A Brutal Shura Field...

For some reason, Harry suddenly had an urge to yell at something, but the people he wanted to hit were Voldemort and Runcorn, not some kind of Voldemort or Warlock.

So, I suppressed that impulse.

Sleep, sleep, my dear baby----

Veratia gently patted Harry's back, humming a lullaby.

In his dazed state, Harry suddenly sensed something was wrong.

"It's only this late, and I'm already going to sleep?!" He sat up, both amused and exasperated, and pulled away from Veratia's embrace.

"Oh, I just wanted to practice a little beforehand."

Veratia suddenly raised her hand, her cool fingertips gently caressing Harry's cheek, tracing the lines of his jawline, and slowly sliding down to his chin.

"Practicing how to be a good mother, right?" Harry asked with a smile.

Veratia didn't refute, but instead leaned forward.

Harry was completely taken aback by Veratia's sudden attack, and he was a little stunned, but he quickly recovered.

Her lips were slightly cool and carried a faint sweet fragrance. At first, they gently touched, as if testing the waters.

But the next second, when Harry instinctively responded and opened his lips to accept her, the kiss suddenly deepened.

Veratia ran her fingers through Harry's hair, pulling him closer. Harry's hands unconsciously wrapped around her waist, and through the silky fabric, he could feel the warmth of her body and her slender yet supple lines.

It smells good and is soft.

Just as Harry was wavering and about to take the initiative, "Tsk."

A click of the tongue, laced with undisguised amusement and chilling mockery, rang out.

Harry recognized Cassandra's voice, of course, but just as he was about to separate from her, Veratia stopped him.

It wasn't until she was starting to feel oxygen-deprived that Veratia reluctantly let go of him.

Cassandra was still leaning against the doorframe. She had changed out of her evening gown and was now wearing a purple silk nightgown, also with a V-neck that revealed her beautiful collarbones and, at the same time, her completely flat chest.

Her long, light golden hair was loosely draped over her shoulders, with a few strands lazily falling across her chest. She crossed her arms and leisurely watched the two people on the bed, their positions intimate and their breathing unsteady. A typical Malfoy -esque arrogant smile graced her face, and her almond-shaped eyes behind her gold-rimmed glasses gleamed with a cold light in the dim light.

"Looks like you two—" she said with amusement when she saw them looking at her, "Are still a little unsatisfied? Should I excuse myself for a moment, so as not to disturb your good time?"

"Look at what you're saying," Harry said with a grin. "Haven't you come at the perfect time? Come join us!"

Cassandra's gaze lingered for a second on Harry's noticeably swollen and glistening lips before sliding down to Veratia's rosy cheeks. Far from being angry as usual, her delicate eyebrows arched slightly, and the Malfoy- esque curve of her lips deepened, becoming even more languid and dangerous.

She loosened her arms, and her silk robe swayed with her movement, allowing Harry to glimpse her long legs.

She walked into the room with silent, unhurried steps, as if she were the one who owned it.

"Join?" Cassandra repeated softly, her voice becoming sweet but slightly cold. "Potter, your invitation methods are still so blunt, unoriginal, and a little shameless."

"See? When have I ever cared about my reputation?" Harry said, seemingly unfazed. "If I cared about my reputation, how could I possibly make you all happy?"

Upon hearing Harry's words, Veratia subtly reached out and punched Harry's leg.

Cassandra stopped a few steps from the bed, tilting her head slightly, her pale golden hair brushing against her shoulder as she moved.

"However—" she drawled, "since you've invited me so sincerely—"

She went forward again and sat on the other side of Harry.

"Then why don't I join you?"

Cassandra did not stop Harry's hand from around her waist, and even turned slightly to get closer to his arm, but her eyes were fixed on Veratia across from her, and the smile on her lips carried a clear fighting spirit.

Harry's arm stiffened.

No, what's wrong with Cass today?

They've come with ill intentions!

"However, before entering any group activities," she began slowly, her voice regaining its aria-like clarity and composure, "I feel that some matters of principle need to be agreed upon with Miss Grindelwald, who is 'practicing motherhood in advance.'"

These words sounded somewhat sarcastic, and even though Harry had a thick skin, he still blushed.

"Is it a matter of principle?" Veratia repeated softly, without removing the hand that was massaging her calf. "For example?"

"For example," Cassandra smiled slightly, "The issues of order of precedence and status."

The air in the room seemed to freeze.

Order of precedence? Status?

This was something Harry had been avoiding talking about, and Veratia and Cassandra seemed to have no intention of bringing it up either.

As for Anne and Pabbie? Needless to say, those two never intended to compete for anything; they couldn't possibly outcompete Veratia and Cassandra anyway.

Harry's arms, which had been around the two girls, stiffened. He really didn't know what side he should take in this situation, so he could only look left and right, trying to interject.

"Well, actually I think—"

"Shut up."

The two girls spoke in unison, briefly glancing at Harry before quickly looking back at each other.

Harry took a deep breath.

No, can't we talk about this later?

We're planning to hold a group activity, so this is really inappropriate.

But he obediently chose to keep quiet; he didn't want to be targeted by both girls in this situation.

That's going to be a real ordeal tonight.

"Name?"

Veratia tilted her head slightly, her silvery-white hair cascading down her shoulders like a waterfall, a gesture that made her look incredibly innocent and adorable. "Cass, I thought that our special existence had long since transcended all the rules and regulations of the world."

A hundred years have passed, haven't you realized that some connections are far more profound than a mere contract?

"Profound doesn't mean it doesn't need definition."

Cassandra stood firm, saying, "It is precisely because we are all special that we need clear boundaries and agreements."

Otherwise, chaos will only breed misunderstandings and unnecessary friction.

