duels."

Harry stared at Dumbledore who gave him a meaningful look and averted his eyes from him toward McGonagall. Leave it to the old wizard to somehow know what he was thinking.

"It would bring you a lot of acclaim internationally as well," Narcissa added with a soft smile. "The British representative to the Circuit. Does have quite a nice ring to it."

Harry pondered their words for a little while before he looked at Flitwick.

"Say, professor, what do you say about us dueling? In proper circuit style. I've never seen an official duel, and I think a session would give me a better idea of what it entails. I might try going for it if I find it interesting."

Flitwick looked more eager than he'd ever seen him.

'Or perhaps not,' he thought, recalling how the man had fallen over when he called his name back when he started Hogwarts.

"It'd be a pleasure to show you the ropes, Mr. Potter," Flitwick nodded. "And you can call us by our names. You are not our student, after all."

Harry nodded.

"Then I believe it's only fair enough if you all do the same," he replied, looking around the table. He caught Dumbledore's eye who gave him a wink over his glass of juice.

-Break-

"I can't say I've seen Filius this much excited before," Dumbledore remarked. They were currently in his office to go over their plan to retrieve the Horcrux. "My apologies for making you wait until now, Harry."

"It's nothing to worry about, sir. It's not as if the ring is going anywhere."

Dumbledore nodded.

"Coming to the matter at hand, you said the ring is in the Gaunt Shack?"

Harry nodded.

"It seems Tom desired to put a lot of meaning into the items he tainted and the places he hid them in. It still seems surreal to think that one of those vile objects had been hidden in Hogwarts for so long," Dumbledore mused with a frown as he stared at the box on his desk that contained the charred remains of the diadem.

"He has no respect for anything, Professor, but he has enough pride to not put his soul inside something that might not hold a significant meaning."

"Pride is often the downfall of many," Dumbledore agreed. "Do you have any idea what protections Tom put to safeguard the ring?"

Harry frowned and tried to recall everything Dumbledore had told him about his venture during his sixth year, which was admittedly not much.

"You did not elaborate much on what you encountered when you went after the ring. The only thing I know is that you went to retrieve it on your own and for some reason, you touched it with your bare hands."

"Something that afflicted me with the Withering Curse. A curse with no known cure," Dumbledore finished. "I don't mean to blow my own horn but it must be some powerful magic if it could bypass my Occlumency and ensnare me like that."

Harry nodded.

"I believe it is safe to say that we will be going in blind here. Apart from the knowledge that we might be facing some powerful mind magic, we do not have much to go on."

"We need to take care not to give our hand away," Harry warned. "It'd be catastrophic if he somehow caught on to our intentions."

"It would be wise to assume that he has some wards in place to keep people away. It is also possible that he might know in case someone comes near the shack," Dumbledore mused.

"I don't think that's the case, to be honest," Harry replied. "You went and retrieved the ring back then, or in the future… damn it's confusing sometimes. Still, you did it and he had no idea the ring was gone."

"Meaning Tom is confident in whatever protections he has put around the place, and on the ring itself."

Harry nodded.

"Tell me Harry," Dumbledore said. "You intended to go after the ring today, but you chose to tell me about it. Was there any particular reason why you informed me?" Dumbledore asked keenly.

Harry grimaced slightly, wondering if he should tell Dumbledore what he had planned. He had taken care of a little matter already, and the weight of the cloak that he had stolen from James Potter, replacing it with a regular one he found in the Room of Hidden Things rested heavily in his mind. He had a feeling that he could bypass any ward as long as he was under that cloak, and it would have helped him retrieve the ring without any complications either, but he had discarded that plan because he was not certain. It would've been foolish of him to go ahead without being a hundred percent sure in his plan, and that made him decide to tell Dumbledore about his intention to go after the Horcrux. There was no way the old man would've abstained from joining him, and he knew that.

However, there was one minor complication in telling Dumbledore about his original plan.

He did not want the headmaster to know about the Hallows, or how close he was to them. Already he could feel the Elder Wand calling out to him, but he had chosen not to go after it. He knew he had won the allegiance of the wand in the previous timeline, and it seemed the connection carried in this timeline as well. It was very tempting to just claim the wand for himself, but he was skeptical of Dumbledore's response.

Additionally, he had no idea how the headmaster would react to the revelation about the remaining Hallows.

