Chapter 06
Fleur looked at herself in the full body mirror she had transfigured on the wall and arched her eyebrows, not sure what she was looking for.
"You know you're still drop dead gorgeous, right?" Regine said as she entered the room she was sharing with the veela in the Beauxbatons carriage. Fresh out of the bath, a towel over her head. "But it's good to know you are human like the rest of us."
Fleur was indeed a sight to behold, dressed only in white lace panties, perfect fit on her round hips and embracing her round ass cheeks until it disappeared in the valley between her legs, her breasts perfectly balanced her figure, with small pink nipples, the same color as her lips, and long legs with almost flawless skin.
"What do you mean by that?" Fleur looked curiously at Regine, who grinned at her, drying her own curly black hair.
"Let me see… you meet a cute guy that is totally unaffected by your allure. Said guy happens to be no one other than Harry Potter himself, whom by the way, you came all the way from France to see, and he was surrounded by other cute girls… I guess you are feeling just a little insecure, like us mortals who have to put in some work to look good…" a pillow hit Regine in the face before she finished.
"Bint!" Fleur said with a smile. "He is just a friend."
"Uhum… I wish I had a frieeeend like that." Regine said with a playful voice.
"He is almost two years younger than me…" Fleur whispered.
"And that is a problem because? If even half the stories about him are true, he has seen and lived more than most grown men ever will. There was something in his eyes… and the way you keep touching him…" Regine said with a smile.
"I didn't!" Fleur was astonished.
"You didn't even realize, did you? How cute! So much for your veela heart breaker fame." Regine was having so much fun.
Fleur looked thoughtful. The veela sat on the bed, beside Regine.
"I don't know. I came here to compete, and…"
"Yes, I know, but why can't you enjoy being with some guy who will not be hormone crazy all over you, even if just as a friend? And I am not talking only about him. We had some great conversations yesterday, that other girl, Hermione I think, is a very smart witch, and so is Harry. They talked with us without holding any prejudice. You need it, before you become a bitter old bint." Fleur slapped her in the arm. "I am not saying to pursue romance or anything, just not to be the cold Fleur of the past but be open to it. And girl, you really seemed to enjoy that hug!"
Fleur slapped her arm again, giggling.
Fler really did enjoy that embrace...
.oOo.
Hermione was lying on her stomach, on her bed at Gryffindor tower, recounting the day's events.
"We finally meFleur…" The young witch thought, "and not only is she intelligent, educated and seems to understand Harry, she had to be a bloody Victoria's Secret model! And what's up with Katie, she looked happy, she even gave her seat next to Harry to her!"
Hermione buried her face in the soft pillow. "Come on Hermione Granger, you are not like that! You are a strong independent woman, with objectives and plans!! You are going to be the founder of the first magical feminist group and change the magical world forever!"
"But... I am also in love and those things do not need to be mutually exclusive. Wait... Am I in love?"
No one could see, but Hermione bit her lip. "Yes, I am in love with Harry Potter, the most troubled, humble and caring guy I ever met. Man, he would love to listen to the Descendants", The witch thought with a smile, imagining Harry with her, listening to muggle music, talking, drinking, kissing, far away from Dark lords, politicians and fangirls. The witch's hips started moving almost by themselves, rocking against the bed. "But Katie and Fleur are stunning…" her mind drifted, again imagining Harry with the other girls, her hips moving more forcefully against the sheets. "Goodness, when did I become such horny girl?"
Images of Harry together with the other girls started running through her mind. Hermione could see Harry holding Fleur and giving her a true deep and wet French kiss, his hands running over her body while their tongues danced right in the middle of the Great Hall. Hermione's own hands traveled slowly over her body, her hips moving against the sheets. In her imagination, she pictured Harry's hands under Katie's skirt, moving in and out, the girl's juices flowing down her thighs, making a mess on Harry's fingers. The bushy haired witch let out a soft moan as her hands entered her sleeping shorts, touching her own center. "I am a horny and perverted little girl…" The girl could feel the moisture on her inner lips as she imagined Fleur taking Harry into her mouth, swallowing his manhood again and again. In her mind,Harry would look across the Gryffindor's table at her with lust in his eye. Hermione gathered her own juices on her fingers and moved to make small circles against her clit, moving her hips at the same time. The images kept running in her mind, Harry taking Fleur and Katie in the great Hall. Her movements and breathing were getting faster, and as she felt close to her climax, Hermione finally imagined her best friend taking her, bending her over the table, as the other girls watched, smiling with acceptance as Harry's member slid inside her, making her scream in ecstasy. Hermione had to bite her pillow to avoid screaming her best friend's name as she fell into her orgasm.
Panting, Hermione turned on her back. "Good, with that out of the way for now, I can concentrate on some real problems". With that reassuring though, the witch finally gets to sleep.
.oOo.
In the fifth-year boy's dorm, on the other side of the tower, Harry couldn't sleep either. His mind was racing, trying to make sense of his own feelings.
The night had been great, even magical in a sense. Harry, along with Fleur, Hermione, Katie, Angelina and Regine, plus Alicia and the twins had stayed up talking until curfew. They talked about Hogwarts and learnt about Beauxbatons, about Victor Krum and quidditch, Hermione talked about her vacations to the Riviera and spoke with the French witches in their native language, much to everyone's surprise. For a moment Harry could forget about the lycanthropy, Voldemort, Malfoy or the Wizengamot. Hogwarts once more felt like home, like it had been back in first year. Even Hermione let her usual stiffness go and accepted some of the twins' jokes. Harry noticed that Fleur's effect over them diminished as time passed and wondered why he was not so affected by it. Later, as they were walking back to the tower, Hermione told him that Fleur was probably part veela, and explained a little about the allure to him. Interestingly, other than feeling a slight warmth in his belly, Harry didn't feel the compulsion Hermione described as the effect of the veela magic.
But there was something else, much subtler, but powerful, even if he didn't know exactly what it was. When he felt Fleur's lily and vanilla scent in person, it was like a switch had turned on his head. Every time she touched him (and there was a lot of touching, hands, shoulders, legs, he suspected she didn't even notice it) Harry felt something strange; he couldn't put his finger on exactly what it was. The best way he could describe it was an intense sense of nostalgia, like he really missed somewhere he had never gone. Katie and Hermione noticed something, but while his best friend just bit her lip, Katie smiled wide every time Fleur touched him. The wizard thought for a moment that he would never stop blushing, and concluded that Katie was trying to embarrass him to death.
What was happening… he could understand at some level why Hermione, his best friend, first kiss, first platonic love and Katie, his partner and lover in his new life, made him feel that way. But why Fleur? Sure, they had many things in common. Was that the reason he felt like he had known her since… forever?
"Maybe I am overthinking it; maybe I should just enjoy the ride, like Katie said." Harry thought, his mind wandering on the incredible girls in his life.
Thinking about it, Harry finally got to sleep.
.oOo.
A couple hours later across the channel, in France, at the Delacour manor, a goblin dressed in a fancy styled suit and a dragon leather briefcase arrived through the floo on the house's studio, together with the small dignitary, a man with a muggle style suit and failing Black hair also entered the room. Waiting for them was a pale tattooed man, with deep blue eyes and midnight black hair. Apolline, Jacques, Sirius and Remus all got up as soon as the short dignitary entered the room.
Sirius watched the black eyes of the creature scan the room, stopping a bit longer over him. Then with a smile full of sharp yellow teeth he said.
"Good morning gentleman and milady. I am the requested Gringotts's representative. You may call me Grimpod."
"Good morning mister Grimpod." Jacques said with a formal voice, "hello Arthur." The Frenchman greeted the Greengrass' patriarch with a soft smile. "Please everyone, let's have a seat." He finished As he gestured to the chairs in front of his big table. "Grimpod, thank you for helping us in this dangerous ordeal. May I offer you a beverage?"
"No thanks required Mr. Delacour. Actually, I should be the one thanking you for bringing some terrible irregularities to light. You and Mr. Greengrass are expending a significant amount of capital to find those dirty files, you don't need to be thanking me." The goblin said in the formal tone so common to his kind.
The goblin silently placed his briefcase on the table, opened it and produced some parchments and a blood quill. He aligned all of them perfectly in front of Jacques Delacour, but moved to face Sirius.
"Now… Mr. Black. Much of what you told us is true. The boy truly is in some sort of bureaucratic limbo. Most of his papers, other than his birth certificate, and his parent's obituaries could not be found. We could not even determine who was supposed to be his legal guardians and magical representatives. By default, in this situation, this obligation falls to the school's headmaster. It seems he has been using this unusual legal loophole to gain access, even though in a limited way, to the family's vaults." Grimpod said, watching the way the man reacted to his words. Rage, fear and determination.
