Fleur Delacour was annoyed. Sure, her father Sebastian Delacour was the head of the French DMLE, sure her father was very popular and seen as the next minister to the magical government of France, sure he was married to a Veela and had had two daughters, both being Veela by the way, and sure the French government was kind of, biased towards magical creatures, in which Veela seemed to be placed. But that did not justify why she was not being allowed to participate the oncoming international dueling tournament, especially when it was being held in France.
Yes, Fleur was very annoyed.
She strode across the room, her blue eyes now reduced to slits of fury, and while anyone else would have compared her movements with that of a predator hunting for her prey, she had no such intentions. After all, her parents were busy conversing right behind that door. All she wanted to do was walked right straight and open it and—
"Fleur."
Fleur darted back instantly, recognizing the voice of her best friend and solace, Caroline Beaufort. Both of them had just passed out their sixth year at Beauxbatons, waiting their results and of course, their final year at Beauxbatons, the most prestigious school of magic in France and one of the most reputed institutions in entire Europe and beyond.
"Fleur, my parents have come to meet yours. I managed to convince them somehow, and they are here to manage your parents in return."
Fleur's eyes skyrocketed towards her best friend in astonishment as her fury vanished off in an instant. She leaped with the agility of a rather bountiful wild cat and hugged her best friend tightly. "Thankkkk you Caro! You have no idea how much zis means to me!"
Caroline smirked. She knew her friend's accent would suffer when she was tensed. It was just the way it was with Fleur.
"I am sure it means a lot to you but please don't suffocate me in return." Caroline squeaked, unable to breathe under the pressure of her best friend's hug.
"oh!" Fleur let her off, "Sorry Caro. I guess I got a bit excited." She said, blushing.
"Sure." Her friend replied back saucily.
"oh hush you!" she admonished, "Where are your parentz?"
"Talking to yours next door."
Fleur glanced back at the closed door once again. It was still closed.
"Give them time." Caroline advised. Fleur nodded her head in despair.
"Fleur?" a strong voice that belonged to her dad, resounded through the room.
Fleur turned towards her father, peering at him, while at the same time, trying to not look at him.
"You know Fleur, I am very hurt that you shouted at us." He began. Fleur felt her hopes vanish away in a second. She was going to be grounded, for the entire summer perhaps.
"And then you had your friend to try to convince us rather sneakily-". Fleur nodded her head. This was the worst summer.
"And we talked with Caro's parents and finally we agreed.". Fleur shook her head, as if wishing for her dreaded thoughts to vanish away. Her father would surely ground her, and she would be prevented from the tournament in school too. She would not be a part of the Triwizard while all her friends would go and-
WHAT?
Fleur's eyes shot up towards her dad, who was smirking at her. "Did you just say z'at you agreed to let me go?"
"Yes, I believe I did." Sebastian Delacour replied, smirking all the while at his daughter's antics.
"Yayyy!" Fleur screamed in delight, attacking her dad with the force of a small missile and hugging him tightly. Sebastian laughed loud, caressing the back of his eldest daughter. He may be the most feared man in magical France, even more the Minister at times, but at home, he would be damned if his dear daughters would be afraid of him. If anything, his daughters and their mother ran the house, and by extension, Sebastian himself. Criminals he could handle any day, but the wrath of his wife and daughter? He was not stupid.
"But there are some things you should know, Fleur." Fleur bobbed her head upwards to look into the hazel orbs of her father, "I am accompanying both you and Caro for the tournament. Of course, your mother and sister will be there for the matches, but I will be there with you throughout the tournament."
"But Papa, what about your job?"
"Well I did an overtime last month, while capturing the terrorists from Bulgaria, so I do think no one would mind if I take a two-week holiday. After all I am-"
"Most feared man in France." Fleur chanted, laughing out with mirth. Sebastian joined her in her mirth.
Harry had been having a fun time roaming through the marketplace of the magical village of France. Right now, he was in the French equivalent of Diagon Alley, it was a marketplace like no other. Even Diagon Alley looked small compared to this, both in size, content and variety. Sure Diagon Alley had its own perks, but there were quite a lot that was new to Harry's eager eyes.
