AN: As a thanks to all those who have followed, faved and/or reviewed my last chapter, I have decided to release chapter two! This one will focus primarily on Harry and Fleur's initial reactions and plans for the future, in the event the don't swap back. Also, I have been asked about the pairing for this story. Right now, I am undecided on who the characters will end up with. I will say that the oldest character Harry, Fleur or others of their age group will end up with would be Tonks. At present, I am more concerned with establishing the friendships Harry will have. As always enjoy!
Chapter 2: The 'Core' Problem
"Ugh. What hit me?", responded the form of Fleur, in surprisingly perfect English and without her thick French accent.
"Unfortunately, we don't know at this time Ms. Delacour.", Pomfrey answered truthfully.
"Ms. Delacour? Poppy it's me Harry. How could you forget me? I am in here every year."
"Excuse me?! Did you just say that you are Harry?!"
"Who else would I …wait why does my voice sound different, and like a girl's? Did I get hit with a voice changing spell?"
"Harry?", asked a very confused Dumbledore.
"Yes professor?", responded the form of Fleur.
"Could you please tell me the last thing that you remember?"
"Of course, sir. I was on my way back to the common room when I ran into Fleur. She wouldn't let me pass, and we both began to get into an argument. The next thing I know I'm blinded by a flash, and then nothing until I came to a few moments ago. Why? Is something wrong?"
"Harry, I believe you should take a look at yourself.", said Dumbledore, while simultaneously passing Harry a mirror.
Harry took the mirror expecting to see a slightly banged up reflection of himself; he did get hit with a large number of hexes after all. But instead of seeing his familiar fourteen-year-old male face, his reflection showed the face of the most beautiful seventeen-year-old girl he had ever seen. Blue eyes replaced his emerald. Silky silver-blonde hair replaced his shaggy black. There was no sign of his glasses or famous lightning bolt shaped scar. Harry then looked down at the rest of 'his' body. He was taller, roughly the average height for a seventeen-year-old girl. His black Hogwarts robes were replaced with the light blue ones of a Beauxbatons female student. His arms and hands were slenderer. He had pedicured nails. He also noticed he now had a somewhat hourglass figure. Yet most surprisingly, he had somehow gained two sizable breasts. Looking back at the reflection of 'his' face, Harry realized he now possessed the body of nonother than Fleur Delacour.
"W-what h-happened?!", Harry was barely able to say due to shock.
"It would appear, that you and Ms. Delacour have ended up in each other's bodies when the large number of hexes you two were victims of caused your magical cores to swap.", replied Dumbledore.
"Excuse me professor, but shouldn't the exchange of their cores only cause them to have each other's magic?", asked Hermione.
"One would think as much Ms. Granger, yet many have speculated that one's magic, and thus their core, is in fact directly tied to the soul. It seems that this situation, while unfortunate, has provided evidence that could prove this claim true.", responded Dumbledore.
"Is there a way to reverse this?", Harry asked timidly.
"Sadly, we don't know at this time."
"Even if there is a way, we can't know if it will be safe. You two are the only ones that are known to have survived an experience such as this. If we attempt to reverse this, the trauma you two would go through could kill you.", Pomfrey added.
"So, I'm supposed to live the rest of my life as a girl I barely know who is from another country and is older than me?", Harry asked worriedly.
"Unless we find a safe way to undo this, then I am afraid so Harry.", Dumbledore responded sadly.
"Have you told Fleur this yet?"
"Alas, Ms. Delacour has yet to awaken."
"I'm starting to wish that I hadn't.", Harry muttered softly while bringing his new legs closer to his new chest.
Dumbledore gave Harry a sad glance before turning his gaze to what was now the new form of Fleur. It was hard for the aged headmaster to see Harry's old body and believe that the person in it wasn't the boy he viewed as a grandson. It was even harder for him to think of how confused and scared Harry must be. The boy had just been attacked, woke up in the body of someone who was almost a stranger to him, and potentially lost his old life all in one day. Before Dumbledore could comfort Harry, he was beaten to it by Hermione and Ron.
