AN: I am attempting a long fic, so prepare for annoying wait times, confusing plot lines, and going back to reread previous chapters because I decide to change something [and I WILL change something ;)]
UPDATE: Yep, these two chapters are pretty much the same, but I took out some of the icky parts. I might do a darker one-shot later, but the stuff I put out earlier was weighing on my mind. Soooo... I cut it. That's my right, as the author, but I would love to hear how you guys feel about the changes.
Disclaimer: You know, and I know. I'll say it anyway: JK Rowling© is owned by the author whose pseudonym is Harry Potter and the Publishing Company, Hogwarts LLC. No need to put up a fuss.
Harry Potter, Triwizard contestant, and Boy-Who-Lived was feeling much better.
He had come down with a nasty cold after the events in the Black Lake last week. Who knew spending more than an hour underwater in freezing-cold temperatures would literally kill off half of his magical immune system, making him vulnerable to illnesses he would otherwise be fine against.
…
'Bloody sodding tournament with its bloody idiotic organizers.' Harry said under his breath. The duffers in charge of these events had evidently never heard of proper planning. Not only was the crowd supposed to stare at a lake for an hour, the contestants were supposed to go swimming in February.
In reality, Harry realized that he could have just as easily applied a warming charm to himself before he dove into the lake half-cocked, but what did they really expect? Having a fourteen-year-old piece together a riddle, hinting that he will need to dive into the lake in mid-winter to retrieve a treasure taken from him…
Yeah, he should have known better.
Walking down toward the Great Hall for lunch, he spotted Fleur and her friend coming from the other direction. They had seen each other in passing a few times over the previous days but hadn't had another real talk since that night in the infirmary. He had no expectations of friendship, but he knew that someone else was out there who understood that little broken piece of him and could be trusted with it.
Smiling, he greeted them, "Hello Fleur, Fleur's friend. How are you this fine Thursday afternoon?" He stopped to wait for them to reach him so they could enter the Hall together.
"We are doing fine, thank you 'Arry," Fleur answered, "and this is my friend Dian. She is also part veela, though through her father, so she does not have any special gifts."
Harry looked at the brunette and agreed. She looked nothing like Fleur, though she was still quite pretty. Wishing them a good day, Harry walked over to the Gryffindor table and sat down next to Ron and Seamus, who were discussing, like always, Quidditch.
"I'm telling you mate, the Irish team was all around better than the Bulgarians, and with a new Seeker next year, we'll be a sure thing to win the Home Cup!"
"No way! The Arrows and the Cannons have much better rosters after the clean out last season! I'll admit the Cannons have been in a slump the last few years, but this year we'll turn it all around! New manager, new chasers, and a whole new sponsor that is putting them all on new brooms! There is no way the Cannons won't make it to the Cup Finals!" Ron was as die-hard a fan as any team could hope for, even having the orange hair to rep for them 24/7.
Harry interrupted them, "What about Puddlemere? Oliver is their new reserve keeper, and they have a new beater pair to back up their offensive Chaser line." Got to support the old captain.
"Nah, they're good, but not strong enough for the Cup. Maybe next year when their cack-handed Seeker has some more practice at actually catching the snitch." Seamus retorted.
Harry shrugged as he reached for the mashers. He didn't really follow the leagues, as the culmination of them was during the summer months when he was at the Dursleys. "All the same, they might surprise everyone. I have a feeling they will go farther than people think," he finished with a grin.
Seamus shrugged as well and took a bite of his bacon sandwich. 'Always seemed to be eating meat, that one,' Harry mused as he himself piled on the black pudding. Ron continued to eat whatever was in front of him at the time, belying his beanstalk frame.
Ron was a special kind of guy, at least in Harry's mind. He would completely support you without a doubt, in some of the toughest situations, but throw the issue of 'everlasting fame' out there, and he goes red and silent. Harry loved him like a brother, but he knew Ron needed to work on his temper. When Harry's name came out of the Goblet on Halloween, Ron had at first been shocked but happy his best mate had figured out a way to break the age line. Then that happiness turned to curiosity, then to bitterness. He had gotten very angry when even after the fact Harry wouldn't admit to putting his name in. The next few days were strained, but eventually, Ron had started coming around.
Convincing Hermione to tell him about all the deaths from past tournaments wasn't a part of his change, and Harry stood by that.
When Ron had eventually come back, asking Harry straight out if he had put his name in, and Harry denied it, then the duo began to heal the minor rift between them. Hermione had only shaken her head and muttered something under her breath, but smiled when they pulled out Ron's chess board. By the first task, they were back to being the Golden Trio, and it was actually Ron's idea to use his broom to outfly the dragon, though it was said in jest at first.
