It was two weeks into Harry's summer holiday, and Harry and Dudley were playing a new 'beat 'em up' video game together. Dudley had clearly practiced, as his character easily beat Harry's nine times out of ten. Harry was gearing up for another pummelling when the doorbell rang.
"Harry! You have someone here to see you!", called Petunia's voice from downstairs.
Shrugging at Dudley's outrage – his cousin had nearly won again, after all – Harry raced downstairs to find someone he didn't expect on the Dursleys' doorstep.
"arry!" came the voice, followed by a leaping hug.
Harry caught the girl in question, managing to spin her around in the hallway without (quite) hitting anything.
"Gabrielle! It's so good to see you! But how did you get here?" Harry asked, his face beaming with excitement.
A distortion in the air, and then Cheveu appeared by magic. "That would be me, little brother!"
"Cheveu!" Harry cried, gently putting Gabrielle down and then hugging his big sister. "Is this a birthday visit? You're two days early"
"You can think about it like that if you'd like", replied Cheveu.
Gabrielle, however, shook her head. "Cheveu said you'd never spent a day with just your sisters, and she's right! So we're here to fix that!"
"And we wanted it to be a surprise", added Cheveu cheerfully. Gabrielle nodded earnestly.
Harry smiled. "It was!" Then a troubled look passed over Harry's face. "Oh, but Dudley and I promised to spend the day together. He said he had a surprise", he admitted sadly.
Cheveu gave Harry a confused look. "Say that last bit again in English?" she asked.
Harry gave an apologetic look, then repeated: "I promised Dudley I'd spend the day with him. He said he had a surprise."
A voice from just behind Harry made him jump. "Introducing my planned surprise: sister one and sister two!" Dudley declared officiously.
Harry turned round in shock. "You... But... How?!" Harry asked articulately.
Dudley grinned. "That's a secret! Now, go enjoy your day out with your sisters!"
Harry's face blossomed into a large smile. He put his shoes on quickly, gave Dudley a hug in thanks, grasped one of Gabrielle's and Cheveu's hands each, then practically skipped out the door.
...
Cheveu and Gabrielle had planned the day together. Gabrielle had been eager to visit London, as she had never been, and Cheveu was happy to oblige; but as Cheveu wasn't yet comfortable with dual apparition, they rode the night bus. Gabrielle was thrilled.
"Faster! Faster! And go around another big corner!" Gabrielle managed to demand, between giggles.
Harry and Cheveu were sat either side of Gabrielle, protecting her from the worst of the G-forces inherent in riding the monstrosity. Cheveu considered that the ride might be the worst part of her plan; Harry was having almost as much fun as Gabrielle.
Eventually, Cheveu was able to breathe a sigh of relief, as the bus stopped outside The Leaky Cauldron.
"Are we going into Diagon Alley?" Harry asked.
Gabrielle shook her head whilst excitedly bouncing on the balls of her feet. "No, big brother, we're going exploring in Muggle London!"
Cheveu had been before but Harry hadn't, and as the day went on he really couldn't understand why. Harry and Gabrielle both enjoyed the hustle and bustle of a busy city, with interesting confectioners ("they have lots of different types of sweet shops, 'arry!"), restaurants ("what is that?! That is not French food, Cheveu!"), clothes shops ("that's a French word! Can we go in the French clothes shop, Cheveu?" "Gabrielle, you won't need underwear like that until you're much older" "but Fleur has some!"), and plenty of famous sights ("can we see if anyone's still locked in the Tower?").
The trio stopped to have burgers and fries for lunch ("why are they called French fries?"), with Gabrielle delighted to be allowed a thick strawberry milkshake ("it's like an ice-cream drink!"), before exploring more. There was even time for a boat ride down the Thames, with Gabrielle delighted to see a bridge that lifted up to let them through ("'arry!? Cheveu?! THE BRIDGE IS GOING UP!").
Before leaving, Cheveu treated them to a steak dinner at a fancy restaurant on the river ("can't I have the big steak like you, 'arry?" "I don't see why n..." "Harry! She's eight, she can't manage a rib-eye steak on her own!"), with chocolate fondants for dessert; they were all very full by the end of the day, when Cheveu dropped Harry back home.
"I've really enjoyed today. Thank you both for planning it" Harry said, as he first wrapped Gabrielle in a tight warm hug. "I have the best sisters" he added, wrapping Cheveu in a warm hug of her own.
"You're welcome! We missed you, big brother!" "Yeah, what the adorable mini-veela said!"
Just before they left, Cheveu handed Harry a note. "From Fleur, to read after we've gone", Cheveu stated.
After one more hug each, Cheveu and Gabrielle disapparated, leaving Harry to waddle up to his room.
As he sat down on the bed, he opened the note. It contained just a short message:
"The first thing I'm going to do after I graduate is kiss you senseless. The second and third things I want to do require us to have some privacy xxx"
Harry groaned. Sometimes, Fleur just did not play fair.
...
Towards the end of his time with the Dursleys, Harry was enjoying a day with a close friend. And the topic was an upcoming sporting event of some significance.
"So were you able to get tickets? They sold out way too fast", Katie groaned, as the pair were walking together through a local park.
"I don't know; one of my uncles is crazy about it and was trying to get tickets. But there's been so much to do over the summer I've not really thought about it", Harry replied honestly.
Katie gave Harry an incredulous look. "But... But... But it's the Quidditch World Cup! And you're a star Quidditch player! How come you're not more excited?"
Harry gave an amused smile. "Quidditch is great, but honestly there's been so much to enjoy this holiday. That trip to London I told you about, our summer visits, dinners with Uncle Remus and Uncle Sirius..." Harry could have kept going.
"And of course, the best two weeks are yet to come, right?" teased Katie.
Harry blushed, but didn't try to argue the point; they both knew she was right.
Just then, a shout caught Harry's attention. Some idiot of a grown man was chasing pigeons through the park, laughing maniacally as they flew away.
"Yeah! You run, stupid creatures! Rats with wings!" shouted the man.
Harry groaned. Katie gave Harry a curious look. "Harry? Something the matter?"
Harry sighed. "He loves terrorising rats, or anything he classes as rats. He's usually really cool, I promise."
"Harry, who...?" Katie began, but was interrupted by a loud shout.
"Pup! And Katie, I believe? I think I've seen you a couple of times in a mirror?" the man asked.
"Uncle Sirius, do you have to chase pigeons in the park?" Harry asked, embarrassed.
"Harry and Cheveu's Uncle!" Katie declared in recognition.
Sirius took a deep bow. "The one and only! Sorry to interrupt – and yes I do, by the way, Harry – but I had important news!"
Sirius paused dramatically, but Harry only had to wait the few seconds for Sirius' excitement to erupt. "I GOT US TOP BOX TICKETS TO THE FINAL!" Sirius shouted.
"WHAT?!" Katie replied, in shock. "Harry, you're so lucky! I'm super jealous!" Katie gushed. Harry reaction to the news was merely a broad smile.
Sirius grinned. "I know, I know, I'm a hero. Now, I got tickets for me and you, and Amelia and Susan, but apparently the ticket would be wasted on Susan, and Amelia kindly said you could choose a 'plus one'", Sirius said to Harry.
Harry thought for a moment. He knew Fleur and Gabrielle were busy visiting family, so he couldn't invite them. Cheveu had bought her own ticket a while ago, as had the Weasleys and Hermione. Really, there was only one person left to choose, and Harry was fairly confident she wouldn't mind too much.
"Oh no!" Harry began, in mock horror. "Sirius, you know the Delacours can't go and most of my friends and family already have tickets! Whoever am I going to find who wants to go and doesn't have a ticket yet?" Harry asked, melodramatically.
Katie held her breath. Surely he couldn't mean... They were top box seats, he wouldn't just...