"Harry?", Hermione asked cautiously.
"Yeah Mione, it's me.", Harry answered somberly.
"You ok mate?", Ron asked in a very concerned tone.
"Why wouldn't I be? I mean this must have just been the next logical step after losing my parents as a baby, living with abusive relatives for fourteen years, facing a troll, a possessed professor, the ghost of Voldemort, giant spiders, a basilisk, Dementors, the man who betrayed my parents, and Death Eaters at the World Cup.", Harry responded sarcastically while coming close to tears.
"Oh Harry.", said Hermione as she slowly enveloped Harry in a caring hug.
"Why can't I just have a normal life Mione?! Haven't I been through enough?! Now I'm not even myself anymore! I just wanted a quite year where I could just focus on my schoolwork and hang out with you and Ron. Now the hope for that is all gone and I don't know if I'll ever get my own life back!", Harry cried as tears leaked from his new eyes.
"It'll be okay Harry. No matter what we'll still be your friends, even if that means we have to pretend that you're Fleur."
"You guys promise?"
"Of course we do mate! You're still Harry even if you're a French dame on the outside.", Ron said, while also receiving a glare from Hermione for calling Harry a dame.
"Thank you. You're the best friends that I could ask for; even if you were a Malfoy sized prat just yesterday Ron.", Harry said with his tone slightly rising and a small smile.
All three gave a small chuckle to Harry's insult of Ron, while each having different thoughts concerning the situation. Hermione was thinking of ways to help Harry cope with what happened, especially after hearing that it may be irreversible. Ron was thinking of how to make up for his actions just a day ago. He realized that Harry couldn't have entered himself in the tournament, at least not after Harry's recent emotional outburst. Harry was just trying to keep himself somewhat together while he rationalizing the situation. He was calmed a little knowing that no matter what he still had his friends at his side. The Golden Trio were shaken from their thoughts when they began to hear stirring coming from the bed that contained Harry's original body.
"Why does my head feel like it is about to burst?", were the words, in fluent French, that left Harry's original body's, now Fleur's, mouth.
"Ms. Delacour?", asked Pomfrey, in order to prove everyone's suspicions.
"Oui Madame 'ealer."
"Do you feel all right?"
"Ozzer zan mon splitting 'eadache and mon deeper voice, I am un'urt."
"Ms. Delacour do you remember seeing a bright flash of light?", asked Dumbledore.
"Oui, during mon fight with 'Arry. Pourquoi?", Fleur responded.
"It is my belief that it was the cause of your and Mr. Potter's current predicament."
"Predicament?"
"Ms. Delacour you may want to take a look at yourself, and then take a look across the room.", Dumbledore said while passing Fleur the same mirror he gave to Harry earlier.
Fleur did as she was asked, and just like Harry before her she expected to see a slightly banged up version of herself. And just like Harry, she was shocked at the reflection that was staring back at her. She no longer saw her beautiful seventeen-year-old face, but rather one of a shocked fourteen-year-old boy. Black messy hair replaced her silky silver-blonde. Emerald eyes behind glasses in place of her perfect vision blue. A lightning bolt shaped scar adorned her new forehead. Gone was her hourglass figure and average height; rather, she was now slightly short and broader built. Her breasts were now gone, but she now felt something between her new legs. Fleur was now one hundred percent sure that she possessed the body of Harry Potter. Yet none of that compared to seeing her original body staring back at her from bed on the other side of the room.
"Hi Fleur. It's good to see you're awake.", were the words that left Fleur's original body's, now Harry's, mouth.
"'Arry?", Fleur asked worriedly.
"Yeah in the flesh, or I guess I should say in your flesh.", Harry answered, in a gamble to lessen the tension. One that he happened to lose as the tension remained stronger than ever.
"Now that you are both awake, I believe we have much to discuss. First off, Ms. Delacour as Harry has already been informed of, we do not know why this occurred, but we do know what did occur.", stated Dumbledore.
"Quelle 'appened?", asked Fleur while still in shock.
"It would appear that you and Harry swapped magical cores, and as a side effect your bodies as well."
