Chapter 10—School Daze, part one
By Phoenixgod2000
this is un beta'd. I'll post the beta'd chapter when its done. If you want to check out a rough version of the next chapter of Redemption of the Black sisters check out the Harry/Bella yahoogroup. I've posted about fifteen pages of the story there. but if you do, you have to leave a review and tell me what you think!
also check out the short song fic Son of Man by DJ. you can look for it under PG-13 Harry/Fleur. He used my stories as inspiration, so check it out and leave a review.
Harry was less lost in his very first ancient runes class than he thought he would be. The class studied a number of different languages with runic bases every year so Harry was starting a fresh language like everyone else in the class. Of course the students who'd been in the class for two years had more practice studying languages so they did have an advantage with the type of material being studied, but less of an advantage that Harry initially thought.
"Remember class," Professor Ambrose Linguis instructed, "the key to translating True Elven runes is in the whirls at the edge of the glyphs. The slightest change in length or direction can completely alter the meaning of the rune. Turning for example the rune for death into the rune which represents an act some might consider the embodiment of life." He joked with the class. "You can see how that might confuse a translation—and add a unforeseen wrinkle into any runic spell you were crafting." The Ancient Runes teacher tapped his wand against the chalkboard and a maze of confusing symbols seemed to raise out of it. "For the rest of class I want you to copy down the following twenty symbols and for homework I want at least two feet on their meanings and possible mistranslations."
Harry started copying down the symbols with his quill. Looking up he squinted at the board in an effort to get each symbol exactly right. He sat in the first row of the class because he wanted to make sure his less than perfect vision didn't affect his work. Several, he noticed, looked similar to runes inscribed on the Headmasters Archmage staff.
Harry was tired. Not sleep deprived fatigue because his now enhanced vitality meant he only needed a fraction of the sleep he once did, but nonetheless he was still exhausted. It was a bone deep weariness whose origin he couldn't identify. He spent the previous evening study, pouring over Hermione's old textbooks for Arithmancy and Ancient Runes. It wasn't even the studying that fatigued Harry, it was something unquantifible that prickled at the edge of his consciousness.
It was frustrating to Harry. There was something different about Hogwarts. He could feel it deep within the stones of the school, a sense of magic that permeated the ancient halls. It seemed to be an almost sentient presence. There were moments the night before where he thought something in the school was calling out to him. Even now, if he closed his eyes, it was just at edges of his thoughts... It almost felt like if he turned his head fast enough he would see what was just out of reach.
With a loud clatter, Harry dropped his quill to the floor. Blushing at the sudden sound which attracted the attention of the entire class, Harry retrieved his quill. Once he so Harry decided to take a break from copying. He straightened his stiff neck and looked around. Hermione was sitting next to him, her face pressed close to the paper as she endeavored to get every rune exactly right. Lavender Brown sat behind Hermione and was hard at work as well. The three of them were the only Gryffindor's in the class. Most of the students in ancient runes were Ravenclaw's with a smattering of Hufflepuff's and Slytherin's. All three houses generally produced more studious individuals than Gryffindor, a House noted more for its action oriented members than its study habits.
Blaise Zabini was the only other familiar face besides Hermione and Lavender in the class. Harry had said hello to her when the class started and acted politely, if not friendly. Hermione had acted much colder towards the half vampire since she knew that her father was attempting to blackmail Harry into marriage. Blaise took Hermione's standoffishness in good humor mainly because she noticed that Harry was wearing the ring she had given him.
A point she made sure to emphasize when she caught up with him during lunch.
If Ancient Runes was less than exciting, Transfiguration was the opposite. Harry and Hermione met up with Ron outside the door to the classroom. Ron had Divination during the same period Harry and Hermione were in Ancient Runes. He greeted both his friends with a smile
"Mate, you should of seen Trelawney's face when she saw that you weren't in her class anymore. Didn't know whose death to predict." The red head joked
"Ron," Hermione scolded. "Why are you still taking that rubbish class? It's just a waste of time. You don't even have Harry's company as an excuse anymore."
Ron shrugged. "It's better than developing a hump, all slouched over a scroll trying to get every squiggle right in a dead language that no one speaks anymore."
"Ron! You know that ancient runes is so much more than that. If Harry and I can get into the professor's NEWT class we'll learn..."