Clearing his thoughts, Harry shook his head and finished his lunch. The trio got up and started making for the exit. Contemplatively, Harry posed possibly the most important question yet, "Have you two seen the newest addition to the French contingent around anywhere? The little blonde one? She has been suspiciously absent all week."
As if fate was mocking him, he began to feel a tingle down his spine of the magnitude of the one he had gotten down in the lake when Krum-Shark was coming towards him.
Whipping his head around, he spotted an incoming blonde missile. Bracing for impact, he acknowledged the inevitable and accepted his fate. Leaving everything to Ron, Hermione, and Sirius in his mental will, he was ready for whatever came next.
Gabrielle Delacour couldn't have been more than five stone, yet when she whumped into her hero, he was knocked to the ground and slid a good meter. With her face buried in his robes, he couldn't understand her, and even if he could hear her, it was most likely in French.
Accepting that he would be hearing about this from Ron and Seamus for many months to come, he patted her on the back and tried to pry her from her death grip.
Getting her separated enough to begin to understand what she was saying, he picked up words like "hero", "lumary", and "bestest friend ever" from her babbling, but little else.
Again spotting Fleur and Dian, he tried to signal them to come help, but they just waved back and kept walking. Inwardly grumbling at 'no good French veela', he managed to get back to his feet with little Gabby still holding on around his chest.
Twenty minutes later, Harry was late to Runes but had a very grateful Mrs. Delacour's note saying what happened and that Harry should be excused for walking little Gabby back to the carriage. Professor Babbling gave him a look, but simply nodded and allowed Harry to sit down.
"As I was saying, the Norse runic system is one of the steadiest and most widely used runic languages today. It is the foundation for much of the warding schemes and enchantments that have been developed over the past 300 years." Harry began taking notes and started to drift in the magic of ancient languages. He had always had an easy affinity for languages, probably related to his Parseltongue ability.
"The Sowilo rune is the next in the sequence, symbolizing the sun or illumination. Said to strengthen the hvel, it is important to note that many of the strongest protection rune schemes are based around this rune."
Glancing up, Harry noted down the lightning shaped symbol and its meanings and importance, as well as its uses in advanced schemes.
Curious, he asked the professor, "Could it be applied to a person and used as a protection?"
Babbling looked up and frowned, thinking the question over. "I doubt it, as it would take a particularly strong intent to be of any sort of use. I assume you ask because of your scar?"
Harry nodded.
Babbling was contemplative. "I suppose it could be a side effect of the love your mother had for you and the strength of the Killing Curse. It is impossible to replicate, so any further thought would be simply academic."
Again, Harry nodded. He assumed as much but was still curious at the odd similarity to his scar.
As the class finished, Hermione stayed behind to ask the Professor further questions about the combination sowilo rune she introduced, and its relation to the raido. Harry hovered near the back and made his way forward slowly, hoping that Hermione would be finished and would leave before he reached the front.
"… inverse properties of sowilo damage the destiny/traveling intent of the raido? And another thing, would the raido be a combination of the isa and sowilo runes, or is it the other way around, that they are components of the raido?" Hermione shot off rapid fire, eyes wide and hungry for information.
"How about you come by later this evening and we can discuss these questions?" Babbling countered amusedly.
Hermione blushed, then muttered, "I can't come by tonight. I've got a date with Viktor." By the end of this brief statement, Professor Babbling was wide eyed and said in a shocked tone, "Well congratulations. I suppose I can make time this weekend if you are still curious. Come find me tomorrow night, and we can find a time that would work."
Harry was slightly surprised but happy for his friend. He wasn't sure Krum was the best match to her personality, but she had admittedly begun to emerge from her tomes since the Bulgarian first came. Inwardly grinning, he inserted, "I'll be keeping an eye on Krum. Never know what those Bulgarians might be doing over on their ship."
Hermione jumped a little. 'Apparently, she didn't realize I was still here,' Harry thought amusedly.
Spinning to face him, she hit his shoulder with her free hand, and indignantly replied, "You will do no such thing! Viktor is the perfect gentleman, and I'll have you know he and I are doing just fine without interference on your part!"
"Geez Hermione, it was just a joke! You know I like Krum." Harry rubbed his arm, making sure to remember Hermione was way too strong to be pissing off.
Hermione huffed and offered a small apologetic smile. "I know Harry; it's just having all these girls looking accusingly at me while I'm with him. I'll see you later, alright?"
Harry nodded, and Hermione exited the classroom.
