Disclaimer: I do not own HP or its magical world.
A/N: This story is a rewrite, yet this first chapter is exactly like the previous first chapter with the exception of the extra scene written at the ending.
Fleur could remember the first time she was informed what love was like. She learned the nature of the Veela. She was eight years old at the time.
"Maman, what is love like?" The young French witch asked her mother.
The French pair were seated in the garden in the backyard of the Delacour chateau. The sky above was an unusual gray. Apolline Delacour elegantly raised a perfect eyebrow. Of all the things that she assumed would escape her eight-year-old daughter's mouth, that wasn't one of them.
"Why do you ask, Fleur?" The matriarch asked her blue eyed, blonde haired miniature twin. Fleur glanced up at her mother with pure curiosity shining in her eyes.
"Because maman, we live in France, non? France is the country of love, is it not?" The girl asked in a thick accent. Apolline chuckled at her daughter's line of thinking.
"Right you are, mon cher. May I ask once again, why you are so interested?" The Veela queried suspiciously. Fleur rolled her eyes at her mother's slow comprehension.
"How will I know I am in love if I don't understand a thing on the subject?" She asked slowly as if she were speaking to a child. Apolline smirked at the irony.
"Trust me, amour. When you meet the one, you will know." The mother informed with a small smile. Fleur furrowed her eyebrows.
"Will the time really stop?" Fleur looked panic stricken.
"Non, mon ange. That is just in the movies. When you see your mate, everything else will cease to matter. When your eyes meet, you will wonder how you lived your life without them. It will be instantaneous." Apolline had a far off look in her eyes as she recounted the first time she met her husband.
"My mate?" The young witch was confused.
"Why of course! Every Veela, whether you be a full one or not, has a mate. It is just a matter of time before you find your other half." Apolline said enthusiastically. Fleur merely tilted her head slightly.
"You did not go into full detail about the Veela, maman. Are you sure every Veela has a soul mate? What if I never meet mine?" Fleur looked on the brink of a panic attack. Apolline was quick to soothe her fears.
"I am quite sure, petit." Apolline's determined tone comforted Fleur somewhat.
The two fell into a comfortable silence. Fleur was busy gazing at the sky, and for that, she missed the loving look that crossed her mother's face. After a few minutes, Apolline led Fleur within the warmth of their home. Fleur was about to ascend the stairs to her room, but the voice of her mother paused her actions.
"Fleur, would you like to accompany me to my library? I have a few books you could read on the Veela." Apolline explained. Fleur smiled, and began to bounce with excitement.
"Oui! I would enjoy that, maman." Apolline held back a laugh at her daughter's excitement.
Fleur was led by her mother to her library. They ascended the stairs, and entered the fourth door to the right. Apolline opened the door, and stepped aside for her daughter to enter first. Fleur ran to one of the chairs in the room, and waited patiently for her mother to find the book she suggested.
"Accio Veela: Creatures of Love." Apolline summoned the book from the higher shelf. Fleur peered on in wonder.
Apolline blew off the few dust particles that managed to stick to the cover of the book. When she deemed it clean enough, she turned towards her blonde daughter, and gave her a small smile. Fleur replied with a nervous smile.
"What has you so nervous, fille?" Apolline questioned with concern. Fleur shook her head quickly.
"Nothing, maman. What did you want to show me?" She attempted to change the subject from her rapidly increasing nerves.
"As you said before, you haven't enough information on your heritage. I simply want to give you the chance to learn, jeune." Apolline admitted while opening the book. She skimmed through the contents until she found what she was looking for. She began to read aloud.
"Veelas are alluring creatures. Many humans -wizard, witch, or muggle- fall under what is known as the thrall. It sends them in a daze, and the veela has control over the dazed human. While many fall under the thrall, there are very few who are resistant to it. Those who refuse to fall under the thrall are usually the mate of a veela. Finding a mate in a human is a rare occasion for a veela, but it is not unheard of. It is more common for veelas to find their soul mates among others of their kind. When a veela finds their mate, it is near impossible to part from them. Once the mates perform the mating ritual, it is physically, and emotionally impossible to separate the two." Apolline read.