"Can et be reversed?"
"As Madam Pomfrey already informed Harry, we believe that an attempt to reverse this could cause too much trauma to your bodies, and possibly lead to death."
"Merde. Zo I am stuck as 'Arry for zhe rest of my life?"
"Unless we find a safe way to reverse this, then yes you would have to live the rest of your life as Harry Potter while Harry would live his life as Fleur Delacour. Right now, the only theory to fix you two would be to replicate the conditions of the event but seeing as you two nearly did not survive and the slim odds of a similar side effect occurring, that is not an option."
"Professor? Do Fleur and I still need to compete in the tournament?", Harry asked hopeful that this terrible situation could get him out of another.
"Unfortunately, yes you must Harry. Both of your magics are bound to an agreement to compete. Hence, until further notice you will represent Beauxbatons and Ms. Delacour will represent Hogwarts.", answered Dumbledore.
"Will Madame Maxime and mon parents be informed about what 'appened?", asked Fleur.
"Professor, will you tell Remus and Padfoot about this?", Harry asked.
"For now, I believe the smart decision would be to limit the number of individuals who know about this to only those here at the school who need to know. As such, I will inform Madame Maxime, but your parents and guardians would best be left out of this until we know the full extent of the damage.
"Harry, if this is irreversible or requires significant time to undo, you will have to meet with Madame Maxime once she is informed so you may fill in for Fleur in regard to her obligations to Beauxbatons. I will ask her to also teach what she knows of how Ms. Delacour acts. It would also be wise for you to learn some French and attempt to talk with an accent when speaking English.", stated Dumbledore.
"Yes professor.", responded Harry rather defeatedly.
"As for you Ms. Delacour, I will assist you with fulfilling Harry's obligations to Hogwarts. I am also sure that Ms. Granger and Mr. Weasley will assist you in removing your accent and learning how to act as Harry."
"Very well 'eadmaster, but 'Arry and I zould teach each ozzer 'ow we act zo get zhe best results.", said Fleur.
"A very good idea Ms. Delacour. I will now leave you two in the fine care of Madam Pomfrey. I must immediately inform Madame Maxime of what has occurred here today. As for you Ms. Granger and you as well Mr. Weasley, I will inform your professors that you two cannot attend classes today, so you may get some rest.", Dumbledore said as he made his way towards the exit of the infirmary.
"But professor, shouldn't Ron and I stay her to comfort Harry?", asked Hermione.
"Ms. Granger I do believe the best thing for these two is some time alone together, so they can work through this predicament in a way that they are both comfortable with.", said Dumbledore before leaving to inform the Beauxbatons headmistress of what happened between Harry and Fleur.
"It's okay Mione. I agree with Professor Dumbledore. I'd like some time alone to think things through, and I guess to get to know Fleur better. I will have to pretend to be her for a while after all.", Harry assured Hermione as he saw her contemplate the headmaster's words. However, the doubt in Harry's words did not go unnoticed.
"You sure mate?", asked Ron.
"Yeah I am. You two have worried enough about me right now. Get some rest and we'll meet up latter this evening when we hopefully have more of an idea of how to deal with this."
"If that's what you want. Come on Hermione, let's give Harry some space."
With that Ron and Hermione made their way back to the Gryffindor common room, after stopping by the kitchens for some food, to get some rest. Once the two left, Madam Pomfrey informed Harry and Fleur that she came across a few more tests that would offer more conclusive answers that she wanted to run. After also informing them that they would have to be unconscienced while she did so, and getting their consent, she administered a sleeping draught to both of them. For the next few hours, Pomfrey submitted the two to every test that even remotely related to their condition. The test all gave her the same answer, which was one she dreaded to relay. It was a little past ten at night when she called for Dumbledore, Madame Maxime, Ron, and Hermione to report to the infirmary to tell them of her findings. As those who were summoned made their way to the infirmary, Pomfrey administered a waking potion to Harry and Fleur. It took less than ten minutes for everyone to arrive or come to and Pomfrey dreaded the news she would have to give.