Chapter 21: That's What You're Worried About!?Chapter TextThe sound of shoes clacking on the hardwood floor echoed around the corridor as Barty Crouch Sr. walked toward his office. His face was set in its usual stiffness, and his eyes darted around, taking everyone in sight. The employees in the office of International Magical Cooperation, long used to their boss, greeted him respectfully and resumed their work.
Barty Crouch glanced at them one more time as he closed the door to his office behind him. Once alone, the stiffness on his face gave way to a more cunning and vindictive one as he stared around with an evil grin, his tongue darting out every few seconds.
Barty Crouch Jr. was regarded as one of Lord Voldemort's most accomplished followers. He had successfully evaded any detection or suspicion from everyone, including high-ranked ministry officials like his father to those who had fought against his master, Dumbledore in particular. It was thus no surprise that he had successfully evaded detection this time around as well.
He knew his father's mannerisms and his beliefs, and it had been child's play to imitate him. It felt vile having to put up the mask but he would do anything for his lord.
Barty was intelligent and even though he had been imprisoned in Azkaban before being imprisoned in his home under the Imperius, his mind had remained as capable as ever.
As he took his seat, he began pondering on the little issue that was facing them and what he could do to resolve it.
His lord was about to make his return, and he only had two people to support him. The traitors could not be trusted, and the only people who deserved any recognition from their master and who could aid them in their endeavors were trapped in Azkaban.
Freeing them was an option but a highly risky one. Macnair was useless when it came to actual combat and he was but one man. That left the endeavor hanging in the air. There also remained the fact that if they were discovered before his master made his return then everything would be over.
If only Bellatrix had not died after brilliantly escaping from Azkaban…
It was such a shame that a witch as accomplished and powerful as Bellatrix Lestrange had succumbed to her horrors in Azkaban before even doing anything for their cause. He could have focused more on getting his master's faithful out of that hellhole instead of wasting his time playing his father in the ministry.
'Playing my father…' Barty thought for a moment, and a wide grin grew on his face.
His father had been the consummate head of the DMLE during the war and had developed quite a reputation amongst the criminals. However, he was also a politician, and that meant making several choices that would be frowned upon by the ethical aurors.
'Indeed. There could be a solution to this,' he thought triumphantly and summoned his assistant.
"Mr. Crouch, sir, how may I help you?"
Barty tuned out the first bout of feelings that came over his mind when he laid his eyes on one of the sons of the Weasleys. The boy was a polar opposite of his father, and not in a good way. Very rarely had he seen a more eager arse-kisser than Percival Weasley.
"With workload at an all-time high owing to this tournament, I've been feeling a little under the weather lately so I believe I need an extended break from everything. I trust you to handle it in my stead. I can count on you, aye?"
It seemed as if a woman had taken her clothes off herself and presented her body for him to do as he pleased. Such was the look of eagerness on the idiot's face and Barty almost scoffed in disgust.
"Yes, Mr. Crouch!" The boy enthused. "It shall be an honor to be able to take the workload off your shoulders. I assure you, I will ensure everything is done to the best of my abilities. Please take your time to rest and leave it all to me."
"Good lad. I knew you had it in you," Barty nodded approvingly, his lip curling maliciously as the boy bowed low before leaving.
"Stupid fuck," he scoffed and dug into the private drawer his father kept in his office. It seemed as good a place as any to start looking.
XXXXX
Harry, Daphne, and Valerie left the Delacours soon after, and the family sat together in Fleur's room.
Antoine Delacour was staring at the floor, his mind a mess of jumbled thoughts.
"What are you thinking?" Fleur asked her father who glanced over and sighed.
"Nothing… just… everything at once. You're really sure this is gonna work?"
"I believe in Harry, Papa," Fleur replied with conviction. "This has worked twice. And it will work again."
"The last two times didn't have a possessive veela standing in their paths," Antoine argued. "You say you're sure but you can't know that for sure. Anything could go wrong."
"Or right," Fleur rebutted.
"I'd much rather have you alive than in a state we know nothing about, love," Antoine said softly.
It was a concern. They were in uncharted territory here and he could not help but fear the worst.
"I will be there, darling," Apolline said soothingly. "Nothing will happen to Fleur. I promise you that."
Still unconvinced, Antoine stared at his wife before his eyes fell on the determined face of his daughter. All he could do was sigh and nod in resignation.
"So how will this all work then?"
Fleur smiled and started explaining, "Maman and I will meet 'Arry and we will go to the room. Daphne and Valerie will not be there and you won't be there as well. 'Arry said he didn't know if other people could be in the room when we do the ritual so we won't take a chance."
"We're already stretching it as it is with me being there," Apolline interjected with a small frown, earning a nod from her daughter.
"We will do the ritual which 'Arry said happens in only an instant. Everything takes place in our minds so no time in the real word passes," Fleur continued.
"This is very unnerving, you know?" Antoine mused out loud. "Who knew the Familiar ritual could create such bonds?"
"It only works if at least one person is an animagus," Fleur replied. "You create a bond with the creature and it binds you all for life."
Antoine nodded thoughtfully.
"And he stumbled upon this ritual purely by accident? That's insane."
"From what I've heard around, his life's pretty insane," Fleur chuckled.
"Tell me Fleur," Antoine intoned in a serious voice. "Are you really okay with this? With being one of three?"
Fleur leaned forward and gave her father's hand a soft squeeze.
"I never thought about sharing my husband with someone else, let alone two other women," she said softly. "But I also know that I like Harry, a lot, and he will treat all of us good. The veela has also recognized him as her mate and I can't exactly go against her. Then there is the close bond I've developed with Daphne and Valerie too. So yes, I am really happy with this arrangement and I want to go ahead with it."
Antoine stared at his daughter for a long moment before he turned his gaze to his wife who gave him an understanding smile.
With a small sigh, he nodded.
"You know my views on the archaic pureblood practices but if you truly are happy then I won't complain," he said.