"Who was the ministry official responsible for his case at the time of the… tragedy?" Apolline asked.
"A former secretary, now director of the disciplinary department, Dolores Umbridge." The goblin made no effort to hide his disgust at the name.
"Now, it is only because of those irregularities and Mr. Delacour's influence that we were willing, together with some friends at the ministry, to move through with this. Understand Mr. Black, if what you are saying is not true, and you in fact are a convicted criminal, you are sending yourself back to Azkaban, and probably all the other wizards in this room with you. But, if it is true, and no trial was held, then there will be no magical records about it, and by signing this, not only will you get what you want, but will also have a legal basis to reopen your case. Are you sure you want to proceed?" Grimpod gave him a grin.
"Absolutely, they stole thirteen years of my life!" Sirius said with determination.
"Then, Mr. Black, please sign these papers, and all will be done." The goblin pushed the papers towards him with his long fingers.
Sirius took the blood quill, read the documents, and with a smirk signed it. Silence fell in the room, all the occupants tensed, minus the goblin, who smiled. Suddenly, a golden light flared up from Sirius's signature, then the piece of parchment floated up in the air and copied itself. One of the copies disappeared in a small burst of green flames. The other flew into Sirius's hand.
"Congratulations Lord Black." The goblin said, closing his briefcase. "You have just adopted Harry Potter."
.oOo.
Fleur stepped out of the carriage, looking at the imposing castle in front of her. The veela had woken feeling a lot lighter, the memories of the previous night bringing a smile to her face, She turned around and called.
"Come on Gabby, I want to put my name in the Goblet of fire before breakfast." The younger French girl came out of the carriage jumping and giggling. Regine followed along after her. Gabrielle was full of energy, looking at everything with curiosity.
"I can't wait to taste the sausages" The young girl said with a smile, and Fleur suspected it was only to upset her, Gabrielle knew her sister always had a hard time with English food. "Hey Fleur, do I look good? Do you think Harry will find me pretty?" The giggly girl asked, taking a turn in front of her sister.
Gabrielle did look radiant in her informal school clothes. Fleur rolled her eyes.
"I am sure he will find you… cute." Regine laughed, and Gabrielle showed her tongue to the older witch.
They entered the imposing entrance Hall, surrounded by the giant statues that legend says were the defenders of the school, and Fleur saw Harry, Hermione, Katie, and a red-haired girl she didn't know, but looked remarkably like the twins, waiting for her. Harry was in a happy conversation with the two older girls, and the younger saw the French witches approaching.
"Does he even notice how he is always surrounded by girls?" Regine asked in a low, almost evil tone, smiling at Fleur.
Harry looked at them with a radiant smile.
"Good morning Fleur, Regine. We thought about accompanying you to breakfast, and maybe giving you a tour through the grounds." The wizard shrugged, a little embarrassed.
"That sounds great 'Arry, but first will you accompany me to the Goblet? I should put my name in there." Fleur answered.
"Sure thing, Fred and George are there putting their own names in. But before that, who is this beautiful lady behind you?" Harry asked, looking past the older veela.
Fleur noticed Gabrielle almost hiding behind her. All that bravado and energy, and she gets shy now, she thought.
"This is my little sister, Gabby, but be careful, she's a dangerous fangirl!"
"Heeey, what are you telling him about me!" The girl asked in quickly spoken French. "'ello 'Arry. English zis not good"
"Don't worry, it is a pleasure! I hope we can be friends, and this is Hermione, Katie and Ginny." Fleur noticed that he talked to her like he talked to anyone, not patronizing the younger girl because of her age.
"I like him!!" Gabby said in French, blushing.
At that, the strange group started moving to the Goblet of fire, talking about breakfast. Fleur started noticing the other student's looks, and started closing in on herself, her good mood draining away, until she realized those looks weren't exactly for her, but for Harry. Some looked with admiration, others in disgust, many looked fearful. Fleur could see Harry trying to ignore it, while he and Hermione talked with Gabby about the statues.
They arrive at the entrance to the Great Hall where the Goblet was placed. The goblet's fire radiated a blue light on the people surrounding it, everyone watching as the contestants presented their names. In a circle on the ground, runes were inscribed, shining with magic and preventing the underage students from participating. Some Gryffindor third years were cheering as the Weasley twins put in their names.
"Wish me luck." Fleur said. The veela was surprised when Harry reached for her hand and confidently said.
"You will get it." For some reason, she didn't want to let go of his incredibly warm hand.
Fleur proudly walked to the pile of parchments and signed one of them with the blood quill. Then entered the runic circle and threw the parchment into the fire. The flames engulfed it and launched a bright blue light, accepting her inscription.
The witch came back smiling, and then Regine did the same. Some other Beauxbatons students also entered their names into the Goblet, while also giving Fleur an angry look. She sighed and gave them a smirk. Typical insecure bitches, she thought.
Then, she heard a high-pitched irritating voice screeching behind her.
"What an entourage Potty, a blood traitor, a mudblood and now a half-breed? If you sink any lower, you will be sleeping in the barn with your giant friend!" Fleur turned around to see a slim, greasy blonde boy with a nose in bandages followed by two other bigger boys giving them a mocking look of disgust.
Fleur was angry, how could someone be so low, how can someone say such disgusting things? To her and her little sister! The beautiful witch could feel the heat building up on her hands as the veela nature started getting the better of her. Fleur was about to say something, when Harry walked in front of her and as she looked at him, the girl could see the wolf's eyes again. There was no mistake this time, it was him. Some people around then took a step back. Hermione held Harry's hand, Appearing to be afraid.
Harry took another step forward, and to Fleur's surprise, the prideful blonde boy took a step back.
"Really Malfoy," Harry said in a low, even tone that was even more scary than if he had shouted. "Racial slurs coming from a coward whose only company is two inbred grimlocks, who can't even cast a stunner?" Harry took some more steps towards them. "Any of these witches are miles better than you any day, so much for blood superiority." Fleur could "see" his aura now. The wolf was there. Hermione was biting her lips. She could hear Katie whispering "control it… protect the pack…". There was something happening that the veela didn't understand.
Harry was very close to the boy now.
"I can see your nose is still in the wrong place. If you say anything to any of my friends again, I will help you fix it the same way I messed with it before". Everyone tensed as hands were going to wands.
"You know you can't handle him blondie". Fleur and the otter students turned to see the scary professor with a fake eye approaching. "So why don't you go run to your daddy. The rest of you, move along. You too Potter, but watch your back because that one is sneaky." Fleur watched as the professor smiled, and disgustingly licked his lips.
Fleur touched Harry's hand, and his aura slowly subsided.
Harry looked at her with a guilty look.
"I am sorry, I know none of you need my clumsy protection, but I couldn't stand it"
"It's OK 'Arry. He's just a li'ee boy. Let's go eat something." Fleur smiled at him. Fleur looked at Hermione's relieved face and realized she was not afraid of the blond boy, she was afraid of what Harry could do to him.
.oOo.
Daphne watched the scene that unfolded in front of her with fascination and excitement. The Slytherin could see Harry intimidating the monster that tried to attack both her and her sister with ease. She saw the fear in Malfoy's eyes. And rejoiced in it.
Thinking coldly though, it was not a smart move on Harry's part, unless he wanted to exert power through fear, and she firmly believed he didn't, that was not him. That was the entire reason she wanted to help him, he was different from the pureblood animals like Malfoy.
But looking at the fear in Malfoy's eyes, she saw an opportunity to leverage the situation, and to further protect both her and Astoria, and she was going to grab it. Daphne waited until Malfoy entered the Great Hall followed by Harry and his group a couple minutes later.
As her sister passed by her, she grabbed her arm and whispered.
"Tory, you are going to enter the hall and sit next to Tracy, as close as possible. Sit on the opposite side of Malfoy and wait for me."
Astoria nodded at her sister's serious tone and did just that. Daphne waited a couple more minutes, took a deep breath, straightened her midnight perfect hair and walked into the great Hall alone. The beautiful girl stopped at the big open doors and waited until some of the Slytherin eyes were on her, specifically Draco Malfoy's.
When she was sure he was looking, Daphne walked straight toward the Gryffindor's table and touched Harry on the shoulder. Daphne noticed that the boy seemed to be waiting for her, as she saw no surprise in his eyes, at least until she kissed him. A quick, chaste kiss, but enough to send the great Hall into silence.
Before she lifted her head, she whispered in his ear.
"Walk with me to the Slytherin table" Harry seemed to promptly understand what she wanted and did as he was asked. Daphne could see the looks of surprise on the faces of the other witches around the table, and let out a smile.
