Vedros
patreon
The Feathered Serpent: Chapter 14
🕑 Added 2023-10-14 16:30:01 +0000 UTCQuirinus Quirrell was a coward. He was afraid of even his own shadow and the mere sound of a spoon falling on the floor was enough to make him yelp. The disdainful looks he got from his colleagues whenever it happened had become normal to him.
No one liked him. They barely tolerated him. Even the students were only cordial, giving him respect only because he was a professor. His stutter never endeared him to anyone, and he could see in their eyes what they truly thought of him.
Weak. Incompetent. Useless. Burden.
And that was putting things mildly.
He had always been like this. In his early tenure as the Muggle Studies professor – a class which very few students ever elected in their third year and beyond, he was even laughed at by a few. Those were delinquents who chose the subject for an easy grade and a time to make fun of the poor stuttering professor behind his back.
Even though he was a stuttering fool, he was an acclaimed student. As a former Ravenclaw, he had earned NEWTs in all the core subjects and three electives, making him one of the best to have graduated from Hogwarts in his year.
Yet, he never got any recognition.
Perhaps that was the reason why when he heard the rumors of a spirit residing in the forests of Albania when he was on a visit this past summer, he had embarked on a search, hoping that somehow find it and earn some recognition. Perhaps that would stop people from laughing or making fun of him.
He did find the spirit, and he died that day. His body became nothing more than a host to the darkest wizard alive.
Voldemort had taken over Quirrell’s body but it was only a simple possession. The man’s soul was suppressed by his and he could use only a fraction of his powers while inhabiting it. He had only one goal – to regain his body and continue his plans.
No other thought mattered. Revenge, furthering his goals, murder, or torture, all could happen later. The priority right now was to regain his body.
And thus began his search for a way to ensure it happened. He had a few ideas. His Horcruxes could prove useful. There was a ritual that would use his Horcrux to construct a new body, but it would result in the destruction of a portion of his soul, and it was out of consideration. There was another ritual that required him to confide in one of his servants, but all of them had either denounced him or had chosen to remain true to his cause and suffer in Azkaban. He had no Death Eater he could trust right now, and breaking someone out of Azkaban was impossible in his weak state.
At least he was fortunate enough to come across someone who taught at Hogwarts. Being close to home would surely give him some idea as to how he should go ahead with everything.
And it had borne fruit very quickly. Dumbledore had been entrusted with the Philosopher’s Stone by the Flamels. The news shocked him. The Flamels were famous across the world and no one had ever been able to locate them. No one even knew what they truly looked like apart from a select few whom the Flamels trusted. As such, there had never been a way to steal any of their artifacts until now.
They had entrusted Dumbledore with their precious stone and when he got to know that it was hidden in Gringotts, he hesitated. Against his better judgment, he tried to steal it from the goblins’ lair. He was unsuccessful, to his ire. He was confident he could have done it if he was at his best.
Alas, not all hope was lost. In his infinite wisdom and knowing he could trust every Hogwarts professor, the old fool had decided to hide the stone behind a few traps and challenges. He had enlisted the help of the professors with the traps, even himself. He had finally been given the post of Defense and as such, he had provided a creature to guard the stone.
Little did Dumbledore know who he truly was. It seemed in his old age he had lost some of his senses since he had been able to fool the old coot without any trouble.
A few weeks had passed and no one had been the wiser. He was easily able to portray himself as the bumbling, stuttering idiot that Quirinus was and students and teachers alike lapped it up. During these few weeks, he had meticulously come up with and discarded several plans. He also took stock of those around him, particularly a select few.
Harry Potter had come to Hogwarts this year and he had to admit the boy was special. He excelled in every branch of magic and was regarded as a model student. The boy very much reminded him of himself when he first came to Hogwarts, but only in terms of magical aptitude. In terms of social life, they were polar opposites. Where he had been a loner, the boy was a social magnet, always surrounded by people he called his friends. A foolish concept if he’d ever heard of one.
He didn’t do anything to stand out though. Treating the boy who had been prophesized to be his vanquisher normally had been a challenge but one he had overcome quite easily. He was not regarded as the greatest wizard of all time for nothing, after all.