"What we share with Harry is in no way similar to those practices, papa," Fleur denied. "Those people did it because of the power it got them and just because they could. They had no relationship, no love amongst themselves. Their women were just a part of their trophy collection. What we have with Harry is based on trust, love, and respect."
Antoine still did not like it, but he could accept it.
XXXXX
"One more step," Daphne said from her spot on the couch as she leaned back, her feet on Harry's lap who caressed them softly.
He glanced up and smiled.
"Hope it works out."
"It will," the blonde replied, smiling. "I have full faith in you."
"What are your plans for the evening then?" Harry asked her, smiling when she moaned softly.
"What? It feels nice," she muttered. "As for our plans for the evening… well, Val's been all secretive. She's got something big planned, if I had to guess."
"Oh really?" He asked teasingly. "Up to having a little girls' time while I'm away?"
"Can you really blame us, dear?" Valerie asked as she came over and wrapped her arms around Daphne from behind, giving her a soft kiss.
"Nah, but I can definitely complain that I won't get to see," Harry smirked.
"He's a greedy one, isn't he?" Daphne asked mirthfully.
"What gave you the clue?" Valerie asked sarcastically. She turned to Harry and said, "Don't worry, you won't be missing out on anything. There's something I put off some time ago. Now seems as good a time as any to get done with it."
"Is that so?" Harry asked, intrigued.
"Yeah, don't you worry about it though. You just focus on what you'll be doing this evening and get us our veela. We'll take care of the matter over here."
"Whatever you say," Harry shook his head in amusement. "I can tell it's something that I'd find very interesting though."
Valerie couldn't hide her smirk at that.
"We'll share the memories later," she replied as she held Daphne by the shoulder. "C'mon now, let's get going. You can get a proper massage later."
Daphne sighed as she pulled her feet off his lap but not before giving his bulge a teasing caress with her right toes. She smirked at Harry as she stood up and without any delay whatsoever, she walked over to Valerie and joined her.
"Good luck," Harry called out, watching them leave the room. The door closed behind them, and he was now the only occupant of the room.
"Hmm. Let's see," he muttered under his breath and asked the room the conjure the appropriate setting for a meeting of three. As the room customized itself, Harry looked everything over. The couches looked very comfortable and the floor was properly padded as well to ensure no one got injured should they fall. The ritual did not need much in terms of preparation and once he was done, he sat back on the couch and relaxed. Fleur and her mother would be coming over soon.
He was a bit anxious but he had been in this situation before. Today would be the last time he would be doing it, and he hoped it all went without any hiccups.
He had his eyes closed as he sat on the couch, refining his Occlumency when he heard the door to the room creak. Turning his head sideways, he watched Fleur and Apolline walk in. The former turned around to close the door where it vanished into the wall while the latter looked around curiously.
"Hey," Harry greeted as he stood up.
"So this is the room you were talking about," Apolline remarked.
"It's one of the secrets of Hogwarts very few know about."
"What's so secretive about it?" Apolline asked curiously.
"It can turn into whatever you want it to, Maman," Fleur told her. "It can also bring you anything from the Hogwarts grounds as long as it's not owned by someone else."
"That would be theft. The founders didn't believe in thievery, I reckon," Harry shrugged.
"Truly?" Apolline asked. "Sounds like it must come in handy for preparing for this tournament among other things."
"You can say that," Harry chuckled. Fleur gave him a suggestive grin which he pointedly ignored, much to the veela's amusement.
"I can smell that, dears," Apolline deadpanned. "Just because you're not looking doesn't mean your thoughts are hidden."
"Legilimency?" Harry asked in surprise, having felt nothing.
"Just the veela sense," the woman replied. "A veela attuned to her nature and powers can easily tell when any sensuous thoughts are prevailing in the minds of those around her. It's grating on the nerves a lot."
"That must be a burden," Harry muttered. "I can imagine you having to put up with it a lot when there are males around you."
"And quite a lot of females as well," the woman replied.
Harry nodded in understanding.
"You should be proud of yourself, Harry," Apolline said softly. "I've never felt even a hint of that libido directed at anyone other than your two wives and my daughter here. It takes quite a lot of resolve, not to mention purity of feelings for someone to exercise control like you do."
Fleur gave him a loving smile at that.
"Now, if we could get on with this ritual please," the woman continued. "Apologies for my rush but I want to get this over with as soon as we can."
"Totally understandable," Harry replied with a nod. "We'll be doing it as we are right now. However, I'd like for you to be a bit further so that your magic doesn't interfere with the ritual more than it has to."
"I understand," Apolline nodded and took her seat on the couch furthest from them. She watched her daughter walk over and take her seat beside Harry who smiled.
"We'll go with what Daphne did," Harry began. "Since I'm an animagus, you will perform the ritual with me and we'll go from there."
Fleur nodded in understanding while Apolline looked thoughtful for a moment.
"Tell me something, Harry," she said, making them turn toward her. "How exactly does this ritual approach you? What happens in the beginning?"
Harry furrowed his brows as he pondered upon the question.
"We just start seeing each other's life memories."
"Just like that?" Apolline frowned. "The memories just start playing from the start?"
"More or less, yeah," Harry nodded.
"I'm curious about the approach here," Apolline mused aloud. "I believe your magic interacts before you see each other's memories. It is a binding ritual of sorts, so once you approach the other for a link, there is acceptance which starts the process of memory-sharing."
"Makes sense," Harry nodded. "We never thought this deeply about how it works, to be honest."
"It is a bit complicated, I must admit," the woman smiled. "However, now that we are dealing with another entity here, we need to consider any possible complication that might arise if you approach this ritual like this."
"Well, the ritual works this way because one party is an animagus. If we both were one, then I could've done it instead of Fleur, but as we all know, veela cannot be animagi."
"That is because we already have a spirit creature that is an embodiment of our feelings," Apolline explained. "You can consider veela an evolved form of animagi. We are born with our form."
"Really?" Harry asked in surprise, earning a nod from the older woman.