Harry walked with her to the Slytherin table to the place saved by Astoria in front of Draco Malfoy. Daphne's face remained cold as ice the entire time. The proud girl sat down as Harry stood behind her with a hand on her shoulder looking directly at Malfoy, his deep emerald eyes almost glowing. There was no need for words, The message was clear when Darco instinctively touched his hurt nose. Daphne was under Harry's protection.
After a couple seconds, he came back to Gryffindor's table, looked at the girls with a smile and left the Hall.
"I should have given him a real kiss…" Daphne thought as she watched him leave.
.oOo.
"'Ermione, what just happened?" Fleur asked in French. "Is that 'Arry's girlfriend? Why did he leave?"
Hermione sighed. So typical of Harry to leave and let her do the explaining.
"That was someone who is helping us and in need of our help, and no, she is not his girlfriend, at least as far as I know, he doesn't have one. Daphne is a friend who is in a dangerous situation." Hermione then proceed to explain about the attack on Daphne's sister and how Harry saved her and the plans to help Daphne gain control of Slytherin house while she helped Harry learn how to use any political power he may have. "Malfoy is getting ever bolder and more dangerous; I can't even imagine what he would have done to Astoria. There is a divide in Slytherin, and today Daphne made him publicly take a side. I figure that if you want to be his friend, you need to know he has a talent to paint himself into some pretty dangerous corners."
"Wait, is that Daphne Greengrass'? And Why does 'Arry need someone to teach him that? why doesn't his magical guardian do that?" Fleur asked, a little shocked by the situation.
"Fleur, he didn't even know about the magical world until he was eleven." Hermione said and Fleur looked at her with a shocked expression.
"Mon dieu, that explains so much…" The French witch whispered to herself, but Hermione could clearly hear.
"And every year at Hogwarts after the first one was terrible for him… he really thought that with the tournament, he could have some time to learn this year." Hermione sighed
Hermione studied Fleur's expression. She saw some genuine concern there.
"So, why did he run away?" The older witch asked.
Hermione bit her lip.
"That is the question; Harry is not one to run. Sorry, I need to go look for him." Hermione said as she got up. She quickly ran to Gryffindor's tower, and after making sure no one was paying attention to her, entered the fifth-year boy's dorm and secured the marauder's map. It was a good thing that Harry let her know where he kept both the map and his cloak. Hermione scanned the map for a minute, before finding him outside at the edge of the forest. He was not moving, good.
"Why do you always do this Harry" the girls thought to herself as she got after him. "Keep all feelings inside for yourself."
The witch walked quickly through the grounds, passing Hagrid's hut, and saw him sitting on a tree trunk with his back to her.
"Hi Hermione," Harry said without looking at her. "Funny how now I always know who is coming behind me…" The werewolf turned to her with a sad smile. "Before you ask, I know the full moon is a couple weeks away, but yes, I can smell you…"
The girl sat down at his side.
" And You smell good Mione…" Harry whispered.
They stayed there, in silence, just enjoying each other's presence for a while, Hermione trying to muster her courage.
"Harry, why did you leave like that? Fleur was confused… and you got me worried."
The wizard buried his face in his hands.
"Bloody hell, one day in, and she must already think I'm a freak. She wouldn't be too far off anyway…" Harry laughed
Hermione got closer to Harry and wrapped her arms around his shoulder.
"You are not a freak Harry… you are my… best friend…" she whispered.
"I am a monster Mione… you were right, that day in the field… everything you said. I am dangerous." The werewolf looked at her, ashamed. "I saw the way you looked at me when Malfoy started talking shit…"
"Oh Harry, I am sorry, I…"
"Don't be, you are right, you have no idea what was going on in my mind that time… and again at the table… when I remembered what he was doing to Astoria… I wanted… I wanted… to break… him… and not as a figure of speech… I wanted to rip his body apart, and I was ready to do it, that is why I had to leave."
"But you didn't, you controlled yourself, and you did it to protect us." Hermione tried to reason with him.
"Only because you and Fleur were there." Harry blushed. "You two… pulled me back, but what will happen the day you are not there with me? I can't even get help from the bloody professors, and Remus is somewhere in France!"
Hermione put both hands on his shoulder and turned him to herself. Harry's eyes were full of guilt, anger, and looking at her... Something else… hunger?
"Harry, I will never leave you. We are going to get past this together, as always! This is not a hundred dementors!!"
"I don't know if that is true anymore! No, not because of you! Hermione, the other things you said are also happening, and I am feeling awful, I am feeling dirty!" Harry moved away from her a little. He was blushing furiously now. Hermione looked at him confused, but understood a second later. "The way I feel when I look at you, when I smell your scent…" now it was Hermione's turn to blush. Hermione wanted to say she didn't mind it, that she actually liked it, but let him finish instead, he needed to vent. "I thought it would take years, damn, maybe this is just the beginning, what if it gets worse. Will I become more dangerous? It's not even all the girls! Damn, I am not like that!" At this point, he had stood up and was breathing rapidly. "Sorry."
"Please don't, Daphne is right, stop apologizing." Hermione said and He blushed again, like a little boy. "I am also alarmed by the speed at which things are happening, Harry. But when were you ever normal? Maybe your magical ability is too strong, maybe it's all the emotions you keep locked inside feeding it. Maybe it's your connection with Voldemort…"
"You think…"
"I don't know Harry, I am just conjecturing. You know I just pretend, right? That I don't really know it all."
Harry gave her a smile.
"What does Katie say?" Hermione asked. "I believe she lived with it for some time now."
"How did…" Hermione raised an eyebrow at him before he finished. "Of course, you know... she is trying to help me. She said I should not fight against it, but to use it to protect the pack or something…"
"You said it's not all the girls? What do you mean by that?" The girl asked and Harry blushed furiously again and remained silent. "Harry, you can trust me… please"
"I… I… I notice the other girls of course…" Harry said in no more than a whisper. "But I discovered that what really messes with me is … the scent… and only a few scents really got me…" The boy couldn't finish.
"Who?" Hermione asked and immediately though. "Why am I asking this?"
"Katie, Daphne, Fleur, I could feel her scent even in the letters, and… you…"
Hermione blushed. They stayed in silence for some time. Harry couldn't see to look at her.
Finally, she got up.
"Harry, look at me…Harry, I… I don't mind it. I think… I even like it… and I know for a fact Katie likes it… Harry, we will get through this together." She said and hugged him, trying to convey as much feeling as she could to him. The girl felt relieved and happy when he returned the affection, and pulled her to an even closer hug, and took a deep breath at her hair.
"Thank you, I am feeling better, I think…" Harry whispered in her ear.
"Do you want to stay here a little longer?"
"Yeah, the forest's smells help me to calm down…" They both leaned back against the tree trunk, holding hands.
Hermione's mind started running, making mental notes and calculations…
.oOo.
Apolline Delacour poured the Dom Perignon champagne into the six crystal glasses. The Veela and her husband were sitting in the living room, accompanied by Sirius Black, Remus Lupin and by Arthurs and Sarah Greengrass. Each one of them picked up one of the glasses.
"To the new generation, may they achieve what we could not" Apolline said as she raised her glass in a toast. "May they set the world on fire!"
The others raised their glasses. "To the new father!" Jacques congratulated Sirius.
"To the new ministry of magic!" Remus and Sirius finished, and they all drank the champagne.
"Exquisite taste, my dear Jacques' ' complimented Arthur. "Once we start the process to give Sirius a new trial, I will move to block Narcisa's access to the Black assets on the Wizengamot. If Harry is correct, and I believe he is, when Voldemort indeed returns, that will be a great blow on his finances."
"I can't believe Harry doesn't know anything about his family or us…" Sarah Greengrass said sadly.
"That is in part my fault." Remus sighed, Sirius tried to protest. "No Sirius, it is. I was so devastated when things happened, Michel had died only a week before, I was so desperate that I believed everything Dumbledore fed me. I believed when he said Harry was safe with the Delacours. When I discovered he was not here, I broke…"
"We all did Remus…" Apolline said, holding his hand.
"I just hope our kids understand," said Sirius. "Ultimately, we are doing the same thing as the old fart did, deciding part of their destinies for them, removing their choices… I just hope they don't hate us in the end…"
.oOo.
"And the champion for Beauxbatons…" headmaster Dumbledore announced with his voice magically amplified. "Is Fleur Delacour!"
Fleur proudly stood up from the rolls of french students. Applause and cheering all around her, even the girls who usually hate her, got caught up in the celebration. "Fake bitches." the veela thought with a smile. She knew half of them would be cheering for the pretty Hogwarts's champion, Diggory, tomorrow. Regine gave her a hug and, as Fleur moved to the champions room, she could hear the cat calls of some male students. The witch stood even prouder.