"Katie?" Harry asked
"Yes, Harry?" She replied, barely breathing.
"Fancy going to watch the Quidditch final with me and Uncle Sirius?"
Katie launched herself into Harry, hugging him for all he was worth. "YES!"
...
The game was amazing to watch, though more entertaining than the game were Sirius and Katie's reactions. They were both like five-year-olds at Christmas, having the time of their lives. It also meant Harry and Amelia bonded over the game, and over their observations of those watching it.
But it was a couple of days later when Harry's real highlight of the summer began – with Appoline picking him up from the Dursleys and apparating him to France for the two weeks he always looked forward to most of all.
After arriving, and giving Fleur only a very brief hug, Harry grabbed her hand and dragged her upstairs to their room.
Fleur, curious, put up no resistance. As soon as they were both in the room and Fleur had shut the door, she found herself pinned against it by a very worked up Harry.
"That wasn't fair, Fleur", Harry almost growled, desire in his eyes.
Fleur grinned, wrapping her arms around Harry's neck. "Oh? What wasn't fair, my cherished?"
Harry moved his face closer to Fleur's, their noses almost touching. "Your note. You know you've had me thinking about what 'the second and third thing' could be ever since I read it?" Harry accused.
Fleur grinned again, pushing her allure out a little. Then she leaned forward slightly, to whisper in Harry's ear, "Mmm... Then it worked even better than I'd hoped. Maybe I want you to think about that, 'arry. Maybe I want you to crave me as much as I crave you."
Harry couldn't resist. He knew they were trying not to, but Fleur had taken his willpower and ground it into powder. He kissed her, feeling Fleur's deliciously soft lips against his own, a tiny part of his mind noting that her lips were smiling, perhaps even grinning.
Fleur did feel a tiny bit guilty for a half-second, until the sensations of the kiss registered in her brain. Then she felt only delight and desire, both warring for primacy in her mind. After a few moments – or were they minutes? – Fleur decided to try something new. Without breaking their kiss, Fleur jumped up and wrapped her legs around Harry's waist. Harry's hands automatically rushed to hold her steady, and Fleur mewled as she felt Harry's hands on her rear.
Harry, for his part, realised immediately where his hands had landed, and tried to reposition them somewhere more appropriate. Fleur, however, broke the kiss briefly to stop him. "No, my love, don't move your hands!" she pleaded.
"But my hands are...", Harry began.
"Right where they should be", Fleur finished, before silencing Harry with her tongue.
...
Several minutes later, after their passionate kissing had abated, Fleur and Harry were cuddled up on Fleur's bed, gazing into each other's eyes.
"Ok, so that one was my fault", Fleur admitted, a little more guiltily than before.
Harry nodded in agreement. "Definitely. Was that your intention when you had Cheveu give me the note?" Harry asked, in a mock-accusatory tone.
Fleur smiled shyly. "Perhaps. Or perhaps on that day my desire was so strong, and I wanted you to feel as I do."
Harry shook his head affectionately. "Then you are being silly, my cherished. I always desire you. You make it very hard not to."
Fleur sighed and snuggled into Harry's side. Two years seemed a very long way away, but she would try not to lead Harry astray.
...
A couple of days later, Katie and Hermione had arrived at the Delacours', and it was awful.
Ok, perhaps 'awful' wasn't the right word; 'torturous' might be better. Oh, Katie and Hermione had been welcomed with open arms by the Delacours, and in the hour since they had arrived they had settled in quickly – Hermione and Fleur were chatting together in the garden, and Katie was playing a game with Gabrielle, though neither spoke the other's language.
But the problem was that the weather was hot, and that the girls were dressed accordingly.
Hermione was wearing a short yellow skirt that showed legs toned by Hogwarts staircases, and a thin white top that hugged her curves in the heat. Harry had never noticed those curves before, but he was struggling not to notice now.
Then there was Katie, who was wearing her own short skirt (albeit black), which showed off her unfairly shapely legs. But worse was her top: the red strappy top ended not far below her red bra, which he could see whenever he looked too closely. And if he tried to lower his eyes he would see her exposed stomach, which was appealing in its own way. And the very worst thing? Katie was her usual affectionate self, generously dolling out hugs, putting her arm over his shoulder, gently bumping shoulders with him... and she still smelled wonderful! It was torture!
Fleur had noticed how Harry's eyes betrayed him, occasionally with Hermione but regularly with Katie. They hadn't spoken about it before – as Harry was English and so more reserved about such things – but he obviously found Katie very attractive, despite his efforts to ignore his hormones. A mischievous grin passed over Fleur's face; she was dressed fairly conservatively due to her desire not to tempt Harry too much, but why should Harry's other friends get all the stares?
Offering a quick excuse to Hermione, Fleur went to get changed. She considered wearing her blue bikini, but that was perhaps a bit too far. Instead, she selected a short black skirt very similar to Katie's, and a blue strappy top that showed plenty of cleavage.
Katie was not entirely ignorant to Harry's stares, and she found it flattering (and perhaps distracting, a little) to know that he found her attractive, even if just a little. She had been enjoying her time a lot so far, and was especially fond of Gabrielle – she was adorable, eager to play even if she couldn't understand what Katie was saying. She wondered how she could get one of those mirrors, so that she could get to know Fleur and Gabrielle better.
Her thoughts were interrupted as Hermione came over to talk to Gabrielle, and so she left them to it and went to talk to Harry.
When Fleur returned to the garden, it was to see Hermione chatting with Gabrielle and Katie with a friendly arm around Harry. As Fleur approached, Katie looked up and grinned – she knew Harry was sure to enjoy the eyeful Fleur was offering.
"Wow you look good, Fleur!" Katie said, winking at her as Harry turned to see.
Fleur smiled innocently, though her eyes glinted with mischief. "Thank you, Katie. I thought I'd wear something a little cooler."
Harry couldn't think. His hormones were going wild. He tried so hard not to gaze at Fleur, but when he managed to wrench his gaze away it only fell upon Katie, which was not much better. Both girls sported evil grins. This afternoon was going to be fun!
...
Later, Harry would congratulate himself for waiting until he was alone with Fleur before passionately kissing her. She had the audacity to giggle – outrageously so! – as he pulled her to himself and found her lips with his. Harry was dripping with desire, and likely would have progressed beyond kissing had Fleur let him and (more importantly) had his two friends not interrupted them.
With a whispered accusation, which Fleur giggled at once again, it was agreed that this was again definitely Fleur's fault.
Hermione and Katie, who had witnessed the end of quite a passionate kiss, shared a knowing smile, and Katie was pleased to note that the sight didn't cause her the heartache she had feared it would.
...
Harry had managed to get his emotions under control for the rest of Katie and Hermione's visit, or perhaps the weather was just cooler. Either way, the five of them – Gabrielle included – went to see the sights, which included, most importantly, Celeste's.
"Harry! This place is amazing!" Katie gushed. She had a hot chocolate and something called a Religieuse, which she ate in a previously-unknown state of bliss.
"This place is my parents' worst nightmare!" agreed Hermione, who had opted for a coffee and a slice of Fraisier.
The English girls were surprised when Harry opted for profiteroles – they had tried them in England and they weren't anything special. But when Harry gave them a knowing look and merely explained that they were French profiteroles, both were curious. Harry bartered a profiterole each for some of their cakes, and grinned at the shocked look on both Katie's and Hermione's faces as they took a bite then understood the truth of his words.
Gabrielle and Fleur merely grinned and shook their heads at the antics of their new friends. They had both opted for a slice of Tarte Tropézienne, but knew they could – and would! – come back to try other options another time.
...
Harry had been eager to introduce Katie and Hermione to two more friends, but there hadn't been the time. Plus, Sebastian suggested Harry prepare them first.