Harry let the argument/flirting pass by him as he found a seat in the back of the class alongside Ron. Hermione was still lecturing the red head on the fabulous possibilities of ancient runes as she took a seat two rows ahead of them.
McGonagall watched from her desk as her favorite student browbeat Ron for his lack of interest in scholastic pursuits, but the instant class started she fixed her face in an authoritative manner and addressed the mixed class of Gryffindor's and Slytherin's.
"Welcome to fifth year transfiguration," she began, her long years of teaching enabling her to instantly quiet the classroom with nothing more than sheer force of personality. "This year will be the most difficult yet. We will be starting limited organic—including human--transfiguration, a discipline that can be quite taxing, and one of the most widely used in day to day wizardry. Any students that take this class with less than complete seriousness will be punished harshly." A number of students particularly Neville and the duo of Crabbe and Goyle began looking very nervous. McGonagall surveyed the classroom gravely.
"However I have a surprise treat for all of you. Normally I don't do this except for students who desire to do it as a final NEWT level project, but with events as they are, the headmaster wants as many students as possible to become Animagus for safety reasons. Therefore in the second half of the year I will be testing every fifth through seventh year students for Animagus potential. Those you who have the aptitude and the inclination I will train personally in independent classes."
The class burst into murmurings and students began eyeing one another in a vain attempt to divine what animal—if any—they had lurking inside of them.
"I don't expect many of you to have the ability nor necessarily the power to implement the transformation. In thirty nine years of teaching I have had perhaps a dozen students who've made the transformation successfully. But it is a usefully skill, one that could save your life one day." She drew her mouth into a sharp line. "Those of you whom I will train will not use their ability in inappropriate ways. If you do misuse my training, you punishment will prove to be...unforgettable." Turning around she tapped the board with her wand. "But that day is far from now. Begin copying these notes on facial transfiguration. You have twenty minutes before we begin the practical lesson."
The class got out their scrolls and the sound of quills scratching against parchment soon filled the room. Ron, Harry, and Hermione turned to look at each other. "I feel a sudden urge to study transfiguration." Ron joked. Hermione could only nod in agreement, but the light that shone in her eyes at the prospect of the difficult magic told of her excitement.
Harry smiled at his best friends. "Me too, mate. Me too."
"Potter!" Blaise shouted down the hall towards the rapidly retreating back of the trio.
After transfiguration the three friends had decided to eat lunch outside under a large oak three. They talked about what animals they thought they might be. Ron thought it would be cool to turn out to be a lion while Hermione couldn't decide what animal she thought was lurking inside of her soul.
Harry just hoped he would end up a stag like his father.
The trio laughed and joked and thoroughly enjoyed their break. For a while Harry forgot all about his problems. Vampires, necromancers, and dark lords vanished from his thoughts for that fall lunch day. But like all good things it had to end and the trio made their way back into the castle to go to their last two classes of the day, History of Magic and Defense against the Dark Arts. They were nearing their destination when Blaise caught up to them
The beautiful half vampire asked, "Can I have a moment alone with Harry?"
"I don't think that's a good idea," Hermione said, shaking her mane of bushy hair. Ron's eyes never left Blaise's but he nodded vigorously in agreement.
"It's okay," Harry reassured. "I'll meet you in History in bit." The pair nodded reluctantly and left Harry alone with the dark haired girl.
Blaise suddenly seemed unsure of herself when they were left alone. She did smile though, after a moment and she motioned at Harry's ring adorned hand. "I guess you like my gift."
Harry blushed slightly. "It's a nice ring." He looked down at the red-black stone that was Blaise's blood fossilized through magic into a stunning gem. " He added softly, almost to himself.
"I'm glad that you like it Harry." Blaise replied just as softly. "That is a pretty powerful focus you have against me if you want it. I'm trusting you with a lot." She smirked. "Which doesn't come all that easy for a Slytherin, so behave with that little bauble." Blaise leaned forward seductively. "What I really want to know is, does your girlfriend know you have a ring from another woman." she teased. "Most girls wouldn't be all that keen on their boyfriend wearing another woman's jewelry."
Harry blushed. Somehow that little fact hadn't come up between he and Fleur yet. "No." he answered. "I haven't told her yet. Besides," he added, "we haven't done anything for me to tell."