Then, amongst the students she saw Harry's face. Harry was calm and smiling a reassuring smile. Fleur hoped his eyes could see her, not the veela, not the champion, but Fleur, as she could see only Harry. "Come on Fleur, you have been chosen. He is your young friend now, concentrate on the tournament ahead!"
The witch entered the room to see the other two champions. Victor Krum stood in the corner; arms crossed over his chest, and only gave her a nod. She answered in kind. "Is he so insecure that he has to keep this facade all the time?" She thought and smiled, "men can be so fragile."
"Congratulations Ms Delacour" Cedric Diggory said, extending his hand. Fleur admired his will power at fighting the allure so close to her. His girlfriend was a lucky girl.
"Likewise, mizer Diggory, I see 'ogwarts is well represented."
"Here I am with a chance to prove to myself that I am capable. To The school, the purebloods, all those people that doubt me, they will see! What a bravado, I am terrified!!`` She taught herself.
Fleur then noticed that the noise outside stopped. Something was wrong. She barely could hear the headmaster. Cedric and Victor noticed it too. Fleur tensed.
The door opened, and Harry Potter walked into the room looking at the floor.
"'Arry? It's everything alright? They need us?" Harry looked at her, and she saw fear and anger in his eyes.
"I am so sorry Fleur…" he whispered, but she could hear.
"Non…"
.oOo.
The door slammed open, Dumbledore, Madam Maxine, Karkaroff and the ministry officials all entered the room in a hurry. With intensity in his eyes, Albus Dumbledore held Harry's shoulders with both hands and asked.
"Did you put your name on the Goblet of Fire?
"No sir!!" Harry protested.
"What zis ze meaning of zis…
"Cheated of course. The boy…"
"Let's all calm down. If Harry…
"Hogwarts is going to have an unfair…"
"Is not legally of age…"
"How did you manage, boy…"
"Let me see your wand boy!!"
"Cheaters, both of you!!"
"Give it to me, let's see the last spells…
"He must compete; it is a magic contract…"
"Go stand over there Harry…"
"How could he!!!"
"... The magical wards…"
"Just a li'ee boy!"
"Zis is unacceptable!!"
"Could not stand to not be the center of attention, Potter?"
"I should have imagined…"
The sounds and smells were overwhelming but it was Fleur's eyes that hurt him the most; it was her silence that brought Harry to the edge.
"SHUT UP!! SHUT UP! Harry screamed almost in pain. "I didn't put my name in it! I didn't even want to compete! I just wanted to be left alone, someone is trying to kill me, and no one cares!"
Harry stormed to the door, but Dumbledore held his arm.
"Harry please listen…"
"Dangerous…" the voice on Harry's mind whispered.
"Let go of me Sir…" the last one was more of a growling than a word, Harry saw the spark of fear in his eyes, and the headmaster released him.
Harry got out of the room, the other students looking at him in confusion and disapproval. Harry passed through them, trying to get out of there as fast as he could, the scar on his forehead starting to feel like a burn. People moved out of the way for him; he barely registered Hermione's and Katie's voice calling for him. Until Ron appeared right in front of him.
"Couldn't keep to yourself Harry?" Ron said with gritted teeth, anger and jealousy in his eyes. "You must have everything? Can't you just step aside, "mate"?"
Harry was shocked. He couldn't believe his friend was saying that.
"Prey…" Was all the wolf whispered, the scar was hurting him now.
Harry snapped, his hands flew to Ron's neck and shoved him into the wall. Ron lost his breath with the impact. His feet were not touching the ground anymore.
"Aaaargh!! How could you!" Harry growled at his friend.
"HARRY!" Hermione's voice called him back, he saw the fear in Ron's eyes and let him go from the wall.
Harry turned around and looked at Hermione and Katie, before turning back and running. The wolf was too close now. He could feel it lurking, wanting out, the scar was like a screech in his mind.
Harry ran out of the great Hall, through the doors, he could feel the tears starting to burn his eyes. The werewolf kept running, maybe he could outrun everything…
He ran until he reached the edge of the lake. His feet went into the water and he screamed, his head was about to explode, pain coming from the scar.
"AAAARGH!!! WHY!!!
Harry turned to the castle, his heart was heavy, he felt like his head was about to explode, the wolf and the scar were fighting each other and his mind was not able to process what was happening.
"WHY IS THIS HAPPENING!! WHY DO YOU WANT TO KILL ME!!! WHY!" The water started boiling and swirling around his feet as he turned and cursed the castle.
"WHY DO YOU HATE ME SO MUCH!" The surrounding water started splashing in a swirl, the stones being pushed away from him the scar in his forehead had turned red. There was so much pain. "I HATE YOU, I HATE YOU! He dropped to his knees. "I hate you… why …" he started sobbing violently, the tears flowing now.
Harry felt an embrace around him, he cried out loud, letting himself go with the smell of lilies and vanilla. He let himself go into the embrace. "I am sorry Fleur, I am so sorry…"
Chapter 07
Fleur didn't know what to do, all the excitement, all the pride, all the anticipation to participate in the tournament was gone now that all held the broken young man in her arms. Harry's aura burst had been so powerful, so damaged, that she could feel his pain through it, how he felt betrayed and lost, and how something even more sinister lurked under his mind. Fleur could barely handle her own emotions as Harry sobbed at her shoulder, and she knew he endured it to some degree every day.
The surge of magic coming from him had been so powerful that Harry was totally expended, it was almost like something had fed on his magic. When the professors arrived, accompanying Hermione and Katie, the boy let out a deep sigh and passed out, his body still hot to the touch from all the magical energy that ran through him. Fleur noticed how sad he looked, even unconscious.
"My most sincere appreciation to you, mademoiselle Delacour" Dumbledore said as he levitated Harry with a flick of his wand, Fleur a little uncertain of letting him go. "You conducted this situation with all the grace and resolve we came to expect from someone of your position. Your father would be proud. Now, I need to escort Mister Potter to the hospital ward for testing and rest, as this magical surge was indeed outstanding. But I am sure he will actually feel a lot better after all that emotional relief."
Fleur was not sure what to think about the patronizing tone of the headmaster's voice. Talking to her like an old fable book grandfather, it filled her with suspicion and she could see Hermione had a similar reaction. But there was nothing she could do for now, but watch Harry being taken away to the hospital wing. Hermione turned to follow him, but Fleur held her by the arm.
"'Hermione, wait." Fleur pleaded in a low voice. The younger witch bit her lips, clearly worried. "I need to show you something…"
"Fleur… I am sorry, but Harry…" Hermione tried to protest.
"It is about him."
Hermione sighed and, with one last look at Harry, followed the French witch to the carriage. The young witch probably knew there was nothing she could do for now, besides letting the Matron do her job, and wait for Harry to wake. Fleur took her to her room and with a wave of her wand cast a drying spell on her own clothes.
"Please 'Hermione, 'have a seat." Fleur said, waving, Hermione sat down in one of the two beds in the room, while Fleur went to her trunk to look for something. The french came back and sat at the brunette's side with a book in her hands. "I was planning to show this to Harry first. But clearly something 'as happened that Sirius, Remus and my parents didn't told me, or maybe they don't even know. 'Hermione, I want to help, and I am sure you know why he is broken. I know you don't have any reason to trust me yet, so I want to show you this."
Fleur handed her the photo book. Curiously, Hermione opened it and the first magical photo she saw was the one with the Delacours and the Potters at a Christmas party.
"This one is me." the French which pointed to the beautiful little girl smiling brightly, holding the younger baby's hand. "And this one is…"
"Harry…" Hermione whispered.
Hermione kept passing through the pages in awe, photo after photo of the Delacours, the Potters, Sirius, Remus and some other family she didn't knew.
"Those are the Greengrass." Fleur pointed, noticing Hermione's curiosity. The witch was astonished seeing the families on Yule, at the beach, dancing, and sometimes with other families and people showing up. They were young and full of life. The young witch smiled at little Fleur playing with babies Harry and Daphne on the sand as a loving Lily Potter looked over them.
"That girl that kissed Harry today." Hermione said to Fleur, who just looked at her curiously. "Daphne Greengrass."
Fleur smiled a sad and tired smile.
"That is why you wrote to Harry?" Hermione asked.
"At first yes, I needed to know if he hated us, or if he even remembered us. It seems 'e doesn't even know about our families, and I was confused. But then I realized I really liked to talk to him, 'e became somewhat of a true friend along the way." Fleur answered with a shrug. "Something is very wrong with this entire situation…"
Hermione closed the album and took a deep breath.
"Right Fleur, this is going to take time, I need you to listen, and if you don't want anything to do with us I will totally understand." The French girl looked at her with resolve. "As I said, Harry didn't knew about the magical world until he was eleven…" Fleur had an incredulous expression on her face as the other girl started to talk.
