The man felt paranoid. Or like he was going mad. Or potentially both. His initial assumption was that someone was playing a prank on him and his team, and under that assumption he found it pretty funny the first time.
The second time, it brought a smile to his face – whoever was doing this was clever, to have avoided leaving any evidence! But the third, fourth and fifth times the man started to get concerned; what if there was a problem with the enclosure? What if something was getting in?
When the aardvark remains had appeared, Simon was positively panicked! He wanted to hide it from his manager, but reluctantly he raised it, only to discover all the aardvarks were fully accounted for... so what was going on?!
After investigating a little, the zoo concluded that someone must be playing very elaborate pranks, and Simon ceased to worry for a while. And the Burmese Pythons seemed increasingly excited every time they saw him, which put his mind at ease and only increased the affection he felt for the snakes; after all it was hardly their fault if someone was putting animal bones into their cages!
But then came that terrible day when human remains were found in the enclosure. Simon, and poor young Marjorie from his team, nearly had a heart attack; and that reaction was mild compared to that of their manager!
At least it was obvious that the pythons hadn't actually eaten a person; a meal that large would have been very obvious to any observer - the pythons would have looked incredibly bloated for days, if not weeks!
But the remains were a mystery – forensics confirmed they were definitely human, but there were no missing person whose DNA matched the DNA from the remains; in fact the DNA matched no-one on record, in any country willing to share records!
But that was a problem for the police; Simon and his colleagues had been interviewed, but none had been charged and the police had assured the zoo that they would continue the investigation, and that the staff could leave it in their hands.
Still, it left Simon with a creeping feeling that something was wrong; that he was missing something obvious. Well, he was probably just being silly about it.
...
Sebastian was in the middle of a very serious activity. It required his utmost focus and concentration; anything less would lead to severe repercussions: he was attempting to withstand his daughter's tickles.
Gabrielle knew – with certainty –that her Papa was ticklish. But he sat there stoically, with barely a smile on his face, as she tickled his left foot, then his right foot. This called for drastic measures.
"Fleur! I need your help to tickle Papa!" cried Gabrielle with urgency.
Fleur laughed, then acquiesced. Sebastian knew at this point that his victory was now very uncertain. As Fleur started tickling her Papa's left foot and Gabrielle started tickling his right, Sebastian fought to remain calm. He was just beginning to crack when a voice mercifully called from the floo.
"Sebastian, are you there?"
Quickly extracting himself, Sebastian smiled whilst replying. "I'm sorry, my angels, but I should see if there's a problem"
"But Papa! We were winning!" complained Gabrielle.
Sebastian kissed his youngest on the crown of her head, then kissed his eldest in the same way too, for good measure.
"Oui, Albus. Would you like to step through?" Sebastian offered.
"Could I impose upon you to join me here? I'd like to have a sensitive conversation", Dumbledore replied.
Sebastian nodded, then after telling his daughters he wouldn't be long he stepped into Dumbledore's office.
After offering lemon drops – with Sebastian taking a couple each for his children – Dumbledore got down to business. "I know I'm interrupting, so let us get down to it."
At Sebastian's nod, Dumbledore continued. "I plan to destroy two very dark artefacts. Each comes with its own problem, and I was hoping you could dispense some more invaluable advice."
Sebastian nodded again. Internally, he idly wondered how much his advice would be worth, if such things could be assigned a cost; not that he would charge his friend!
"The first artefact is well protected, and the second is... a difficult matter", Dumbledore briefed.
"Tell me about the protections on the first artefact", Sebastian asked.
"There's a hidden cave. Between the cave's entrance and the artefact is a lake containing inferi, with anti-apparition wards in place. Once that is passed, there is a... basin filled with a green potion that cannot be vanished; I expect its contents to be beyond unpleasant. Once the potion is drank, I believe the artefact will be inside", Dumbledore explained.
Sebastian considered this for a few moments. This was, at least, a bit of a challenge. Then the answer came to him.
"The lake seems simple – you 'ave a phoenix, no? As for the potion... are there any conditions on what must drink it?" Sebastian asked.
Dumbledore frowned. "What do you mean?" he asked.
"What if you conjured, say, a bear, then compulsed it to drink? Would that work?" Sebastian asked. Then added, "if conjured animals did not, you could always ask your phoenix to bring you a real one."
Dumbledore nodded; he would prefer a conjured creature, given the likely suffering, but he must destroy the artefact.
Seeing that the first challenge was likely solved, Sebastian moved to the next topic. "What about the second artefact?"
Dumbledore paused. "I do not wish to destroy it. Or, perhaps I should say, two magical artefacts reside in the same object, and I wish to destroy one and keep the other."
Sebastian frowned. Before he had been able to consider the problem, Dumbledore continued with a surprising revelation. "Sebastian, my old friend..." Dumbledore took a deep breath then continued. "...the artefact I wish to keep holds great personal worth to me. I don't know if I would be able to destroy it."
Sebastian was surprised to note a single tear fall down Dumbledore's cheek. He didn't think he had ever seen such a reaction, even in the darkest times of the war. Even when Lily and James...
Pulling his thoughts together, Sebastian gave his advice. "Albus, should I assume you do not wish to tell me the specifics?" At Dumbledore's nod, he continued. "I can only imagine the 'orrors of what such a dark artefact could bring, if you wish to remove even the knowledge of it from the world. Is the other artefact truly that important?"
Dumbledore hesitated, then nodded. "It is, Sebastian", he replied sadly.
"Albus? I cannot advise on 'ow to destroy one half of an artefact if I can't know what it is. Is there anyone who knows about it, and is skilled in its destruction? Per'aps the person you previously used to destroy an evil artefact?" Sebastian asked.
Dumbledore was about to answer in the negative, but as Sebastian referenced (albeit unknowingly) the previous Horcruxes, Dumbledore realised that wasn't true – the goblins had already destroyed several, and they were the best cursebreakers around. If anyone could destroy Marvolo Gaunt's ring, whilst preserving the resurrection stone, it would be them.
"You have given me much to consider, and I believe a way forward. Thank you once again, my old friend."
...
"'e didn't?!" exclaimed the girl, a look of shock on her face.
"He did. Leapt clean off it for a good few seconds, grabbed the snitch, then landed back on and carried on flying as if nothing had happened." Katie excitedly described.
"Merde!" was Fleur's only reply.
"He's amazing to watch, you really should come see him play sometime. He could go professional after Hogwarts, though I'm not sure he wants to", Katie mused.
Fleur nodded knowingly. "'e doesn't. Oh, 'arry enjoys playing, but 'e doesn't want the lifestyle – long training days, away at weekends for games, potential injuries... It doesn't leave enough time for friends and family", Fleur explained.