"Maybe I should tell her." She said with a wicked grin. Her voice was joking but there was a look in her eyes that told Harry she would in a second if she thought it would make Harry more likely to marry her. "What'll you give me if I keep our little secret?" she moved closer to Harry. He could felt the heat that radiated from her. In the back of his mind he wondered how she got to be so hot. Weren't vampires supposed to be cold?
A flash of dark rage flared up in Harry at the threat and he took a step forward. His face darkened and he snarled, "Don't you dare try to blackmail me. I care about Fleur and—well into his tirade he noticed too late the flash of recognition in Blaise's face. He realized far too late that Blaise hadn't known who his girlfriend was.
"The veela healer." She mused. "That's more competition than I would like but it's doable." Blaise purred. "I meant to ask you earlier, Harry, what did you think about my picture?"
Harry colored as he remembered the nearly nude picture of Blaise that she had sent him on his birthday, but with a vicious mental shrug he forced the image from his mind. "It was...interesting." He admitted. "But I'm still not interested."
"You can't take your girlfriend to the Yule Ball." She spat, suddenly vindictive. "Against regulations for anyone not of age to take someone who is, to a Hogwarts social function." She sidled close to the Boy-Who-Lived. "Why don't you go with me? I promise you a good time. A very good time." She finished with a seductive smile
Harry shook his head. "No. if I can't go with Fleur to the dance then I won't go at all. I won't let you trick me into going with you, either." He added.
All trace of seduction vanished from Blaise. "Why won't you give me a chance Potter? We could be sooo good together. I could make you happy, I know I can. You even get training out of it." She asked pleadingly. "Is it because I'm part vampire? Does that make me not good enough for you, Harry?" She finished in a nearly broken voice, using for the first time, Harry's given name. "Please. You don't understand what kind of vampire my father is going to saddle me with." She begged softly.
Harry's heart tugged. He did like Blaise, liked her a lot even, but... "No, Blaise, I'm not going to marry you. I care about Fleur. A lot." He added. "It's not because you're a vampire, its not because you're a Slytherin, and its definitely not because I think your ugly. I just don't love you. I barely know you, so I can't marry you." Harry shrugged helplessly. "I deserve better than that. It's just the way I feel Blaise, sorry." Turning, Harry starting walking over to the door. He stopped at the entrance to the classroom and turned towards Blaise. "You deserve better than that too, Blaise."
The young Slytherin watched as Harry disappeared inside the classroom. The chime rang signifying the beginning of the next period, but she didn't move from her spot. No one saw the tears well up but fail to spill from her eyes. She spun around on her heel and raced down the hall towards her class.
"What did she want?" Hermione asked anxiously.
Harry shook his head, indicating he didn't want to talk about it. He took his seat in the back of the classroom next to Ron. Hermione once again sat one row ahead of the pair.
"So, any word about who the new History teacher is going to be?" Harry asked casually.
Hermione shook her head. "No. I tried to find out from Professor McGonagall, but she wouldn't say anything besides it would be a good surprise."
Harry snorted. "I need fewer surprises in my life, not more of them."
"Oh, I don't know about that," Ron joked. "I could think of a few good surprises for this class." He raised his hand in the air and in a mock sugary voice asked, "Professor Delacour, could you please explain the goblin rebellion of 1645 to me? Again." The class burst into laughter as the boys all agreed that a veela history teacher would go a long way to making them love the class.
"Mr. Weasley!" A very familiar voice called out from outside the room.
Harry looked at the classroom door disbelievingly. It couldn't be! "I am shocked that you can't recall what happened during the goblin rebellion of 1645. That was when the great goblin Huron Black Blood gave his famous wizard gizzard speech."
The class burst into excited whispers when they too recognized the voice, moments after Harry. It was into a hugely smiling class that Remus Lupin walked.
"Professor Lupin!" Ron exclaimed. "How could you hear me from outside?"
the rumpled looking teacher smiled and tapped his ear. "I hear like a wolf." The class laughed and Remus continued. "I'll be taking over Professor Binns class for the foreseeable future. I know this is just going to kill all of you, but we won't be talking much more about Goblin Rebellions. I think you've gotten your fill of those." He laughed. "I know in my fifth year I did."
Hermione's hand shot up in the air. "Then Professor, what will we be talking about and will we be fully prepared for the History OWL this year?"