Fleur stiffened in the seat by the time the passage was finished. She was stunned, and everything was overwhelming her. The eight-year-old resulted in staring off into space, and closed herself off with only her thoughts. I'm going to have a mate? Who is he? When will I meet him? What will he look like? Her thoughts were running rapid, and there was no controlling them.
"Fleur? Are you alright?" Apolline was hesitant by what she read, but there was no going back.
"I am fine, maman. Is it alright if I go to bed?" Fleur asked flatly.
"You haven't eaten the dinner Ethral prepared." Apolline thought about the house elf's hard work.
"I am not hungry." Apolline wordlessly examined her daughter. Eventually, she nodded her head.
Apolline sighed as she watched her daughter exit the room as quickly as she entered. She began to regret informing her at such a young age, but if Fleur was anything like herself, she wouldn't stop until she was satisfied with the answers she demanded.
"Maman!" Her three-year-old daughter squealed with delight as she hugged her mom's legs tightly. Apolline chuckled, and raised her daughter high in the air.
"Gabrielle!" She replied just as happy to see her tiny bundle of joy. Gabrielle giggled uncontrollably.
"I missed you!" Gabrielle admitted shyly. Apolline kissed her on both cheeks, which prompted another fit of giggles.
"Did you have fun at your grandmother's?" She asked with genuine curiosity. Gabrielle gave her a toothy grin.
"We went to the beach!" She announced.
"You did? That sounds like fun, Gabby. How about we head down to the dining room. Dinner is ready." Apolline said while descending the stairs.
"Where is Fleur?" The youngest daughter asked while looking around for her older sister. Apolline frowned in concern.
"She is going to bed earlier than expected." Her mother explained cryptically.
...
When Fleur closed her door, she slid down to the floor. She pulled her knees to her chest, and placed her chin upon them. Her fears were beginning to overrun her senses. She was too young to think about things of the sort. She was supposed to be thinking about Beuxbatons, the school her mother attended. Now, all that occupied her mind was how she could look a random stranger in the eye, and her life would change forever.
Her breathing became erratic; Her heart began to beat faster; Her fear began to increase. She regret asking her mother. She regret not knowing before. She was unhappy with the veela blood that ran through her veins. Even if it was less than half. Fleur was depressed about the fact that half her soul belonged to a stranger.
Fleur sighed, then hoisted herself off her carpeted floor. While she was slowly walking towards her bed, she caught her reflection in the mirror. She paused, and sighed in frustration. She smoothed out her white sundress. She shook her head, and watched her curly hair bounce at the movement. Sighing once more, Fleur changed out of her dress, and put on her pajamas. She chanced one more glance at the mirror.
"Why must my life be like that?" She asked in French to anyone who would hear. Unfortunately, no one would answer.
...
Fleur could remember the first time she experienced what love was. She met the witch known as Luna Lovegood. She was a bubbly blonde who was full of energy. Fleur was fifteen at the time.
"Gabrielle! Come back here! Immediately!" Fleur shouted in French after her ten year old sister. As always, the younger of the two continued on her path.
"Gabby! What did I just say?" Fleur shouted at back of her sister's head.
Fleur was instructed to help her sister with buying the required supplies for her first year at Beuxbatons. She was busy focusing on the Firebolt she saw in the window of Francois's Broom Shop that she failed to notice right away that her younger sister slipped away. When she regained her senses on her surroundings, she began to panic when she didn't see Gabrielle. She soon found the-ten year-old examining the candy in Valim's Candy store. Fleur scolded her sister for a good five minutes before she forced her to promise she wouldn't run away again. That promise was broken not a minute later.
"Gabrielle Delacour! I will tell mère and père!" She tried. Gabrielle continued down the beaten path leading out of the view of the public eye. Gabrielle began to walk backwards while focusing her attention on her older sister.