Katie looked surprised initially, but as Fleur explained it, it made sense. After all, didn't Harry's conversation with Oliver, when he joined the Gryffindor Quidditch Team, show the same thing?
"I sometimes forget not everyone is as Quidditch mad as some of us", Katie admitted.
"Anyway, enough 'orror stories about 'arry in the air. I have a question for you", Fleur stated.
Katie laughed. "If it's about what Gabrielle thought I said earlier, I really thought that was the word for mushroom!" she explained, a little red in the face.
"Non, not about that", Fleur reassured, laughing. "I wanted to ask: Will you come visit over the summer? The mirrors are nice, but it would be good to 'ave girl talk face to face", Fleur explained, smiling.
Katie's eyes lit up. Another free holiday to France, to see her new friends (and hopefully Harry)? Well, if Fleur was going to twist her arm like that... "When?" she asked, eagerly.
...
It was a couple of weeks into Harry's summer holiday. His homework was done, he had spent time playing a new video game with his cousin (this one involved racing against each other, but with power-ups? And there was a giant space pig?), and he had spent a lot of time speaking to his friends and family on his mirror. Harry was just getting ready for another race, when the doorbell rang.
"'arry! We're here for sister time!" cried a voice from downstairs.
Dudley gave a grin and a nod, and after being hugged by Harry he watched his cousin almost fly out of the room and downstairs.
"Cheveu! Gabrielle!" Harry cried joyfully, pulling both into a tight hug one after the other. "What are you doing here?"
Gabrielle giggled. "It's another surprise sister day, obviously!", she declared.
Harry's joy radiated off his face, and he picked up Gabrielle in another hug, carefully spinning her around in the hallway. "I love you both so much! I have the best sisters!"
Gabrielle giggled and hugged Harry tighter. "We love you too, big brother!"
"Exactly what your little sister said", agreed Cheveu.
After Harry had finished dispensing hugs, the important question was asked. "Where are we going today?"
Gabrielle looked like she might explode might excitement. "Somewhere amazing!" she gushed.
...
Harry had to agree that a theme park definitely met the definition of amazing. The only downside to the day, if he could call it that, was that Gabrielle was not yet tall enough to go on the most terrifying rollercoasters – something she considered a gross injustice.
"But I'm almost tall enough! And that one has a four giant loop the loops!" Gabrielle whined.
"Well, that just means we'll have to go back next year, doesn't it?" Cheveu replied, smiling.
Gabrielle nodded eagerly.
"For now, though, which rollercoaster is next?" asked Cheveu.
"The one that throws you up into the air and back down again!" cried Gabrielle. "And then some more snacks!"
Harry grinned. He wasn't sure how Gabrielle hadn't been sick yet, with the constant food and rides, but if she was happy then so was he.
His grin only got wider as Gabrielle's little hand grabbed his and Cheveu's, and practically dragged them towards the 100ft tall ride. At least they bought the passes that meant they didn't have to wait in the queues!
...
After a few more rides, a late lunch, and several more rides after that, Gabrielle was starting to get tired – not that she would admit it.
"But we still have an hour before the park closes!" she complained from her position on Harry's back.
"Yes, but you're getting tired" Cheveu explained with a smile.
Gabrielle shook her head rapidly; it made her feel a little dizzy. "No I'm not! I'm..." Gabrielle was rudely interrupted by her yawn. "... I'm fine!"
Harry shook his head in amusement. "One more ride?" he suggested as a compromise.
"Two!" Gabrielle negotiated confidently.
"Only if Harry and I choose the second ride" offered Cheveu.
A few seconds of consideration, then "Deal!"
...
A few days later, and it was Katie's turn to spend the day with Harry... Though he didn't know that when he woke up.
Harry was just rubbing the sleep out of his eyes when a quiet, "Harry? You awake?" sounded from his mirror.
Yawning loudly, Harry managed to pick up his mirror. "Hey Katie. Just about."
Katie decided not to mention Harry's topless chest, partially visible in the mirror. Instead, she focussed on the matter at hand. "You've not had breakfast yet, right?"
Harry shook his head. "No" he replied, then yawned.
"Good! You've got five minutes until I'm at your door, then we'll go eat", Katie informed Harry, as if this had been pre-agreed. It hadn't.
"Huh? Wha...?" Harry asked, the fog of sleep still heavy on him.
"Four and a half minutes now", Katie answered with a smile. "Hurry up!" she said cheekily, before ending the mirror call.
Harry got ready in record time, even managing a quick clean of his teeth (thanks, magic!) before he heard a quiet knock on his door.
Opening it, he was met by the smiling face of Katie. A Katie who had wore just a little make-up, and was wearing a short red summer dress; Harry thought she looked beautiful. Unfortunately Harry was still half asleep, so his mental filter wasn't fully functional yet.
"You look really pretty, Katie", Harry stated, before politely asking the ground to swallow him up right there.
Katie blushed. She knew nothing would happen between the two of them, but her heart skipped a beat at the compliment, regardless. The perils of being a close friend to someone you found unfairly attractive; something she had found peace with.
"Thanks" she replied, before pulling Harry into a hug. Harry inwardly groaned; she really needed to find a different perfume or something, as he was not nearly awake enough to deal with her strawberry scent.
Thankfully Katie didn't notice, instead releasing Harry from the hug, linking her arm with his, and leading him towards their destination.
...
The breakfast was delicious. Harry didn't have much experience with Italian food, but the pastries and coffee reminded him of Celeste's, which was high praise indeed!
Harry had no idea how Katie had found the place – it was only a ten minute bus ride from his house, but Harry had never heard of it! Perhaps it was new?
Either way, after the teens were full, the day could continue. Katie had missed her close friend, and she was content to spend the day just enjoying each other's company, without the need to plan anything overly exciting. They wandered through Greater Whinging, stopped to feed ducks (but not pigeons, just in case Sirius found out), chatted over coffee, layed on the grass in a park and cloud-watched ("that one looks like a piano!" "a piano?! I thought it looked like Flitwick!"), had a leisurely lunch, found an empty play park and swung on the swings next to each other, and even had a tickle fight (which Katie had to stop when her hormones started heading into dangerous territory).
Harry had enjoyed the day, even if his hormones were still responding less than ideally to Katie's affectionate nature. He was getting used to it, though, and was doing well at focussing on Katie's friendship, and not how she kept... growing... in certain areas.
To finish the day, Katie had wanted to treat Harry to dinner, but Harry had other ideas. Oh, he let Katie believe that was the plan, all through the starters (prawns for Katie, meatballs for Harry), the mains (steak with a peppercorn sauce and fries for Katie, a messy burger with bacon, far too much cheese and BBQ sauce for Harry) and desserts (churros with chocolate dipping sauce for them both). But when Katie popped away from the table to use the ladies, Harry flagged the waiter down quickly, who brought the bill over with a knowing smile.