"Here is what I am proposing. We all know a veela is a prideful entity and as such, if Fleur were to initiate this, it would amount to her deferring to you which the veela won't like. Now, if you were to initiate this ritual then it would be akin to you being respectful to her and as such, she might not be as angry."
Harry stared at the floor, looking thoughtful.
"If the ritual would consider Fleur as an animagus as well then I don't see how this won't work," he nodded. "And if it doesn't, nothing will happen. I don't think there's any harm in trying."
Apolline nodded.
"Okay, I'll begin. You ready?" Harry asked both women, earning similar nods.
"I will reach out with my allure once you start the chant," Apolline nodded.
Harry nodded as he turned back to Fleur. The blonde beauty smiled lovingly as she reached out, linking their fingers and squeezing gently.
"It'll work out," she whispered.
"It will," Harry smiled. "Ready?"
Fleur nodded as she leaned against the couch.
"Te in familiarem…"
Apolline Delacour blasted her allure right as Harry began chanting and her consciousness slipped away alongside theirs as the ritual took effect. Their bodies slumped on their respective couches as time went still.
XXXXX
Harry got the first indication that things were going to be different when he found himself in an entirely different environment. Fascinated, he looked around himself, taking in his surroundings that were frankly anything but calm.
There was an ethereal beauty to it all though.
The ground was burning with beautiful blue flames but nothing reached him. He felt no heat but something told him it was there.
Massive cliffs loomed in the distance and it was devoid of any life.
"A veela's dominion," a scratchy voice came from behind him and as Harry whirled around, he came face to face with one of the most magnificent creatures he had ever laid eyes on.
"Apolline?" He asked in surprise.
"Indeed, Harry," Apolline Delacour in her fully transformed form nodded. "Looks like we're in. The allure successfully interacted with the ritual."
Harry nodded absently, still staring at the woman's transformed self. She looked nothing like what she usually did. There was nothing traditionally beautiful about her right now, even if she did look magnificent. It was more like a wondrous feeling that erupted inside him when he gazed at her.
"You seem fascinated by my form," she said in amusement.
"It's just… I've never seen a fully-transformed veela before. I mean, I have seen transformed veela. The Quidditch World Cup final had those, but they looked nothing like you do."
"Not all veela can fully transform, Harry," Apolline informed. "It takes a significant degree of control over one's allure and magical power to achieve complete transformation. I am one of the few who can, and so can Fleur."
"Where is she?" Harry asked as he looked around. There was no sign of her.
"What did I say about veela, Harry?" Apolline asked in amusement. "Prideful, remember? You think she would just show herself because you arrived? You need to go to her, Harry."
Harry nodded in exasperation.
"Too bloody dramatic," he muttered under his breath, yelping when he was suddenly exposed to the heat below. "What the fuck!?"
The sensation vanished instantly and Harry stared at an amused Apolline.
"Prideful, Harry. Too prideful, in fact. Come, I think we should move now. She must be waiting in there."
Harry looked over where Apolline's claws were pointed toward and his eyes widened when he saw what it was.
"A volcano!? Seriously?" He asked in surprise.
"Creatures of fire, Harry. Come, we shouldn't make her wait. My daughter can throw tantrums like a little child as well."
Harry could only shake his head at the absurdity of it all as he watched Apolline take flight. Her massive wings bathed him in their shadow and for a moment, all he did was watch.
"I'm flattered, Harry, but we need to go," Apolline called out in amusement.
"Ah, yes," Harry muttered. Within seconds, a proud eagle soared past a surprised Apolline who stared at him for a moment before she gave chase toward the volcano in the distance.
They flew for minutes when they spotted her.
With a fireball in each hand and her eyes narrowed, Fleur's veela form was hovering right over the volcano. Harry reached her first, still in his animagus form, and flew around slowly for Apolline to catch up.
"Oh dear, you look beautiful," Apolline said in a scratchy voice as she laid eyes on her daughter's veela form for the first time. Her daughter had had her maturity a couple of years ago but she had never seen her fully transformed.
"Mother," Fleur greeted before she turned toward Harry's animagus form. Her beak twitched and without deigning him with any further response, she turned her back and flew into the volcano.
Apolline sighed.
"Come, Harry. At least she's not incinerated you already. That makes me hopeful that she'd listen and consider it," she said as she flew down into the volcano, leaving Harry with no choice but to follow.
He was surprised to see that inside the crater, it was completely boiling and yet he felt none of it. He tentatively landed on one of the rocks floating about in the magma and reversed his transformation, gazing at Fleur's veela form appreciatively.
The veela kept facing away from him, earning an exasperated sigh from Apolline.
"The young man is here for you, dear. The least you can do is look at him properly," she said gently. The veela remained unmoved, staring away petulantly. Harry wanted to chuckle at the childish behavior but he managed to control himself lest he agitate her somehow. He didn't want a repeat of what had happened some time ago with his little remark.
"Hey Fleur," he called out. "I've wanted to meet you for a while now, you know? Ever since I first proposed this idea to the other Fleur, to be precise."
"It was the other woman, not you who said it," came the reply from the veela, earning a chuckle from him.
"My bad. Yeah, it was Val. So you do remember her. Daphne too, I hope?" Harry asked gently.
"They are friends," she replied.
So far, it was going well. He would take that.
"Friends, yeah," Harry said, smiling. "Would you like to be more?"
"Harry!" Apolline hissed from behind him at the lack of tact as Fleur bristled and shot a fireball straight at him in rage. Harry quickly fished his wand out and repelled it, watching how it violently crashed into the magma with a powerful splash.
"Merlin…" he whispered, staring at a livid veela who looked primed for more. "Alright, I won't put my foot in my mouth again."
That had truly surprised him, and he recalled what he'd been told some time ago. The veela was indeed prideful, and petulant too.
"Fleur," Apolline sighed. "You know why we are here. You know what we all planned. Can we just get to it? I know time doesn't pass outside but won't you also like to get this over with?"
There was a long moment of pause as both Harry and Apolline stared at the angry veela who had fireballs in both her hands, ready to strike. Fortunately, though, the fireballs simmered until they disappeared and the veela breathed deeply.