Turning to Professor Babbling, he asked, "Can I come by later to discuss the sowilo rune schemes? I feel that it could be useful, especially the 'Illumination' aspect of them."
"Of course Mr. Potter, like I said to Hermione, I'm always happy to help a student looking to further their understanding."
Harry wished his head of house was like that. Lately, McGonagall had been suspiciously absent from Gryffindor Tower, probably due to her Deputy Headmistress position.
"Thank you, Professor. See you tonight."
Walking into the Ancient Runes classroom for the second time that day, Harry noticed something he had missed, really all year. The decorations on the entryway to the classroom glowed slightly, not bright enough to be noticed in the full light of day, but now when the sun was down and only candlelight lit the room, it was possible to make out the etchings along the doorframe and the light blue glow they produced.
"I see you noticed the door. I'm afraid I can't take credit for it, it was there when I got the post. My predecessor only told me two things about it: it was a good thing, and it was made by one of the brightest witches he knew, your mother."
Harry had startled when he heard the professor's voice over his shoulder but continued studying the patterns until she mentioned his mum.
Quickly turning to Professor Babbling, he asked with wide eyes, "My mum was a Runes student?"
Babbling smiled. "Yes, in fact, when I was a fourth year, and she a seventh, she would teach the class when Professor Gershram wasn't feeling well, which happened pretty often that year if memory serves.
"Lily was quite adept at explaining the power of runes and had a peculiar affinity for the Norse and Assyrian alphabets, which, as you should know, are two of the most powerful rune sets, particularly the way Lily used them. She could seamlessly move from one scheme to the next without even looking at a template. Gershram told me that this doorway was Lily's parting gift to the Ancient Runes classroom. Wherever the classroom is, the doorway will have these carvings. He never told me exactly what it was supposed to do, but I have pieced together some of the significance of the scheme.
"Basically what it is supposed to do is filter the negative aspects of the people who walk through the door. It isn't a cure-all, but if a person with a cold comes through, the runny nose will slow down, the fever will slightly drop, and so forth. If a person with anger or bad intentions comes through, a small part of the negative emotions drains away. It is powered by the ambient magic exuded by the castle, which is a very difficult thing to do. Most runescribes wouldn't be able to fit the necessary schemes on the archway, let alone the rest of the schemes she managed to fit.
"As the years go by, I have seen some amazing people walk through that door, and every time I see them walk through, I am reminded of your mother and what she could have done if her life wasn't cut short. She could have easily earned an apprenticeship with any Runemaster in the world with this doorway, and yet she chose to pursue Charms and later, motherhood. But I doubt you came here with questions about the archway. Now, I believe you wanted to discuss sowilo 'illumination' schemes, correct?"
Tearing his eyes from the archway, he nodded to the professor. "I feel like that aspect of the rune would be helpful to study, but I didn't see anything in the book that mentioned uses for that aspect, only that the rune could mean that."
Babbling nodded. "It is an important part of the rune, but rarely is it used solely for that purpose. It is far more common to see it used, like I said in class, at the center of a protective runic scheme. 'Illumination' in this case means something far more complex than simple light. When properly applied, it helps the scheme push through every obstacle. In the protection schemes, it provides the strength to not give up, but in the 'illumination' schemes, it provides the strength of will to overcome."
Harry thought about the uses this could have for the tournament, and immediately came up with a few ideas. "Could this be used as a weapon? I mean, could I apply it to a stone and throw it? Or maybe into a club to bash things out of the way?"
Babbling nodded. "Those would certainly work, but try and think of the 'Illumination' aspect of it as the motivational push to overcome the dark. Actually, come over here." She gestured him over to the doorway. "Do you see here, to the left of the center of the arch? The sowilo is used here as a way to point the cleansing power of the arch toward the negative aspects in someone's outlook."
"What is it used for here?" Harry asked, pointing to the lower right.
Babbling looked confused. "That isn't sowilo. That entire section is in a runic language I haven't seen before. I haven't found a single book helping me translate it. Do you mean you can read it?"
Harry gave a hesitant nod. He was thinking this day couldn't get any stranger, first with Gabby, then the arch that his mother apparently made. Now it appeared that she wrote part of it in a language only he knew.
"Interesting. We will have to investigate further sometime soon. Well, I won't keep you any longer, Harry, but please hurry back to your common room. It is almost curfew, and I don't want to get you in trouble.
Harry walked out, heading up to the portrait entrance to Gryffindor Tower. The whole walk back, he thought about the arch, and he kept running the 'Illumination' aspect of the sowilo rune over in his head. "The understanding of the Mysteries and the full awareness. It is the direct and devastating power which no obstacle can stop. Sowilo resists the forces of death and destruction, revealing the goals that man wants to reach."