When Katie returned, it was to find the bill paid for. "But I wanted to treat you!" she complained.
"A day out with one of my best friends is a treat", Harry replied.
Katie grumbled, but internally she was... flattered? Now all she needed was someone as sweet and cute as Harry who she could actually date!
After seeing Harry back home, and extracting a long, warm hug from him, Katie summoned the Knight Bus and returned home. And tried not at notice the look her mother gave her when she asked how her day had been.
...
It had been a long week for Dumbledore, and one that could have been a lot more productive, if only he had known that Regulus had turned against Voldemort at the end! At least Sirius appreciated the news, as did his house elf once the locket was dealt with.
Regardless, two more Horcruxes were destroyed, making a total of six – the diadem, the cup, the diary, the snake, and now the ring and the locket. Given what he knew of Voldemort, Dumbledore suspected he would have made seven; was there a final Horcrux? Or did Voldemort consider the piece of his soul inside of him the seventh? Dumbledore mulled this question over in his mind for the remainder of the holidays
...
Harry was in grave danger. He was walking into a trap, and he was utterly oblivious. The evil mastermind behind the scheme was determined to achieve their goals, and was prepared to delve deep into the dark arts to achieve their aims.
The mastermind had everything prepared. They had a plan to stun Harry, then force him to bend to their will. He would never be the same again, if they had their way.
Fully prepared, they waited for their agent to deliver Harry into their clutches.
...
Harry knew something was off. Sebastian had picked him up and apparated him to France, but there was no Fleur waiting to throw her arms around him. Sebastian gave Harry an odd look, but said nothing and merely led him inside the Delacour home. Even then there were no shouts of welcome, and Harry started to feel an odd sense of nervousness.
"Uncle Sebastian, where is everyone?" Harry asked.
Sebastian smiled reassuringly. "Appoline and Gabrielle are out shopping, but Fleur should be around. Maybe she's upstairs and hasn't heard us?"
Harry nodded; it was a reasonable explanation, but something at the back of his mind had him on edge. After taking his shoes off, Harry went upstairs, calling as he went. "Fleur? Are you there?"
He reached for her bedroom door and opened it. "Fleur? Are you ok? I didn't... I... I..."
Harry found himself stunned by the evil mastermind. He couldn't move a muscle, rooted to the spot and unable to say or do anything.
Because there was Fleur standing in the middle of the room, her silvery-blonde hair loose over one shoulder... and she was dressed only in her underwear. A lacy, light blue matching set, exactly the shade of her eyes. And as Fleur did a slow twirl, Harry saw exactly how much it covered, and how much it didn't. In a very different frame of mind, Harry might have noted that it covered no less than Fleur's bikini from the Easter holidays... but all Harry could do in that moment was to stare, completely unable to form any logical thought.
"See something you like?" Fleur asked, a large grin on her face – it was difficult to miss how well her plan was working!
Harry nodded dumbly, then his brain cleared just enough to parse Fleur's words and form an articulated response. "Fleur? What...?"
Fleur slowly walked the three steps towards Harry, her hips swaying. Putting her arms around his neck she leaned forward so that her forehead touched his. "I want you to kiss me, 'arry. Consider my state of dress as an encouragement, and a promise of what might be your reward if you do."
Harry gulped, audibly. His eyes travelled down, where he was greeted with a sight that would be burned in his mind for several days. He was a hair's breadth from surrendering control, and giving Fleur anything she desired, when a thought struck him: what if Fleur was under the effects of a potion? It would explain her strange behaviour!
Harry fled the room, and hurried to find Sebastian.
...
Fleur was disappointed – she had been so close! After planning for her Mama to be out with Gabrielle, asking her Papa to send Harry up for 'a surprise', and putting up silencing charms on their room, she was sure she was about to have several new experiences with her best friend. But Harry had been worried about her, believing her mind to be compromised, so he had gone to Sebastian for help.
Fleur had thrown on short dress just in time for Sebastian to check on her, leading to a very uncomfortable conversation where nothing was said directly but much was implied.
Sebastian considered himself an idiot for not having expected such, knowing that Fleur planned to spend the year at Hogwarts, and so had no reason to wait any longer. So after a slightly awkward conversation with his Godson, where he reassured him that Fleur was not under any mental influence, he left the two teens to talk; after all, Harry was fifteen, Fleur was seventeen, and this was France – views on intimacy were quite different compared to Britain.
...
Harry and Fleur were sat on the sofa, at opposite ends facing each other, Harry's right hand loosely holding Fleur's left.
"I am myself, 'arry. But I realised something last term: our game, it made me feel so good, and left me wanting more", Fleur explained, bending the truth a little to keep her promise to Maxime. "I want you. I don't want to wait anymore", Fleur explained.
Harry was in turmoil. He badly wanted to give in to his desires, but Fleur's prior arguments had convinced him that they should wait, and he strongly suspected their game from Easter had affected Fleur a little too well. Which made this his fault. "I don't want to wait either. It's been almost a year since we last kissed, and I've craved you every single day since. But, my cherished, it's not long to wait – less than a year, and I will be yours."
Fleur should have felt disappointment, but instead she just grinned. "If you're going to be like that, then I guess I'll just have to see if I can convince you over the next two weeks."
Harry knew, in that moment, a little of what it was like for a deer to be looking into the eyes of a hungry lion.
...
Fleur did not play fair. Harry had caught her wearing just lingerie on a number of occasions, with Harry seeing Fleur model several of the nicer sets that she owned; Fleur told him a few of the activities she was eager to try first, just as soon as they were dating; Harry would sometimes be woken up by Fleur kissing his cheek, then his neck; and Fleur was horrendously tactile with him in general, running her hands up and down his arm, or across his back, or giving him short massages, or cuddling him.
The only reprieves Harry got were when Gabrielle, Appoline or Sebastian were around, but even then Fleur was more brazen than she was last year – for example, having no problem gently nibbling his ear when massaging his shoulders, despite Gabrielle watching on with amused interest.
Speaking of Gabrielle, she seemed oddly willing to let Fleur monopolise Harry's time. When Harry asked her about it, Gabrielle just giggled and told him she was hoping they stopped being silly and started dating already.
...
It was over halfway through the two weeks, and Harry had nearly lost control of his hormones several times. But today he had hope: Katie was arriving for a couple of days, and he was sure Fleur wouldn't be quite so brazen with Katie around.
Harry's hopes remained high for the first day, as the Delacours, Harry and Katie visited some old friends.