Lupin smiled at the inquisitive witch. "this year we will be talking about several other countries closely related to Wizarding Britain as well as the cultures of magical nonhumans like vampires, True Elves, and veela's. And yes Hermione, there will be a significant culture section on your history OWL." He hopped up and sat onto his desk. "So, can anyone tell me which country in the world is the Ministries closest ally—besides Australia." He added, smiling when several students dropped the hands that they had raised at the beginning of the question. He motioned towards Hermione who kept her hand in the air.
"The United Wizarding States of America." She answered.
"Five points. Next question, Hermione. Who governs the United Wizarding States?"
"The Secretary of Magic," she replied, sounding confident.
"Incorrect."
Her jaw dropped, Hermione started to protest the teachers judgment. "Professor, I just read a book on the formation of the Wizarding States. It said that the Secretary of magic led the country."
"Was it the book by Hollisworth and Burkle?" Hermione nodded. "Hermione, those two writers are well known pureblood Historians. They're quite biased, and in the case of American governance, very wrong." He told her softly. "Anyone else?"
Harry slowly raised his hand. "Yes, Harry." Lupin called.
"The President of the United States." He said slowly. He remembered something that Fleur had told him about the US. "The secretary of Magic controls the magical part of the government, but wizards vote for President and congress the same as every other American."
"Nice job, Harry. Ten points to Gryffindor." He looked around the room. "That is correct. The United States is the only government in the world where Muggles and wizards live under the same government. Even if the Muggles don't realize it."
A Ravenclaw in the back of the class raised his hand. "Professor," he called out. "So wizards in America allow themselves to be ruled by a muggle politician?" he asked in disbelief.
"Sometimes." Remus agreed. "but it can also be reversed. Many of the oldest families dating back to the American Revolution are in fact wizarding ones, so sometimes the muggles end up being governed by a magical president." The young professor pointed his wand at the board and notes scrawled across the blackboard. "Get out your quills to take notes. The three branches of the Wizarding states are...
The final class of the day for the Gryffindor's was Defense against the Dark Arts with Professor Alastor Moody.
Hopefully, Harry mused, the real one this time.
This time Harry sat in the front row and Hermione and Ron joined him. The Slytherin's filed in the door and Draco sneered at the group but said nothing as he took his customary place in the back of the class. Harry noticed that Blaise rushed past him with barely a glance in his direction. She took a position in a corner as far away from Harry as possible.
The class started but the Professor hadn't shown up. Harry got a queer feeling in his gut. Irrationally he worried for the mutilated teacher. Something had happened to him before. Couldn't something happen again?
Harry was about to get out of his seat to track down a teacher when Headmaster Dumbledore walked into the room serenely.
"Hello class." He said unsmilingly. "I regret to inform you that Professor Moody will be unable to teach class today, so I am going to fill in for him."
A murmur rose up. None of them had ever been taught before by the headmaster himself. Rumors still circulated around the school about some of his antics while he had taught transfiguration.
"Everyone close your books. You won't need them for this lesson." The headmaster caught Hermione's eye. "Miss Granger, would you come up to the front of the class. I would like your help with a little demonstration."
Hermione flushed in pleasure and gladly stepped to the front of the class. She clutched her wand tightly, praying that she would be equal to whatever spell the headmaster wanted her to demonstrate.
"Thank you, miss Granger."
Harry noticed the headmaster looked graver than he had been in the past. The irrepressible twinkle that had been ever present in his eye was gone. He wondered what to make the headmaster seem so grave.
"Miss Granger, I want you to hop on one foot."
"Wha-...really?" she asked nervously. "You want me to hop on one foot?"
He smiled thinly. "I assure you that it's for a good cause."
The young Gryffindor bit her lip indecision, but nodded. Slowly she lifted up her left foot and began jumping up and down. She did so for several minutes to the giggles of the rest of the class and the absently smiling headmaster. Harry couldn't figure out what this was supposed to teach them about defense.
Hermione was starting to sweat because of the unaccustomed physical activity when Headmaster Dumbledore suddenly whipped out his wand and blasted a stunner at the hopping girl. The red bolt slammed into the unsuspecting student and flung her backwards.