Fleur felt far too awake for the bed she was currently occupying. She had gone to sleep fairly early in anticipation of today, the day she would finally confront her concern for Harry. She had no designs on the boy, just anxiety that he would take her concern the wrong way.
After their talk in the Hospital Wing, she hadn't had the opportunity to really think over all the subtleties of the conversation until the previous weekend. She had come to the conclusion last night that he was hiding something, not just from her, but from everyone, which wasn't healthy. Even she had talked with her parents about her insecurities, but Harry wasn't sharing his problems with anyone. She was under no delusions of becoming his best friend, but she wanted to make sure he would be okay. She knew that not talking only made the issues worse, not make them go away.
Rolling out of bed, she hopped in the shower, grateful each student got their own small bathroom. She let her hair down and quickly worked her way through it, not putting as much attention as she usually would into making sure every inch was sparkling. She was still far too nervous to do much more than rinse off and get dressed. As soon as the drying charm finished, she walked out of the carriage, past some of her peers, and practically ran towards Hogwarts through the cold morning air. The Beauxbatons students had the option to take their meals in the carriage if they wanted, but the Headmistress encouraged them to build friendships in the castle.
Reaching the great double doors, they opened in front of her and she went in, making her way towards the Great Hall.
It was still early on the next Thursday morning, but the tables were beginning to be filled by awakening students. Harry himself had woken up a mere twenty minutes previously and had showered while the other boys were still untangling from their sheets.
The last few days had been beyond hectic. Besides meeting with Professor Babbling to discuss sowilo rune schemes, the amount of homework he had had to catch up on between the tournament and being sick, and general insanity inherent with living in close proximity to the Weasley Twins, Harry had had no time to even see Fleur beyond passing in the hallways. Not that he expected much more, but the French witch was kind when the other students were still wary of him.
Just as Gabby had apparently been summoned just by thinking of her, Fleur appeared, walking into the Great Hall by herself. She looked around, spotted her friend at the Ravenclaw table and waved. Then she did something totally and completely outside of understanding.
She walked over to the Gryffindor table and sat down next to Harry Potter.
The inhabitants of the table were shocked, judging by the looks on their faces, but none of them was as surprised as Harry. Stuttering out a good morning, he continued to assemble a hearty English Breakfast.
"Good morning to you as well, 'Arry. I hope you don't mind if I sit here this morning? I wanted to talk with you for a little bit."
Harry nodded, already feeling less awkward. He had to remind himself that she wasn't a haughty heiress, but a real witch, with all or more of the naff associated with it. Grinning, he leaned over and whispered to her, "You caused a real stir, breaking house boundaries. Not many people have the courage to sit down casually at the Gryffindor table."
She gave a small smile in return and assembled a light meal. Turning back towards him, she cast a small privacy charm around the two of them, nothing that would stop a determined eavesdropper, but enough to dissuade anyone from trying. He had learned that charm a few weeks back while researching in the library, providing an escape from the hostility of Madame Pince and her ultimate quest for silence.
"What did you want to talk about?" Harry asked, biting into his bacon, egg, and cheese sandwich.
"I wanted to thank you again for saving Gabby," Harry waved this off, considering the matter closed and fully 'thanked', "and for not spreading any stories about. I have to admit that the morning after our talk, I was a little afraid that you would tell someone of what you learned, and the hostility would come back again." At this, Harry paused in his pursuit of a runaway piece of toast and faced her fully. He was a little surprised that she thought he would share her secrets, but could understand not fully trusting anyone.
"I wouldn't betray a friend like that. If you 'tell me something in confidence, in confidence it shall be kept,' and all that rot. I know we just became friends," he said this last word hesitantly, not wanting to push for something she hadn't offered, "but you can trust me."
Fleur had a small smile, and her eyes were slightly shining. "Thank you, 'Arry, I haven't made a true friend in a long time. Dian has been there for me, but she doesn't understand what I've been through, so there is always a rift when one of us needs to unload our frustrations." She cut herself short of saying something more, Harry could tell.
He smiled back at her and continued eating. Looking up, he saw Ron and Neville approaching, and quietly signaled Fleur to take down the charm.
As Ron approached the table, his attention was somehow drawn away from the food, and towards the beautiful witch sitting next to Harry. Harry was actually amazed that something had distracted him from food this early in the morning. One more sign that Ron was growing up.