For the next three hours, Fleur heard about all the events that had happened while Harry and Hermione had lived at Hogwarts. The mostly peaceful first year, when he found out about who he was and the philosopher's stone, the third year, with the heir of Slytherin and the Chamber of Secrets problems and how the whole school suspected him. Fleur almost didn't believe the story with the basilisk. Hermione told her about how scared he was for Ginny's life, and how he almost died. Then came the fourth year, the dementors and Sirius Black and how Harry was forced to relive his parent's deaths again and again. Hesitantly, Hermione told her about Peter Pettigrew and Remus's bite. At the end, Fleur was in tears thinking about how all this affected him. That was the reason he didn't feel safe at the school.
"Fleur," Hermione continued almost in a whisper. "There are also some things that he never told me. Things that happened during the ten years he spent with the Dursleys and I think are still happening at some level. Harry has this annoying habit of keeping all the pain to himself." Hermione was crying now. "He has no help! I have asked the professors, even the headmaster but they don't seem to think it is serious enough." Fleur didn't know what to think of it, but she ended up holding Hermione in a hug. "He tries to act like nothing's wrong. But sometimes I can see his light fading. I thought Katie and I would be able to do it this year, to help him… we want to make him understand that he needs us as much as we need him."
"Such loyalty…" Fleur thought.
"You are a smart witch 'Hermione, why do you think someone would put Harry's name in the Goblet?" Fleur asked.
Hermione stopped sobbing and thought for a couple seconds.
"To make his death appear like an accident. Goodness, that puts all the competitors at risk too, you…"
"Yes, I thought so. Thank you for sharing all this with me Hermione. I can see 'e has not been a boy for a long time. But I need to think, and you need to rest. I will talk with you tomorrow." Fleur finished, taking the book like it was something incredibly precious.
"Thank you for letting me cry on you, and sorry…" Hermione said, a little ashamed. Fleur just smiled at her.
After Hermione left, Fleur laid back on her bed, tears in her eyes. The Veela had felt this connection with Harry, something in the back of her mind; like she had found something she had missed but didn't even know existed. At first, she was worried about him being two years younger, or that he hated her and her family for abandoning him. Knowing what she knew now, she felt how shallow she was being, judging before knowing all the facts, just like people did with her.
But was Fler brave enough to face that storm?
.oOo.
Albus Dumbledore watched as Dolores Umbridge sat heavily onto one of the less than comfortable chairs in front of his big desk. All dressed in pink and orange, she looked like a giant frog cupcake. The headmaster smiled at her.
"Good evening Dolores, May I offer you some lemon drops?"
"Cut out the chit chat headmaster, what is the reason you summoned me at this dreadful hour, specifically after those heated events." The woman said in her high pitched voice without hiding her giggling.
Dumbledore closed his eyes, his head hurt, and her voice always made it hurt more; she had always been hard to handle, specifically since that messy deal about Harry Potter's papers 14 years ago. But she was too important of an inside agent at the ministry for him to dispose. Without her, many of his own laws securing his power over Hogwarts would have never seen the light; fortunately, her vision was always too narrow regarding blood status, which made her easy to maneuver.
"Dolores my girl, may I ask why you thought it would be a good idea to include young Harry's name into the tournament? Should I remind you of how delicate our situation can be?"
"I did it because from the moment I set foot in this school, I realized you had completely lost control over him!" Dolores said, her voice making Dumbledore's head hurt even more. "His best friends are all muggleborn born or half-blooded, far from what we had planned for him. And he is even consorting with a half-breed! Delacour's little animal nonetheless! Your… desire for this boy has blinded you headmaster! He no longer serves our objectives in bringing about the Greater Good. Once he realizes his political status, he will undoubtedly hurt us!"
"Your little rant was indeed very elucidating about how your head works my child." The headmaster dragged the word, making clear who was in charge. "But it failed to answer my question."
"The boy has outlived his purpose, but he is still famous, so why not give him a glorious death in the tournament? And we can get Delacour's daughter as a bonus. My sources on the French council are certain of his win tomorrow. Need I remind you what that man really stands for?" The witch was almost maniac.
"I know very well what said man believes he stands for, Madam, must I remind you that I faced men like him before you even walked these same school halls? No Dolores, I think it's a pity to see such a beautiful and prodigious young woman not living to her full potential, but can understand the need to remove her, but it is imperative that the boy live through it." Dumbledore said.
"And why is that? The little half-blood prat is being nothing but trouble, just like his parents!" The woman made no effort to hide the hate in her voice.
"Dolores, the only thing that would make me happier than seeing the Potter line washed out, is to bring said ancient line back to the rightful ways, bringing them back towards the light. Although, that is not the reason. The boy has an important part to play in events yet to come" The headmaster sounded tired. "One day, your games will catch up with you…" The old wizard told himself, silently. "Only when they all got to truition my old man…" the headmaster answered himself.
"You are blind by desire!" Dolores screeched like a harpie.
"Dolores Umbridge!" Dumbledore stood, and projected his aura; the small woman had crossed all the limits of his patience, refusing to listen to reason. The headmaster knew better, he was the greatest wizard alive and people would listen to him, like it or not. "Must I remind you whom you are talking to? Who holds not only yours but also Fudge's and Bagman's jobs in his hands? Get out of my office; I need to ponder on what to do about this unfortunate turn of events."
Fearing the Headmaster's rage, Dolores quickly got up and left the room, leaving Albus Dumbledore to reajuste his plans.
.oOo.
Harry saw the enormous snake sliding to his side; he felt Like he was getting carried in the direction of an unknown manor like a baby by someone. The place looked old and abandoned, the mold eating up the walls, the floor was dirty with years of dust. Once inside, he was laid on a big bed. Why was it so hard to move, why didn't his arms obey him? Then, he heard a serpentine-like voice hissing. "Call for Narcisa and her useless husband." At this point Harry realized with a growing fear that the voice was his own. "They need to get the right ingredients; it need to be ready in time"
"Yes, my Lord" Harry heard, it was a voice that sent shivers down his spine. Harry woke up with a jump just as he saw the rat-like traitor's face in front of him.
The young wizard was feeling dizzy, and could barely see without his glasses in the dark. Harry could smell as Madam Pomphrey came closer to him, waving her wand and said with a tired voice.
"Here we are again Harry; two months may be a record for you. No, no, no! Don't try to get up; you are still weak Mr. Potter. Please take this potion and rest, my trainee will assist you with anything you may need."
"This is new." Harry thought, as gentle pair of hands helped him take the potion. Dizzy as he was, he barely recognized the blueberry scent coming from his side.
"Daphne?" Harry whispered as he drifted back to sleep.
.oOo.
Ronald Weasley was walking alone through the grounds, something he had been doing a lot lately, heading for the quidditch field after declining a game of Exploding Snap with Seamus and Dean. For the first time that he could recall, since starting Hogwarts, Ronald wanted to be alone. The boy was feeling angry. How could his so-called best mate humiliate him like that? And in front of the entire Gryffindor house? It was not enough for Harry to have everything he wanted? Harry had money, fame, was probably shagging Katie and Hermione and now had that French witch too? And what about Hermione, would she ever talk to him again? Ronald did nothing wrong! Not even his brothers were talking to him now. Traitors, just after his ex-friend's money and fame, the red haired wizard thought.
"Tough day Weasley?" Ronald heard the last voice he would want right now. The last thing he needed was a detention for breaking the little git nose, again, that was the one good thing Harry had done this year.
"Leave me the bloody hell alone Malfoy! Looking for another black eye?" Ronald turned around to see the blond boy behind him, but next to the boy there was a strange looking slender woman with a pointy nose, wearing big glasses and a notebook. The older witch had a predatory smile on her face that sent shivers down Ronald's back.
"Cool down Weasley, I came in peace." Draco said, raising both his hands.
Ronald looked at him with suspicion.
"Tough business last night wasn't it. Being attacked like that in front of the whole school. Such a friend, this Potter guy, I knew it all along! I brought you an opportunity to pay him back!" Draco stated as he pointed to the strange woman behind him. "My friend here wants to tell your side of the story. Maybe we can even get some of the prestige of your family back. Purebloods stick together." The blonde boy finished with a smirk.
The woman stepped forward before Ronald could say anything and extended her hand to him.
"Hello Ronald, my name is Rita Skeeter…"
.oOo.
After the breakfast, Katie was worried, Harry hadn't shown up, so she made the quick trip to see him at the hospital wing. The she wolf found the boy laid in bed, still sleeping, his scars covered by the blanket, looking almost peaceful. Daphne was at his side, finishing the sorting of a lot of potions before taking the rest of the day off.