Harry knew why the headmaster had been so easily ensnared by the ring. It was because of the stone. The Resurrection Stone rested on the ring, and the old wizard could not avoid the temptation of possessing it. The same applied to the Elder Wand. He did not think Dumbledore would be truly happy about losing his ownership over the powerful wand, even if he somehow agreed to relinquish it. And now, if he told the headmaster that he possessed the Cloak of Invisibility as well, he did not know how the man would react.

He did not believe that Dumbledore would turn hostile or decide to attack him, but he had a feeling that he would certainly not be his bona fide ally anymore. The allure of all three hallows was too great even for a man as revered and venerable as Albus Dumbledore, and it was one thing he was not ready to entirely trust the man with.

In the end, Harry decided to keep the truth of the Hallows to himself. The old man was aware of the true nature of the wand and soon he would know about the stone as well, but there was no way he was going to let him know about the final one.

He knew Dumbledore had become aware of the fact that the cloak was a hallow only after his father had told the old wizard about it and asked him to keep it safe, fearing that it would be taken by the forces of the dark in case they were attacked and entrusting the old man to one day return it to its rightful owner. Thus, he could rest assured that Dumbledore did not know about the cloak right now.

Dumbledore had returned it, and although that should have made him commend the wizard for resisting the temptation of keeping it to himself, he did not know whether the old wizard had returned it on his own volition or some vow had compelled him to. Harry found it hard to believe his father would entrust such an artifact to the man without extracting a binding vow to one day return it to its rightful owner, so it was very plausible that the old wizard had been forced to relinquish the cloak to him. He did not have any evidence supporting that train of thought, but he did not want to take the chance either.

The fact that he had decided to cooperate with him with regard to the Horcruxes was more than enough trust he was willing to afford the man. There were some secrets he wanted to preserve.

"I believe it would be better if we cooperated when it came to Horcruxes," Harry replied. "I know I can trust you with this information, and I'd rather have us watching each other's backs in case some trouble comes up. I'm also not very well versed when it comes to warding either, and I know you are one of the masters of the subject. It made sense to tell you about it."

"I cannot say I can fault your logic. I am grateful that you decided to inform me instead of charging in on your own," he replied. Harry gave a small nod, hiding his true emotions with an expertise born from the rigorous hardships of wartime.

"Then if you are ready, how about we go ahead and retrieve the ring right now?"

Harry nodded and stood up. He was oddly reminded of a similar situation he found himself in at the end of his sixth year when they had gone to retrieve the locket, and there was no way the night was ending in a similar fashion. Things would be different now, and he would ensure it.

-Break-

They appeared in the woods outside Little Hangleton in a flash of Phoenix fire and Harry quickly spotted the dilapidated shack mere metres away from where they were.

"The Gaunts were once very famous, so it only makes sense that people would know where they retreated to after their fall from grace. It is truly unfortunate – the fate that befell the family," Dumbledore muttered as they began walking.

"Centuries of inbreeding will obviously result in something like that," Harry replied dispassionately. "It is truly astounding the way purebloods keep their heads in the sand like an ostrich and completely disregard the truth that's glaring them in their faces. There is no future to the wizarding world without those they consider beneath them."

"I believe they simply do not care, Harry," Dumbledore replied with a sigh. "Bigotry is a deeply rooted evil in our society that does not care for reasoning."

Harry shook his head as they walked forward. He knew it was useless to look for logic in the belief of blood purity. They were here for some serious business and it would not do to be distracted.

"You feel that?" Harry muttered.

"The foulness of dark magic, and a lot of it," Dumbledore nodded. "Wand at the ready, Harry."

Harry did not need to be told twice and he quickly brandished his wand. They walked forward slowly toward the shack and as they got closer, they could make out just how bad the condition was.

It was the most rundown thing Harry had ever seen. The roof was caved in, the windows were smashed, and the door was hanging by one hinge. It looked as if one strong gust of wind would tear it down. The whole place looked like it had been abandoned for decades, which it certainly had been.

As they got closer, the stench grew stronger. Mold was growing on every surface and there was debris and trash everywhere. Harry almost gagged before he cast the bubblehead charm over his face.

The whole place reeked of misery, and Harry wondered just what kind of people the Gaunts were to live in a place like this. He was already feeling the urge to go away. The Gaunts must have had a very unhappy life.