He needed to keep a low profile, which meant going along with the man’s irritating mannerisms. He hated the stutter and he hated playing the fool. He wanted to kill those worthless scum who dared to laugh at him but he kept his composure. It won’t do to give himself away. He knew there was no way he could even pose a challenge to a random Hogwarts professor, let alone Dumbledore, in his state.
However, the first opportunity to do something came on Halloween.
The previous war had been fun, and there was one species of magical creatures that had proved its mettle. He needed a severe distraction so that he could venture down that trapdoor and recover the stone.
Contacting Greyback had proven challenging but his younger brother proved most eager. The werewolf had jumped at the chance to get inside Hogwarts and wreak havoc around the castle. He didn’t care for anything as long as the creature did as it was instructed to do. He didn’t even need to offer anything else.
Acromantula and trolls were simple creatures. All it took was allowing them entrance and they started doing what wild creatures did.
He had not pondered much on anything since then. Once the distraction was underway, he embarked on his journey to recover the stone.
He would have managed but he was somehow intercepted by none other than his former servant.
Severus reached him and prevented him from getting to the restricted corridor. He seethed, cursing his former servant in his mind, but he could not blame him. As far as he was concerned, Quirinus was trying to go there, and to keep this charade of a changed man that he had been portraying, he had to do it. He didn’t like it but he understood, which was the best Severus was going to get from him.
The aftermath of the attack on Halloween did surprise him a little. Somehow, Potter and his tramp had succeeded in killing Greyback’s brother. That was a bit shocking. Greyback and his brother were considered among the most fearsome werewolves to prowl the countryside of Magical Europe and for two students in their first-year Hogwarts training to not only subdue but also kill him was truly a feat to marvel at.
None of it had been made public at their request and only the proper authorities were aware of it, which included the professors. That made him evaluate his assessment of the boy and now his tramp even more. Those two were stronger than he had expected and if they continued on this trajectory, they would easily get stronger than the best aurors or hit-wizards by the time they took their NEWTs.
Although they were nothing compared to his sheer strength, it was something to take notice of.
Since that day, he had kept a low profile once again. He did nothing but see out the pathetic students all day, keeping up with the stutters and ignoring their giggles and looks of mockery, all the while telling himself it was Quirinus they were laughing at, not him.
Things had slowly become normal and he didn’t feel anyone having any clue as to who he truly was.
At least until today.
It started with a tingling feeling of being watched, but he could find no one. He cursed his lack of power once again. His magical senses were not up to the mark and he could not feel anything around him which put him at a considerable disadvantage. Gaining a feel of his surroundings had become second nature to him after decades of usage and to suddenly be deprived of it felt as if he had been partially blinded.
Still, he trusted his instincts, and his instincts told him something had suddenly gone wrong. He must have missed something and now he had someone on his tail. He could not do anything. People across the wizarding world knew he was dead and he wanted to keep them ignorant. That would give him a significant head start when he made his eventual return and it meant he could not afford a direct confrontation with whoever it was. The last thing he wanted was to attract any attention toward him.
He also did not think he would be able to take them on should they prove to be one of the professors. Students were manageable but the staff were more powerful than he currently was. Stealth had been the way to go but it seemed it had somehow been compromised.
When he felt the same instinct continuously, he decided to do something. Someone was definitely looking into his mannerisms and noticing the slip-ups, whatever they might be. He had no time now. He would either need to leave or go for the stone tonight.
XXXXX
Albus Dumbledore watched with slight amusement at the subtle signs of nervousness coming from Quirinus’ body. He was sorrowful for the man’s unfortunate demise but now was not the time for it.
The discussion with Severus had gone the way he had expected. The man had been visibly relieved when he told him about it and he even wanted to assist somehow. However, there was no chance he would let Severus reveal his true hand so soon. The true struggle hadn’t even started and Severus’ true loyalties needed to be hidden until the end.
He had successfully convinced Severus to stay away from it all. He would take care of Tom for now.
However, they needed to do it somewhere where no one was present. Tom was evil and he would hesitate in taking advantage of some innocent to save himself. There was no way they could put anyone in danger.
This made him settle on this choice of action. He wanted to set Tom’s paranoia alight. He knew Tom was keeping a low profile for a reason and there was no way he would risk exposing himself if he could avoid it. Hopefully, his former student will be spooked enough to either flee the castle or go for the stone. Both options were preferable. He knew Tom would flee even if he confronted and defeated him since he was not corporeal, and the only reason he was doing this was to keep the students safe. As long as Tom was away from Hogwarts, it was a win.