"Fine," she muttered.
Harry and Apolline shared matching smiles before they turned back to the veela who was staring at him critically.
"I don't want to share you, Harry Potter. You are my bonded. Fleur may agree with this but I won't. I want you to leave those two, even if they are my friends, and be mine."
Harry stared at the veela in exasperation.
"Come on, Fleur. You know I can't do that," he said softly. "You know I love all three of you."
"Why do you need to have three women to love you? Do you think I will not be enough? Do you believe I am lacking?" She asked, sounding both angry and hurt.
"You know you're none of those things," Harry said gently. "And in another timeline, perhaps I would've been with you. But I'm already bonded with both Daph and Val, as you know already. I cannot just sever ties with them, not that I want to."
"Fleur, dear," Apolline smiled gently. "Harry also has three lordships, and you know you cannot give him sons. Still, he wants you to be the lady of one of the houses. That is a huge honor."
"I don't care about that!" She cried out passionately. "He is my bonded mate! I would've wanted him even if he was a pauper!"
"I know," Apolline smiled. "But you have to think about him as well, don't you?"
"I am thinking about him too!" She replied. "He will have me, a veela! What more can he ask for in a mate? You think he can outlast someone like me!?"
Harry stared at her with a raised eyebrow. If he was not wrong, she'd just questioned whether he'd last long enough in bed. One glance at Apolline and his hunch was proven correct when she gave him a helpless shrug.
"Wait a minute! Seriously!? That's your concern?" He asked incredulously, staring at the veela who glanced away.
"Well, that's one of them for sure!" She replied. "We are sensual creatures, and you already know what other men are like. How can I expect to be properly satisfied when you have someone else? And if we go first, what about the other? Her negativity will affect me too!"
Harry alternated his stare between the veela and Apolline for a little while.
"Ah, fuck it man. This is some serious bullshit. You can't tell me you're seriously worried about that."
"Every veela is!" Fleur's veela replied. "Ask mother! She's never let father out of sight. She won't even consider another woman. No veela will. Already your kind is so weak, and to have a veela as your mate on top of that? There is no way we all can remain happy and satisfied!"
Harry could feel a headache forming. This had turned out to be such a crappy reason for a veela's reticence in sharing her mate.
"You can't expect me to believe that sex plays such a significant role in your choice of a mate!"
"Well it does!" The veela replied. "Ask mother!"
"I'm not going to ask your mother about her sex life, for fuck's sake!" Harry exclaimed, pointedly looking away from Apolline who he believed must be as mortified by this discussion as he was. "All I care about is us and let me assure you I am more than capable of handling you three."
"I don't believe you," the veela said plainly. "There is no way that can happen. I'm a veela. Even I will outlast you just like every other veela outlasts her partner."
"Too much information!" Harry hissed. "Your mother's here, Fleur. The hell are you on!?"
The veela simply shrugged.
"Fleur," Apolline said with a sigh. "I know how important carnal relations are for our kind, and how much the happiness of both us and our partners depends on it. But mon ange, you know you can't be happy if you're not with him. You know what happens to veela who can't be with their bonded mate. And Harry won't leave them, nor he should just so he could be with you. Harry can walk out of here right now and he won't be affected by it as much as you would be. Think about it."
The veela seethed in impotent rage. She knew it was true. Harry was her bonded mate and she wanted him. However, she could hardly bear the thought of sharing him with someone else.
"Can you do something for me, Fleur?" Harry asked gently, trying to put their previous discussion behind them. At her inquisitive look, he asked, "Can you tell me if you feel anything for Daph and Val?"
"They are friends," she replied plainly.
"And lovers as well, aren't they?"
"Women don't count as bonded mates," she shrugged. "Women are for pleasure for veela who are not with their bonded mate."
Harry nodded with a sigh.
"And you like them? In every way?"
"Yes…?" She replied, curiously inquisitive as to where he was going with this.
"Okay," Harry nodded. "Suppose we'd never bonded with each other but you'd found Val and Daph. Do you think you would've been happy being with them the way you've been so far?"
Apolline's eyes widened slightly in realization as she stared at her daughter who was looking thoughtful as she pondered on the question.
The veela recalled the time she had spent with the other two young women and how happy she had felt. She had bonded with Harry and had been craving his presence in her life for a while, and the lack of it was slowly filling her with sadness. However, the only time she did not feel sad was when she'd been with Daph or Val.
She nodded subconsciously, and Harry smirked.
"Glad we could get that established then. You have no problems with either of them and I am bonded with them. You have no inhibitions apart from this possible disappointment when it comes to our sexual life, is that correct?"
The veela remained silent as she stared at him.
"Here's what I propose," Harry intoned, relaxed and confident. "You do not accept this bonding ritual and we let it fail. I prove you wrong. You accept this proposal. Daph and Val join me in performing this ritual with you, making you bond with them as well. What do you say?"
Both Apolline and Fleur stared at him with wide eyes as he stood there, supremely confident in his ability and plan.
"And if you don't prove me wrong?" The veela asked gently as if hoping it didn't happen.
Harry shrugged, "Why worry about something when you know it ain't gonna happen?"
Just like always, Harry was confident that he could pull this off. The veela's concern might be a concern to her, but there was no way he was concerned with it.
If it took a furious shagging to convince her, there was no way he would complain.
"You'll have a fireball coming your way if you don't back that cocky attitude of yours," the veela hissed.
Harry gave her an unconcerned smirk.
"Whatever you say, love. We'll be taking our leave now. It was truly enlightening to have this illuminating discussion with you."
The veela glared at him for his sarcastic remark as the world around them dissolved in a shower of colors.
Chapter 22: Teaching A LessonChapter TextDaphne and Valerie walked together down the corridor. Classes had ended which meant students had ventured into the castle grounds or the library, leaving the Hogwarts walls significantly vacant.
"What did you want me to do again?" Daphne asked her wife curiously who smirked.