"He is going to be okay." The Slytherin said, when Katie approached the bed, with a reassuring smile almost never seen outside the hospital. "He is just drained. I will look after him tonight…"
Katie looked at her with surprise.
"Thank you…" Answered a confused Katie.
Daphne sat at her side, still working on some of the sorting and listing of the potions. Katie found it weird to see so much emotion from the other girl, so different from the usual persona she presented to the school. Daphne looked at Harry with real caring, her scent betraying the girl's real emotions. Katie knew the girl was more worried than she let it appear. The ice queen was not really that cold after all.
"So…" Daphne moved her ice gray gaze from the boy to Katie, looking like her normal cold self now. But Katie knew better, the girl's scent betrayed her nervousness. "If what people are saying is true, you and Harry have been… intimate in the last few weeks…"
Katie gave her a knowing smile. Daphne rolled her eyes, and Katie caught a different scent coming from her now.
"OK… so you have seen his scars...And he is also a little too thin, even if fit, thank goodness for quidditch." Daphne said, with very little emotion or her voice, but a lot of it on her scent.
"Not only quidditch…" Katie said, remembering the stories he told her. "But yes, I see your point."
"Something happens to him during the summers. How can someone as famous and as important as him get like that? Some of those scars are years old. How can his magical guardian allow that?" Katie looked at Daphne, who had returned her gaze to him, the tenderness back to her eyes, Katie had wondered some of the same things, but she was not so versed on laws and politics to say anything..
"He is cute isn't he…" Katie said suddenly.
"What! Sorry… I mean… he is your boyfriend… and…" Daphne said, and Katie laughed at the girl's sudden awkwardness.
"He is not my boyfriend, don't worry. I don't own him or anything, he is too much for me to handle only by myself anyway…" Both girls blushed at that. "Daphne, he is special, not that boy who lived shit special… and the magical world has been doing a crap job on him…" The Slytherin looked confused.
"Anyway." Katie continued. "I need to find Hermione…"
"She came by earlier, with that French witch… said she would research magical exhaustion and emotional accidental magic in the library…" Daphne rolled her eyes.
"Thanks…" Katie got up and approached Harry's ear, whispering to him, making Daphne blush at the things she said to the young wizard, things she would do to him when he woke up. "Remember Harry, protect the pack…" Katie finished with a soft kiss on his cheek.
The witch winked at Daphne and left the hospital wing to look for Hermione. On the way she thought about Fleur, and how she had handled Harry's outburst, how his magic didn't hurt her as she approached and embraced him. Maybe she was wrong, she thought his equal would be Hermione, but maybe it was the French witch. Katie only knew that wasn't her position to take, she didn't like to lead.
As expected, Katie found Hermione in the library, alone at the back table.
"Hello Hermione…" Katie greeted as she approached and sat down on the chair in front of the other witch.
"Hi Katie… did you stop by to see Harry?" Hermione asked.
"Yea. Sleeping." Katie nodded.
"I think he will wake up tomorrow, a normal wizard would take a couple more days, but you and I both know that is not the case." Hermione wondered.
"About that… Hermione, I am also…" Katie's started saying.
"I know, I figured it out a couple days before you and Harry started doing whatever it is that you have been doing… what? Smartest witch blab blab blab…" Both girls had a laugh.
"Hermione…" Katie thought on how to approach this, and decided to be the most direct possible, Hermione would listen and understand, she hoped. "Harry needs a pack… he is powerful, his Wolf is like nothing I have ever seen, I am afraid it may consume him if he is not helped… the last time something like that happened with a powerful wizard, it was not pretty. You may know the stories about Fenrir Greyback" Hermione nodded, he was the literal big bad wolf. "Let me assure you that what is known is only the tip of his evil… Harry is different though… His protective instincts are really powerful. That is the way we can get to him, that we can help him. We have to make him come to terms with his inner wolf and accept his pack…" Katie hoped the intelligent witch would understand.
"He needs other werewolves?" The cogs on Hermione's mind were turning at full speed, Katie could tell.
"A pack is not necessarily made of just werewolves, it's more like an extended family bound by love. It is hard to explain… is something we have done through generations." Katie was realizing how bad seu was at explaining things.
"I didn't know werewolves had such a developed culture like that. But again, they fail to teach us many things here." Hermione raised an eyebrow.
"We keep it away from other wizards, as they are not a paragon of tolerance as you may have noticed." Katie shrugged.
"I did. You seem to know a lot tho."
"Family tradition." The girl quickly answered and continued. "A pack shares the emotional load of its members, and helps direct the instincts of the Alpha in the right direction. It gives him a purpose and an identity, a place to stay and a place to be. The pack needs to guide the Alpha as much as they need him for guidance…" Katie tried the same words her grandfather had told her.
"Beautiful words…" Hermione whispered.
"Heh, my grandfather told me that when I was ten."
"So, we need to find him a pack of some sort?" Hermione was trying to understand.
"This kind of thing cannot be forced, and I understand Harry is fed up with people deciding things for him."
"So, there is nothing we can do?"
"Hermione, he already has a pack…" Katie smiled.
.oOo.
Fleur was very irritated. The witch had little sleep and the people glaring at her were not helping her mood. Harry was still asleep, and she was craving talking to him. Damn these people looking! Who do they think they are? English people were turning out to be ruder than she had ever imagined. One week in Scotland and her life was already turned upside down. And the only one who cared was in a hospital bed because some monster wanted to take control of his life. And Fleur hated being followed.
The Veela stopped outside of the great Hall, the autumn wind moving through her hair, then she suddenly turned around with a swift movement only possible by years of dueling practice and caught the glare of the red haired young girl from the day before.
"It is not polite to follow other people around, little girl." Fleur gave her an evil glare, in the hopes of the girl going away. To her surprise the girl didn't back down as she expected, quite the contrary, the red haired stepped forward with a fierce expression that amused the French witch.
"What did you do to Harry?" The girl asked in an accusatory tone, her voice full of venom and jealousy.
That was it. To Fleur that was enough. She would not stand being accused of hurting the only person of this forsaken school that cared for her. The person she had only tried to help, especially by a jealous little fangirl.
"And who are you little girl?" Fleur felt her veela nature take over her emotions. "Are you his girlfriend?" Fleur was well aware of the answer, of course, but The girl seemed startled by the question, Fleur felt even angrier at this, people around them started looking and she could feel the warmth building up on the point of her fingers. "That's what I thought, you are just a little stalker." The veela continued, aiming to hurt now." Tell me, you stalk Harry too?" Fleur was feeling like something was burning inside her. The witch approached the girl and talked in a low tone. "I didn't do anything to him. But when I do, girl, I assure you it will be something you cannot even dream about, and he is going to like it!"
There were tears on the girl's face, but they were angry ones. With a decided move the girl turned around and stomped away.
"Damn, you are an evil bitch!" Someone said in French. Fleur turned fuming, looking to see where the voice was. Regine was standing behind her, holding her hands in the air. "The girl really got you angry, if I didn't know better, I would think she had attacked Gabby."
Fleur started to calm down. The witch regained control of her emotions and the fire subsided. It was true; the only other times she had gotten that angry was when someone attacked her family. Fleur was not one to lose control of her veela nature like that.
"Poor girl." Fleur said, a little sad. "She didn't deserve it…I don't know why I got so upset…"
"Really? You don't? Well, damage is done. Come, let's find Gabby and grab some lunch." Regine shook her head.
.oOo.
Harry woke up in the dark but sensed the familiar texture of the sheets in the infirmary. His vision was blurred, but the smell of blueberries let him know that he was not alone. Harry felt around with his hand, searching for his glasses and wand, but not finding them.
"Here", Harry heard Daphne's voice as she gently placed the glasses on his face. After a second the vision of her striking angular face and black midnight hair focused in front of him. "Better?" The girl asked softly.
"Yes, a lot, thank you." The wizard said, suddenly very conscious of her proximity. "What time is it?" Harry asked, glad that the dim light of the room concealed his blushing face. Daphne was sitting on his bed, beside him, using a white robe, much like the one the matron used, although it looked much better on the young witch. Her hands over her lap as her straight hair ran over her shoulders and back, framing her face.
"One in the Morning… you have been out for the entire day, Hermione, Ginevra, Fleur and Katie all came to see you. Katie said some really dirty things she was going to do to you once you awoke…" Daphne finished with a teasing smile that made Harry blush even more, but with a silly smile on his face and tingling on his member.
"Wow… I guess I outdid myself this time… wait, what are you doing here so late?" Harry asked.
"I am apprenticing with madam Pomphrey this year, I want to be a healer like mom when I finish school…" Daphne answered with a kind look, totally different from the one he had learned to expect from her. It made her even more beautiful, Harry thought, and her scent was something he could live for the rest of his life.