"STUPEFY!" Moving as one unit, both Harry and Ron stood up and trained their wands on Dumbledore. The spell erupted forth from both wands and streaked towards the teacher. Dumbledore whirled around and deflected both spells with a shimmering shield the sprung from the tip of his wand without a word. "I don't know who you are," Harry growled after his spell was deflected, "But that was the last time your going to stun one of my friends." He and Ron resolutely kept their wands trained on the imposter
The headmaster smiled, this time both boys could tell it was genuine. "Weasley, Potter, both of you, take twenty points. Good instincts."
Harry recognized the gravely voice that had just issued from the great bearded mouth of the headmaster. Even as he recognized the voice, the headmasters bead started to retract into his face and his great mane of snowy hair darkened to a steel gray. His face twisted and took on the scared and unshaven countenance of Alastor Moody. The grizzled auror kept his eyes closed while he replaced the gaping socket in his head with a wildly gyrating magical eye.
With a flick of his wand and a muttered word, the retired Auror unstunned Hermione. Ron and Harry instantly took to her side and helped her back to her seat. She stared at the teacher with a betrayed look
"W-why did you do that to me?" she asked accusingly.
"Granger," the scarred professor growled, "two points to Gryffindor for doing exactly what I asked, but demonstrating poor combat instincts. Never let your guard down like that again." A snicker in the back of the classroom caused Moody's magical eye to train with precision on a rapidly paling Pansy Parkinson. "Find something amusing, Parkinson?" He waved his hand indicating the whole room. "I could have asked any one of you to do the same and you'd have been up here bouncing same as Granger. Why?" His voice dropped so low the entire class had to strain in order to hear the answer.
"BECAUSE YOUR ALL BLOODY FOOLS!" he suddenly bellowed.
The class jumped at the rapid change in volume and watched in apprehension as the teacher paced back and forth. "What I asked you to do was completely stupid, I had hoped one of you would have asked a question or refused to comply, but your failure was not unexpected. If I had asked you to jump out window you lot would have been lining up and flapping your arms on the way down. You trust too much and too easily. Its not your fault, its what your trained to do. Trust teachers, trust aurors, trust people in authority, it's what your instructed to do since you were babes in your mommies arms. But it's a bad habit—one that could get you killed. Do you really think everyone's got your best interests at heart?"
"Your wrong if you do." Moody stated bluntly to the silent students. "There's a war coming, kiddies. The last time Voldemort rose up, brother fought against brother, husbands and wives hurled killing curses at each other, families were torn apart, and best friends fought on opposite sides." He looked around the room. "You think those times aren't going to coming back, guess again. Things are going to get worse before they get any better and if you want to survive it, learn not to trust people in authority...you never know what kind of tattoos they have." He finished quietly.
A voice called out from the back of the class, "But professor, wouldn't the ministry tell us if You-Know-Who really was back? Me mum says that the rumors are a load of lies."
Harry shifted in his seat as the focus of the classroom moved to him. Everyone knew whose word convinced Dumbledore that the dark lord had returned. Harry studiously stared straight ahead, not meeting anyone's gaze.
Moody's scared visage twisted into a grotesque smile. "what's your name lad?"
"Seamus Finnegan, sir. You had me last year." The young Gryffindor looked confused at the lack of recognition by the Professor.
"Finnegan, is it?" The scarred professor walked through the row of desks until he reached the student. He seemed to loom over the Scottish Gryffindor and leaned forward. "You just proved my point lad. Voldemort is back and the Ministry is trying to cover its behind like a wizards who's just shot his own buttock off. Learn to see things for yourself and not blindly trust what the ministry and the prophet say. If you look beneath the surface, you'll see that while the Minster is decrying the return of the Voldemort, he's doubled the guard at Azkaban—he's just done it under the table. He's also lowered the requirements to becoming a Auror—also without explanation." The teacher looked around the room. "What do those two things tell you about what's happening?" he asked softly.
He let the class sit in silence and absorb his lesson.
"Pair up," he told the class after a while. "we're going to shield charms and stunners till the lot of you can hit what you aim at, like Potter and Weasley. You'll be ready for what's coming if it's the last bloody thing I do."
Slowly the class got to their feet and started pairing off. Harry paired up with Blaise who somehow managed to maker her way behind him without him noticing, while Ron and Hermione teamed up. Professor Moody stood at the front of the class and instructed the class in proper wand techniques for dueling. Not strip dueling like Harry had practiced over the summer, but real, life threatening duels.