He had already placed concealed alert wards around the room he was housing the stone in as well as around the castle and all he had to do now was wait for Tom to trigger either of the two. His faithful familiar was perched on his shoulder, ready to flash him away at a moment’s notice should Tom venture down the trapdoor to recover the fake stone.
He felt a sudden alert as one of the wards responded and with a smile, Dumbledore vanished in a swirl of golden fire as Fawkes took him away.
XXXXX
Voldemort wanted to waste as little magic as possible. He was not regarded as the brightest wizard in history for nothing. A small flute he found lying around in the locker of Quirrell’s classroom was enough to take care of the Cerberus. The infernal creature was asleep in no time.
The Devil’s Snare was child’s play. He let it wrap all over him, remaining as still as a statue as he was buried under and was let go in no time.
The old key was a challenge but his flying skill came to his rescue. He had rarely flown on a broom but he knew unassisted flying. The shadows emerged from behind him as he chased the feebly-moving key and opened the door.
It was a boon that flying unassisted like that required next to nothing in magic as it assisted him in flying over the enchanted chessboard and even dodging the projectiles the animated statues sent toward him.
Flying at a breakneck pace with nothing but dark shadows trailing behind him, Voldemort crossed the accursed flames and entered the final chamber where he knew the stone was kept hidden. He landed in front of the mirror and stared into it.
However, he suddenly whirled around when he saw golden sparks glow around him and his eyes widened as he looked into the amused eyes of none other than Albus Dumbledore.
“Hello, Tom,” Dumbledore smiled.
“Dumbledore,” Voldemort sneered. “Always the bane of my existence, aren’t you?”
“I certainly never intended to,” Dumbledore replied smiling. “However, I cannot exactly turn the blind eye to your shenanigans either. I had intended to let you be, but when you decided to put my students at risk, I had to do something.”
Voldemort gritted his teeth. He had severely underestimated the man, believing his senses to have dulled in his old age. However, the man was as sharp as ever.
“You got me,” he grinned ferally. “So what is next? You will try the same rhetoric again? How what I am doing is wrong, how I should not do this, the usual?”
“I am afraid that ship sailed quite a long time ago,” Dumbledore smiled sadly. “Perhaps I would have said something like that if you were still a student. Alas, we both know it is useless now.”
“You got that right,” Voldemort chuckled.
“I understand you are after the stone?” Dumbledore asked rhetorically. “It is inside that mirror. You may have it if you can take it out.”
Voldemort eyed Dumbledore, feeling warier by the second when he saw not even a hint of violent aura around the man. He was as calm as still water.
He turned toward the mirror and looked it over. He easily recognized it.
The Mirror of Erised was a famous magical artifact that revealed one’s deepest desires. He could see himself holding the stone and thereafter using it to restore himself to a new body, but for the life of him, he could not see how he could possess it.
Dumbledore watched in amusement as his former student struggled visibly in front of the mirror. For all his cruelty and brilliance, a magically weak Voldemort was nothing.
He had always believed Tom was the most magically dependent student he had ever laid eyes on and the sight in front of him proved it.
“Even if you somehow take it out, you cannot use it,” Dumbledore announced. Voldemort’s eyes widened.
Dumbledore chuckled at the look on his face.
“That stone is a fake. The real stone is still with the Flamels, Tom.”
Shocked, Voldemort stared at Dumbledore as he tried to spot any insincerity. However, try as he might, he could not find any hint of lie or deceit on Dumbledore’s face. The truth of the entire saga dawned on him.
“You used the stone as a bait to lure me in.”
It was a very obvious strategy in hindsight but he had never seen it coming.
“I had a belief, but I needed to confirm that you were indeed alive, and it looks like I succeeded,” Dumbledore replied with a small smile and Voldemort spotted him raise his wand a little.
“And what’s the plan now, Dumbledore?” Voldemort smirked as he brought out Quirinus’ wand and held it aloft. “Are you going to attack a teacher in your school? An innocent?”
“We both know Quirinus is dead and you are possessing his body after fully suppressing his soul, Tom,” Dumbledore said sadly. “Once you leave his body, his body will wither away. I might not have ventured as deeply into the dark arts as you have but I do know a thing or two.”