Dumbledore had kept scanning for any wards they might trigger, and there had been several. The old wizard needed a few minutes for some, but he managed to take them down without triggering anything. He was sure he would've botched something if he'd come here alone and he admitted that telling Dumbledore about it was indeed the right decision.

They came to a stop in front of the door and Harry watched Dumbledore scan once again. Surprisingly, nothing stopped them from walking in. They took care not to touch anything when Dumbledore told him nothing inside the house was touched by any kind of magic. Harry had a very bad feeling about this. Things were too calm… too quiet. It was never this easy.

"Did I tell you where I found the ring, Harry?"

"No," he replied, looking around. "I think we'll have to search the entire shack, sir."

Dumbledore nodded and began scanning for any hostile intention he could perceive. The Horcrux was bound to emit foul emotions and trigger something, and that could pinpoint its location.

"I'll check the bedrooms, Harry. You do the kitchen and this room," Dumbledore instructed. Harry nodded and walked over to one corner of the living room. From this angle the entire room was in his line of sight, and he extended his senses outward. He might not be a proficient warder but his mage sight was very developed, and when it came to sniffing out anything related to Voldemort, he was particularly attuned to the sensation.

The world morphed around him as his mage sight took hold. Everything was tinted black, and he could see glowing green marks on several objects around the room. From the broken glass to the termite-eaten table or chair, and even the walls. Voldemort's touch was everywhere to be seen. He began flicking his wand and taking things apart. The wooden materials withered into dust and Harry blew it away, hoping that the ring had been embedded between the wood. Alas, it was not to be. He tore down the walls as well, and the moonlight immediately slithered inside, but the ring was nowhere to be found.

Meanwhile, in the other room, Dumbledore was doing the same thing, albeit at a slightly faster rate, to no result.

Finally, he was done taking everything apart in both the living room and the small kitchen adjoining it, but there were no traces of the ring. He grit his teeth in frustration, thinking furiously about everything Dumbledore had told him about his excursion back in his sixth year.

´The box!' he recalled suddenly. 'That's right. Dumbledore said he took the ring out of a box. Now where could a box be hidden…'

Harry looked around and found nothing but a spartan room that had been torn apart by him. He was thinking furiously when his eyes suddenly fell on the broken floorboard where he had torn the wall apart. His eyes widened and he quickly began to take the floorboards apart. He was halfway through when he spotted a black box under one of the floorboards and he quickly levitated it out of the hole.

"Professor," he called out. Dumbledore arrived immediately before he suddenly paused as he took in the sight of the dismantled room. His eyes fell on the hovering box and he frowned.

"I cannot feel anything inside that box," the old wizard remarked. Harry twisted his wand and the lid slid open. The moment the tiniest gap occurred, they were assaulted with so much vileness that Harry quickly slid it close.

"I think that's enough of an answer," Harry replied, earning a nod from the old wizard. "You got yourself cursed when you tried to take care of it last time. I'd hate for something like that to happen again. I've destroyed Horcruxes before, and I'll destroy this one when we get back to the castle. We shouldn't stay here longer than necessary."

Dumbledore swished his wand and Harry watched as the room and the kitchen were restored their previous state. Nothing was repaired but things were the way they had been prior to their arrival.

"Are you sure you can take care of it on your own, Harry?"

Harry nodded firmly, holding the old wizard's gaze. After a while, Dumbledore sighed and nodded in acquiescence.

"I see. Then I shall leave you to it."

"You should return to Hogwarts, headmaster. I'd like to go to that graveyard on my own."

Dumbledore frowned.

"I suffered in that place, sir. My biggest enemy used my blood to resurrect himself. This is something I want to do alone."

Dumbledore sighed but nodded in understanding. He summoned Fawkes inside the shack and Harry watched as they vanished. The moment they did, he pulled out the Invisibility cloak and draped it over him before he quickly apparated away, appearing in a dark and overgrown graveyard. It was completely silent and slightly eerie. Harry looked around, spotting the faint outline of the small church beyond a large yew tree that he had seen last time, as well as the hill and the old house on the hillside. He knew what house that was.

Harry forced himself to look away. Spotting the grave with the headstone of a reaper that had held him captive the last time he was here, Harry flicked his wand and pushed it open. As he peered inside, he found that the skeleton of Tom Riddle Senior was finely preserved even decades after his death, and in a sudden bout of inspiration, Harry levitated a small bone and put it away in his bottomless bag. There was no telling when he might need something like that.