"Yes!" cried Barry.
"What is it? Did Idiot Simon stub his toe again?" asked Geoff.
"A hundred times better!" Barry answered excitedly.
"Don't exaggerate. Nothing's that exciting except..." Geoff began.
Barry nodded excitedly.
"Yes!" cried Geoff.
Harry giggled, then greeted his friends. "Hi Geoff, hi Barry."
"YOU'RE A PARSELMOUTH?!" exclaimed the girl next to Harry.
Harry smiled cheekily. "Didn't I mention that before?"
"No! That's so cool, why didn't you tell me before?!" Katie demanded.
"Surprise?" Harry tried.
Katie's response was to whack Harry out of instinct, then hug him tightly in apology/excitement.
"Harry, you scoundrel, is that another attractive girl you're dating?" asked Geoff.
"Fleur is right behind you, you know" informed Barry.
Harry felt very self-conscious as Katie hugged him for a few seconds longer. Once she finally released him, Harry replied, "No, she's just a friend!"
"Of course she is!" said Geoff.
"No she isn't! She obviously likes him, you can smell it!" argued Barry
Geoff... sighed? "Yes I know that, Barry."
"But you said..." began Barry.
"That was sarcasm, Barry", interrupted Geoff.
"Sarcasm? That's the new girl's name?" asked Barry.
"Oh for Pete's sake..."
"Wait, is that her full name? Sarcasm Pete? Bit of a weird name for a girl", Barry noted.
Harry, at this point, collapsed with laughter.
...
Katie found new friends in Geoff and Barry, and found it hilarious how Harry and Sebastian had been feeding them treats for years. Watching the snakes eat a vole and a duck had been a bit... yucky... but she could see why everyone was so fond of them both – especially as Harry translated the conversation he was having, and the others chipped in here and there via him.
Katie noted Fleur was a little more affectionate with Harry over the day, and was surprised by the reason when she asked her – she had thought Fleur was determined to wait one last year, though she couldn't blame her. In her shoes, Katie would probably have jumped Harry already! The fact that Harry was holding out was both cute and entertaining to watch!
Soon the day was over, and Katie was giving Harry a tight hug goodnight. Harry returned the hug, trying to ignore her cursed strawberry scent, then went to bed.
...
Harry woke up feeling positive. Katie was here for the rest of the day, which meant Fleur would be less seductive, and then he only had to survive a few more days before he returned to Hogwarts. A nice day, free from Fleur's evil plans.
Unfortunately for Harry, that's not how the day went. Oh, it started that way, especially when Harry mentioned Gabrielle's magical hair. Katie had wanted to see what Harry meant, and so with permission she ran her fingers though it ("Wow! That's awesome!"); that had led to a good half hour where Katie, then Harry, then both were playing with Gabrielle's hair, much to Gabrielle's utter delight.
But then the afternoon came, where Appoline was off to visit a friend and Sebastian was taking Gabrielle to see one of her friends from school. Harry felt nervous when Fleur took Katie away for a "private conversation, my cherished", even more so when they came back, grinning like... Oh Merlin, they were grinning like the Weasley Twins, this couldn't be good!
"Let's play a game!" Katie suggested, with feigned innocence that would fool no-one.
"Good idea, Katie!" Fleur agreed, only deepening Harry's suspicion.
"What game were you thinking about?" asked Harry, firmly planting one foot into the trap.
"Oh, I don't know..." lied Katie. "Let me think..." she continued, completely unnecessarily. "Oh, I've just thought of a great idea!" she announced, in a manner that proved she would never get a career in acting.
"Oh, What's your idea?" asked Fleur, grinning.
"Truth or Dare!" Katie declared.
Harry's brain couldn't decide if he should be more excited or terrified.
...
The girls were nothing if not devious. The game had started out fairly harmlessly – "What's your favourite place to eat, Fleur?" "Which Weasley twin do you think is the funniest, Katie?" "Which of your sisters do you love most, 'arry?" "I dare you to give me a shoulder massage, Harry!"
But then, as Harry started to relax his guard, the girls struck.
"Truth or dare, 'arry?" asked Fleur.
"Truth"
"Have you ever fantasised about Katie?" Fleur asked, a grin on her face.
"Fleur!" came the response from both the other teens. Fleur merely gave an expectant look.
Harry blushed deeply. That was not a fair question! He considered just quitting the game then, but he realised not only would he be answering the question non-verbally, but he would also lose! "Yes" Harry quietly admitted.
Harry quickly carried on the game, pushing through his embarrassment. "Katie, truth or dare?"
"Truth"
"Who's your best friend?" Harry asked
Katie thought for a moment. "You" she replied, smiling. That earned her a big warm hug; thankfully his answer to Fleur's question hadn't stopped Katie wanting to hug him tightly, Harry mused.
"Fleur? Truth or dare?" Katie asked
"Truth"
"If Harry was willing to date you right now, what's the furthest you'd be willing to go with him, physically?" she asked, smiling mischievously.
'Oh no!' Harry thought.
"As far as 'arry would allow. If 'e were willing... all the way." Fleur replied, her gaze holding Harry's. Harry gulped.
"Truth or dare, 'arry?"
"Truth?" Harry asked, a little unsure.
"Which of my lingerie did you like best?" asked Fleur with a grin.
Dare. He should have chosen dare. It couldn't possibly be worse than this. Of course, his traitorous memory was already playing through the greatest hits, and his tongue – clearly in league with his memory – spoke before he could stop it. "The first set you showed me."
Fleur grinned. That was useful information.
"Katie, truth or dare?" Harry asked quickly
"Truth"
"What do you plan to do after Hogwarts?" Harry asked, off the top of his head.
"Non, not allowed!" Fleur declared.
"What? Why not?" Harry asked.
"Because you already know the answer, Harry!" Katie explained. "Which means Fleur can ask instead", she continued.
Fleur grinned and nodded. Before Harry could complain too much, Fleur asked her question. "Are there any boys you have your eye on?"
Katie blushed. "No, no-one", she replied.
"No-one?" Fleur asked, an eyebrow raised.
"No-one available", Katie clarified, not meeting anyone's eye.
"Truth or dare, Fleur?" Now it was Katie's turn to change the subject quickly.
"Truth"
"Describe your perfect day", Katie asked.
Fleur did so, adding detail to the parts that involved Harry; there were several, and had Katie and Harry both blushing.
"Truth or dare, 'arry?" Fleur asked.
Harry took a few seconds to compose himself; Fleur's description of her perfect day had given him far too many thoughts he shouldn't be having for at least a year!
"Dare" Harry answered. From the last couple of turns, Harry was confident this couldn't be worse. How naïve he was.