“You sound sorrowful, Dumbledore. Do you truly miss a pathetic excuse of a wizard like him?” Voldemort mocked.
Dumbledore did not reply and merely stared ahead with hard eyes.
“Touched a nerve there, Dumbledore?” Voldemort chuckled. “Don’t worry. You can express your condolences to him in person. AVADA KEDAVRA!”
Dumbledore’s movement defied his age as he dodged the killing curse with perfect ease. He flicked his wand and the ground under Voldemort bubbled. Multiple limbs made of brick and mortar reached for Voldemort who jumped out of the way, hitting the mirror behind him and sending it toppling over.
The loud crack of glass echoed around the cavernous room and Voldemort looked at the shattered remains of what he had believed to be the Philosopher’s Stone. He snarled and sent a blasting curse at the ground where the limbs were protruding from. The limbs shattered into dust and Tom dodged again when he saw multiple stone golems start chucking boulders straight at him. A few hit him in the shoulder but he managed to either dodge or shield from most of them. As the dust cleared, he saw several golems standing around Dumbledore, surrounding him as sentries while the old wizard calmly stood in the middle.
The same could not be said about him. He was breathing heavily after expelling so much advanced magic to both attack Dumbledore and defend himself from his transfigured menaces.
“You don’t have too much reserve in this body of yours, Tom,” Dumbledore said calmly.
Voldemort knew it was true. Perhaps if he had started hunting the Unicorns for their blood then he could have posed a much better challenge but in his current state, he knew he was no challenge for Albus Dumbledore.
“Don’t think this is over, Dumbledore,” Voldemort snarled. “Don’t think I’m defeated. I will find a way to come back and when I do, I will kill you. You, Potter, and that tramp of his!”
Dumbledore stared hard at Voldemort, fully understanding just who he was talking about. He raised his wand when his eyes widened slightly.
“FIENDFYRE!” Voldemort bellowed, and multiple things happened at once. The body he was inhabiting gave away and withered as malevolent basilisks made of hellfire emerged from the wand, engulfing it as it fell on the floor with a clatter. Voldemort’s wraith emerged from Quirrell’s destroyed body and shot toward Dumbledore, intent on taking him out and letting the Fiendfyre take care of him.
However, Dumbledore was quicker. A majestic phoenix made of glowing white light collided with the wraith, making it cry out in pain while the old wizard devoted himself to taking down the cursed flames. He saw the wraith flee through the walls and the alert wards he had erected around the castle grounds informed him that Voldemort was out of Hogwarts now.
With a firm look in his eyes, Dumbledore flicked his wand and exerted the sheer force of his will over the Fiendfyre, slowly but surely overcoming it until he managed to subdue it entirely.
Exhaling a deep breath, Dumbledore looked around at the scorched walls and floor. Not even the remains of the Mirror of Erised or the fake Philosopher’s Stone remained.
“It seems we are done here, Fawkes,” he said softly and in no time, he was enveloped in phoenix fire and vanished from the destroyed room, reappearing in his office where his trusted ally was waiting for him.
“So it is done,” Severus Snape remarked.
“For now,” Dumbledore nodded. “But Tom will be back one day and we need to be ready for that eventuality.”
“The boy will be his target,” Snape said curtly.
“And Miss Greengrass,” Dumbledore replied. Snape looked at the man in surprise.
“What quarrel does the Dark Lord have with Greengrass?”
“Tom is a twisted individual, Severus,” Dumbledore sighed. “He must have seen the bond the two share and he knows how it would affect Harry should something happen to her. She also helped take down Elstan Greyback and Tom knows how significant a feat it was for two first-years to do something like that. He won’t want them growing much stronger even though he might not admit it to himself.”
Snape nodded gravely. The Dark Lord was a prideful wizard and there was no way he would ever admit that two young teenagers would ever pose a challenge to him.
“What do you plan on doing now?”
“For now, we do nothing but let things settle down,” Dumbledore replied. “I shall take care of the news about Quirinus and we will have to look for another Defense professor for the remainder of the year.”
“Headmaster, surely—”
“I apologize, Severus, but it is a no,” Dumbledore replied to the man’s disapproval. “We do not know how the curse will see it Severus. We are not even halfway into the term yet. It is not a risk I am willing to take, and neither should you.”
Snape nodded curtly.