"That is great, but I don't think you had to stay with me this late. I mean, I really appreciate it, but I didn't expect that with your… fame." "Great Potter, put your foot in your mouth talking to the girl you crushed on since day one…" The wizard thought, with a frown .
"My facade is a way to protect myself and my sister, Harry; here at the hospital wing I don't need it…" Daphne said before her voice turned cold again. "But I can still hex you into oblivion if you do something funny." The witch giggled, before turning serious to him again. "I… I wanted to see you… you mutter in your sleep…"
"Sorry." Harry said, ashamed.
"Some of the things you said are really scary…" Daphne said with a shiver. "especially about Tom and Vernon, whoever they are… also Harry, I am sorry…"
"Why?" Harry was confused, and felt he cannot be more ashamed than he already was.
Daphne got a little closer to him, her dark straight hair falling over her shoulders and breasts and Harry silently cursed both his hormones and the wolf. The witch's scent was intoxicating, and he hoped she didn't notice his growing arousal. Merlin, she looked and smelled so good!
"I always thought you had forsaken your lineage because you were weak…" The girl said looking deep into his emerald eyes, a mixture of confusion and guilt over her face. "That you don't act proud of who you or your parents were because you didn't like the wizard blood in you. But I can see now that it is a lot more complicated than that, right?" Harry gulped. "Seems like someone beat the pride out of you… You didn't even know who your guardian was…"
"You could say that…" Harry answered after a while, turning away in shame from her piercing gaze. "I want to change Daphne. I really do… but every time I think I can, some shit brings me back to the mud." The wizard was becoming angry again now. "I don't even know who I am anymore, each person tells me something different, everyone seems to expect something from me. I… I don't even know who I want to be!" Harry's hands became closed in fists.
Daphne placed her hands softly on Harry's own.
"Sorry." Harry said with a sigh. "It's not fair dumping that on you, we barely know each other, even though I want to change that?"
"There are the apologies again, it really doesn't suit you Harry." The witch said in a commanding tone. "Did you even know we met before Hogwarts?" The boy looked at her with confused wide eyes. "Our parents were good friends. My mother went to school with yours, and our fathers were political allies. I spent my first Yule at your parent's house."
"Wow… why does everyone know more about my family than I do?" Harry wondered.
"That, Mister Potter, is a really good question. It seems like someone wanted to keep you in the dark…"
"I don't know what to do." The wizard buried his head on the pillow behind him, looking at the ceiling, confused. Daphne leaned closer to him.
"I know two Harry Potters." The werewolf could feel the warmth of her breath, her blueberry scent driving him mad. "One is a shy boy, who keeps apologizing for things out of his control and makes me angry…" Daphne's thumbs started making circle motions on his hands, and Harry had to admit he really liked her touch. "The other devised a plan to teach people how to defend themselves, saved my sister from a monster and was not afraid to make a stand in front of the entire Slytherin table, that one is not a boy, that one I have had a crush since the second year... that one I could fall for…"
Daphne leaned in and gave him a kiss, her smell inebriated him, and without thinking, the werewolf kissed her back. The girl parted her mouth as an invitation, and his tongue met hers. It was very different from Katie, he felt like his whole body responded to it, as their tongues caressed each other, their lips softly touching. It was deep, sensual, as each one took time to explore the other's mouth, her taste driving Harry's mind blank.
When they parted, she was still holding his hand with force, taking quick breaths.
"Sorry…" Daphne said, blushing.
"You lecture me about apologizing and then say you're sorry." the wizard smiled at her, who returned an evil glare at him. "For once, I am not sorry." And the girl probably could tell by his silly smile.
"Prat!" Daphne said, slapping him on the shoulder. Daphne recomposed herself and her expression became a little colder.
"Harry, my parents have returned from France today and sent me an owl. Along with their letter, there was one other for you…"
"For me?" Harry was confused.
"They were at the Delacours. Here" The girl extended him the parchment, and Harry could imagine what this was about.
"Lumos," Harry said, and Daphne noted that his wand was still on the table beside the bed, a tiny ball of light appeared next to his head, she was astonished.
Harry couldn't believe what he was reading, and Daphne caught his weird expression.
"What the…" Harry's eyes went wide.
"What?" Daphne asked.
"Sirius Black just adopted me!"
.oOo.
The boy who cheated!
The new Triwizard tournament has barely started and it is already brimming with irregularities. After the weird announcement made by Barty Crouch about a fourth champion chosen for the competition, none other than Harry Potter himself, this intrepid reporter ventured onto the depths of Hogwarts School of Magic grounds to bring you more information about this incredible story.
It was found out that not only the Boy Who Lived name came out of the Goblet of Fire, giving Hogwarts one extra champion, thus creating a big disadvantage to the Foreign schools, but also, that a great tumult had upset the choosing ceremony.
No one seems to know how Harry Potter's name ended up in the Goblet of Fire or what kind of spells the boy used to circumnavigate the protections cast upon the artifact. Some students suspect the use of dark arts given the boy's record of parselmouth and the rampage that followed his nomination.
"Potter is out of control, not even a week ago he broke my nose without any provocation!" Revealed Draco Malfoy (15) a beautiful young man, heir to a great fortune that now has his face covered in bandages.
After the nomination, it is said that Harry Potter came out of the room in a hurry, where he was caught cheating and, on his way out of the castle, assaulted a fellow Gryphindor student. Then, the maniac teen proceed to a rampant of raw magic that endangered many. Even his own house colleagues are afraid. "He is getting distant from everyone and has no friends, he can't stand not being the center of attention. I am afraid he may even put others in danger because of it!" Said a fellow Gryffindor student who prefers to remain anonymous.
For more on this see page 12.
For a summary of the Triwizard tournament over the years see page 13
Rita Skeeter.
...
.oOo.
Daphne stayed awake with Harry discussing the ramifications of the adoption news for way longer than she had planned, this was too big of a thing not to. Harry had told her about his last year, how he discovered that Sirius was innocent, and that Peter Pettigrew had betrayed his parents, then about the escape of Remus and Sirius to France, as his godfather was still accused of the crimes he did not committed.
They deduced that Daphne's father, Artus, knew it all and had been in contact with Sirius in France, which would explain the first of Fleur's letters. The Delacours, Daphne explained to Harry, were a prominent and ancient family, and had been in business with the Greengrass family for many generations. They had grown distant after the war ended, though my father never explained why. I think it had something to do with the deaths in the war, and how the country needed stabilization, but their connections still ran deep. The family head, Fleur's father, was probably going to be the next French minister of magic. Then they discussed the notification itself. The ramifications were huge.
"For starters, if there is no conviction to him, you automatically became the heir of the Black family. That will block Narcisa Malfoy's access to the Black fortune! That is huge!" Daphne said, looking at the official ministry documents with an understanding gaze.
"Narcisa Malfoy?" Harry asked.
"She is Sirius' cousin, Draco was the Black family heir until tonight. That is rich…" The witch gave Harry an almost evil smile. "You are now the heir to two ancient noble houses. Now you need my help more than ever, mister Potter-Black!" They kept talking, not noticing the time run. At one point, Daphne realized how close she was to him as she sat on his bed. Their hands were touching as they talked, the girl was pleased with how hungry the young wizard was for knowledge, how his mind started making plans, looking ahead. "He really would fit well in Slytherin…" Daphne thought. As the first rays of the sun entered the room, Daphne leaned close to Harry, thinking about all the time she had lost because of false assumptions and house rivalries. The witch placed a hand on his chest and said in a whisper.
"You know, I am a girl who usually gets what I want, and right now Harry, I want another kiss from you before this night ends… and we have to come back to the real world."
Harry moved forward, put one of his hands on the back of her neck and kissed her, another slow, deep kiss, and her tongue moving sensually in his mouth. "There is his Gryffindor side…" Daphne thought, melting into his mouth.
When they parted Harry smiled. "If it wasn't for before, I would think you are after my money."
Daphne slapped his arm again. "I hate you!" And laughed, more than she ever dared to do at the school. Not a minute later madam Pomphrey entered the room and gave the two students a questioning look.
"Did you stay here all night dear?" The matron asked her apprentice.
"Yes madam, Harry woke up and we ended up talking, we didn't notice the time passing." Daphne answered.
Madam Ponphrey gave her a knowing smile as she ran through some diagnostic spells on Harry.
"You are released from classes this morning, Mr. Potter, but you are good to go have breakfast if you want."
Harry looked at Daphne. "I would like to go to class madam Pomphrey."
"Sure honey, then I would like you to see something, to get yourself prepared," as the matron spoke, she handed them a copy of the Prophet.
Harry and Daphne read it. Daphne found it horrendous, but Harry just sighed.
"That... changes nothing… I have been through worse." The boy said. "Can we eat something in here before classes, madam Pomphrey"?