"Well Katie, are you ready for your reward?" Fleur asked, merrily. Katie nodded eagerly.
"'arry, Katie and I made a deal. She helps me get you all worked up, and then she gets a reward. After all, it's probably been hard in some ways for her to hear some of your answers", Fleur began.
Harry gulped. What had he gotten himself into?!
"I'm not trying to share you, 'arry, but I really want you to crack so I can have you myself. So..." Fleur paused, then switched back to English. "I dare you to cuddle with Katie on the bed for five minutes."
...
After the dare, Harry fled the room. Five minutes hadn't sounded like long, but after everything else, with Katie nestled into his side and her scent surrounding him, Harry didn't trust himself to remain. He also didn't trust the girls not to push further, and he feared risking two friendships if they got carried away.
Back in the room, Katie hugged Fleur. "Thank you. I know he's yours, and I'm never going to try and steal him away, but that cuddle was... oh, it was amazing!"
Fleur hugged Katie back. "It wasn't anything too intimate, more like an 'ug lying down", she downplayed. "Besides, if we went to the beach, and you 'ad 'ugged 'im there, the experience would 'ave been far more memorable!" Fleur laughed.
Katie, who was aware of the topless beaches Fleur was thinking of, just laughed – she doubted Harry could survive that!
...
Later on, after Katie had left, Harry bravely ran away. Or, more accurately, he asked Gabrielle if she wanted to go to Celeste's with just her big brother; the answer came via an excited squeal.
Fleur was honestly impressed with Harry. She knew she would have caved had she been facing the onslaught she had bombarded him with. She also missed the friendship side of their relationship; yes, she was incredibly frustrated and just wanted to jump him, but she missed just cuddling and talking to her best friend, spending time together...
Later that night, after Gabrielle had gone to bed and after Fleur had coaxed Harry upstairs early (under promise that he was safe), Fleur explained how much she had missed her best friend; how she still desperately wanted him, but she didn't want to spend so much time tempting him that they missed out on their usual time together, just cuddling and talking like the best friends they were. Fleur apologised for pushing as hard as she had, and promised she would try and be his best friend again for the next couple of days.
This, more than anything, led to Harry placing one hand on the back of Fleur's neck and slowly, sweetly pressing his lips to hers. Fleur could have cried with happiness, she had missed that so much! Harry's lips didn't linger; he knew the danger he would be in if they did.
"Just one more year, my cherished", Harry whispered, his lips bare millimetres from Fleur's. "One more year, and I'll be all yours. Forever."
...
Tom Marvolo Riddle, in wraith form, was essentially comatose. Whenever he managed to become conscious it was only due to an especially large torrent of pain ripping through him, and afterwards his form would collapse, exhausted.
His magic grew permanently weaker and weaker, struggling to sustain a form that was being tortured relentlessly. Had he any conscious thought, the Dark Lord would know his end was very, very near.
chapter 25
On the Hogwarts express, Harry was again feeling proud of himself. His willpower had survived intact, even with Fleur throwing herself at him. He also recognised that if he had given in and taken Fleur up on her varied and tempting offers, then this year would have been brutal – he already missed her kisses when they were away (despite only kissing once, briefly, over the last year), how much more would he miss... the more intimate activities Fleur had desired?
Katie was again the first to join him in the carriage, sitting down next to Harry and putting a carefree arm over his shoulder. "So...?" she asked.
Harry looked anywhere but at Katie. "We're, erm, still just friends", Harry replied.
"How?!" Katie asked, shocked. "She was practically begging you for... well, a whole lot!"
Harry blushed and nodded. "But I don't want to risk it, and it was sort of my fault for teasing Fleur over Easter, and we've already waited a while; one more year will be ok."
Katie was amazed at her best friend. She didn't have too long to wonder about that though, as the door opened and they were joined by their usual carriage buddies – Neville, Hermione and Ron.
...
The train ride, and the sorting, passed without much incident, aside from Harry noting that Fred and George were still at Hogwarts; he had been led to believe they had given up on school after getting their Potions NEWT, but apparently not. Though their reason quickly became known when, after the welcoming feast, the school was set on its ear.
"Welcome back students, it's wonderful to see you all here! There are several announcements to make, but I shall start with the most exciting one", began Dumbledore.
"This year, after a long hiatus, the Tri-wizard tournament will return, with Hogwarts hosting!" he declared.
There were several reactions, but Harry distinctly heard "Sweet!" and "Totally worth staying at Hogwarts for!" from further down the Gryffindor table.
After the initial reactions, Dumbledore continued. "For those unaware, the Tri-wizard tournament is a competition between the three most prestigious wizarding schools in Europe: Durmstrang, Beauxbatons and our own Hogwarts."
Harry froze in shock. Did Dumbledore say...?
"The prize for the tournament is one thousand galleons, and glory for yourself and your school. But be aware: the tournament is dangerous, and was cancelled due to the high death toll. Additional safeguards have been put in place, but you risk your life competing", Dumbledore continued. It didn't sound like many people were put off.
"Due to the danger, the tournament will be open to any sixth and seventh year students, and I will personally be ensuring no-one else is entered", explained Dumbledore, over the groans of some of the younger students.
Dumbledore continued, mollifying the lower years. "But fear not! There will be plenty of other opportunities for prizes and glory – Quidditch, competitive duelling, potions; further details will be available over the coming weeks."
Had Harry been thinking straight, he might have been excited about that latter part.
"As Hogwarts is hosting the events, we will also be hosting a contingent of students from both Durmstrang and Beauxbatons, who will be arriving in two weeks and remaining for the academic year. I'm sure you will all make our guests very welcome!" Dumbledore finished, to cheers from the students.
Harry, however, just picked up his mirror. "Fleur? Fleur, are you there? I've just heard... And I can't help but hope... Fleur?"
"'arry? Is that you?", came the unexpected voice.
"Aunt Appoline? How come you have Fleur's mirror?" Harry asked, confused.
"She forgot to take it to school, and left it here" Appoline replied, twisting the truth. In fact, Fleur had deliberately left the mirror at home; she wanted to surprise Harry at Hogwarts, and knew if she spoke to him she would cave and tell him the good news.
"Did she say anything about the Tri-wizard tournament?"Harry asked.
"What's the 'Tri-wizard tournament?'"Appoline asked, deflecting.
...
Hundreds of miles away, Fleur was delighted. It had just been confirmed she was going to Hogwarts (not that she'd doubted), along with a host of other sixth and seventh year girls; Fleur suspected most of the students in those years would be attending.
And she only had to wait two weeks! Of course, those two weeks would be the longest of her life, especially considering the prize that awaited her at the end! She was also pleased to see Pauline was on the list – that girl was going to get a very unpleasant surprise!