She glanced meaningfully at the lingering marks on Harry's lips.

While "practicing motherhood" is certainly a matter of personal freedom, when it comes to future formal positions, shouldn't there be a first-come, first-served system, or a competitive selection process?

Veratia's breathing quickened for a moment, but she quickly regained control and even flashed a sweet smile.

"First come, first served? By that standard, Cass, you'd probably be quite far down the list. After all, when Harry and I were close, you only saw him as your personal servant."

She deliberately emphasized the words "male servant".

"But when I met Harry, some people were still ladies-in-waiting in the Vienna court." Cassandra held her head high without flinching.

Veratia's expression turned cold for a moment, but she immediately retaliated.

"The order in time has nothing to do with the depth of feelings or contracts. Some people think they have permanent priority just because they met a few years earlier; this idea is both naive and ridiculous."

As she spoke, Veratia turned her head toward Harry again.

"So what if you knew Harry first? All I know is that your relationship has always been that of Master-Servant, not lovers. If we're talking about mutual affection, it should be me first."

After saying that, Veratia's lips curled up slightly.

"Moreover, I don't think a contract can represent anything."

"In the older and more formal wizarding tradition, family recognition and the completeness of the contract are the true foundations for establishing one's status." Cassandra slapped Harry's overstepping hand aside. "The Malfoy family has always placed great emphasis on ritual and tradition in this regard."

"Ancient traditions?" Veratia chuckled, a hint of barely perceptible sarcasm in her voice. "You mean those outdated rules that treat witches as property and bargaining chips in marriage? Cass, I thought you'd traveled through time and at least be a little more progressive. Between Harry and me, there's no need for any ancient family or old covenant to back it up. Our bond is built on the storms we've weathered together, the secrets we've shared, and the choices we've made for each other—that carries more weight than any Parchment deed in a vault."

Harry suddenly felt awkward, truly very awkward.

He and Veratia didn't need a marriage certificate—because there was something much stronger than any marriage or ceremony.

That was the Diadem that Gellert didn't take from the vault.

What appears to be Diadem is actually Blood Pact between Veratia and Harry.

Blood Pact is a covenant—a covenant in the real sense—established by wizards through a secret ritual. Behind the Diadem, two intertwined, never-merging drops of blood float, symbolizing the lives and magic of the two wizards who made the oath.

This token is not merely a symbol of the contract; it is itself a container and focal point of the contract's power. When the holder of the contract attempts to break the oath, the token emits a bright light, and the magic of the contract intervenes in a physical form.

The primary purpose of Blood Pact is to prevent the sworn partners from attacking or directly confronting each other. It does not impose punishment after the oath is broken, but rather provides physical and magical protection from the outset.

Just like when Dumbledore attempted to take hostile action against Grindelwald, the Blood Pact oath around his neck would tighten, and his arms would be bound by invisible magic, making him unable to cast spells.

Of course, this was a secret between Harry and Veratia, and no one else knew about it except Gellert.

Gellert didn't take the Diadem to sell not because he had a change of heart, but because if he Diadem, Veratia would have definitely killed him.

If you physically kill someone like that, you'd have to scatter their ashes.

"A choice?" Cassandra's voice rose slightly. "You mean the choice of traveling alone a hundred years into the future through arcane magic after everyone else has left? Or the choice of eagerly claiming territory after the reunion? Grindelwald, don't try to make your possessiveness sound so noble."

"A true choice should be a rational decision made after considering all possibilities and consequences. And that's exactly what I value."

At this point, Cassandra suddenly turned to Harry.

"Harry, you're a Gryffindor, impulsiveness and passion are your traits. But marriage—even in a special case like ours—is not a game of chance. It involves responsibility and fidelity, even if your fidelity may be plural, and how to maintain that balance over the long years."

She reached out and pinched Harry's cheek.

Are you prepared to face all of this? Or are you just enjoying the thrill of having women on both sides right now, leaving us to deal with the real problems ourselves?

Harry felt a chill run down his spine. How did the conversation suddenly turn to me?

But now he couldn't sit on the shore and watch the boat capsize; he knew he had to give a definite answer now, instead of running away and delaying.

"Cass, Veratia." He sighed, wrapping his arms around their slender waists and pulling them closer to him. "I don't want to lie to you, nor do I want to give you empty promises. Yes, I can't give you either of those unique, conventionally accepted commitments right now."

"Is that so?" Cassandra sneered.

"Shut up," Veratia suddenly interrupted, "Let Harry finish!"

Cassandra snorted but did not refute.

"This isn't fair to either of you," Harry thought for a moment, then continued, "But words like 'status' and 'order' make me feel like I'm weighing your relationship against ours on a scale, or forcing a ranking, and I can't do that."

"Because in my heart," he first kissed Veratia's earlobe, then Niffler Cassandra's hair, "You two are equally important, there's no order of importance, you're both the most important people to me."

At this point, Harry became extremely affectionate, and his green eyes shone with genuine sincerity.

"You have long since become an inseparable part of my life and soul. Without any one of you, I would not be complete."

That certainly sounded appealing, and at least some people genuinely believed Harry's words.

Veratia's eyes flickered, and she rested her head on Harry's shoulder, clearly acknowledging Harry words.

She really made me cry my eyes out.

But Cassandra clearly doesn't think so.

"Ha." She sneered, "Potter, that might fool Grindelwald, whose mind is filled with pink, romantic bubbles—"

"Wait a minute." Veratia suddenly straightened up, looking at Cassandra with an unfriendly expression. "What do you mean by 'pink bubbles of love getting to your head'? Am I really that easily bewitched by Harry?"

Cassandra didn't speak, but her disdainful expression clearly said, "You're really easily fooled by this boy."