"You, my dear, will be the conductor to an orchestra and I'll be performing for you," Valerie replied. "You've been to a theater, right?"
"Not the kind you want me to play for you," Daphne chuckled. "What was it again? The scene should be straight out of someone's nightmares, there needs to be a chill in the air, and—"
"And the score should tingle spines," Valerie completed. "I'm sure you'll do a brilliant job."
"Good thing you've already arranged for the instruments. Guess the lessons I took as a child would come handy now," Daphne remarked in amusement as they walked down the stairs.
"No knowledge ever goes to waste," Valerie said sagely, giggling when Daphne poked her in the waist.
"Enough being a philosopher. You've got another role to play right now, and let me tell you, I'm so looking forward to the act."
Valerie merely smirked.
XXXXX
The moment the ritual ended, Harry, Fleur, and Apolline jolted awake in their respective seats.
Fleur blinked the spots out of her eyes as she gazed around. Her eyes fell on Harry and her eyebrows furrowed in confusion.
"What happened?"
Surprised, Harry looked at her before he glanced toward Apolline who walked closer and took her place on a chair. He turned back to Fleur and asked, "You don't remember anything?"
Fleur shook her head negatively.
"I remember you starting the ritual and nothing after that. It feels I was asleep for a few hours," she replied.
"Curious," Harry muttered. "This didn't happen with Daph or Val."
"So? Did you succeed?" Fleur asked, a hint of eagerness in her voice, and Harry sighed.
"Where to even start…" he mused aloud.
"I think this discussion better be had between you two. Me being here would be awkward," Apolline interjected as she stood up. "I'll be heading back to the carriage."
Surprised, Harry glanced at Apolline before he sighed and nodded.
"I guess that'd be fine. Goodnight," he replied.
Apolline smiled before she reached out and clasped a hand on her daughter's shoulder, squeezing affectionately.
"We'll be waiting in the carriage," she said. Fleur nodded and clasped her hand on her mother's. Apolline patted her shoulder and pulled away. Harry and Fleur watched as she walked away.
Once her mother had left, Fleur turned back to Harry and immediately closed the distance between them. She planted herself on his lap sideways, wrapping an arm around his neck while the other rested on his chest, caressing softly.
"Tell me everything."
Harry sighed.
"Alright, I'll tell you everything," he nodded and leaned back, pulling her with him. Fleur curled her legs up on his lap and gave him her undivided attention, smiling when he held her by the waist. The other hand gently stroked her thighs and she had to refocus on the situation at hand.
"We arrived in the veela's domain," Harry began. "Your veela's domain. It was… hot."
"Hot as in hot-hot or hot-hot?" She asked teasingly, earning a chuckle.
"It was in a volcano," Harry replied.
"Why does that not surprise me…" Fleur muttered. "Overdramatic bird."
Harry chuckled again.
"Yeah, that part I agree with, and a lot childish as well."
"I know, mon amour. I hear her voice all day long. She's oddly quiet right now though. Wonder what's up with that," Fleur mused.
"I think I can answer that for you," Harry continued. "You see, the veela didn't want to share me. She considers Daph and Val her friends and given how you've been intimate with them already, they're very close friends, but they're not mates."
"She told you what she's been telling me then," Fleur interjected. "How you should leave them and be with me. I know that won't happen, and I don't want that to happen either."
"I know," Harry said gently, caressing the leg she had curled up on his lap. "I told her that ain't happening. Although I might've put my foot in my mouth there for once."
At her inquisitive look, he snorted. "When she said they're friends, I asked her if she'd like to be more."
"You silly man," Fleur said in exasperation. "I'm surprised you didn't get a fireball to your face for that."
"It was close," Harry chuckled. "Back to where I was… I told her I love all three of you and want to be with you all. She wasn't happy, not one bit. Before you ask, she wasn't angry… disappointed, maybe. Even hurt. She felt she, and by extension, you, won't be enough for me and that's why I'm choosing two more women to spend my life with."
"I see," Fleur muttered.
"Your mother explained why I needed three wives and that she needed to think about me as well, and… well… that's when she blurted out the true reason why she's against sharing her bonded mate with two other women."
"She needs to think about a pervert like you? As in what? Shagging multiple women?" Fleur teased.
"Don't talk as if you ain't a massive perv yourself," Harry retorted, pinching her waist. Fleur squealed in his lap, fisting his shirt, as Harry smirked. "And it was more about the lordship part."
"I know," she replied as she made herself home once again. "Go on. What did she blurt out?"
Harry's face gained an exasperated look as he replied, "She's not confident that I'd be able to satisfy all three of you at the same time."
"Come again?" Fleur blinked.
"She said a veela is more than enough to exhaust any man, and that once you're done with me, I won't be able to do anything with Daph or Val. If I went with them first, I'd have nothing left in the tank to give you. All of that would have a negative impact on our sex lives which will affect a sensual creature like a veela very adversely."
For a long moment, Fleur did nothing but stare at him in disbelief. She knew how important carnal relations were for veela and how they could be affected by their sex lives. It could be a source of both sheer euphoria and a lifetime of sorrow since they were so attuned to the carnal aspect of both magic and living.
"And then?"
"And then? You sure you wanna know?" Harry asked with a rueful chuckle. At her nod, he told her what the veela had said about her mother gatekeeping her father and everything else about a veela's nature. Try as he might, he could not hold in the laugh that escaped him at the mortified look on her face.
"That childish, bratty bird," Fleur moaned as she buried her face in his chest. Amused, Harry wrapped an arm around her and kept her close.
"Nothing much happened after that. I issued her a challenge and that was the end of it," Harry continued.
"Let me guess," Fleur said softly as she pulled back and gazed at him. "You challenged her that you'd prove her wrong."
"I sure did," Harry replied. "That bird questioned my pride. No way I'm letting it go unanswered. She promised she'd accept it if I could prove to her that I'd be able to keep up with her and not let any weakness on my part affect our sex life."
"Which is nothing but a glorified way of saying you'd shag us three rotten," Fleur deadpanned.
