Fleur Delacour's high heels rapped on the floor as she walked on the marble floor. She entered the Gringotts bank, without giving a second glance to the warning pasted onto the glorious old doors. She went straight to the High Goblin's table –that was what the most important goblin was called. Heads turned in her direction as she walked. She was getting attention, yes, that was her aim. Hopefully, today, she'd get someone else's attention as well.
She cleared her throat, and the High Goblin looked up. Or down, in this case, for he was sitting in a high desk.
"I eem looking for Bill Weasley. I theenk 'e works 'ere," she said, smiling as charmingly as possible. The goblin didn't look even slightly charmed.
"He is away for the day. Come back later," he said, annoyed. Fleur's face fell.
"But 'e said—"
"And I said he's not here! Either get some money from your vault or go away, miss!" Fleur's beautiful smile turned to a frown. She turned on her heels and walked away, making as much noise as she could.
"Wheere to now?" she muttered to herself. She rummaged through her silvery blue cloak's pockets for a while, and then she found what she was looking for. It was a piece of parchment, written only one word on it. She read that single word, as if trying to memorize, then turned on her heels again, this time vanishing with a loud "crack".
She appeared in front of a big house that looked like it would collapse any moment. There was a sign that read "Burrow" on it. She took the parchment out again and compared the words. Apparently, she decided that they matched, for she put the parchment back into her pocket with a satisfied smirk. She straightened her back, squared her shoulders and started to walk towards the irregular house.
"Ginny! Don't make me mad, come here!" a very angry Mrs. Weasley yelled to her daughter. A few seconds later, her daughter approached.
"Go and tell Ron not to empty his trunk, we're leaving in a few days anyway. Then come back to help me," she said. Ginny nodded and went off.
The Weasleys, in a few days, would be going to the Number 12, Grimmauld Place, to live with Sirius Black. Sirius Black. The mass murderer. She shuddered at the thought. She motioned for Ginny, who has come back to help her with the laundry.
"'ello, is anybody 'ome?" Fleur asked, getting ready to dazzle everyone who came on her path. Two boys, each like the copy of the other, sprang out of the door. One of them, getting caught in Fleur's magical beauty, gave her a flirtatious smile.
"We're home," he said. "Can we help you with anything?"
"I eem looking for Bill. Ees 'e living 'ere?" she asked. This time, the other one answered her.
"He's not here. But you sure would like to come in? By the way, I'm Fred and this is George." Fleur smiled dashingly and took his hand. The boy led her into the house. Inside, a girl and her mother were trying to do the laundries, while a very tall, red-headed boy argued about something. Fleur thought she knew this boy. When his mother said, "Don't argue anymore, Ron!" something clicked. Ron. Harry Potter's sidekick. The idiot to have the nerve of asking something as gorgeous as her to the Ball. She turned her nose up, trying to embarrass him.
One of the boys said, "Mom, this is Fleur Delacour. One of the champions last year." At this sentence, Ron turned his head, squeaked and ran upstairs. Fleur smiled, satisfied.
"She is looking for Bill," the other twin finished up. The mother eyed her suspiciously.
"Bill isn't home," she said dismissingly. Fleur put up a fake smile
.
"I know, but this monsieur told mee that I could wait 'ere," she said, gesturing to one of the twins.
The woman then said, "Fine. Fred, George, go help your father," and returned back to her work. The twins, still throwing glances over their shoulders, walked away.
Fleur's face fell. How dare they ignore such a beauty! She sat down gracefully. After a while, the woman went out. Now she was alone with the girl. She also had red hair, and blue eyes. Her face was freckled. She wasn't even close to pretty. Fleur wondered how a stupid, common family like this could produce someone nearly as beautiful as her. Nearly.
"Hi," the girl said. "I'm Ginny. And you are Fleur Delacour, right?" Fleur nodded. She wasn't going to get friendly with such a common, ugly girl.
After a moment of silence, Ginny asked her about France. Fleur, happy she had a chance to show off what she had, forgot about her earlier decision and launched into conversation.
"Well, back at 'ome, I and my family live in a large, stupéfier 'ouse. There are 'ouse elves all around, they do everything you want. And the décoration ees just so parfait. Nothing ees like 'ere in France.Wee 'ave fairies. But of coursee, vous probably 'aven't seen a fairy before," she said.
"Well, you bet I did," Ginny said angrily. Then she stood up and left.
"She probably couldn't stand being shadowed by mee," Fleur thought as the mother re-entered.
"Why do you want to talk to Bill?" she asked rudely. Bill was at an emergency meeting with the Order, and she didn't want this snoop around.
"'e invited me to Gringotts, 'e said 'e'd find a job for me. You know, for my Eenglish," she smiled sheepishly.
"Well, we are going to eat lunch now, and you can—"
"Join?" Fleur broke in. "Oh, I'd be ravi!" She stood up and sat down at the wobbly table. Mrs Weasley turned back and started to prepare lunch while muttering about something. Her face was red.
A few seconds later, Fleur got bored and decided to help this woman. She stood up and looked at the way she was making steaks. She cried,
"Ah, non, non! " She took her wand out and waved it to towards the steaks. They immediately turned pinkish, uncooked.
"Vous aren't supposed to cook them like zis! It's too much! Let me show 'ow it's done!" At this time, Mrs Weasley, whom Ginny had complained about Fleur before, exploded.
"Get out! You can't treat me and my family like this! Get – OUT!" she said, drawing her wand. She had enough in her plate anyway, with You-Know-Who back and poor Harry suffering at Dursley's.
Fleur was shocked. "But Bill said—"
"Go. Wait. For. Bill. At. Gringotts'," she said. Fleur, still shocked, got out as Ginny entered.
"I hope Bill doesn't fall in love with her," she said.
Mrs. Weasley, as an answer, exclaimed, "It's impossible! They have nothing in common!"
"We'll see how that turns out," Ginny said gravely.