But, on the night after Katie and Hermione had returned home, after the Delacours and Harry had discussed how well the visit had gone ("You have some good friends, my little cabbage" "Katie and Hermione would be welcome to visit again, my Godson" "Hermione can even speak French!" "I'm really glad I could meet your friends properly, my cherished"), the plan was made, by unanimous decision, to visit the two friends the next day.
...
"Oi Barry!"
"Mffgll?" replied Barry, incoherently.
"Spit out that rat! The chosen one has arrived!", ordered Geoff, excitedly.
Barry chose instead to vomit out the rat, and Harry couldn't tell if he was more entertained or grossed out.
"Harry!" cried Barry in delight.
"Hi Geoff, hi Barry. Sorry I didn't come a few minutes sooner!" Harry replied, smiling.
"Psssh!" Geoff, somehow, managed to communicate. "We'd be happy to see you even if we were full."
"Flirt", Barry accused.
"Oi! You're the one who said it first, last month!", accused an outraged Geoff.
"Hey! Not when he's right there listening!" Barry whined.
Harry laughed, then translated for the others. In the meantime, Sebastian and Appoline had arrived.
"Vole Wizard!" exclaimed an excited Geoff.
"He comes!" exclaimed Barry, thrilled.
This time, it was Appoline who offered to conjure.
"The lady would like a turn feeding our favourite snakes, and would like to know what you crave for dinner", Harry explained.
"See!" Barry exclaimed. "You flirted with him, now he's flirting back!"
"Barry, that's not... Harry isn't flirting with us! Why would you even think that?" Geoff stated, aghast.
Barry started giggling. "Fooled you!"
Harry burst out laughing; Geoff merely shook his head in... embarrassment? Changing the subject, Geoff began, "Can I have Aardvark again? It's delicious, and it properly freaked Idiot Simon last time he saw the bones"
Barry giggled. "The look on his face! I wish we could've understood what he said!"
"And for you, Barry?" Harry asked, needlessly.
"Vole! Vole! Vole! Vole!" chanted Barry.
Harry relayed the dinner requests, and Appoline acquiesced. But before tucking in, Barry had an important question.
"Wait, does that make the lady Vole Witch?", he asked, curiously.
"Oh no!" Geoff hurriedly stated. "Vole Wizard is a great name, but Vole Witch sounds nasty! No one would call their child that!" Geoff finished with certainty.
...
The last few days of the holiday were a celebration. Fleur had received her exam results and had done exceptionally well, particularly in Potions and Charms, earning the French equivalent to an Outstanding OWL in both. Harry had also received his Potion OWL result – a well earned Outstanding, with a note from Professor Jones which simply read, "See you in my Sixth Year Potion class."
Harry often played with Fleur's hair or gave her massages – which she loved – so Harry decided that he would help Fleur celebrate by rewarding her with a nice, long, completely innocent, foot massage, using oil. It didn't quite go to plan.
Oh, it had started off completely according to plan: Harry and Fleur had gone up early to their room, Fleur had gotten comfortable on the bed, and Harry had warmed the oil in his hands. It even seemed to be going to plan as Harry began the massage, running his oily hands up and down Fleur's left foot with long strokes. In fact, as Harry started applying pressure to the arch of Fleur's foot and he heard her moan in delight, he still considered that his completely innocent foot massage was going according to plan, and that he was relaxing Fleur nicely.
Fleur, however, was not being relaxed. Oh, the massage started off in a relaxing way, but there were pressure points on her feet that caused her arousal to rise, to the point where she couldn't help but moan; Harry, in the most loving form of torture, had obviously heard those moans and was determined to extract more from her.
Oh, and did he succeed! In the first half an hour, Harry's hands expertly kneaded Fleur's left foot, focussing most of his time on those damnable points which caused her to moan so. Fleur was sure she could now smell her own arousal, and her allure was going utterly wild.
And then Harry stopped, and Fleur almost cried out in dismay – she felt so terribly teased by his hands, but she needed more! But then Harry moved to Fleur's right foot, and she groaned in desire. Over the second half hour, as Harry's hands kneaded her other foot, Fleur's desire reached new heights and she was sorely tempted to offer herself to Harry right there. Certainly, had Harry asked, she would have done anything with him. Or for him. Or to him.
Eventually, Harry finished the hour-long massage. He was quite surprised when Fleur pushed him backwards on the bedsheets, and stalked on top of him.
"Fleur?" Harry asked, confused.
"Did you know there are parts of the foot that, when massaged, cause sexual arousal?" Fleur asked in a sultry tone.
Harry shook his head, eyes wide. His massage book definitely didn't mention that!
"Those moans of mine were not because I was feeling relaxed. You" Fleur continued, tracing a finger down Harry's chest "have me very turned on."
Harry gulped. This was not what he had intended!
"'arry, I need release. You can either stay and help, or leave and let me satisfy myself. But you need to choose right now, or I will choose for you" Fleur all but promised.
Harry, who hadn't had his desire expertly stoked for an entire hour, was far more clear-headed. Oh, he was certainly tempted, but he knew there would be regret later on if he stayed. So, with a great amount of willpower, Harry extracted himself from under Fleur, kissed her cheek tenderly, then hurried out of the room.
...
Albus Dumbledore was pleased. He found himself with more time than he had had in years, with Death Eaters mostly dealt with, law reform well underway and the school running well. And that time was used well.
So far, several of Tom Riddle's Horcruxes had been destroyed without much effort from his part: the diary in the chamber of secrets; the cup found in the Lestrange vault; and the diadem found in one of Hogwarts' secret rooms.
With his extra time, progress was made on the others: this summer, in between starting to reorganise the tri-wizard tournament, Dumbledore had managed to track down the snake and destroy it, too. He also had leads on the ring and the locket, though he would need to be careful how he went after them – the ring in particular.
But with no signs that Voldemort was near return, Dumbledore was content. He wouldn't rush into mistakes, but instead would take his time toensure Tom was permanently dealt with.
chapter 22
On the Hogwarts express, waiting for it to depart, fourteen-year-old Harry was feeling a little down. He was really going to miss Cheveu, and all the time they had spent together at school.
He didn't have too long to mope, however, as Katie found his carriage and dramatically flopped down next to him. Then, noticing his unusually sombre mood, put a friendly arm around his shoulder and asked, "Hey, what's wrong, Harry?"
Harry gave a weak smile. "Nothing big, just... well, I'm going to miss Cheveu this year", Harry admitted.
Katie pulled him into a tight sideways hug. "I can understand that – you two are so close! But we'll just have to fill your time with other fun things, and you can always sneak out and see her on weekends, right? Besides, those mirrors mean you could talk anytime, right?"
Harry smiled and nodded. Returning the hug, he started to feel slightly better. Yes, he would miss Cheveu, but he would still speak to her regularly, and he had many friends he would enjoy spending time with – not least Katie.
"Thanks, Katie", Harry replied.
"You're welcome! Now, tell me about the rest of your time with the Delacours; and explain to me how you and Fleur are 'just friends' after that kiss I witnessed", Katie teased with a smile.
Harry was very thankful as, at that moment, Neville walked into the carriage, and Harry shamelessly used the event as an excuse to completely change the topic. And once Hermione and then Ron arrived, Harry's salvation was secure. Katie pouted, but didn't mind really – she would have plenty of other occasions to tease the boy who had become one of her closest friends.
...
Angelina and Alicia had arrived at their Potions class early, and were talking about Chaser plays when Harry entered. Alicia smiled and good-naturedly teased, "I think you're in the wrong classroom Harry; you're about two years too early"
Harry smiled cheekily and sat down at the end of their bench, next to Alicia. "Well, that's not too early. I might just hang around and wait."
Angelina laughed. "I'm not sure Professor Jones would agree", she replied.