“Meanwhile, Harry will go to France during the Yule Holidays. I have discussed his problem with Nicholas and Perenelle. They will take a look into it.”
Snape nodded in understanding.
“Do you have any suspicions regarding what the problem might be, headmaster?”
“I’m afraid I do not, Severus,” Dumbledore sighed. “I am as much in the dark as everyone else. But there is one thing I am confident about. Whatever it is, it is quite significant. Hopefully it would be treated without any harm to young Harry. He has a long life ahead.”
“If that is all then I’ll ask your leave, headmaster.”
Dumbledore nodded and leaned back in his armchair as Snape walked out of his office and closed the door behind him. His eyes fell on his familiar and he stroked his plumage lovingly.
“Dark times are coming, Fawkes. But something tells me it will all work out as long as those two have each other.”
Fawkes nuzzled his palm and trilled.
Dumbledore smiled.
XXXXX
Harry smiled as he welcomed Daphne back into his room late into the night. She was as eager to explore their newfound relationship as he was.
He chuckled when he saw her eyes roam over his almost naked figure and as he locked the door and turned around, he saw her throw her nightdress on the chair, revealing herself in all her naked glory. She truly was a vision.
Smiling, he took her hand and helped her into the bed. Daphne laid on her back with her legs spread apart slightly, not enough to give him a full view but enough to just give a tease. Harry stared at her perfect body for a moment, smiling.
“You’re beautiful.”
Daphne let out a tinkling laugh and pulled him next to her. Their lips met in a passionate kiss, and it did not take long for their tongues to get involved. They probed each other, rolling their tongues around as they kissed.
Minutes passed as they made out like the young lovers they were and Harry pulled away. Daphne moaned when he dragged his lips over her neck, kissing eagerly as he descended with agonizing slowness. She gasped and sighed whenever he sucked any sensitive part of her neck and in no time, his mouth was hovering over her bare breasts.
She smiled when she saw him looking at her and nodded. With a smile of his own, Harry leaned forward and pushed his tongue out, circling her nipples one by one, never quite touching them. He teased her, relishing her soft mewls and moans of complaint, and caressed her naked sides, tickling her and making her giggle.
“Just get on with it already!” She complained when he showed no signs of getting to her nipples. Harry chuckled and finally teased her nipples with the tip of his tongue, alternating every couple of seconds. He rolled the hardened nubs around with his tongue as Daphne breathed raggedly. Her toes were clenched and she had a firm grasp on his head as she held him against her.
Suddenly, she cried out and her body arched in elation when Harry dragged the entire flat surface of his tongue over one of her nipples. He chuckled and did the same with the other.
“That felt good?”
She could only nod wordlessly. Harry laughed and kissed her belly button, making her squirm even more.
He sat on his knees between her legs and gently parted her legs wide, exposing her sacred wetness to his hungry gaze. He stared at her pink velvety folds glistening with her arousal and with a wink, he leaned forward.
Daphne laid on her back, staring right at his head as he licked around the outer walls of her pussy. His tongue darted around, making her shiver before his fingers joined the fray. In no time, he had two of his fingers inside her and was slowly pushing them in and out of her as he kept licking her. All she could do was stare at the lewd sight and moan in delight.
“Ahh Harry…” she whispered, caressing his scalp caringly. He simply looked up at her with mirthful eyes as he kept at it.
Minutes passed when he was finally done and he pulled his fingers out of her. Daphne watched, breathing deeply, as he parted her folds with the same fingers that had been inside her, that were now coated with her juices, and dove with his mouth, pushing his tongue inside her. He licked around the wet walls of her pussy, dragging the full length of his tongue over either side before he started to slowly flick his tongue in and out of her vagina.
All the while, Daphne continued to moan and squirm incoherently, and the only thing he could perfectly make out from her voice was his name and nothing else. Her feet planted on the bed and her back arched as she cried out in pleasure as Harry ate her out.
With a smile, he pulled away, wiping the remnants of her vaginal juices off his mouth as she shivered. Breathing heavily, she looked up at him through half-lidded eyes and spread her arms wide, beckoning him to embrace her. Harry smiled and leaned over her, wrapped his arms around her, and pulled her close.
“Make love to me,” she whispered in his ear.
Harry grabbed a pillow and raised her ass, pushing it under her and hiking her ass slightly. He grabbed his length and positioned it against her.