Blaise shuffled her feet and spoke softly while Moody gave instructions. "Thank you, Harry. For what you said earlier, it means a lot to me." She smiled suddenly. "You're wrong of course, but thanks."
Harry just nodded before changing the subject with a smirk. "So Zabini, how's your aim?"
Blaise arched her eyebrow. "Is that a challenge I hear, Potter?" Both students stepped apart and dropped into a dueling crouch smiling at each other.
After the class was over, the students filed out of the class silently. Defense was always one of the most popular classes at Hogwarts because of the practical demonstrations and generally exciting classes. This time was different. Professor Moody—the real Professor Moody--added a tone of graveness to the class that showed the students what they were learning was real, the war that was coming was real.
Harry, Ron, and Hermione stayed after class. Ron and Harry watched as Hermione studied the teacher who now sat quietly at his desk with his living eye closed and his magical eye fixed its penetrating gaze on the three students. Hermione squared her jaw and strode up to the teachers desk with conviction.
"I want you to know," she started quietly, "That I'm going to report you to the Headmaster. No matter what you want to teach, there is no excuse for attacking a student."
Alastor Moody opened his one true eye and his steely gaze met the immovable force of Hermione Granger. Slowly he broke out into a smile. "Ten points to Gryffindor, Miss Granger for standing up to me...eventually." He shook his head. "You think too highly of teachers, Miss Granger." Her eyes widened in shock as he continued. "Do whatever you feel you must, but I think you will find Headmaster Dumbledore singularly unsympathetic. How else did I get a hair from him for the polyjuice potion? Pluck it from his chin while he was sleeping?" the old auror snorted "No, Albus knew exactly what I was going to do today—even if he didn't like it, he still understood the need for it." He leaned forward slightly. "Think whatever you want of me, Granger, but remember the lesson."
"It will save your life one day."
Dearest Gabrielle,
This is the first letter I have had the chance to write to you from my room at Hogwarts. The castle is not as inviting at Beauxbeaton, but what can you expect from a school that has doubled as a bulwark against the forces of darkness for Europe? It focuses on only the core subjects of schooling and does not support any smaller elective classes such as animation, crafting, or wizarding music. It is a dreary school, Gabby, dreary but strong.
I think the worst thing about this school is the food. The food here is as appalling as I feared it to be. It is very...English. I do believe they have no sense of taste! Try and convince mother to send me some pastries with preservation charms on them so I do not perish from the lack of edible food.
But listen to me go on! I do not mean to say that there is nothing redeeming about Hogwarts, because there is. The library contains books and scrolls older than our entire school! I have free run of the restricted section and I can't wait to delve into some of the rare texts here. They actually have a copy of the Book of Days in the original veela! Mother will be so jealous!
Mademoiselle Pomfry is one of the best healers that I have even encountered. I know you were upset that I am so far away, I heard you complain about it enough, but do not be angry. It truly is for the best. I will return for Christmas and show you some of the healing spells and potions that I have learned. I will be finished with my apprenticeship soon enough and return home.
I have also met someone. He is...He is...
A frown line crossed Fleur's perfect features and she tapped her quill against the scroll she was writing to her younger sister. How to explain Harry? Gabrielle still nursed a terrible crush on the green eyed hero stemming from her rescue in the second task. Fleur loved her sister and she hated to tell Gabrielle about the new relationship with her hero. But it was Gabrielle! Fleur shared everything with her beloved sister and she was bursting to tell someone about Harry, and it was killing her that she was so far away from all her friends.
Fleur worried the end of her quill with her teeth, vainly attempting to think of a way to tell her sister about Harry Potter. She was startled when a sharp rap sounded at her door. She got up, tied her loose silk robe tightly about her narrow waist and grabbed her wand.
It was very late at night, far too late for a student to be up and none of the teachers had any reason to contact her outside of Madam Pomfry, but she had let Fleur leave the Hospital Wing early because no one had been injured yet so she could not practice her healing arts.
Fleur opened the door that led from her room to a Hogwarts Hallway and found no one present.
"Sshh, Fleur!" a very familiar voice whispered.
The beautiful healer stared in awe as her boyfriends head appeared out of thin air. "'Ow are you doing zis 'Arry?" She whispered.
"Let me in and I'll tell you." He whispered back.