Harry grinned again. "Oh, I reckon she won't mind."
Angelina and Alicia both looked like they wanted to say something, but then other students started to arrive, followed by Jones. The other sixth years gave Harry a curious look – except for the Weasley twins who grinned - but none said anything... yet. Jones entered the classroom, as if nothing was out of order. Which, in her view, was true.
"Hello class, and welcome to advanced potions. Each of you are here because you obtained either an Exceeds Expectations or Outstanding on your OWL, so..." Jones paused, as a hand shot up. "Yes, Mr. Diggory?"
"Is there a reason we have a fourth year joining us?", Cedric asked politely.
Jones tried again, though honestly she had expected this and was struggling not to chuckle. "Yes there is. As I said, each of you are here because you obtained either an Exceeds Expectations or Outstanding on your OWL, so..."
"But Potter's just a fourth year Quidditch git!" protested Cassius Warrington, a Slytherin chaser who was perhaps biased against Harry due to how effortlessly he caught the snitch in every Quidditch game he played.
"Really, Warrington? Tell me, how much would you be willing to bet on that?" smiled Jones, evilly.
Warrington sputtered and looked confused, whereas Fred, George, Alicia and Angelina looked impressed. "Story. Later", mouthed Alicia.
A small chuckle escaped Jones' lips, and she gave in and explained. "Class, I want you all to know: Harry here was brewing potions years before he started Hogwarts, and in the Potions OWL he beat all of you." Then, just to labour the point, Jones added, "Go ahead and treat him like a fourth year any other time, but in this class he is at least your peer."
Most of the class looked stunned. Fred and George just nodded wisely; they had seen Harry and Jones spending several evenings together last year on their copy of the Marauder's Map, and this was a better reason than any alternatives they had considered!
Jones smiled at the reactions. "Now we have that out the way we can start properly. Now, as I was saying, you've all received Exceeds Expectations or Outstanding on your OWL so well done. NEWT level Potions is even more difficult, but the potions we will brew can be very lucrative if you can make them properly."
A few eyes lit up at that thought. Jones ignored it and continued. "Today we'll start with one of the easier potions you'll brew this year, but listen up: it's easier but by no means easy, and requires precision in the brew! It's called the Draught of the Living Death, and..." Jones paused as a hand was raised sheepishly, then she groaned – actually groaned! – and put her head in one hand.
"Don't tell me..." she pleaded. The response was a sheepish expression.
"You can't actually be serious?" she asked, hoping her student was playing a joke. The student in question nodded his head.
"But you've only just passed your OWL!" Jones whined.
Harry Potter tentatively responded, this time verbally. "Well, I had some time over the summer, and it did look like one of the easier ones..."
Cedric, who was confused like the rest of the class, voiced the question. "Professor? What's going on?"
"Harry can already brew this lesson's potion. Again. Well, go on Harry, you know the drill. Go raid my stores and brew me something interesting", Jones instructed resignedly.
"For everyone else, I'll... Yes, Misters Weasley?", Jones asked, as two hands shot up.
"If someone else..."
"...or two someone elses..."
"...can already brew that potion..."
"...can those wonderful, handsome,..."
"...clever and widely misunderstood students..."
"...also skip the lesson..."
"...to brew something fun?"
Jones groaned again. Well, there was only one thing for it. "I'll treat you the same as I treated Harry the first time he made that claim: prove it."
...
Jones was a little dismayed to learn just how far ahead Fred and George were, as they had indeed already brewed most of the potions she wanted to cover that term. Fortunately (or perhaps unfortunately, considering what could have gone wrong!) the twins had clearly self-taught, and so still needed to learn a lot of the theory. One advanced student she could cope with in her class, but another two meant she might need to think about asking Dumbledore to hire an assistant!
Harry, on the other hand, hadn't gotten too far ahead, and other than the Draught of the Living Death there was only one other potion on the term's syllabus he'd already brewed; Jones found she almost missed the enjoyment of seeing what Harry would brew next.
Jones had also found herself missing the time she has spent tutoring Harry in the evenings – he was a polite and intelligent boy, and a very competent brewer, plus they had gotten to know each other fairly well over the last year. So, three weeks into the term, Jones had made Harry an offer: if he was interested, they could continue their evening tutoring sessions, and maybe learn about some more exotic potions that weren't included in the syllabus; there were a couple of particularly strong strength potions, for example, that were horrendous to brew but relatively cheap to make.
Harry, too, had missed his evenings learning under Jones, and given the time he had spare from not seeing as much of Cheveu, he readily accepted.
Neither mentioned the small income stream they had been making... But both considered it a very nice bonus to the evenings.
...
Whilst Harry was enjoying the fruits of his hard work, Fleur was suffering a small amount for hers: Pauline, the girl who had never liked her, was incensed that Fleur had done better than her in the exams, and was sure she must have cheated.
Whilst the staff might be fooled by Fleur's allure, Pauline wasn't! Pauline knew, ever since Fleur had told that ridiculous Harry Potter story, that she was nothing more than an attention-seeking brat. Then, of course, all the boys had fawned over her allure, and Fleur had strung them all along, never once choosing any of them but instead enjoying the attention of all. Oh, she claimed she didn't want it, but Pauline wouldn't be fooled!
Then her potions were suspiciously good – no-one is that good without cheating, so Pauline knew Fleur must be getting help somewhere; the Beauxbatons potion master was a man, so perhaps Fleur had used her allure – or offered herself! – in order to look better than she was. Yes, that was the likely explanation.
But then came the exams! Fleur was one of the top of her class, apparently, and had even got the highest grade in Potions and Charms. Well, Pauline had seen how the examiners had looked at Fleur, so she had no doubt how those grades had been earned!
It was Pauline who deserved the teacher's praise, not Fleur, and Pauline would consider a few ways to show the school the truth. The first, of course, would be to gain allies. Not every girl believed Fleur's lies; Pauline would just have to find the ones that didn't! But in the meantime, maybe a few honest remarks to Fleur, outside of teacher earshot, would be enough for Fleur to know she hadn't fooled everyone.
...
It was halfway through the term, and Harry was sneaking out of Hogwarts with his Marauder's Map. Walking through the corridors of the school, then into a secret passage, Harry decided that this was just too easy. As planned, Harry arrived into Hogsmeade on Sunday morning, and was just looking around for Cheveu when a "BOO!" was shouted from right behind him and Harry jumped a foot into the air.
"Got you!" grinned Cheveu, merrily.
"Sis!" Harry complained, his heart rate racing. "Don't scare me like that!"
Cheveu grinned some more, them pulled Harry into a tight hug; she had missed him about as much as he'd missed her.
Harry wrapped his arms around Cheveu in return. "It's really good to see you, Cheveu", Harry said after a moment. "I've really missed you this term."
Cheveu smiled brightly. "Well, I'm here now, ready for our day of fun! Are you ready?"
Harry nodded. Cheveu took hold of Harry's hand, winked, and then apparated them both away.
Once they had landed, Harry turned to his sister in surprised joy. "You can dual apparate!" Harry declared.
Cheveu nodded happily. "Yep! Been practicing it for the last few weeks, finally got confident enough to try it without someone there on standby"
Harry pulled Cheveu into another hug – this one a hug of congratulations – then looked around. "Where are we?"
Cheveu smiled. "Edinburgh! I can't dual apparate all that far yet, but Edinburgh is a muggle city nearish to Hogwarts, and it's really cool!"
Harry grinned excitedly. "What is there to do?"
...
There was a lot to do. Harry was a little confused when Cheveu's first stop was a muggle bookshop, especially when she gave him a strange look and told him it was for something he wasn't allowed to know about yet – a sort of surprise present but also something he would definitely need – so he waited outside for a few minutes. Soon, though, Cheveu had finished, and Harry's real fun could begin.
