Harry turned to look at the person who had initially identified him to the French witch. She was a cute witch with short black hair and grey eyes. She was just a bit taller than Harry but probably a stone lighter. Her expression was crossed between amused and embarrassed at Fleur's behaviour.
"Hello, my name is Harry Potter." Harry extended his hand in greeting.
She extended her hand in response as she said, "I am Michele Desmarais. It is a pleasure to meet you, Mr Potter."
Harry took her hand and gently raised it up to lightly kiss the knuckles as Padfoot had shown him. "The pleasure is all mine, Mademoiselle Desmarais. Welcome to Hogwarts. We are blessed to have such a beautiful and promising witch to be visiting us. But please call me Harry." The French witch blushed at Harry's actions and words.
Harry glanced over to see Fleur's face flushed with embarrassment. To Ms Desmarais he said, "I appear to have angered your friend, Mlle Delacour. Perhaps her choice of wand storage placement has led to a negative impact on waste removal functions?"
While Michele Desmarais and Fleur Delacour looked confused by Harry's question, Harry heard chocked laughter coming from an older male teen dressed in Beaxbatons robes.
"And you must be M Alfonse DiGiamotto, Beaxbaton's representative from the 'Boneyard'." The wizard had light brown hair with the olive-toned skin that spoke of Italian background.
The teen wizard took Harry's offered hand with a smile. "It is a pleasure to meet you as well, Mr Potter. And I'm afraid you are correct. My cousin often has her wand shoved so far up her arse it makes her a bit constipated. Glad to have another guy around here that recognizes that too. Call me Al."
Fleur let out an indignant huff and whirled around and stalked off away from them. After a squeaked, "Excuse me," Michele followed her.
Harry grinned at the French wizard. "Call me Harry, Al. You're her cousin?"
"Mom is her aunt on her father's side. Grandfather was the French Ministry's ambassador to Italy. That is where Mom met Dad."
"But your accent is American?"
"Dad's the Italian ambassador to the American Department of Magic. I've lived in Boston since I was four. I wanted to go to Salem but Mom was afraid I was getting too 'American' so here I am."
"And how is that working out?"
The wizard laughed. "Well, I am the only guy at the school that Fleur's allure has absolutely no impact on since I'm a near enough blood relative. I am impressed you were able to throw it off. Don't judge her too bad. Fleur can be a real sweetheart with her friends and family. Being a complete bitch is just her way of dealing with the way most people react to her in public." Harry had to laugh at the older teen's blunt assessment of his cousin.
"I think I can appreciate at least a part of that," Harry responded. "I didn't know I was famous until I was about to start school. The reaction when I went shopping in Diagon Alley the first time was… disturbing."
"Hmmm," Al hummed with a mischievous grin. "Maybe we should set you up with Fleur. A wizarding power couple! The press would have a field day!" Harry was about to respond when a new and rather unpleasant voice interrupted him.
"What's this I hear? Could there be romance budding within the Tri-Wizard Tournament?" It was the reporter he saw talking to Malfoy. Up close he could see she also had three gold false teeth.
"Rita Skeeter from the Daily Prophet. Now tell me Mr Potter, did you first fall for Ms Delacour when she arrived at Hogwarts or was it just now that you awoke to her charms?"
Harry wanted to smack someone. At this point he would be happy to do it to either the nosy reporter or the chortling French-Italian wizard standing next to him.
"Miss Skeeter, M DiGiamotto was simply making a poor joke. I am currently seeing someone and am perfectly happy with that situation." Harry thought that was a good way of handling it.
Or not.
"Oh tell me Harry - who is the lucky witch to have captured your eye?"
"That is a private matter between myself and the young lady in question. Now, if you would please excuse me, I see Professor Dumbledore signalling for me. Maybe you can speak to M DiGiamotto here. He is the son and grandson of ambassadors from Italy and France."
Before either Skeeter or Al could protest, Harry slipped away into the crowd.
'Serves him right for trying to set me up,' Harry thought.
"That was clever, Harry Potter. Press should be whipped like dogs 'til they know their place," a stocky teenage wizard commented when Harry tried to slip by. Harry recognized him too.
"Congratulations on getting selected as a Champion, Mr Krum," Harry said politely. "Your play at the World Cup was brilliant."
.....
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