As the time was for the lunch period, Sirius and Harry headed directly to the Great Hall. Once there, they quickly found both Hermione and Daphne and asked them to come up to the apartment.
"Harry?" asked Hermione. "Has something happened?"
"We will discuss it in the apartment, Hermione," he firmly returned. "Do not, at the moment, badger me on this. Please."
After being told off for forgetting herself and bombarding Harry with questions after and on top of running through the castle from Arithmancy to the apartment only a couple weeks earlier, Hermione had definitely taken it on board and was, again, trying to think things through before acting... or reacting, in this case. She didn't press.
The walk to the apartment was in silence, with Daphne's only sign of concern a slight beetling of the brow and Hermione's was her customary nibbling on her bottom lip.
Once inside, Harry asked Sirius, "Could you tell the girls? I need to get changed out of my Wizengamot robes."
"Thanks, Harry," Sirius snarked.
"Your magical ward," said Harry, as he walked to his bedroom door. "Your responsibility to inform and educate her."
Harry took his time getting changed, but not into school robes. He only had Potions after lunch and had already decided to skive off it. This was too important a subject to leave it partly explained.
When he came out, Sirius was explaining about Fleur's Veela life debt to Harry. Harry stayed well out of it. Instead, he walked into the small dining room and called for Dobby.
Soon, he had a bit of a scrumptious feast for a lunch laid out before him.
He was just about to dig into it when...
"Harrison James Potter!" yelled Hermione.
With a sigh, he set his cutlery back down, rose from the chair and walked back into the living room.
"Not my fault!" he quickly said.
Hermione was glaring at him while Daphne looked sad.
"You will do right by Fleur," Hermione demanded.
"I've been trying to get out of it," he defended.
"Then, stop," she said. "According to Sirius, if you don't allow this to happen, Fleur dies."
"I know," he sighed. "But that does not mean attempts should not be made to find a workable solution. I... am furious... that saving Fleur's life has put the poor girl in this predicament."
Hermione turned to Sirius and asked, "Do you have a copy of that book?"
Sirius pulled it out of his pocket and handed it to her. "I expected you to ask for it."
Accepting it, Hermione said, "Daphne and I will read this, then pass it on to Harry to read."
Sirius nodded and said, "In the meantime, both Lord Greengrass and I will continue to search our own family libraries for anything that may head this off without the young lady losing her life in the process."
Harry offered, "Search the Pottermore library, while you're at it. You have my permission."
"Will do, Pup," Sirius replied.
Harry was watching Daphne and could see how glum she was. "Daphne?" he asked, concerned. "What's wrong?"
She was hesitant to reply, but eventually did. "If Fleur Delacour becomes your concubine, where does that leave me?"
"Nothing changes for you," said Harry. "There is no limitation, under law, for me only being allowed one concubine. If anything, because the Venerable House of Delacour is located in France, it changes nothing with regards to bloodlines."
That had the blonde clearly relieved.
"You do not need to worry about that, Daphne," he said. "I made a promise and I will, come Hell or high water, honour it."
"Why aren't you in school robes?" asked Hermione.
"I'm skiving," he firmly replied. "I've just had one hell of a shock. Please don't hold it against me."
"Hermione," said Daphne. "He's right."
Hermione huffed and said, "Fine. I'll collect and collate for you notes for the classes you missed and any details about assignments."
"Thank you," he said. "Now, I haven't eaten yet. So, I'm going back into the dining room to eat what Dobby's laid out for me." And put actions to word.
After a tour of the apartment by Hermione, Sirius left a little while later. His final words were, "We may have to ask Headmistress Lady Marchbanks to provide a four bedroom apartment for you."
"Not 'may'... 'will'." Harry firmly replied.
_‗_
―==(oIo)==―
ˇ
Harry didn't hear anything back about Fleur, or anything else of specific note from outside the castle, until the next Thursday. Then he and his two ladies were told to make ready for a meeting on Saturday afternoon, after lunch, away from the school. Again, they'd be using the floo in Marchbanks's office to travel.
When that time arrived, the three were dressed quite well for lunch, with all three dressed in smart upmarket wizarding casual. The rest of the school noticed.
Once lunch was finished, Harry gave Marchbanks a nod and she gestured them up to the head table to her.
As they arrived there, she quietly said, "You know what the password is to get into my office. I can trust you will simply pass through and touch nothing that doesn't belong to you?"
"Of course, Headmistress," all three replied.
Sitting back again, she made 'shoo' gestures and a little louder said, "Off with you, then, dears."
Five minutes later, they were stepping out of the floo into a very tastefully decorated welcoming room that appeared to double as a small library.
Sirius and Remus both walked in with wands drawn.
As soon as both groups saw each other, wands were resheathed and hugs were exchanged. Even Daphne found herself shocked by being suddenly grabbed by Sirius and dragged in for a hug. After first rolling his eyes at Sirius's antics Remus only smiled and shook her hand after Sirius released her.
"Now," said Sirius, rubbing his hands together in glee. "I asked for you three to come a little earlier so I can show you each your rooms I've set aside for you."
Spinning about and starting to walk back to the door, he called over his shoulder, "This way!"
Remus just gestured for them to follow Sirius and then brought up the rear.
They were shown Hermione's room with attached ensuite first, as that was the first they came to. But, instead of heading back out, Sirius led them to another door on the side wall furthest from the stairs.
After opening it, he gestured them all through. "And this is Harry's room!" he happily declared.
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