Sightseeing was a big part of the day, and Harry particularly enjoyed looking round Edinburgh Castle; especially when Cheveu's wand helped the two of them access parts that weren't strictly meant for visitors.
Food was also a big part of the day, with plenty of fried deliciousness throughout – a fried breakfast for lunch (which amused Harry a little at how odd that seemed), something that was called "Braveheart Butter Balls" (which they enjoyed with a strange-tasting fizzy-drink-flavoured ice-cream), and even a deep-fried chocolate bar that Harry didn't know what he thought of, but would definitely be willing to try again.
There were also some muggle shops that both Harry and Cheveu were interested in visiting, as well as an underwear shop that Harry had no desire to go in with his sister.
Soon evening arrived, and Cheveu had dropped Harry back to Hogsmeade. The two had loved being able to spend time together, and planned to do so again before too long. With a long hug and a wave, Harry was off to the secret passage that would return him to Hogwarts, no-one (except a few of Harry's friends) any wiser about the adventure.
...
Meanwhile, in Hogwarts, one individual was experiencing a dilemma. Professor Jones knew what she was doing would have consequences. She knew that she risked unleashing chaos upon the wizarding world before it was ready. But she also believed as an educator she had no choice. Wasn't the request, whatever it might lead to, technically without malice?
She knew that no-one would hold her accountable. It would never be seen as her fault. But deep within, she knew it would be.
Steeling herself, she made the decision to proceed, and damn the consequences. She would allow, and even help, those who planned to turn the wizarding world on it's head.
Professor Jones would help the Weasley Twins get their Potion NEWT a year early, fully aware that it was the only thing keeping them at Hogwarts, and fully aware of the plans they had for afterward – codenamed WWW.
...
"Harry!"
"The one and only..."
"...great and merciful..."
"...potion master-in-training."
"Hi Fred, hi George!" Harry replied.
"Harry, we have a very important..."
"... potentially profitable..."
"...like I said, very important..."
"Yes, I know, but he might not"
"True, true. Anyway, back on topic, dear brother."
"Quite right, dear brother: ...question for you."
Harry took a moment to piece together what they meant, then smiled. "What is it?"
"That mirror you have: who made it?" one of the twins asked, getting to the point.
"The marauders", Harry answered simply.
"Can they make more?" Other Twin asked.
Harry nodded. "Definitely. They made more a few years ago when I started Hogwarts."
"How much did they cost to make?" First Twin asked, a little more eagerly.
Harry shrugged. "I don't know. Why?"
Both twins grinned, then responded together: "we want to go into business with the original marauders!"
Harry laughed. "I'll talk to them about it over Christmas; they're sometimes a pain to speak to together during the term."
...
Towards the end of term, Katie was sitting in the common room, minding her own business, when she was rudely interrupted by her caring nature. Well, "rudely" might be a stretch, but when Harry walked in looking a little worn out, Katie couldn't stop from trying to help. Nothing to do with how he still made her heart flutter, of course, it was just that he was such a good friend.
"Hey Harry, you ok?" she asked.
Harry gave a small smile and nodded. "Just tired, Katie. Had a few essays to do, then had a Potions lesson with Professor Jones, and the potion we're working on is really thick and wears you out when you constantly stir it." As evidence, Harry then tried to rub some of the soreness out of his shoulders that had no doubt accumulated.
"I could massage your shoulders for you, if you'd like?" Katie offered. She couldn't claim to be a professional, but she was very good if she did say so herself. "Oh, assuming Fleur wouldn't mind!" Katie added.
Harry thought about it for a moment. His shoulders were sore, and the thought of a massage really did sound good. And he was sure there weren't any weird pressure points on his shoulders to get him into trouble – he had asked Cheveu about that, after the foot massage he gave Fleur!
Harry handed the mirror over to Katie. "Go ahead and ask, if you'd like", he replied, smiling.
Katie disappeared with the mirror, and a couple of minutes later came back, a pleased smile on her face. "Right, up to your room!" she declared, perhaps a little loudly.
Harry gave a curious look. "Katie?"
"I'll explain when we get there" she promised, and the two of them ignored a couple of wolf whistles, and a harsh glare from one of the third year girls, on the way.
Once in the room, Katie turned to Harry. "Fleur said you've got massage oil, and that will help; where is it?"
Harry looked confused. "Won't that get my robes oily?"
Katie grinned. "Go ask Fleur about it", she instructed.
Harry picked up his mirror. "Fleur?"
Fleur answered, looking quite excited, though seemed disappointed when she caught sight of Harry. "'arry! You're meant to be topless!" she complained.
"Huh?!" Harry answered, his surprise not helping his eloquence.
Fleur grinned. "I see Katie has left it to me to explain. Your shoulder muscles are in knots, and you need a good massage to 'elp. Obviously I would 'ave liked to do so myself, but Katie is a good second choice. Now, take off your top so Katie can get started and I can watch!"
Harry stared dumbfounded. "Fleur? What...?"
"Go ahead, my cherished. Your shoulders will feel better, Katie will have her innocent fun, and I'll learn how to give you a proper massage; you always massage me, and I want to be able to return the favour well. We all win!" Fleur explained, this time so Katie couldn't understand.
"Hey! Speaking French is no fair!" Katie protested.
Harry, at Fleur's urging, took off his upper robes, a little embarrassed, then looked between Fleur and Katie.
"Go ahead and lie down on your front, Harry", Katie smiled, her eyes gleaming.
"Don't forget to pop the mirror somewhere with a good view!" Fleur urged, eyes gleaming in an eerily similar way to Katie's.
Katie warmed up the oil on her hands, then started the massage / lesson. "Start with nice long strokes, running up and down the whole back", Katie began, her hands mimicking her words.
"You're just warming up the muscles, and helping Harry to relax, to start off." Harry definitely felt it was working – he already felt much better than he did a few moments ago.
After a couple of minutes of long stokes, Katie began the massage proper. "We'll start at the shoulders, since that's where Harry was feeling most sore. You squeeze his muscles like this, with a good amount of pressure, being careful not to pinch", Katie explained softly.
Harry let out a relaxed moan. "That feels really good, right there, Katie."
"There's a lot of tension right here", Katie explained, as she continued massaging Harry's shoulder muscles, "so you want to give it lots of attention. Isn't that right, Harry?"
Harry, who's brain was beginning to fog, just murmured his agreement.
"Then, after that, you want to run your thumbs in circles like this..."
...
Harry was almost asleep by the time Katie had finished, the massage having thoroughly relaxed him. Katie had very much enjoyed giving the massage, though she didn't dwell on that too much. Fleur was fascinated, and felt she had several ideas to try next time Harry visited.
Given how close Christmas was, Fleur really didn't have long to wait, and perhaps more massages (with Fleur giving as well as receiving) would grant them some additional physical intimacy without their hormones getting too excited. After all, they were trying not to date.
Finally Harry's visit arrived, and after Fleur was pulled into a tight, warm hug, with Harry's hands running gently up and down her back, they hurried inside the house and then up to Fleur's room.
Both were wondering how long they would last before giving into their desire to kiss – a desire that, quite unfairly, only seemed to grow – when Fleur lay down on her bed and invited Harry to cuddle.
Harry sighed, in either relief or disappointment; this used to be their go-to activity, and he knew they could cuddle innocently and just talk.
Fleur found it oddly reassuring to be back like this, her left leg resting over Harry's, her head against his chest, her left hand lazily drawing circles on his chest. For all that her heart would gladly have given in to her hormones, it was content with this closeness, at least for now.
Oh, she knew she hungered for Harry of course, and if he wanted to turn his head just slightly, lean down, and kiss her – well, she would be delighted to reciprocate. But cuddled up, his arms wrapped around her, his scent in the air – she would happily stay like this for as long as Gabrielle let them.