"Oh you know me so well, my birdie," Harry teased, caressing her belly over her top.
Fleur batted his hand away, glaring.
"Don't you dare call me that again!"
Harry simply chuckled and closed the distance between them. His lips met hers in a searing kiss and Fleur quickly melted into it. She pressed herself against him and reached up to thread her fingers through his hair just as he repositioned her so that she was straddling him.
A moan escaped her lips as her womanhood came down to rest on his erection and she firmly pushed her lower lips against him, rubbing him to full mast.
Harry groaned approvingly and reached behind her. He grabbed a firm hold of her arse cheeks and began groping her eagerly, rolling her rear over his length. Their tongues rolled around each other as they kissed passionately, their hot breaths mingling in short, quick gasps.
"I've gotta admit something though," Harry said as he pulled away for a moment, looking at her puffed lips and blazing eyes. "You looked sexy in your veela form as well."
Fleur grabbed his collar firmly and slammed her lips against his. Harry gave into the kiss and her demanding nature, furiously kissing her back. Her pussy kept rolling around on his lap, rubbing erotically over his hard-on, and Harry reached up, pushing his hands under her clothes and grabbing a hold of her naked arse.
"Lay down," she instructed as she patted his chest twice in quick succession, and although slightly confused, Harry obliged. He lay on his back on the sofa as Fleur stood up and pulled her wand out. One flick rendered him naked and the other left her clad in nothing.
Their hungry eyes devoured each other, etching the naked forms of their lovers into their memories, and Harry's eyes gleamed when Fleur stepped forward and swung a leg over him. His task became clear to him soon enough as he eagerly accepted her pussy right over his face.
Fleur moaned when she felt him start to eat her out. Her back arched hotly as she kept herself firmly on his face, enjoying the feeling of his tongue probing her lower lips. Her eyes fell on his manhood and with an eager grin, she reached forward and grabbed hold of it by the base. She grinned when she felt him lurch and the way his tongue intensified its movement around her quim.
"I'm leaving the main event for the right time, but this… this, I think we can enjoy," she whispered and leaned toward his cock. Her lips puckered and she dropped a soft kiss on the head, giggling as it lurched again. "You seem to love me, mon amour."
Harry's hands were firmly holding her by her arse as he teased her folds with his tongue. He ran his tongue along the wet and slick lips before he reached forward, probing and parting her lips to expose her slit.
Fleur was kissing along the length of his cock when she gasped at the feeling of his tongue pushing against her slit. Her breathing was labored as she stroked his manhood furiously and felt him run his tongue over her slit.
She gazed at his length and gently fed it into her mouth. Harry's toes clenched at the feeling of the incredible hotness of her mouth enveloping his cock. She slowly descended, taking more and more of his length inside her mouth, holding it by the base. She was more than halfway down when she paused, and slowly, she began to move her head up and down, blowing him off.
If the way his hands tightened their hold on her arse was any indication, she was doing a very good job indeed. It emboldened her further, and she enthusiastically sucked him off. She stroked his length with one hand as she sucked before her eyes fell on his balls.
Harry's toes curled again as he felt her reach down and cup his balls. She gave a gentle squeeze as she sucked even more of his length, feeding it down her gullet. She could feel it inside her throat and slowly, she began to move.
The noise of her lewd gags filled the room illicitly, and Harry, eager to feed his entire length into her mouth, lifted his hips and thrust upward.
Fleur's eyes bulged out in shock as she felt the entirety of his length plunge into her mouth. She remained still, forcing herself to breathe through her nose as she got used to the feeling of his massive length inside her throat.
Meanwhile, Harry was furiously lapping away at her wet and wanton snatch, sucking and licking eagerly as he kept himself lodged deep inside her throat. He groaned against her womanhood when he felt his cock sliding out before she plunged her mouth back onto it once again, taking his entire length inside her throat for the second time.
'Merlin, she's truly a veela if she's already so fucking good!' Harry could not help but think.
'Oh! You and Fleur are having fun already?' He heard Daphne's voice in his mind.
'But we didn't feel the bond with Fleur. What happened, Harry?' Valerie's voice came next.
'I'll tell you two later. Right now, I'm kinda busy.'
He could feel their amusement through their link and Valerie was quick to respond.
'Alright. We're also kinda busy with a little event we've planned.'
'Yeah? What kind?'
'Oh, we'll tell you when we get back. Enjoy your little session with the birdie for now,' Valerie teased and Harry felt the link vanish once again.
'Oh I'm enjoying it alright,' he thought, pressing his lips against her clit and rolling his tongue around it.
"Merde!" Fleur howled, her mouth free of his dick, as she came, and Harry was taken by surprise. He felt her release all over his mouth and he let her, holding her shivering body firmly over himself.
Fleur shuddered and moaned, lying limp over him, as she felt the most intense orgasm of her life wash over her. Her eyes were half-open and unseeing as she felt herself get maneuvered into a more comfortable position.
Once her orgasm subsided and the shivers ended, she opened her eyes and found herself staring into his pulsating emerald orbs.
"Merde," she whispered once again, and Harry chuckled.
"You taste awesome," he remarked, enjoying the cute blush that overtook her face. She buried herself into his arms and curled up against him. Suddenly, she felt something bump her legs and discovered it was his erection.
"Oh, I almost forgot," she whispered. "You didn't come."
"It's okay," Harry replied with an assured smile.
"No, it's not," Fleur replied, and before Harry could say anything, she dropped to her knees in front of him with her face level with his cock.
"Fleur, it's okay," he tried again when his eyes widened. "Oh fuck!"
Harry groaned as he watched her straighten herself on her knees and mash her tits together around his cock. She smirked up at him and started to move her tits up and down, giving him a titty fuck right after that remarkable deepthroating.
"You just enjoy, mister," she grinned and wrapped her lips around the head of his cock while moving her tits around his length, sending pleasurable thrills shooting through his entire being.
All Harry could do was sit comfortably and run his fingers through her lustrous silvery-blonde hair as he enjoyed her ministrations.
