Apolline Delacour was a patient woman. Being a half veela, she had been raised to be patient with men until they could control themselves around her.
Albus Dumbledore was testing that patience.
"Now, Mrs Delacour." Apolline glared at the older wizard and let her eyes flicker towards the shame faced Fleur. "It is important that you tell us the location of Dominique Potter." He said with his statement twinkle in his eyes and Apolline scoffed, crossing one leg over the other.
"I'm sorry to say, Headmaster, but I do no t know the location of Dominique Potter." Apolline replied in her heavy French accent. The Order members present mumbled under their breath, fidgeting in annoyance and whispered to each other whilst Dumbledore stayed motionless, staring straight at Apolline who simply raised an eyebrow.
"Okay then..." He said, his lips being the only thing that actually moved as he stared at Apolline with unblinking eyes. The lack of emotion from the Headmaster unnerved Apolline, but at the same time she couldn't help but remember Sherlock and how he knew everything about you from a single glimpse.
"How about Dominique Chevalier?" Apolline stiffened, as did Fleur in the background. Whilst Fleur was an enthusiastic member of the Order - though she hid it well - she did not reveal the location of her older cousin. Dominique had been like an older sister to her ever since her father - the legendary James Potter - had left her in the care of her aunt. The older girl had been Fleur's hero and she had been heartbroken when she had left to live in the Muggle World. However, the two kept close contact, and this was why she never revealed to the Headmaster where Dominique was.
Family came first.
"I would prefer it if you stay out of my mind." Apolline hissed and knew that she would have to learn Occlumency as soon as possible. And so would her husband and daughters, if her niece was to stay safe.
"As if Dumbledore would enter your mind!" Lily argued, holding the Headmaster in high regards. She knew that Dumbledore was the epitome of everything that was Light, the one person that the Dark feared.
"I shall ask you again, my dear. Where is Dominique Chevalier?" Dumbledore asked, slowly losing patience with the veela in front of him. Apolline glared at him, keeping her lips pressed tightly together, before a voice was heard in the doorway.
"London." Henry Delacour said as he stepped into the room in his elegant black suit which matched his dark hair. "She has a flat in Muggle London. I can give you the address." With a smug smirk, Dumbledore walked towards Henry who was quickly writing down the address on a small piece of paper. Nodding once, Dumbledore led the Order out of the Delacour Manor. Fleur tried to blend in with the crowd to avoid her mother, whilst simultaneously glaring at her father.
Quickly, Delacour Manor was empty except for Henry and Apolline with young Gabrielle at her friend's and Dominique and Fleur in London. Whilst this was fortunate for Apolline, Henry was quickly contemplating the best way to avoid his wife's wrath.
"Why did you give in our niece?" Rather than shouting, Apolline appeared calm. Henry was relieved and felt confident in explaining the reasoning which he felt she would approve of. He was oblivious to the rage that was brewing inside the veela.
"If they knew where she was, they would leave our family alone. And it was only a matter of time before Fleur told them." He said in rapid french and Apolline scoffed lightly, standing up and giving Henry a glare which he had learned to fear in their long marriage.
"Fleur would never do such a thing. Family means something to her." Was all Apolline said as she walked out of the room, putting as much distance between her and her husband so she didn't resort to violence.
*Break*
Sherlock had been waiting outside the house for at least an hour now, and was quickly losing his patience with the idiotic police who were whispering as though Sherlock couldn't hear them. With a blank face, he once again looked at his phone and wondered where Dominique was.
A few minutes later, a black cab pulled up and a slim blonde got out of the taxi. She quickly paid the driver and walked over to Sherlock, who was stood with his hands in his pockets.
"Sherlock." She greeted and he nodded at her. "John seemed to think that I could help you in some way." She said with a raised eyebrow and Sherlock rolled his eyes.
"I think you'll be interested to know what I've found." He says, his voice soft as he knew that if it wasn't he would have either an angry or inconsolable Dominique. And he couldn't handle either one. With a confused expression, Dominique followed Sherlock into the old house, knowing that a few officers were not far behind them.
When they reached a room upstairs, Dominique inhaled slightly as she looked at the man in the middle if the room. She recognized the clothes he was wearing, long black robes, and knew exactly who he was.
A Death Eater.
Walking closer, she glared down at the dark mark which was standing out in deep contrast to the paleness of his skin.
"How long has he been here?" She asked and Sherlock walked closer to her, looking down at her with questioning eyes.
"He was found yesterday." He said and she nodded, narrowing her eyes at the dead body. "Is this what I think it is?" He asks and Dominique turned around to him and nodded.
"Lord Voldemort is back."
*Break*
A week after finding the dead Death Eater, Dominique was still on alert. She knew that the Order would be coming for her any time soon. That didn't mean she had to like it.
Taking off the white coat which covered her clothes, she walked out of St Bart's Hospital and climbed into a waiting taxi. Much to everyone's shock, Sherlock could actually be considerate.