Daphne moaned when his manhood touched her sensitive and pulsating pussy. She felt him grab hold of her thighs and was surprised when he spread them apart. As she looked down and saw how exposed she was, she flushed brilliantly. Her eyes remained poised on his manhood as it rubbed and lurched against her womanhood and she saw him grab hold of it once again.
“Ready?” He asked.
Daphne nodded and sighed in pleasure as he slid inside her with perfect ease.
“Ah yesss…” she whispered lovingly as Harry started to slowly slide back and forth, pushing his length firmly in and out of her. Their eyes remained locked together as he kept her thighs spread apart. He pressed her against the bed and started to pick up the pace.
Daphne moaned and cried in abject pleasure as Harry started to truly make love to her. His hard length slid in and out of her erotically, sending the squelching noises of her wet pussy walls hugging his length reverberating around the room. Her walls hugged his length eagerly and Harry could feel how remarkably they were wrapped around it. Her pussy was pulsating and squeezing his manhood as he penetrated her.
The rhythm of their coupling was slowly getting more intense as seconds went by. Their skin made slapping noises whenever they collided and she saw Harry release his hold on her thighs and hover over her. Daphne eagerly put both her legs around his waist and pulled him against her, moaning out loud when he started thrusting powerfully.
“Aaahhhh Harryyy!” Daphne cried as she was filled even more. Her legs were wrapped firmly around his waist as she wrapped her arms around him and pulled him close. Harry’s face was right over hers as he held her to himself and fucked her with his knees on the bed. Her pussy pulsed and her body shook as her impending orgasm signaled its arrival and she expressed as much to him.
“Ahh Harry… ahh I’m close, love… ohh yesss…”
Her sensual body craved release and Harry was not far behind.
“Aaahhhh Harryyyyyy! I’m cumminggg!” Daphne cried out in primal passion as she came and that was the final switch for Harry. He grunted as she tightened impossibly around his girth and with a furious thrust, he exploded inside her.
Daphne moaned in jubilation as she felt him erupt inside her. Her hot, tight walls seemed to pull him even deeper inside her just as his length was intent on pushing even further. She cried out his name and clutched onto him as they rode out their respective climaxes.
Breathing heavily, Harry got off her and fell on his back, making Daphne roll over. The blonde beauty lay on his heaving chest with her arms wrapped around him and her face pushed in the crook of her neck. His arm came around her and she chuckled when he palmed her naked ass. His manhood was still lodged deep inside her, pulsing, and he smiled when she moaned in contentment.
“That was brilliant,” she whispered. Harry hummed.
A long silence set in as they got their breathing back under control. Lying side by side with their arms around each other, Daphne was nuzzling his neck and enjoying his soft touches on her back, her ass, and her waist as she caressed his bare back. Their legs remained intertwined as they held each other close.
“I think I might be an heir of Slytherin,” Harry said softly after a while and Daphne jerked. She looked up at him in surprise.
“What?”
Harry looked down into her shining sapphire orbs and sighed.
“I was reading about magic and its connection to bloodlines. It basically explained where the notion of blood superiority and purity came from. According to this book, certain bloodlines contain magical affinities or abilities, such as Potters and their affinity to Transfiguration. Apparently Slytherin bound the ability of Parseltongue to his bloodline and since I can speak to snakes…”
“You think you’re descended from Slytherin,” Daphne finished for him. Harry sighed.
“I can’t say with a hundred percent certainty but it’s possible someone with Slytherin blood married into the Potter family and this trait manifested in me,” he said.
“It would take a significant connection for it to happen,” Daphne replied. “All pureblood children are taught about magic and its connection to the bloodline. It’s always basic knowledge though so I don’t know too much about it, but for any ability to emerge like this, the connection needs to be a big one. Otherwise, more pureblood houses would have members speaking Parseltongue since there are quite a few with Slytherin blood in them.”
“Really?” Harry asked in surprise, earning a nod from the blonde.
“I see,” he muttered. Daphne sighed and pressed herself close to him in his warm embrace.
“Stop thinking about that right now,” she said softly. “We can look into it tomorrow. We’ll get to the bottom of it, I promise.”
Harry took hold of her chin and pulled her face upward, planting a soft kiss on her lips. Daphne smiled as he wrapped his arms around her and in no time, they were fast asleep.
To be continued…