Pauline had seen Fleur's reaction, and was inwardly impressed by her acting. Oh, Pauline knew she was putting on a brave face, pretending she was excited, but Pauline knew it was just an act. Or was it? Did Fleur think she could make Harry Potter adore her just by meeting her?
It would be her allure, Pauline realised. Fleur would be reliant on it, and would use it to convince the school of her lies – that she had known Harry all this time. Well, Pauline had planned for that. That part of the plan had cost more gold than she'd liked, but that was nothing compared to the gold she would be extracting from the lying tramp.
Now it was just down to the timing; perhaps on the journey over, where there was no way to communicate with the outside world? Yes, that would be perfect.
...
Back in the Gryffindor common room, several of Harry's friends had the same question. "Well? Is your best friend Fleur coming for the tournament?"
Harry had to have answered that question about six times already. Thankfully, Hermione had taken pity on Harry and answered for him, this once. "He doesn't actually know, and he can't use his mirror to ask Fleur as she's left hers at home", she explained succinctly.
"Oh, that's a shame! Terrible time to leave a mirror at home, right?"
"Right", Hermione answered, though internally she had her suspicions; not that she would share them with Harry, in case she was wrong.
Harry, for his part, could barely think of anything but the Beauxbaton students' arrival. He realised he was going to be an appalling student over the next two weeks, so did the only thing he could think of – he went to brew a helpful potion.
...
The next morning, a parcel arrived for Harry via owl. Hermione was immediately interested in it, as it looked suspiciously like a book. Harry saw there was a note attached and read that first:
Dear little brother,
I believe you will need this book at some point over the next year; it's better to know too soon than too late, so I suggest you start reading sooner rather than later.
Love you!
Cheveu
Shrugging, Harry opened the package... then immediately hid the book back in its wrapping, a blush blooming on his face.
"Harry? What book were you sent?" asked Hermione, curious.
"Oh, erm... nothing important!" replied an embarrassed Harry. On the contrary, the book might become very important to him, but he was not going to tell Hermione that his big sister had just sent him 'How to please your woman'!
Other than the book (which Harry did start reading... in private!) and talking to his family to share his hopes, nothing much of note happened during that two weeks, other than Harry being quite possibly the worst student he had ever been, even with daily doses of a concentration potion – in one lesson he had almost ruined a very potent strength potion, which was unheard of for Harry! Thankfully, he realised his mistake whilst it could still be corrected.
For Fleur on the other hand, the two weeks were quite eventful, mostly dealing with organising things for the trip. But it was also quite lonely; she didn't realise how much she would miss talking to Gabrielle, her Mama and Papa, Uncle Sirius, Uncle Remus, Cheveu, Katie and especially Harry.
Fleur also had a sneaking suspicion Pauline was planning something – there were hushed whispers and unpleasant glances quite regularly now, though Fleur knew it would be short-lived; soon her fellow students would know she had been telling the truth.
Still, she put that out of her mind, and sent another letter home. Letters; she had barely written any during the last few years, as her mirrors made letter-writing quite redundant! Well, it was good practise for her penmanship, at least.
...
Finally, the day of her departure arrived, and Fleur made sure she was the first to settle into the horse-drawn carriages that would be transporting the students who had signed up for this inter-school competition.
After stowing her things, she had sat in one of the common areas, reading a book, and thinking that perhaps Pauline hasn't planned anything. No further had she thought that than Pauline arrived, along with quite a large contingent of Beauxbatons students.
"Fleur! You must be just positively thrilled we're on our way to 'ogwarts!" Pauline began, with fake friendliness.
"I am. I am looking forward to seeing an old friend." Fleur stated simply; there was no point hiding this now, they would find out tomorrow.
Pauline grinned like the devil. "Oh yes! 'arry Potter, your old best friend! Tell me, do you two still keep in contact?"
A few of the other students sniggered, though some had an oddly eager look in the eye; Fleur was immediately on guard.
"Often. In fact, I saw him most recently over the summer", Fleur answered honestly.
"Really?! Then he will be very happy to see you?" Pauline asked, hunger and malice in her eyes.
Fleur gave a small smile. "I would say so, yes."
Pauline grinned. This was going exactly as planned! And now to spring the trap. "You're so confident, I see. Would you bet gold on that?"
Fleur cocked her head to the side, examining Pauline. She couldn't be serious! Surely she wasn't going to... A sneaking suspicion grew in Fleur's mind, and she fought to stop a grin from appearing on her own face; it may have matched the one Pauline wore if she did!
"A bet? Why would someone want to bet on that?" Fleur asked, carefully.
From that reply, Pauline was convinced of her plan – if Fleur really did know Harry Potter, she would be biting her hand off for free galleons! "Maybe because they think you're a lying, attention-seeking tramp. Because they've seen through your lies, and your allure, and they want to see you taken down a peg" replied Pauline, a little anger in her voice.
"If someone wished to bet based on that view of me, I guess I would have no choice but to accept", Fleur replied.
"Well, I bet fifty galleons 'arry doesn't even know who you are!" Pauline wagered with a sneer.
"I accept" Fleur replied, before laughing a little. "I'm sure the first thing he'll do when he sees me is hug me."
"I bet thirty galleons he won't!" wagered another student.
"I accept."
"I also bet thirty-five galleons he won't hug you!" wagered a third.
"I accept."
"I bet ten galleons he doesn't know your name!" "I bet fifteen galleons he ignores you" "I bet thirty galleons I can get him to pay more attention to me than to you" "I bet twenty galleons he's not your friend"
"I accept. I accept. I accept. I accept." Fleur responded.
After a few more bets were made, one of the seventh year girls raised a question. "How do we know you even have enough gold to pay us all?"
"I won't need to. But to make you feel better: I, Fleur Isabelle Delacour, declare that I have sufficient galleons for any and all bets I make today, so shall my magic prove". A bright light followed the vow.
"Well, then I bet fifty galleons you were lying back in first year", wagered the seventh year.
"I accept."
Pauline thought Fleur was risking a lot, but she suspected her plan. "Of course, you have your allure. How do we know you won't use it to bias 'arry Potter's reaction in your favour?" Pauline asked.
Fleur smiled. "I won't need to. But I don't know how I can prove that, my allure is a part of me."
"And if we had a way to safely block your allure? Would you agree to it?" Pauline asked, finalising the trap.
"If such was possible, and didn't cause any danger or unpleasant side-effects, I see no reason why not", Fleur replied simply. Inside she was in disbelief; how much planning had Pauline put into this? She was going to take the idiot title away from Simon at this rate!