XXXXX
The door to the Slytherin Common Room slammed into the wall behind it as it opened violently. Several young students from first and second years who had been lounging around in the seating area of the common room hastily rose to their feet and rushed away at the first sight of Draco Malfoy's enraged face.
It had been usual to see him in a foul mood, particularly since the humiliation he had faced at the hands of that slag.
'I knew she was Potter's fucking whore,' he thought irately.
Everyone had seen Greengrass gallivanting about the castle with Potter and his mudblood slut, and there had been several reactions. While most of the students could not care less, there were those in Slytherin who were disgusted that one of their own was sullying herself with a blood traitor. None dared to voice their thoughts aloud though, fearing the thrashing they might receive at the hands of the witch herself, or her standing in the pureblood circles.
After all, even though her father was dead, House Greengrass commanded power in the Wizengamot.
Draco could not give a flying fuck about it though. He knew Greengrass loved to choke on Potter's filthy cock like the slut she was, and he had outright called her out on it in front of the entire house. No one had backed him, and he had been vindicated mere days ago when she began hanging off that bastard's other arm.
He knew what was up. The Black lordship that Potter had stolen from him gave him the right to keep two wives as his bedwarmers, and like the utter cunt he was, Potter had wasted no time. It also proved how shallow and characterless Greengrass was as well, as she wasted no time in getting down on her knees in front of Potter at the first sight of power and influence.
What irked Draco so much was that there had been no one in his entire house who had come up to him and accepted that he had been in the right. That he had hit the nail on its head and had said it as it was.
That Greengrass was a slut for Potter and that was the reason why she had been so eager to spread that gospel.
Not even Crabbe or Goyle, or even Pansy had remained by his side since that night, all having slowly distanced themselves from him. He did not care about it, but the loss of his two thugs and a warm cocksleeve surely was a bummer. That was the only use he could extract from them and apart from the latter, he didn't think it was as much of a loss.
What enraged him the most though was the fact that he had been utterly decimated and humiliated by Potter's slut in front of the entire house to the point that no one took him seriously anymore. His magical prowess which he prided himself on had been rendered worthless in the eyes of everyone, and any taint on his name was akin to throwing mud on the House of Malfoy. He could not have that.
"Damn those fuckers," Draco seethed. "Damn them for humiliating me like that! They'll pay for it. Greengrass, Potter, his mudblood bitch… they'll all pay!"
His eyes darted around the empty common room and he briskly walked toward his room.
'I'll show those pricks! They'll learn why you should never cross a Malfoy!'
He slammed the door to his room violently and made a beeline for his bed. He was sick of the usual taunting smirks he was subjected to from those fucking peasants. His head hurt and he needed to sleep well tonight if he wanted to start working on his plans from tomorrow onward.
Dinner was over a while ago and he knew the others would be arriving soon, but he was in no mood to look at their wretched faces. He changed into his nightclothes and in no time, he was fast asleep.
He was fast asleep until he wasn't. A sudden chill enveloped him and his eyes opened blearily, struggling to focus. The room was dark and as he regained focus, he found he could make out nothing around him.
Suddenly, the bed rattled, and Draco cried out in alarm. He quickly shot upright, clutching the duvet against his chest. His wide eyes—panicked and frantic, darted around in a vain effort to discern anything around him.
"W-who's there!?" He shouted in a high-pitched voice, trying and failing miserably at sounding confident. "S-show y-yours-self!"
There was nothing but an eerie silence around him as he kept moving his head from side to side.
"I a-asked w-who is it!?"
A melancholy tone sounded out, and Draco fell silent. Wide-eyed, he stared straight ahead as distant, mournful winds started whistling throughout the room, rattling the chandelier that hung above his head. He quickly looked up with fear etched on his face but could see nothing.
Suddenly, he cried out as he heard a mournful meowing, and the haunting call sent shivers down his spine. His breathing was ragged, coming out in short gasps, as he clutched the duvet as tightly as he could, his legs refusing to move.
It wasn't long until he started hearing the dripping of water, monotonous and rhythmic, echoing in the empty room, which was soon joined by inaudible whisperings—nothing more than hints of voices in the background. The sounds prickled the hairs on the back of his neck, further intensifying his heart rate.
If Draco thought this was enough, he was sorely mistaken. The sound of glass cracking reached his ears, terrifying him further. Additionally, he could hear a sound that was oddly similar to the scraping of nails on a metallic surface. The horrid screech made him shut his eyes firmly.
The meowing of that cat from earlier was no longer heard. Instead, he screamed when a maniacal, high-pitched laughter echoed around the room. It was a woman, and there was no way she could be sane.
He could hear his heartbeat—loud and pounding in his chest, emphasizing his sheer terror.
The ground lit up red right when he opened his eyes, and his breath hitched when he saw it was covered entirely in blood. He could hear it dripping, the droplets echoing in the eerie silence, when he heard the sounds of splashing... as if someone was walking through a river of what could only be blood.
"Aw, ickle baby Drakey-poo~"
The voice sent an icy chill through him. He had no fucking clue why it was. He had never heard that voice before, but something… perhaps his instinct, told him it was malicious, and he should fear it.
He wanted to shout, to question whoever it was, to lay into this person for terrorizing him like this, but no words came out of his mouth. His body had frozen in sheer fear and all he could do was stare straight ahead with wide eyes.
The ground lit up even more and he would have cried out shrilly if he could. Instead, his voice drowned in the face of his fear as he laid eyes on a familiar face.
He had seen her. In numerous photographs his mother kept of her family. In the photographs his father had shown him. He had felt dreadful when he had first laid eyes on her moving portrait, but it felt pale in comparison to the sheer terror coursing through his very being right now.
"A-A-A—" He tried to speak, but his voice gave away after each effort. All he could do was gasp breathlessly.
"Awww, you recognize me!" Bellatrix Lestrange cried out exuberantly, her face set into a wide, malicious grin. Her white, pasty skin glinted red and Draco could easily make out her rotten teeth. She looked positively hideous, and more terrifying than anything he had ever laid eyes on.