Dominique was relieved when the taxi pulled up in front of 221 Baker Street and paid him, getting out before the desperate driver could ask her out... Again. As much as she loved the advantages of being a quarter veela, she hated the effect she had on men at times. Well, all except Sherlock it seemed.
"Oh!" Looking up from the file in her hand, Dominique looked at the small mousy haired girl in front of her and softly smiled. The poor girl was blushing madly and looking between her and the door behind her with wide eyes. "You're not su-supposed to b-be d-down here." She stuttered and Dominique raised an eyebrow at the obviously insecure girl in front of her.
"I'm only here to pick up something for Doctor Harper." Dominique replied, pushing past the smaller woman easily and entering the lab. Truthfully, she had jumped at the opportunity to get away from the older man who was blushing and sweating like crazy in her company, something which was becoming a habit with anyone Dominique met. She made a mental note to write to Aunt Apolline and ask for some tips to reign in her allure.
"Hmm..." Dominique twirled at the unexpected voice and faced a pale man with a mass of dark curls. She raised an eyebrow as she looked at him closely, the vain veela in her coming out. He raised an eyebrow as he noticed her gazing at his high cheekbones enviously. "You're new." He said, looking at the pristine white coat which covered the floral dress she was wearing.
"Obviously." Dominique drawled, her French accent coming out thick and Sherlock once again raised an eyebrow as the blonde woman in front of him turned her back and started looking through some folders which had been left in a high pile by Molly.
Dominique ignored the man, who ignored her right back, and continued looking for the right folder. Occasionally her eyes would drift over to the man who was looking intently into a microscope. Dominique's eyebrows furrowed as she realized that the man hadn't once been affected by her allure, which she knew was increasing due to her lack of effort in controlling it.
"Staring is considered rude here, I'm sure it is in France as well." Looking away, Dominique felt an unfamiliar blush gracing her cheeks and scowled at the pile of folders in front of her. She wasn't used to feeling embarrassed, she was usually the superior and calm one. It seemed like Fleur was following in her footsteps as well.
Finally finding the right folder, she turned on her heels and walked out of the room without once looking at the dark haired man. Stopping at the door, she turned around and looked closely at the man who ignored her.
"Do you feel... Any different when I'm in the room?" Dominique hesitantly asked and the man looked up with narrowed eyes.
"Should I?" He asked and Dominique carefully masked her surprise, just like her Mama and Auntie Apolline had taught her.
"Maybe." She replied, turning and walking out of the room, leaving Sherlock to watch after her with a new emotion he wasn't used to feeling. Confusion. She was just an ordinary woman but yet she had done something no other woman was capable of.
She had captured his attention.
He wasn't sure whether it was her clear belief that she was superior, her confidence which women seemed to lack these days or her obvious experience in masking emotions just like him.
Then again, it could be the fact that her skin was softly glowing unlike any other woman's. Raising an eyebrow, Sherlock turned back to the microscope and wondered whether or not it was worth pursuing further.
Dominique walked through the hallways and came across the mouse woman from earlier who was now carrying two mugs of streaming hot drinks. Making up her mind, she walked over to her with pursed lips.
"The man in the lab... What's his name?" She asked and the woman's eyes widen before some sort of defeat washed over her.
"Sherlock. Sherlock Holmes." She said before walking away quickly, leaving Dominique to contemplate the enigma that was turning out to be Sherlock Holmes.
Opening the door to the small building which had become her home, she frowned as she spotted John at the top of the stairs. Closing the door behind her, she raised an eyebrow as John raised his hands up in surrender, recognizing the look in Dominique's eyes. The one which he had come to know when Sherlock had done something dangerous, annoying or just plain wrong in her eyes.
"Sherlock sent me to stall you. It seems you have some visitors, Dom." He said and Dominique walked up the stairs, with John closely following behind her. As she reached the living room of 221B Baker Street, she had no trouble recognizing Albus Dumbledore who was flanked by Her father and Lily Potter.
"Miss Chevalier." Albus greeted and Sherlock looked up from his laptop but didn't comment, not wanting to get in the way of Dominique's growing anger. He was just glad she wasn't going on at him for once.
"I see you've visited my Aunt." She commented, walking over to Sherlock and raising an eyebrow at Fleur which raised her eyebrows meaningfully, to which she nodded slightly.
"She wasn't very willing to reveal where you lived, my dear." He replied and Dominique scoffed, realizing her Uncle must have told Dumbledore. She would be having a chat with dear Uncle Henry.
"Of course, I actually mean something to her." She said with a glare directed to James. Lily stiffened and opened her mouth but was interrupted by the appearance of Mrs Hudson.
"I'm sorry. It's just that.. Marie wanted her Mama." She said quietly, not looking at the Order members, instead facing Sherlock and Dominique with an adorable curly haired toddler on her hip. The present Order members were all shocked as Dominique walked over, taking the blonde in her arms as Sherlock stood up.
"Now, what exactly do you want with my wife?" He asked calmly, looking at the Order who were all too shocked to speak for the moment.