Pauline grinned like a shark, holding up a pendant. "You mean something like this? An allure suppression pendant, made by your kind. Consider it a 'gift'. We expect you to wear it!" Pauline declared.
Fleur was now truly in shock. She held the pendant in her hands, feeling the Veela magic inside, and feeling her own allure muted, even this close. Caution told her to demand one thing from her enemy first, however. "If you swear an oath this is what you say, and that there are no curses or other charms on it, then I will wear it for our bets."
...
Finally, after what felt like months, the time had arrived. The Durmstrang ship arrived first, with Dumbledore welcoming their Headmaster – a Headmaster Georgi Dinchev – then finally the Beauxbaton carriage arrived, and out stepped Madam Maxime.
Harry loosely heard the greeting, but his eyes were scanning the students. They all had scarves wrapped around them, and he couldn't see any of their faces; he couldn't see her face. Had she really not come?
Fleur was giddy, trembling with excitement. At her headmistress' request, Fleur was containing herself for a moment, but the time had nearly come.
"Well, Fleur, nervous? Afraid that your plan won't work whilst you wear that pendant?" Pauline whispered nastily. Several of the girls sniggered.
Finally, Dumbledore said the words she had been waiting for. "Now, at least two students have been graciously waiting whilst Maxime and I talked, but I dare say they have been waiting long enough. If you happen to have friends visiting from another school, you can go ahead and greet them now.
Fleur had been carefully unwrapping her scarf as Dumbledore spoke. "You thought me nervous right now? I have never been more excited. Never have I lied to you; watch and learn from your foolishness."
With one final tug, her scarf was off and she was stepping forward towards her best friend, and future lover.
"Fleur!"
"'arry!"
Harry tore away from his fellow students and raced towards Fleur. She sped up, and after a few moments she had thrown herself into Harry's arms. A moment after that, he was spinning her around joyfully.
After he had put Fleur down, but still with his arms around her, Harry started rambling. "You're really here for the tournament? For the whole year? When you didn't have your mirror, I couldn't ask, and..."
"Shhh, my heart. I'm not here for the tournament, I'm here for you. And yes, I'll be with you for the whole year." Fleur confirmed, before placing a delicate kiss on his cheek. "Consider it an early Christmas present" she added, cheekily.
Harry kissed Fleur's cheek in return, then pulled her into another loving, warm embrace. Fleur nestled her head into his shoulder; she was finally with Harry for good. She was home.
The two were interrupted by two very loud catcalls. Remembering where they were, the two hurried towards the castle, hand in hand, looking lovingly at each other.
Fleur, of course, sat next to Harry, as did many of the Beauxbaton contingent.
"It's good to see you again, Fleur, and so soon!" Katie welcomed.
"Thank you, Katie. It's very good to see you too!" Fleur replied, smiling.
"So you're Fleur!" Neville greeted. "Fleur, Harry does not stop talking about you. We've heard so much about his best friend since our first day at school! I'm Neville, by the way", Neville stated, smiling.
"Nev's right, I feel like I'm meeting one of my friends, with how much he's spoken about you! I'm Ron, by the way", offered Ron.
"'ello Neville, 'ello Ron. It's good to finally meet you both. And 'ello 'ermione, it's good to see you again"
"It's so exciting you're here! Harry has been positively pining after you ever since you 'misplaced' your mirror" Hermione replied, a slightly mischievous smile on her face.
"Hey!" Harry objected.
"It's ok, my poor neglected heart. I am here for you now" Fleur teased.
Harry merely replied by kissing Fleur's cheek, quite close to her mouth.
"Anyway, let me introduce some of my friends. This is Jean..." Fleur began.
"Bonjour!"
"... Marjorie..."
"'ello!"
"...and Amelie."
"Hello everyone", came the final, surprisingly non-accented greeting.
...
Pauline was horrified. As were the girls who had betted against Fleur. This couldn't be happening! She couldn't have been telling the truth, could she? There was only one thing Pauline could do.
Walking over to Harry, she put a hand on his shoulder. "'arry, you don't need to sit with Fleur. There are many of us 'o would love to get to know you", she purred.
Harry turned to face the girl. A quick squeeze from Fleur's hand told him who it was.
Harry began. "Sit down, and let me explain something to anyone who has ever doubted Fleur.
"When I was one, my parents were murdered and I was sent to live with my aunt and uncle. But as long as I can remember, my French Godparents would visit me at least once a month.
"Now, I love my Godfather and Godmother, but let me tell you about someone else I grew to love growing up. She is someone who brings a smile to my face when I see her. Someone whose mere presence brings me joy. Someone who I've sat in patisseries with, eating cake. Someone who I've spent countless hours just cuddled up on a sofa with, reading stories. Someone who I would, and have, willingly given my gold to. Someone who I love – really, truly love – like the family they are. And do you know this girl's name?"
A few despairing murmurs of "Fleur", then Harry continued.
"That girl is Gabrielle Delacour. And every month, when I first arrived at the Delacour home, I ran past her. I ignored my beloved sister, to see Fleur first. I love Gabrielle dearly, and would do almost anything for her, but I adore Fleur. And you are either ignorant of that, or you must believe a stranger can mean more to me than family, to think you could possibly pull me away from Fleur right now." Harry finished, with emphasis.
Pauline sat back down, gobsmacked.
Fleur turned to her fellow students. "Does anyone believe their bet has not been settled?" she asked.
Galleons were placed on the table and pushed towards Fleur. "What is this about, my cherished?" Harry asked.
"Some of my fellow students did not believe I knew you. So they made bets", Fleur explained.
"They bet you didn't know Harry?!" Hermione asked, astonished. Several Beauxbatons students hung their heads in shame.
"How did you get enough money for all those bets? That's a lot of galleons on the table" Hermione pointed out.
Fleur couldn't help it – she laughed out loud. "I bet with the galleons in mine and 'arry's shared Gringotts account!" The sound of many heads banging against the table was heard.
Fleur turned towards her fellow students. "Many of you doubted me, even though I have never given you reason to do so – other than my heritage, I suspect. But I do not wish to be harsh, and I assume some of you may have wagered more than you can afford."
Fleur counted out one tenth of the galleons she had won. "If anyone gambled too much, and will struggle this term, you can take from this pile. But you must do so now."
Four students, ashamed, took a few Galleons; none took more than half of what they wagered, and all thanked Fleur quietly for her generosity.
...
After the meal, there was one more interruption.
"Harry, is this the Fleur?" Daphne asked.
"Yes?" Harry replied, uncertain of the question.
Daphne swore, dropped a galleon on the table, then muttered, "You could have just mentioned you mistook me for a Veela", before wandering back to the Slytherin table. Fleur, having vaguely remembered the relevant story, and Harry's own wager, started laughing.