"I want to explore, Fleur!" Gabrielle shouted. What she failed to notice however, was the blonde that had her nose buried in a magazine that was titled The Quibbler. With a loud thud, both of the blonde's fell to the ground.
Fleur rushed forward, and helped her sister off the ground. When Gabrielle was standing upright, Fleur turned to the stranger who was dusting herself off. Fleur bent down to pick up the magazine, and her fingers locked with smaller ones. She felt like electricity shot through her. In a good way. A fantastic way. If there was a such way. The other fingers snatched away quickly as if they were burned. She no doubt felt it too. When Fleur glanced up, her eyes locked with a pair of blue-gray eyes, and it felt like all the air was sucked from her lungs. Everything around her seemed to fade from her conscious mind, and she only had eyes for the perfect stranger before her. After what felt like hours, she cleared her throat, and noticed the slight blush that colored the young girls cheeks.
"I believe this is yours." Fleur said while handing over the magazine. She was cautious of physical contact.
"Thank you." The young blonde whispered airily. Fleur smiled warmly despite her best efforts not to.
"It was the least I could do. After all, it was my wrecking ball of a sister that knocked you down, oui? My name is Fleur. Fleur Delacour." She replied while politely reaching her hand out. There was a faint "Hey!" from behind them.
"My name is Luna Lovegood. Were you out searching for nargles too?" Luna asked curiously. Fleur and Gabrielle had a blank look on their faces.
"Um, is that an English word?" Fleur asked baffled. Luna narrowed her eyes questioningly.
"It should be. You don't read The Quibbler do you?" She asked. Fleur shook her head.
"I am afraid I have not." Fleur answered honestly. Luna was silent for a moment before an idea came to her mind. She pushed the magazine into the older female's hands.
"You should catch up. If we were to ever meet again, you will know what a nargle is, and realize how crazy you are to not know what it is!" Luna exclaimed.
Fleur's heart picked up. If we were to ever meet again. Did that mean that she planned to see her again? Don't be ridiculous! You just met! Well guess what, you're already falling for her. She scowled in frustration. When Fleur looked up to respond, Luna was gone. Fleur inhaled sharply, and began to panic yet again that day.
"Wait! Luna! Come back." Fleur suddenly felt empty. She glanced over at Gabrielle, who was startled at the tears that were forming in Fleur's eyes.
"What is the problem?" The younger blonde asked with concern. Fleur exhaled shakily.
"Nothing. I am fine." Fleur lied. Lie, lie, lie! She felt broken, and that scared her beyond belief. She forced a smile for her sister's sake.
"We should be going home." Fleur whispered with a cracking voice. Gabrielle nodded wordlessly. Even though they didn't get everything on the list, that wasn't the best time to finish. Her sister clearly needed the comfort of their mother.
...
When the sisters arrived home, Fleur immediately locked herself in her room. Gabrielle on the other hand, went to find her mother, and explain what was going on with Fleur. She was worried about her sister, and she knew Fleur wasn't going to tell their mother, so she had to take matters into her own hands.
"Maman, Fleur was upset today. I don't know what happened. One minute, I ran into some girl, and the next, Fleur was just staring into 'er eyes. When the girl disappeared, Fleur looked like she was going to cry!" Gabrielle explained quickly. Realization dawned on Apolline. She knelt before Gabrielle.
"Gabby, now I want you to give your sister some space. I will talk to her when she escapes the confines of her room." Apolline said.
Gabrielle looked like she wanted to protest, but she said nothing. When the young girl turned on her heel and ran upstairs, Apolline sighed. She didn't know whether to feel relieved her daughter found her mate, or worried that things went unfinished between the two. She ran a shaky hand through her blonde shoulder-length locks.
"I must fix this." She whispered to herself. With that, she set out on her new self appointed task.
...
Fleur could remember the first cut. The way she found solace in a blade. She was ashamed of herself afterwards, but during, she felt the loss she felt lessen. Fleur was sixteen at the time.
"Fleur! What is taking so long?" Apolline shouted from the other side of the bathroom door.