She stepped away from the doorway and Harry's head floated inside. When he was fully in the room he twisted and a shimmering cloak pooled at his feet. Harry grinned at Fleur's surprised look.
"I did not know you 'ad a concealing cloak, 'Arry." Fleur said, once she had recovered.
Harry wagged his eyebrows in a mock leer. "I've got all sorts of surprises. In fact I have another one I'm going to show you right now."
"Now? But it iz nearly midnight. What could you possibly show me?" the blond asked.
Wordlessly Harry extended his hand and Fleur took it. He drew her in close and fanned the invisibility cloak around them both. "I hope you don't mind the closeness," he said seriously, "But I could get into a lot of trouble for being out this late."
Fleur felt her pulse quicken from their closeness. She could feel Harry's warmth next to her burn like a torch. His masculine scent filled her sensitive nostrils. She shivered slightly with desire very few men have been able to inspire in her "I will live." She replied breathlessly.
"Where are we going?" she asked again.
"You'll see."
Harry and Fleur crept down the twisting halls of the ancient castle. They moved silently past slumbering portraits and dozing ghosts. Harry and Fleur ended up in a corridor that was filled with paintings of food. Harry stopped Fleur in front of one particular painting. The beautiful witch looked around confused. What could Harry possibly have to show her in front of painting of pears?
"Close your eyes." Harry breathed softly into her ear. Goosebumps rising on her skin in anticipation, she acquiesced with his demand.
She felt Harry move away and then nothing for a moment until she heard a light creak and felt the space around her shift. A light tug got her moving forward.
Harry led her somewhere although she didn't know where. She was still confused when the smell first hit her.
Croissants! Freshly baked Croissants!
The warm scent hit her and her mouth started watering in desire. They smelt heavenly! She opened her eyes and looked around. They were in a huge Hall with five great tables arranged in the same order as the four house and one staff table in the great hall of Hogwarts. Around the edge of the giant room were stoves and tables. Brass pots hung from the walls. The Kitchen! She was in the kitchen of Hogwarts. All that she noticed in the first few seconds after she opened her eyes, but all that was forgotten in the next instant.
She saw Harry standing next to a house elf with smooth toad green skin and several hats perched precariously on his head. Great floppy ears peaked from the sides of the caps and he wore well maintained, if ridiculously patterned and colored, clothes. The creature stood, bouncing in place with excitement and staring at Harry almost worshipfully. They both stood next to a small round table with two seats across from each other. Piled on the table were golden flaky Croissants and strawberries. A bottle of wine, two glasses, and a pair of tall, lit candles completed the romantic setting.
"Fleur," Harry said looking up and smiling, "this is my friend Dobby."
Dobby...swooned. "Dobby is honored that Harry Potter calls Dobby his friend! Harry Potter is a great and kind wizard. Dobby is unworthy." His great moonlike eyes welled up. "Harry potter even wants Dobby to meet his Fleursies." In a few hopping steps he met up with Fleur and hugged her vigorously. After a moment of startlement, she returned the hug.
Harry smiled at the elf's antics. "Dobby helped me set this up for you." He motioned at the food. "Go ahead, try it. Dobby is a good cook."
Fleur looked at the wonderfully smelling food for only a second before covering the distance between her and the food in the blink of an eye. She reached for one of the perfectly cooked pastries while trying to avoid looking at the suddenly nervous house elf. Once she bit into the food she forgot all about her audience and simply moaned in pleasure. The croissant warm flakes filled her mouth and she savored to food with abandon.
"Dobby thinks Harry Potter's Fleursies likes his cooking," the house elf whispered to Harry.
"I think so too." The boy who lived whispered back.
"Tre bein, 'Arry Zis is perfect. 'Ow did you do zis?" Fleur spoke through a mouthful of croissant and Harry noticed a few golden flakes that stuck to the corner of her mouth. It amused him endlessly that as proper and neat as she was, Fleur could be an absolute pig when it came to eating her native food. Yet somehow, most likely her veela charm, it was endearing more than anything else.
Harry reddened slightly and wrapped his arms around Fleur. She leaned into his strong embrace—while continuing to eat. "I knew you didn't like the English food and saw you picking at feast yesterday. We haven't gone on a real date yet so..." He shrugged and motioned at the small table laughed. "I even had Dobby break into Dumbledore's private stock. He had a bottle of your father's wine. You did say that you would show me how you wine snobs drink this."