Ron blushed and stuttered out a good morning, and Neville squeaked something similar out, and Harry watched as Fleur's eyes went slightly more aloof, and her body language went from open to guarded in an instant. 'She really is an expert at hiding herself in plain sight,' Harry thought. She wasn't aloof like she was on the first night, but she also wasn't the same quiet young woman he had seen in the Hospital Wing.
Fleur's "Good morning," to both boys was kind and welcoming, but Harry could sense the difference between the one she gave to him several minutes prior.
"C-can I ask why you're sitting here? N-Not that there is anything wrong of course! With you sitting here I mean!" Neville blushed and looked down. His Gryffindor courage was spent for the day.
Fleur smiled and replied, "Just talking with 'Arry for a moment. Mostly about how 'Arry will reward me with a trip to 'ogsmeade once I won the tournament." Her lie was smooth and completely within the realm of possibility. He admired her skill, thinking privately that he would try and get her to teach him.
She looked at them and without malice, asked: "May I ask who the two of you are, and why you sat down here?" He could sense that she was merely curious, but he was afraid Ron might take it the wrong way.
"I'm Ron Weasley, and this is Neville Longbottom. We're friends of Harry's, but I'm more curious why you're talking with him; you are rivals after all. Trying to get secrets out of him?"
Harry quietly sighed. Trust the Ron Weasley temper to flare at the wrong moment.
Quickly taking the situation in hand, he calmed Ron down with a look and assuaged Fleur's annoyed expression with some quiet words.
"Ron here is my best mate, and Neville is something of a legend. He is the only one to ever slow me down when I was locked onto a goal. Guys, Fleur and I really were just talking, though I really think we need to work on your English, Fleur, because I was sure we were talking about how you will be rewarding me with a trip to Hogsmeade once I won." He gently nudged her with a small grin.
Fleur giggled and grabbed a piece of toast from the plate in front of her. Glad that she wasn't mad at Ron, Harry smiled back.
Albus woke up feeling very refreshed and ready for a fantastic day. The sun was shining, Fawkes was finally big enough to flash with him, and he had a brand new lemon-drop pouch, charmed to repel phoenix 'gifts'; It was sure to be a happy day. Picking out appropriate robes for the day, Albus walked out of the closet wearing purple pants and a lime-green shirt underneath his sparkly red-trimmed robes. It was sure to get much attention and compliments.
Heading down to the Great Hall, he entered using the teacher's wing door and walked casually over to his chair.
'Aaahh, whoever invented the back massage chair charm was a genius,' Albus thought. So it was that he missed the first few minutes of Harry and Fleur's interaction, and was still blissfully unaware that his boy-hero was gaining a new friend.
'Ooohh-hOO! That was one finicky knot!' Dumbledore thought, absently picking his nose as he waited for his Breakfast special to appear in front of him.
Fleur giggled at Harry's diffusion of the tense atmosphere surrounding Ron. She was glad he was subtle enough to pick up her hint that she didn't want the two boys to know what they had been talking about.
As the three Hogwarts students began to get up to head back to their dorms, Fleur pulled on Harry's sleeve, silently asking him to stay back briefly.
"Harry, do you suppose we could continue our conversation later? I have a few more things I want to discuss with you. Not that I don't think we can trust these two, but I want to limit the spread of our discussion."
Harry nodded. "I can meet you after classes today, around 4 if Sprout lets us leave a little early." He shrugged. "Not much going on this weekend either, if you want to meet in Hogsmeade." He blinked, looking slightly flushed at his impulsiveness. "That is if you are free as well."
Fleur felt a twinge of joy that Harry valued her company enough to want to spend his Hogsmeade time with her. "I would love to 'Arry. 'Ow about we meet at the Broomsticks for lunch and then find a spot we can talk."
Agreed, they parted ways at the entrance hall, Fleur going back to the carriage to pick up her books for classes, and Harry to go to Transfiguration with Ron and Neville, each excited for the weekend to come.
AN: Thanks for reading, please review and let me know what you think. I feel like this is less development and more filler. I threw in a couple long term plot points, but you probably won't see how they work out till later, maybe a couple 'years.'
Little throwaway: "lumary" is actually le mari, which is husband in french according to google translate. If anyone takes offense, I apologize, but I like it when authors explain a few of their throwaway obscure references.
Clarifying AU points: Harry is smarter and has a slightly darker past (as you can tell from the last chapter), Ron is less of an idiot and never actually abandoned Harry, and Hermione is more real and less of an encyclopedia (less, not completely gone), like in book six. Oh, and Fleur isn't stuck up, but she is kind of defensive. You'll notice other changes as we go, and I'll continue to read other stories and stea- err, borrow ideas from them. I might even give some of them credit!
UPDATE: CH 3 IS COMING SOON