...
Gabrielle didn't let them cuddle for long, as she had missed her brother (the mirrors were not the same!), and needed some time with him. And Harry was happy to acquiesce, even if he might have wanted just a few more moments (or, being honest, hours) with Fleur first.
So, within a minute of being allowed to interrupt, Gabrielle and Harry were sat side-by-side on the sofa, Harry's arm around his sister and she cuddled into his side.
"'arry?" Gabrielle began.
"Yes, my little cabbage?" Harry replied affectionately, kissing the crown of her head.
"Will you tell me a story?" Gabrielle asked.
"Do you have a book in mind?" Harry asked, thinking it had been a while since he'd read to her; honestly, he was surprised that's what she requested.
"No, not from a book; I want you to tell me a new story." Gabrielle elaborated.
Harry chuckled, then pulled Gabrielle tighter against him. "Anything for my darling sister. Whom I love, dearly." Harry got a pleased blush at that last comment.
After thinking for a moment, Harry grinned. "I've got a great story, Gabrielle: Once upon a time, there was a terrible Dark Lord called Idiot Simon, who had trapped two poor defenceless wizards called Sir Geoff and Sir Barry. Idiot Simon was cruel and merciless, feeding the wizards only the very worst of foods..."
Gabrielle laughed, gazed up at her brother lovingly, burrowed into his side just a little more, then settled down for what promised to be an excellent new story.
...
It was later that evening, after Gabrielle was in bed, that Fleur was finally able to give Harry that massage. She was a little nervous – Harry was so good at it, and she wasn't sure how she would fare – but she was also looking forward to it, too.
Harry took off his top and laid down on his front, excited – Katie's massage had felt incredible, and he was hoping Fleur's would be similar.
Fleur, after spending a second to appreciate the view, started by warming the oil in her hands, like Katie had shown. Then, she started the massage, and inwardly sighed and how good it felt to run her hands over Harry's back.
Harry felt bliss. A part of him recognised that Katie was at least a little more talented, but Fleur's hands still felt divine. And when Fleur started to work on his shoulders, gently squeezing the tension out of them, Harry moaned in relaxation.
Fleur then started to use her thumbs, rubbing small circles in his muscles, delighting in the obvious enjoyment Harry was getting out of it. Without even thinking about it, whilst her hands were busy with Harry's shoulders, Fleur's lips gently kissed the top of Harry's head.
Harry smiled; that wasn't something Katie had shown Fleur, but it was a nice touch, and made him feel loved. Then the bliss continued, as Fleur returned to long, flowing strokes down his back, before moving onto the rest of the massage.
...
A few days later, Sirius and Remus had come to visit, and Harry had a promise to keep.
"Uncle Remus? Uncle Sirius?" Harry asked, in a rare moment of calm during the visit.
"Yes cub?" "Yes pup?"
"How much did our mirrors cost to make?" Harry asked.
Sirius gave a clueless look, whilst Remus gave a thoughtful one. "A few galleons each – maybe five, maximum? Why do you ask?" Remus answered.
Harry smiled. That didn't seem too much, from what the twins had said. "I have two worthy souls who have a business offer for you..."
chaptwr 23
Harry was sat in the Gryffindor common room, partly disappointed but partly proud. He has just got back from the Christmas break, and was reflecting on the fact that he and Fleur had managed not to kiss for the whole two weeks. Well, aside from kissing on the cheek, or that one goodbye kiss where Fleur's lips lingered longingly on the corner of his mouth, almost daring him to turn his head a few centimetres.
But he put those thoughts aside, as he saw two older students approach; it wouldn't do to dwell on such things when he had business to discuss.
"Harry!", cried... was that Fred?
"Our favourite fourth year!" added maybe George?
"Oi!" shouted an outraged Ron, overhearing.
Grinning, the twins continued.
"We were hoping..."
"... you had news for us..."
"...in our potentially profitable..."
"...business venture!"
Harry grinned. "I do indeed. Shall we discuss somewhere a little more private?"
A minute later, and Harry saw the fifth year boys' dorm room. It was... chaotic. "Is that a cauldron?!" Harry asked, amazed.
Maybe Fred nodded. "Yeah, Lee doesn't mind, and it's how we get the time to experiment so much."
Harry took a closer look, and his jaw dropped. "Are you brewing Veritaserum?!" he asked, shocked.
Maybe George smiled mischievously. "No, no we're merely brewing an ingredient for some mints we plan to sell. Unintended side effects may include being forced to tell the truth, who knows how that happens", he finished with a wink.
"But back to business!" Maybe Fred stated.
Harry nodded. "The Marauders are open to the idea, but want more details on what you propose. For example, are you selling direct or are you using another intermediary like Zonko's, or Scrivenshaft's?" Harry began, quoting from memory. "Also, how much do you intend to charge?"
Fred and George nodded at the question.
"No intermediaries..."
"...as they are just the competition!"
"We already sell plenty of products..."
"Such a dull word, 'products'"
"Right you are, brother of mine"
"...to our dear fellow students..."
"...so that would be our first target market!"
Harry nodded in understanding. He had been coached by Remus on this – who knew why? – so knew what to ask next. "That seems like a fairly small number of people to sell to", Harry noted.
Fred and George shared a long look.
"Initially, yes."
"But when we've sold enough products..."
"...and raised enough capital..."
"...we want to open our own joke shop..."
"...in the middle of Diagon Alley."
Harry grinned. That did explain a lot! "The wizarding world won't know what hit them", Harry responded. "So how much would you charge?"
"That depends on the cost of raw materials..."
"...and how much profit the Marauders want to make."
"Selling at twenty galleons a mirror should be easy..."
"...but selling at a hundred a mirror would be much harder."
Harry nodded; that made sense, and was similar to what Sirius and Remus had expected. "The materials cost about five galleons. The Marauders want either half the profits from each sale, or a lump sum of... well, more than you can afford, for the knowledge of how to make them and the copyright."
Fred and George exchanged another of their looks, then turned to Harry and answered together, "Half profits. Deal?"
Harry grinned, then picked up his mirror. "Hear all that, uncles?"
"Loud and clear! You have yourselves a deal" came the reply. The twins shared a shocked look as Harry turned the mirror around, and Fred and George came face to face with Moony and Padfoot, both Marauders grinning.
After a few seconds to process their shock, the twins fell onto the floor, prostrate. "We're not worthy!" they declared loudly.
...
After the twins had signed a contract – which Harry had in his pocket, pre-signed by Sirius and Remus – Harry had a request. "I'd like to be the first of your customers", Harry stated.
Maybe Fred looked shocked, and Maybe George just asked, "Erm... how come?"
Harry smiled. "Not for me, but for Katie. I know she really wants her own, probably to talk to her parents and maybe my sisters and Fleur. And, if the Gryffindors know she got one from you two, word will get out that other people can, too."
Fred and George grinned; it was clever marketing. Now how to link it up to the existing charms built into the mirrors Harry and his family had... something they would ask The Marauders!
...
There was a knock at the door, and Jones double-checked her diary. Seeing it was a Thursday, she breathed out a sigh of relief; this was a Harry evening, which meant she was safe from the mild feelings of guilt / creeping horror that she experienced whenever she taught the Twins, or (even worse!) when she read their essays on the practical uses of certain potions. I mean, who in their right mind (for the Twins were certainly not) would consider adding both a gut-strengthening potion and a vomiting potion to a pill, just to get a 'better' reaction?!
"Come in, Harry", Jones called.
Harry entered, his usual smile on his face. "Hello Professor!" Harry happily greeted.
"Good evening. Ready to continue our potions?" Jones asked without preamble; there would be plenty of time to catch up during the brew.
Harry nodded eagerly; this was one potion he was eager to get right.