Her clothes had seen better days. It was a black dress that was tattered in places, with dried blood and other grim substances he could not identify gleaming on its fabric. Her nails were disgusting, looking as if they had been scraping off the hard ground for ages without any maintenance. She was thin, abnormally so, and it gave her such a gaunt demeanor that Draco could not help but think someone had simply hung a layer of rotting skin on a skeleton.
"Oh how I've missed you all!" Bellatrix grinned with malevolence. "My dear family~"
"Y-y-you're d-d—"
"Deeeeaaaad?" Bellatrix asked, her voice dripping with evil amusement that further frightened him. "Is that what you're asking, my dear nephew?"
Draco could only nod shakily as he made himself as smaller as possible. Only his head was visible, with the rest being hidden under the duvet.
"That's what I should let them believe, right?" Bellatrix laughed. "No one will search for a dead woman. Oh Draco, I can't say how happy I am to meet you! You've grown so much since I last saw you!"
Draco flinched as Bellatrix drew closer, now climbing on his bed. He folded his legs under himself, trying to establish as much distance between himself and this madwoman who had terrified him more than anyone else in his life. He shook violently, and he was already having trouble breathing.
"N-no… t-this isn't true… y-you're not here… y-you can't be!"
"Awww, itty bitty baby Drakey~" Bellatrix cooed. "I remember your ponce of a father being a delusional prick, but I thought Cissy would keep it away from you. Guess I'll be having a word with my dear sister after I'm done with you."
Draco's eyes, wide with fear, were trained straight at his aunt's maniacal face. He couldn't muster the courage to glance away. It felt as if an invisible force was forcing him to keep looking at her.
Suddenly, a loud chime sounded out, and Draco cried in alarm. He shivered and sobbed as Bellatrix laughed—a mad laugh that echoed around the room, further terrifying him.
In a corner hidden behind a disillusionment charm, Daphne had to work hard to keep her laughs at bay. This was more fun than Val and she had expected. The absolute state of that dumbass was so entertaining to witness, and she barely stifled her laughter when she flicked her wand once again, letting another haunting chime echo throughout the room.
It was terrifying, and it was torture. Both she and Val knew it was. But there were few who deserved such treatment more than the ponce curled up terrified on the bed.
She had the perfect view of everything that was going on. Val was grinning maniacally barely a foot from Draco's face and the idiot was too terrified to even close his eyes. He had frozen up in fear, and she had to marvel at the plan her dear lover had concocted for teaching him a much-deserved lesson.
"Now, my dear nephew," Bellatrix continued, her rotten teeth displayed in all their splendorous glory. "I hear there's been trouble in the castle lately, particularly when it comes to my master's rival, Harry Potter."
Harry's name seemed to light a flame under Draco's arse as an emotion other than fear flickered in his eyes.
"Oh yes~" Bellatrix cooed. "I think I'm right. You hate him so much, don't you, Drakey?"
Eyes wide and his entire body shaking, Draco succeeded in managing a small nod.
Bellatrix reached out and ran a long, rotten nail across his cheek, and this time, Draco's eyes shut firmly. He shivered as she dragged the sharp nail down his cheekbone and straight to his earlobe before he grunted as she flicked it hard.
"Guess what, Drakey? I am gunning for him too!" Bellatrix grinned. "He killed my master, after all. And you know what that makes us, right?"
Draco's mind slowly repeated her words and a flame of hope flickered inside him. Perhaps they had some common ground. Perhaps he was wrong to be so scared of her, of this whole situation. Perhaps he had found an ally—one capable enough to take care of his problem for good.
His eyes flickered open and he almost flinched at the proximity. His aunt was so close he could smell the blood and grime all over her, and as much as he wanted to retch and unload his entire meal on the floor, he somehow managed to hold everything in.
"Ah yes~" Bellatrix grinned. "Potter is mine, Drakey. And there is one thing I hate. I hate when people go after things that are mine."
Once again, a foreboding feeling washed over Draco as he stared at his aunt with wide eyes.
"You better not go after what is mine, Drakey," Bellatrix grinned ferally, her eyes glinting with murderous intent. "You won't like it if you do."
Draco watched his aunt lean back and get off the bed, and all he could do was stare. His body remained frozen in a curled-up state.
"Stay away from Potter and those around him, Drakey. And you better not do anything to disturb him or his people, you hear?" Bellatrix smirked. "I like to play with my food before I bite into it. So you better watch yourself from now on, got it?"
Draco couldn't say or do anything but stare at her.
"I said GOT IT!?" Bellatrix snarled, her murderous eyes taking on a mad glint as they bulged in rage.
The moment she shouted, Draco almost jumped and let out a panicked cry. Barely a second later, he devolved into a crying and shivering mess as he nodded profusely.
"Good boy~" Bellatrix cooed, smirking. "Make sure you don't tell about me to anyone else either. No one. I'm keeping things a secret. I can trust you with this, right?"
He nodded, still crying and sniffing. His entire body shook in fright as he buried his face in his pillow.
Bellatrix took one final glance at him before she let out a parting laugh. Draco buried his face even deeper into the pillow as the high-pitched manic laugh reverberated throughout the room, accompanied by the sound of falling droplets of blood and distant winds slithering into the room. His entire body was covered with goosebumps, less to do with the cold and more to do with his terror.
He had no idea when it had begun and when it ended, but the next time he caught his bearings, it was when he shot up from his bed with a terrified cry in the early hours of the morning.
Frantic, he looked around, but there was no hint of blood or who he had seen last night. Breathing heavily, he kept looking around until finally, he dropped on the bed once again. The moment his eyes closed, they jolted wide and he gasped as the face of his mad aunt — gaunt and pale, with that maniacal grin displaying her rotten teeth resurfaced in his mind.
All he was left to wonder was whether it had really happened or if it was nothing more than a horrid nightmare.
Whatever it might be, one thing was decided. There was no way he was stepping out of line now. Not after that.