Fleur noticed how nervous Harry looked. She knew that he had no prior experience with women, so this was his first attempt at a romantic gesture. And if Fleur was any expert with romantic gestures—and she was—this was definitely a sign of future promise as a seducer. Pleased that Harry had gone to all this trouble she proceeded to allay his fears. Fleur burst into a smile that seemed to light up the room and threw just the slightest hint of veela aura behind it. Her bell like laughter banished the nervousness from Harry's belly as she clapped with glee.
"Zis iz amazing, 'Arry." She told the boy who lived sincerely. Her heart melted at the smile that lit up his face and the sparkle in his eyes. Inwardly she sighed. There were times that he seemed so old, so mature...so powerful. Other times she was reminded of how young he actually was.
Fleur picked up the bottle of wine and glanced at the label. "Zis is a very good year." She said. "My Grand-Papa made zis wine." Expertly she popped the cork and set the bottle down. She tisked at Harry. "And I am not a 'wine snob', I am a wine connoisseur."
Harry rolled his eyes. "Why aren't you pouring it yet."
"Zee wine needs to breathe." She replied.
Harry noticed her blues eyes—which were normally so bright—seemed to darken to a midnight hue. She stared at him and he was caught—most willingly--by the spell she unconsciously wove about her person. Lust rose up in him called up by her beauty and aura, an experience he had known before. Veela's were powerfully empathetic, and they sometimes unconsciously projected their desires onto their partner as part of a mate gathering instinct. They stood frozen, emotion and desire building a bridge of crackling tension between them. The tension was broken when Fleur attack Harry with her lips. Hungrily she kissed him and teased his mouth with her tongue, nibbling lightly along his lip. Harry responded with natural talent honed by a month of sneaking kisses with his clandestine girlfriend. He could feel her arousal from beneath her sleeping gown and tightened his grip on her.
The pair stayed locked together for a long time before she broke away, flushed. Harry had indeed progressed to O work. Straightening her light robe, Fleur sent a seductive smiled in Harry's direction and poured the wine into two glasses.
"Zee wine is finished breathing and I zink we needed to start again." Fleur laughed.
Together they drank deeply and sat down to eat.
He is a wonderful person Gabrielle. Our relationship is new but it feels very old indeed. He is a powerful wizard and sweet as well. As I was writing this letter he surprised me with a bottle of wine and some truly delicious food that he had made just for me! After our tete a tete I decided to ask him over for Christmas and he accepted. I can just imagine how surprised you must be! I am always so careful about keeping my boyfriends away from family. You will understand one day when you come into your full veela powers, although I hope less painfully than I. I must confess that we are more serious than I thought we would be right now but such is the way of the heart. I cannot wait for Mamma and Papa to meet him. I know what they think about my dating habits but no matter, they will simply love him once they meet him.
Like I am starting to.
I miss you little sister. I miss our midnight whispers and out shopping trips. I miss you smile, and your artwork. I love you Gabrielle, but I must end the letter here because it is very late and I must begin work on blood replacement potions early tomorrow . Give kisses to mother, father, and our little brother, for me.
Your big sister,
Fleur Noel Delacour
A few general notes about the previous chapter. Yes, Draco was a little OOC, but I did that on purpose. He truly loves his sister and she is throwing him off his game. I am not going to redeem Draco in this story, but there is a wide specturm between Death Eater and redeemed good guy. Will he turn on his own sister...
Will Ron turn on his when he finds out what ginnys been up to...
Please don't tell me what you think Harry's animagus form should be. I already know what it is and its a magical creature of my own creation, so don't bother guessing. you'll find out around chapter eighteen.
On Psyche. A few people have called her a Mary Sue which I think is a little ridiculous considering how little you've seen of her yet. Yes, she is a great beauty...or she will be when puperty finishes with her. Yes she has great power, more than any other character in story...or she will once she gets fully trained in a decade or so. She is also a scared little girl who loves her stern family and wants to make them proud but finds it hard because of her soft nature. For gods sake her only friend is Luna Lovegood of all people. trust me, she serves a plot point and is a fully fleshed character.
Anyway, enough with the soap box. Read and review. especially with Moodys class and Fleur at the end. Tell me what you think. I can take it...I hope :)