"Ok, where were we?" asked Jones, testing Harry.
"We added the thyme, so next it's the Occamy eggshell, and then we let it brew", Harry replied.
Jones nodded. "That's right! Most of the hard work will be done after tonight, then we have two months before profit."
Harry smiled. "Assuming it sells that quickly. Our Draught of the Living Death is still in the cupboard", Harry pointed out.
Jones laughed. "Oh Harry, aside from the small vial we might each want to keep, we'll have no trouble selling Felix Felicis!" Jones reassured him.
...
It was towards the middle of the spring term at breakfast, and Harry was watching a familiar owl fly through the great hall, holding a package. Harry was excited to see the package delivered, even though it wasn't for him.
The owl swooped down and dropped the package in front of a girl, who happened to be sat next to Harry. Surprised, she opened up the package then squealed in delight, throwing her arms around Harry in a warm hug.
Harry laughed. "You haven't even read the note yet, Katie", Harry point out, amused.
Grinning, Katie picked up the note and read it, then squealed again and hugged Harry tighter.
"Thank you so much! But I don't understand, how...?" Katie began, but was interrupted by Dumbledore, of all people.
"If I can make an announcement, dear students. The excited Miss. Bell has just received a communication mirror, which some of you will note is very similar to the one Mr. Potter owns. It is identical to the one I suspect is currently in this package" Dumbledore stated, holding up a parcel he, too, had received that morning.
"These mirrors can be used to talk to friends or family across large distances, so if anyone is feeling homesick, I suggest you make enquiries with Fred and George Weasley about purchasing a set. I won't comment on anything else the industrious pair might be selling...", Dumbledore continued, his eyes twinkling and his mouth fighting against a grin, "...but the mirrors are quite safe and will not have any... unexpected features."
Dumbledore looked round all the students, then finished his announcement by adding, "I would remind you that such items, if you choose to purchase them, shouldn't be used in class or they may be confiscated. That is all, students!"
The noise in the hall increased, and several students were craning their necks to look at Katie, Harry and the Twins. "Well, Katie? Aren't you going to say hi to your mum?" Harry asked, slightly louder than necessary.
"You bought one for... And she already...?" Katie asked, her excitement preventing full sentences. Harry smiled and nodded, his eyes gleaming. Katie held the mirror in her hands carefully, then spoke, "Elisabeth Bell? Mum?"
"Hi sweetie!" came the immediate reply.
Katie almost cried in happiness – something she did not want to do in front of the entire school! – so she hugged Harry again and raced back to her dorm, her half-eaten breakfast forgotten and her mirror held tightly in her hand.
The Twins, meanwhile, already had fellow students asking them for the price. They smiled and congratulated themselves on the decision to offer Dumbledore two free mirrors in exchange for, well, the advertisement. Even if they did have to give an oath not to tamper with the mirrors in any way, whether or not the recipient was a Slytherin.
...
Daphne felt a little nervous. She had been hounded again by a couple of older students who had somehow managed to convince themselves that they were competing for her affection. So, she'd sought out help again from her friend, and he had an idea.
The problem was, it seemed a bit much. Was it really necessary? She'd never done anything like this before, and she was honestly a little afraid of... potential repercussions. But Harry had convinced her that she should, even implying that she might really enjoy it; in fact, he seemed determined to make sure she did.
So here Daphne was, feeling nervous. Meeting Harry in the great hall after dinner, in plain sight of the Slytherins, she linked arms with him and told him to lead the way. Harry smiled encouragingly, an eager light in his eyes, and led her to the secret location, for illicit activities.
Half an hour into it, Daphne had to admit – hanging out in the Gryffindor common room wasn't nearly as scary as she expected.
"See!" Harry merrily pointed out. "I told you you'd have fun! And your Slytherin pests will think we've gone snogging in a cupboard or something, so you'll have time to get creative again!"
Daphne smiled her acquiescence of Harry's point. The Gryffindors had been much more welcoming than she'd feared, and other than the Weasley Twins trying to sell her... vomiting pills?... she hadn't been bothered at all. Although she did wish Harry and Katie would drop the act.
"Harry, I don't know why you're trying to fool me. The first thing Katie did when she saw you was put her arm around you..." Daphne began.
"No, that's just being friendly!" Harry interrupted.
"...and we all know about the kisses you sneak in when no-one's looking..." Daphne continued, unperturbed.
The Twins, from nearby, burst out laughing; how people kept believing that was a hilarious mystery. Harry shot them a dirty look.
"...and you even bought her one of those expensive mirrors so she could talk to you over the holidays!" Daphne finished.
"Hey! They're not expensive!" complained two voices.
Hermione, who had also been chatting to Daphne, giggled at the exchange
"See! Even Hermione is on my side!" concluded Daphne, 100% incorrectly.
That made Hermione giggle even more. Some day, Daphne might meet Fleur; if she did, then she would understand!
...
With Quidditch practise, extra potion brewing and spending time with family and friends, Harry's term passed very quickly. He was soon back in France, hugging Fleur tightly, and Harry found himself fervently hoping that her willpower was particularly weak.
Oh, he knew that on one hand it was good that they hadn't kissed properly since last summer; on the other hand, all of his senses were crying out that he needed her – she felt good, wrapped up in his arms; she smelt delicious, especially with her allure pouring off her; her voice carried the same loving tone it always did; she (obviously) looked incredibly attractive; all that was left to confirm was that her lips still tasted of bliss.
So, as soon as the two were alone in Fleur's room, Harry pulled Fleur into an embrace, then started kissing her cheek, then her earlobe. "Fleur, I've missed you so much", Harry whispered hungrily.
Two seconds previously, Fleur had high hopes for how well they might do at not-dating; after all, they had managed all through Christmas! But as Harry's lips kissed her sensitive earlobes and his breath was hot in her ear, those high hopes were ruined; how was she going to get through the Easter holidays without passionate kisses now?!
"'arry... You're not making this easy for me..." Fleur complained, hands running up Harry's back.
"I don't want to make it easy for you. I want you to kiss me" Harry whispered, before gently nibbling Fleur's ear.
Fleur shivered in pleasure. This was really unfair! "I want to kiss you too! But we... we shouldn't... we..."
Fleur was distracted as Harry kissed her neck. He'd never done that before; why had he never done that before?
Fleur's hands found themselves at the back of Harry's head, holding him in place as she tilted her head to the side for better access. Harry took the invitation, and continued to place soft kisses up and down the left side of Fleur's neck.
Harry wanted Fleur to give in; to kiss him. Kissing her would be easy, but now he wanted the greater prize – for Fleur to cave to her desires and initiate. After a minute of kissing her neck, Harry paused, pulling back to look Fleur in the eyes. Very slowly, very deliberately, he kissed right on the corner of Fleur's mouth. Fleur closed her eyes in anticipation, then whined when Harry's lips failed to meet her desire by a few scant centimetres. Then she realised: he was teasing her! Or, if not teasing, then trying to get her to kiss first!
Determination warred with desire in her eyes. If that was the game Harry wanted to play, then she was determined to win! He would kiss her first, not the other way around!
Harry saw a dangerous look appear on Fleur's face; had he pushed too far? Had he mistakenly believed Fleur would want to kiss him as much as he wanted to kiss her? What if she was mad at him, or if...
Fleur cut off Harry's worrying. "I know what you're doing, my cherished. This game you play: you want me to give in and kiss you."
Now it was Fleur's turn to whisper in Harry's ear. "But you won't win. You will kiss me first, not the other way around."
And thus began two weeks of divine torture.
...
The first day ended in a stalemate; Gabrielle interrupted the game soon after it started, and by unspoken agreement the game wasn't played when others could see; especially not little sisters! And Sebastian and Appoline had missed Harry and Fleur, and wanted to spend time with them; something neither teen begrudged.