Fleur was so startled that she dropped the blade. It fell into the water in the sink that was swirling a light shade of pink. The pounding on the door increased, as did her heart rate. She grabbed a hand towel, and applied pressure to the cut on her stomach. Since she was too young to perform magic outside of school, she had to reside to hiding her nasty act.
"Just a minute, mère!" Fleur shouted at the door. She heard a muffled quip, and the knocking on the door decreased.
"What are you doing in there?" Apolline asked. Fleur hadn't been the same since returning home with her sister a year ago, and she was fearing the worst.
"Washing my hands. Just a moment!" Fleur responded. She inwardly congratulated herself for not speaking with a shaky voice.
"Come into the living room when you are done. We need to speak." With that, she left.
Fleur began to sob quietly. She wrapped gauges around her stomach until blood didn't seep through the white cloth. She slowly turned, and unlocked the door after she disposed of the evidence. After smoothing out her shirt, she tentatively walked downstairs. Oh how she despised the winter holiday at the moment.
"You wanted to speak with me?" Fleur asked as calmly as she was capable of.
"I wanted to talk to you one more time about this Luna." Apolline started hesitantly. She hadn't the faintest clue where to begin. Fleur groaned.
"Again mother, there is nothing more to say. We met for a brief moment, she handed me magazine, and then she was gone." Fleur recounted sadly. Apolline sighed sadly for her grieving daughter.
"Would that be the same magazine that you keep by your bedside?" Apolline asked even though she knew the answer. Fleur laughed bitterly.
"Pathetic, aren't I?" Fleur snarled bitterly. She despised herself. No. She despised who she was born to be. Part veela.
"Far from it, Fleur! You are in love. That doesn't make you pathetic. I don't want to hear you talk about yourself in that manner ever again." Apolline said sternly. Fleur nodded mutely.
"Is there anything you wish to tell me?" Apolline asked with mock calm. Fleur's eyes widened significantly. She began to stutter.
"Wh-what are you talking abo-about?" Fleur's calm mask slipped quickly. Her mother knew.
"I love you, Fleur. You are a massive part of my life, and what you are doing is paining me as much as you. Please. I will get you help. We will find your mate. I promise." Apolline swore. Just as she had since she was eight-years-old, Fleur forced a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes.
...
Fleur could remember the first time the news of the Triwizard Tournament returning after such a long period had reached her ears. It was yesterday. Fleur's bloodshot eyes stared up at the ceiling of her dormitory. Her comfy, silver duvet was abandoned on the floor at the end of her bed. Her long hair was knotted and disheveled from running irritated fingers through her silvery-blonde locks, and across her scalp.
A soft snore ripped her attention back to reality. Fleur's head snapped over to her sleeping dorm mate. The girl tossed in her sleep, but then went still. After a moment, Fleur's eyes returned to the same spot on the ceiling she had been staring at since she lied down for bed at eight... It was now midnight. With an annoyed growl, she forcefully turned onto her side. The change in positions did nothing to scatter her line of thinking however.
I am eighteen... I could very well enter. That line of thinking had been wrapping itself back-and-forth across the French witch's brain since she heard that it was a very dangerous competition in which several champions had met their untimely deaths. Fleur remembered the way her eyebrows furrowed at the buzz of excitement that hung in the air immediately after Madame Maxime's announcement. Granted, she wasn't thoroughly unpleased with the thought of the Triwizard Tournament being revived, but she wasn't jumping up and down with excitement, unlike some of her classmates.
Now here she was, contemplating whether it was worth entering or not. She had no need for the thousand galleon prize, and everyone at Beauxbatons knew that. The fame seemed enticing. People would respect her, cheer for her, actually see her. So yes, that was one point in favor of heading off to Hogwarts in October. Then there were the horrifyingly life-threatening challenges that she would no doubt have to face. Suddenly, a real smile wormed its way through her somber mask. Yes, she would definitely enter.
The thought excited her as much as it filled her with anxiety that bubbled in her gut. Yet, it was that anxiety that made her feel something she couldn't really feel since she was fifteen. Because in this moment, she felt good; No... she felt alive.