He was finally ready, and Harry felt an odd sort of satisfaction when he cast the withering curse on the skeleton. It blackened before it dissolved into fine, dark powder that Harry vanished with a flick of his wand.

There, it was done. Now, Voldemort could not use that ritual to gain a body. There were a few more ways though, and Harry had read up on them in the Black library after the Battle of Hogwarts, but most of them were nullified after the destruction of Riddle Senior's bones. He hoped Tom never came to know about the others.

His task done, Harry slid the gravestone back in place and looked around himself. A few years ago, he had been captured and forced to watch as his blood was taken against his will to resurrect his arch enemy. Fast forward a few years and here he was, at the same place, having dealt such a massive blow to the same enemy.

The night had turned out as he had hoped, and with a final look around the graveyard, Harry apparated away.

-Break-

Harry decided to venture down into the Chamber of Secrets to take care of the Horcrux. He had been intending to harvest a few Basilisk fangs anyway, and it was as good a time as any. Flying down the tunnel, he arrived into the chamber proper in no time, and he looked down into the pool at the Basilisk's carcass.

"It'd be a good idea to get it harvested," he mused to himself. He'd need to look into it further. He did not know anyone who could help him out with this, and he needed someone both trustworthy and capable. It would not do if he was swindled, and it was not desirable to suddenly flood the market with Basilisk parts either. He knew how valuable a commodity it was.

For now though, he needed a few fangs. Descending down into the dry pool, Harry pulled out a few fangs. Keeping out one for his use right now, he chucked the remaining ones into his bottomless bag. His job done for now, he flew out of the pool and pulled out the black box. A cutting curse cleaved the box in half and he banished the pieces away. The ring was revealed in all its glory, and Harry was immediately assaulted with a searing temptation to put it on.

The black gemstone on the ring pulsed maliciously, yet it was one of the most captivating sights Harry had ever seen. The way the symbol of the hallows glowed in the ambient light of the chamber beckoned him forward.

Blinking, Harry cleared his mind with perfect ease. The allure of the hallows was something that could not attract him because he had never had the desire to possess them. He had to admit though that the compulsion was powerful, and considering Dumbledore's interest in the hallows, it was understandable why he had fallen for it. In a way, this set him apart from Dumbledore, and it made him feel slightly proud of himself.

As Harry pulled the fang forward and held it aloft, the ring's compulsion charm strengthened, as if it knew its imminent demise. It was trying all it could to protect itself from the fate that was about to befall him, but Harry's mental fortitude was immense. He had vowed never to bow down in front of Voldemort after having had to do it in the graveyard the last time, and he was not going to renege on it.

The fang slammed right in the centre of the ring, breaking it in half. The moment it made contact, a bloodcurdling scream rang throughout the chamber, making the hair on the back of his neck stand upright. Harry threw himself backward as a smoky wraith with the face of Voldemort let out a painful yet horrifying groan before it fizzed away in a cloud of dark smoke. Still breathing heavily, Harry pushed himself forward and stared at the remains of the ring.

Unlike the time when Dumbledore had destroyed it, the ring was no more intact. Instead, it was broken into two pieces and the gemstone had fallen away. Harry reached forward with tentative hands to pick up the stone. However, the moment he did, he felt a faint shock pass through him. Alarmed at the unexpected phenomenon, Harry pulled back and watched with wide eyes as the stone vanished right before his eyes. Something made him reach for the cloak, and as he pulled out, he saw it vanishing as well.

He had no idea what had happened, but somehow two of the hallows had vanished right in front of his eyes.

´Is it because I have all three of them? Did I somehow combine them and they vanished?'

He had no answer, only conjectures. A sudden thought came to him. If two of the Hallows had vanished, it was entirely logical for the Elder Wand to vanish as well. He wondered how Dumbledore would take that.

"However unfortunate the loss of the cloak might be, in a sense it's right that they vanished. No one should possess artifacts like those," he muttered to himself as he started walking back. It was pretty late at night, and he could hear his bed calling out for him.

Harry Potter flew out of the tunnel and watched it close behind him. Once he was done, he stowed the broom back into his bottomless bag and walked out of the second-floor girls' bathroom.

TBC.

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