The second day was less eventful, as far as the game was concerned, as the Delacours and Harry went out for the day to visit Marseilles.
The third day was wonderfully awful. Fleur had worn very loose pyjamas to bed the night before, and when she woke Harry up she made sure there was a very generous view on offer, if only he lowered his gaze from her face. Fleur stayed in her pyjamas a lot later than usual too, claiming she wanted to lounge around for the morning; Harry thought it was criminal, but he resisted. And then, later, Harry gave Fleur a very dedicated foot massage, but she resisted too, much to both their surprise.
The fourth and fifth days were again spent as a family of five, going for a hike in some woods one day, and visiting Bordeaux the next. But that merely left time for Harry and Fleur to replan.
The sixth day Fleur suggested they go swimming; had Gabrielle not eagerly asked to join them, Fleur was sure one of them would have surrendered – she was wearing a new pale blue bikini which showed off her assets nicely, and the swimming shorts she had bought Harry complemented his eyes nicely. Ok, it was his bare chest she was really interested in, but the eyes were a nice excuse.
The seventh, eighth and ninth days were where the two tried a different approach. Neither could remember who started it, but both were loving and affectionate to each other, even more so than usual: when Fleur finished her breakfast first, she massaged Harry's shoulders whilst he finished; when Harry took Gabrielle to Celeste's, he brought back a slice of Fraisier for Fleur, with a small cooling charm ensuring it was as fresh as the slices he and Gabrielle had enjoyed; after they finished a potion lesson with Sebastian, Fleur made Harry a cup of delicate French tea, then massaged his hands, one at a time, whilst he drank it; Harry spent an hour brushing Fleur's hair, whilst he whispered how much she meant to him and his fondest memories of their time together.
Days ten and eleven were spent as a family, and day twelve and thirteen were spent with the teenagers telling each other exactly what they wanted, throughout the day – "I want you to pin me against the wall and kiss me" "I want to taste your soft lips" "Please kiss me, I crave it so badly" "We have two hours alone; imagine what would happen if you kissed me now" – and whilst the game was still a stalemate, Fleur came closest to winning when she told Harry, "If you kiss me right now, I don't think I could stop from offering you much, much more." Harry knew she meant it, too.
But somehow, to both the teens' surprise, the holiday ended in a draw. Both desired the other more than ever before, but as they said goodbye away from the ears of others, they admitted the game was perhaps unhelpful in trying to not-date, and maybe they should try teasing less over the summer; though Fleur did point out Harry had started it.
...
The summer term was fairly uneventful, and nothing of note happened... for Harry. For Fleur, there may as well have only been one event, as it was monumental.
"Students, I have an important announcement to make", Madame Maxime had begun one evening, in the middle of dinner. Fleur idly hoped it was a new anti-bullying policy, as Pauline was getting bolder and Fleur suspected (with a small degree of sadness) that she had turned some of Fleur's classmates against her; at least if their sudden coolness was anything to go by.
"Many years ago, a competition was held between three magical schools – the Tri-wizard tournament", Maxime began.
Fleur's eyes widened. She couldn't mean...?
"The magical schools were the three most prestigious schools in Europe – 'ogwarts, Durmstrang, and of course our own Beauxbatons. The tournament was cancelled many years ago due to the high death count among participants." Maxime continued, building excited tension in the hall.
"The Headmasters of 'ogwarts and Durmstrang, and myself, have worked tirelessly over the last two years to find a way to re-establish the tournament, keeping the excitement but lessening the danger. We were successful. Next year, the tri-wizard tournament will take place at 'ogwarts", Maxime explained, then paused whilst the hall erupted in noise.
Fleur couldn't believe it; could she spend part of the year at Hogwarts? Her face oozed her shock, obvious to anyone who paid attention – and one girl in particular.
Once most of the noise had quietened down, Maxime continued. "The tournament will not be the only event taking place. The Tri-wizard tournament was revived to build relationships between the schools, but for those who don't wish to risk the danger, lesser though it will be, there will be other opportunities: a duelling tournament, Quidditch matches, even a Potion-Brewing competition.
"As such, any sixth and seventh year who wishes to take part in one or more of these events will be welcome. But be warned – the event will take place for almost the entire year, and any student participating will take their exams at 'ogwarts. Some may find this a disruption they would rather avoid", Maxime finished, knowing those latter words were utterly futile, but at least she could claim she tried.
Fleur might have sat there all evening, thoughts racing behind her eyes, if two things hadn't happened, both being unpleasant in their own ways.
The first was that Pauline, who had watched Fleur's reaction and misread it as shocked terror, saw it as her moment to strike.
Pauline's plan formed quickly, as Fleur sat there looking shocked and, dare she hope, horrified? That reaction cemented Pauline's view – who would react so badly if they had an opportunity to see an old friend? No, Fleur knew the game was up, all Pauline had to do was find the most exquisite way to twist the knife.
As Maxime had answered a few questions, Pauline refined her plan further; after all, she had heard rumours that Fleur had some gold, why not use this to rightfully take some of it as punishment?! If she was careful – if she was subtle – she could double what gold she had!
"Well, you must be delighted, Fleur", asked Pauline, her voice dripping with sarcasm.
Fleur, still coming out of her shock, just nodded.
"To think, you must be overjoyed; didn't you once tell us you were best friends with Harry Potter? He goes to 'ogwarts, doesn't he? You'll probably be one of the first to sign up, won't you?" Pauline continued, with a number of her friends sniggering.
Fleur again nodded, though as she started to process the laughter of others – at her expense – her face dropped a little.
"Well, don't let me keep you! You must be eager to get to that list!" Pauline finished, her voice oozing a rancid fake friendliness.
Fleur tried to put Pauline's words – and her classmates' laughter – out of her mind; it was easy to do when she considered that Harry could be hers a year earlier than expected! She was about to go and sign up – then eagerly share the good news with Harry – when the second interruption came.
"Miss. Delacour? A word?" asked Madame Maxime politely.
...
It really wasn't fair, Fleur inwardly groaned! Maxime had asked – well, ordered, really – Fleur to do something that every fibre of her being resisted! It was a cruel, cruel matter, much worse than the poisonous words that Pauline had attacked with earlier! She had been so excited, but no sooner had she made plans that those plans were in ruins!
Fleur took a few deep breaths. She was being melodramatic, she knew; it could be much worse. But Maxime's words still rung in her ears: "I know what you will want to do, but I must ask you not to. You see, 'ogwarts will not know about the tournament until the beginning of the year; I know how close you are to Mr. Potter.." ('doubtful!' thought Fleur) "... and I know you will be eager to use that wonderful mirror of yours, but I must ask you not to tell him about this."
Fleur sighed. It was a reasonable request, she grudgingly admitted, but without it she and Harry could start their relationship over the summer! They could start it now!
But then an idea came to Fleur. A terrible, sadistic idea. She had enjoyed her and Harry's game over the Easter holiday, though had felt guilty about it. Well, not anymore. This summer she would play it again, and she wouldn't even pretend to play fair. And if Harry gave in, his punishment would be a relationship that started a few weeks earlier than it should. And if he managed to resist? Well, Fleur had a few ideas for a suitable reward.
...
Harry, meanwhile, had no idea of the impending doom Fleur had planned for his willpower. He led Gryffindor to another Quidditch victory; he grew his friendships further; he did well in his exams, coming top of his year in Defence and top of his surrogate year in Potions (not including the Weasley Twins – they had sat their Potion NEWT); he profited nicely from the potions he brewed with Jones in their evening sessions (especially from Felix Felicis!).
As Harry sat with Katie, Neville, Ron and Hermione on the Hogwarts express, chatting, eating, playing games and (in several cases) ignoring hormones, Harry had no idea he only had four more weeks until Fleur's game would begin.