But after a moment, Daphne came back. "Wait. I thought you were dating Katie? But you're..." she pointed to where Harry and Fleur were holding hands.
Katie, Harry and the Weasley twins joined Fleur in her laughter.
"But the twins saw Harry and Katie kissing! All the time!" Daphne insisted.
By now, Fred and George were actually crying with laughter. One of them managed to choke out "She still believes us!" between fits of laughter.
A look of horror dawned of Daphne's face; she had been so gullible! Though in her defence, Katie and Harry were such good friends, and Katie was so tactile, that everyone had assumed they were dating!
Appalled with herself, Daphne headed out of the great hall; she would have to pay the twins back, somehow.
...
Harry's friends had wanted to get to know Fleur better, and Fleur's friends had wanted to get to know Harry better. Unfortunately for them, Harry and Fleur had something much more important to do that evening.
"Fleur and I need to, erm, catch up on something", Harry explained weakly.
Hermione smiled and rolled her eyes, whereas Katie grinned happily for her friend. "It's about time! Go on, enjoy your... conversation."
Harry blushed, but Fleur grinned back, before leading Harry out of the hall. "You don't have your own room at 'ogwarts, do you, my heart?" Fleur asked as the pair, hand in hand, stopped to consider the best place to go.
Harry shook his head. Unfortunately not!
Fleur grinned. "I do. Would you like to come and see?"
Harry practically dragged Fleur towards the Beauxbaton carriages. On the way, the two were quick to clarify what Fleur's arrival would mean. "Fleur, my love, you'll be at Hogwarts all year?"
"Yes, my heart. No more distance between us." Fleur confirmed, squeezing Harry's hand in anticipation.
"Fleur, my cherished, will you be my girlfriend?" Harry asked, partly nervous but mostly eager.
"Of course I will, my love! You've kept me waiting so long, I couldn't bear to be without you any longer" Fleur replied, her pace quickening.
"I'm going to kiss you the second we're alone in your room", Harry promised eagerly.
"No, I'm going to kiss you the second we're alone in my room", Fleur countered, her heart beating faster.
"I'm going to pin you against the wall, then kiss and bite your neck" Harry declared. By now the two were almost running to Fleur's carriage.
"I'm going to show you the second and third things I wanted to do with you after I graduated; I think you'll prefer them to just neck-biting" Fleur again countered. If the teens weren't running before, they were now.
The two reached the carriage, then Fleur led Harry quickly to her room. The moment the door was shut, Harry had indeed pinned Fleur to it, and was kissing her lips, her jaw, her neck... Fleur's hands roamed over Harry's body, then threaded through his hair, holding his head against her neck especially, so he wouldn't stop.
After a couple of minutes, Fleur pushed Harry onto the bed, then climbed into his lap and began kissing him with love and desire. Harry revelled in the taste of Fleur's lips and then tongue, craving more and more.
But as Fleur began kissing Harry's neck, he was distracted by a thought. "Mmm... Fleur? Oh, that feels so good, but... Fleur?"
Fleur paused, a grin on her face. "Yes, my love?" then she slowly, gently nibbled on Harry's neck as a distraction.
Attempting to pull together his willpower for a moment, Harry tried to ask a key question. "Fleur? Mmm... Wait, it's just... Mmmm... I can't... Allure..."
Fleur paused; she had enjoyed Harry struggling to form words, but it meant she had no clue what he was trying to say! "What was that, 'arry?"
Harry tried once again to summon his willpower. "I... I can't feel your allure; how come?"
Fleur grinned – all this, including Harry's lack of control, and there's no way anyone could claim it was her allure! "It's my necklace, I'd forgotten about that. Let me just take it off..."
The warm, comforting, sensual feeling of Fleur's allure washed over Harry, and all he could do was kiss his girlfriend more passionately than before.
Fleur moaned into the kiss; she had waited so long, but this was worth the wait! However, it wasn't the only thing she had planned. Pushing Harry backwards, Fleur fiddled with the clasp on her cloak. "Are you ready for the second and third things I had in mind, my love?"
Harry nodded, his eyes alight with desire.
...
A couple of hours later, cuddled up with Fleur, Harry felt wonderful! There was still much for them to try – they'd not got anywhere near actual sex, for example – but what they had experienced together was indescribable!
The fact that he had experienced this with his very best friend, who he utterly loved and adored, made everything so much better; Harry had never felt so deeply in love.
Fleur, similarly, was in absolute bliss. She loved her new boyfriend so much! Harry was just so utterly perfect, and the new physical side to their relationship was a wonderful complement to the solid foundation of their friendship.
After stretching out luxuriously, Fleur kissed Harry's lips briefly but lovingly. "You realise I'm never letting you go, my love?"
Harry chuckled. "That might be a problem with getting to our lessons, my cherished", Harry replied.
Fleur laughed, then lightly hit Harry's arm. "No, my love I don't mean physically! I mean... I want you to be mine, forever."
Harry shook his head amusedly. "If you think I'm letting you go after all these years of waiting and after... that... You're my best friend, my perfect love – I plan to grow old with you, in our house together in France."
Fleur kissed her wonderful, loving boyfriend again - slowly, lovingly and full of emotion.
...
Author Notes – quite lengthy this time!
Thank you all for reading this far. I hugely appreciate the feedback and response I've got to Delacour Godparents, it's blown me away.
As you might guess, this is the other chapter I was really looking forward to writing, and it contains the scene that first popped into my head to inspire the whole story to date.
For those either dreading or hoping for Katie to be included in the relationship: I'm aware from the reviews that there are conflicting views in where this story appears to be headed; oops! I aim to keep the pairing as per the story description, but I plan to write other stories in future (PM me if curious). I appreciate the feedback, and I'll keep it in mind!
I know several people have expressed a little frustration at how long Harry and Fleur took to get together; I wanted to explain before, but didn't want to give out spoilers. However I can explain now, for anyone interested.
Fleur is currently 17, Harry 15. This website's rules don't permit sexual relationships under age 15; I know some people ignore this, but I'm unwilling to. Some authors get around this by starting Hogwarts two years later, but due to how this story is starts from Harry being 1, that would have just added pre-hogwarts years and made the delay even more weird. I could also have had Harry and Fleur dating but not progressing further physically in their relationship, but that seemed even less realistic, at least to me – especially given how close they are. I'll also admit that canon-Harry not noticing girls until he's nearly 14 is highly convenient for rule-abiding authors, though I can see how that translates to cliché; apologies for that.
I'm sure there are better ways I could have worked within that constraint – including some suggested by kind reviewers! – but by that point the story was already mapped out quite far.