"Of course, honey." madam Pomphrey answered. The elves brought them some breakfast that Daphne and Harry ate together. Daphne realized how starved the boy was after the surge of magic and the day asleep. After breakfast, they said goodbye to Madam Pomphrey and went to class.
"OK Daphne" Harry said as they moved to potions. "I will need your help on this one, I don't want another skirmish with Malfoy." The girl nodded at him.
As they walked down to the dungeons, without touching each other, Daphne noticed the looks people were giving them, especially Harry. "So, that is how it feels." She thought. "They usually watch and measure me, but that is a whole nother level. Some people are actually afraid of him." the young witch looked at the boy, he didn't even flinch. Harry looked used to it, and she realized how sad that was.
As they approached the classroom, she could see the gathering of students on the corridor, Slytherin on the right side and Gryffindor on the left and she clearly saw what he meant on that day a week ago. They were divided by an invisible line, drawn by other generations. Daphne didn't even know the names of half of the lions, and she had been in class with them for more than four years now.
"Look if it isn't the Ice Queen and the Boy Who Cheated!!" They listened to the high pitch voice of Draco Malfoy.
"Well, that didn't take long." Daphne thought, looking at Malfoy. The blonde had his bandages off, but his nose still looked shallow. The girl was ready to respond but Harry beat her to it.
"Seriously Malfoy, all your daddy could buy with his money was a third-grade insult?"
"Isn't it strange that his father focuses on you so much?" Daphne continued, talking loudly to Harry, ignoring the blond boy. "Must be the lack of accomplishments of his own offspring. Maybe he does that because he wished for a son like you."
"Of course, he couldn't even make the team on its own…" to Daphne's and Harry's surprise, it was Blaise Zabini who said that. The tall Italian Slytherin moved forward in front of Draco. People always said he was a way better seeker than Malfoy, and seized the opportunity to pay the boy back. "Imagine his shame at having to buy his son's place on the team."
"I don't believe he even feels shame anymore." Finished Daphne, with a cold expression.
Draco Malfoy looked lost and angry, his face as red as the Weasleys hair, the Slytherin students were astonished, and the Gryffindors looked confused. There was a divide between the snakes, and people were starting to take sides. And Harry was in the middle of it. Only Hermione and Blaise smiled at them.
Daphne saw that Harry gave Hermione a strange look, and she nodded, communicating like only people who had been friends for so long and had been through so much could do. The girl understood what they agreed on as soon as they entered the classroom. Daphne took her usual place, together with Tracey, and looked astonished as Harry sat down, in front of her, with Blaise Zabini.
.oOo.
The return to classes had been a blessing in disguise for Fleur. The veela could use her time in the carriage to think about all the things happening around her. On the first day of classes, amidst the congratulations she received along with the other two champions , Fleur noticed that Harry didn't come to the great Hall for breakfast. For some reason that unsettled her, but classes were starting, and it was her last year, tournament or not. Later that day, the news came of her father winning the council vote and becoming the new French minister of magic. The witch felt a mixture of pride about her family, and sorrow, for not being there with them at that moment. Later that night, Madam Maxine arranged for Fleur to speak with her parents through the floo in the headmaster's office, to congratulate them. The witch had many other things she wanted to talk about, Harry, his family connection with her, why they abandoned him and what she should do. But Dumbledore and Maxine didn't leave her alone. Fleur decided she would have to figure it out by herself.
Then, on the next day, she finally saw Harry and she could see the way people were treating him. "Boy who cheated" was the word at the Ravenclaw table. Fleur also noticed the hostility amongst some people within his own house. Hermione, Katie and the chubby boy weak to the allure seemed to be the only ones talking to him at breakfast. Harry tried to pretend he didn't care, but Fleur knew better.
Fleur wanted to go to him, tell him she didn't believe for a second that he cheated his way in, to give him a hug, tell him the news about her father but didn't know what to say about the whole tournament business. Were they rivals now? When she saw his eyes, there was no sadness, only exhaustion… like an old man, she remembered Hermione saying, "Sometimes I can see his light fading…". Harry looked at her for a moment, and with a little smile, he got up and left.
Fleur was ready to go after him when Regine held her arm, showed her the Daily Prophet. The veela couldn't believe it. The paper started smoking in her hands and all the girls around her got subjected to a succession of French curses, "Screw the tournament, screw rivalry, I will not be like those horrible people" she thought. But she didn't see Harry all day, or the next.
People kept talking about the champions, all the hatred people had towards her before was now directed at him, the Slytherin blonde boy was actively campaigning against him, and Harry's own isolation was not helping. Fleur was getting restless, even Gabrielle couldn't lighten her mood.
The next day, she noticed only Hermione and the others had come down to lunch. Fleur walked to Gryffindor's table and sat down beside the younger witch.
"'Hermione, where is Harry? Why hasn't he talked to me?" Fleur asked, her voice a little harder than she intended.
"He didn't told me, I think he is afraid of you being angry at him… also…" Hermione looked around and leaned closer to her, whispering. "Today is the first day of the cycle. He doesn't like to be around us…"
"Nonsense, what do you mean by being around us?" Fleur asked impatiently. Hermione bit her lips, there was a commanding tone on Fleur's voice that made it difficult not to answer her.
"There are some… persons, whose scent can get him… triggered." Hermione blushed furiously and didn't manage to finish the explanation.
"Where is he now?" The veela asked with a tone that said she would get an answer one way or the other.
"On the way to the dungeons, to get a wolfsbane potion from professor Snape." Hermione said.
Fleur stood.
"Point me to the dungeons…" The witch had decided to sort this out, one way or another.
Fleur wandered through the castle a bit, following Hermione's s directions. After a while she finally met Harry, coming out of the dungeons, with a vial in his hands. The boy looked scared to see her, and, Without a word, she pushed him to an empty classroom. "Why does this castle have so many unused rooms?" Fleur asked herself.
"Full moon or not, we are going to talk!" Fleur said angrily, closing and silencing the door behind them, her own veela nature taking the jest of the girl, before turning to Harry with her arms crossed.
"Let me guess, Hermione told you…" Harry leaned against a table with a smile.
"Yes, she did." Fleur looked at his green eyes. "Listen 'ere, if you 'have a problem with me, you are going to talk with me! I know you better than this push me aside crap! If you don't want to be treated like a little boy, don't act like one!" Fleur was angry, but strangely, around Harry she could keep her control, but she noticed he seemed a little uncomfortable. "Harry, is my allure bothering you?" The veela asked with a sigh, afraid of the same things happening again and again.
"No Fleur, I didn't even know what a veela was until the day after you arrived. It's not you, I mean, it is, but it's not your doing." Fleur was confused. "It is your scent… it gets into me…" Harry took a deep breath, was he smelling her? "Also, I saw your eyes that night when you realized what happened, this tournament was yours, you were so happy to be chosen, so proud and I was afraid you hated me because some idiot is using the tournament to try and kill me again. I don't want to lose one of the few people I can talk to…"
"Idiot…" Fleur whispered.
"I am sorry, what?"
"You are an idiot if you think that Harry, I see what this school is doing to you. I would never turn my back on you." Fleur felt a little calmer now, talking to him again. "This school's staff failed to keep you safe, your relatives failed to give you a home, but I am not one who fails, Harry Potter. It is not pity…" The girl said as soon as he opened his mouth to protest, silencing the young wizard. "I would not dare pity you, I can see what you could have been and what you've become and even feel a little jealous." Harry was about to ask why, but refrain himself from it.
"Fleur, you must know how dangerous it is to be around me, how dangerous it can be and how alienating too. But I want to fix my life and myself, I want to find my own place in all of this, not the one they choose for me, so I will say this, I would never drag anyone into this shit with me, but if after knowing and seeing it all, you still want to try, I will never push you away… I will never do that to anyone anymore, never again. I am done being alone. So, it's your choice. Just know that whatever you choose, I know you are more than a veela or the daughter of a politician. We are not the circumstances of our births." Harry took a deep breath. "That sounded way better in my head…"
Fleur looked deep into the wolf's eyes, and was not afraid. The witch quickly closed the distance between them and gave him an embrace and he hugged her back. They stood there for several minutes, enjoying the feeling of each other. Harry was certainly smelling her, she realized. And Fleur now knew she liked it.
"Fleur" Harry said, still with her in his arms. "I owe you a butterbeer. Do you want to go to Hogsmeade with me?"
"Yes Harry, I would love to…"
.oOo.
Harry heard the voice in his head, the one he came to identify as the wolf, as his instincts. It never really used words; it was something subtler, almost primal. It strongly manifested itself when Fleur embraced him, when he caught her scent, with one powerful feeling that could only be translated as...
"Equal."