He had already bought an educational potion, one that would grant him fluency in understanding the French rune system, a music system that reminded him of the small music pads that he had seen Dudley using. The French had their own lore of magic and importantly, magical toys of a kind he had never seen before. He bought some of them for Astoria, a couple of French perfumes for Susan and Daphne, and a rune scriber set for Daphne.
"Are you done, Harry?"
Harry looked back at his professor. His delighted eyes betraying his words, he nodded in acceptance. Flitwick laughed.
"We must go Harry. We need to submit our entry forms after all."
"Sure thing Professor, I will just purchase the things in hand and then we can leave." Harry turned towards the door in front, the one which opened into a bookstore for French magic, when a silvery haired girl opened the door and walked out at the same time.
The result- they fell head first into each other.
"OWW!"
"OOOF!" "Hey watch before you walk!" the girl cried out, almost in a whimper.
"Sorry!" Harry apologized, standing up, as he held out his hand towards her. The girl, he noticed, had beautiful silver hair, and eyes just like Daphne, blue and deep, with a happiness that was radiating out of them.
"Sorry, I should have watched before entering." He started to say.
Fleur and Caroline had been to the La Ville magicus to fetch some last time supplies, when Fleur's attention was stolen by some newer varieties of books on dueling. Figuring that some last minute help won't be bad, she had entered the shop. After half an hour, when she realized that she was getting quite late, she decided to skip her mannerisms and run like hell. Her father was extremely strict on punctuality after all. Buying the books in hand, she had made a dash for the door. What she had not expected was another person, a boy of her own age she may add, to be walking inside at that very moment.
They had collided head on and she had fallen down over the boy. From what it seemed, he was almost of her age but obviously not from France, his English was way too good for that. He was also not one of the bigots she knew so well in school. But the greatest shock was still to come.
The boy had stood up, and asked for her hand to help her get up. She had seen him looking straight into her eyes, and mentally prepared herself for another of those 'Veela-things' to happen; that is, the boy's eyes would get dazed and he would try to be all flirty and trying to impress her and-
"Sorry, I should have watched before entering."
Fleur blanched in shock, not being able to register what had happened. The boy had ignored her allure. She could only nod dumbly as she held his hand, noticing he had quite a muscular yet lean build, and had beautiful emerald eyes, that shone like flames. She was momentarily reminded of the killing curses fired at her manor by the terrorists the previous year.
Caroline walked up and held her friend, as Fleur grasped her control back to reality. The encounter was ... odd. She had never met someone who had completely ignored her allure. It was only because Sebastian was her father that he did not feel her allure, but even he, slightly felt the allure from her mum. And he was a master Occlumens.
"Are you all right? Fleur?"
"uh-hum." Fleur replied back intelligently.
Caroline smirked.
Fleur glanced back towards the store. The boy was gone.
"Caro? Can you tell me what has put my daughter under that irksome trance?" Pauline asked.
"She met a boy on the street." Caroline answered back with a smirk.
"Oh! Is that so?" Pauline pressed, "and?"
"He was immune to my allure." Fleur answered, still glazed over, as if in a trance.
"Surely you exaggerate? And a boy, you say?"
Fleur bobbed her head.
"Obviously a foreigner I suppose?"
Fleur bobbed her head again.
"Then he must have come for the tournament." Pauline declared.
Fleur's head turned towards her sharply, "You think so?"
"I know so."
Caroline smirked. She knew the wheels that were working inside her friend's mind.
"I am sure," Fleur began, coming out of her trance, "that we will figure out the secret of his immunity, very soon."
Pauline smiled.
"Harry? Come over here. "Filius called out, as the executive had come for their inspection.
"Please show me your wand?" the pretty executive asked.
Harry decided not to think about the sexual innuendo behind her words, and handed over his wand. She passed the wand through a greyish contraption, and a parchment slip shot out.
Must be one of those things they have at the ministry.
"Deathwood and a fusion core. Unyielding. Been in use since nine months." She read.
Okay! Better than one of those things at the ministry.
Flitwick glanced at him, at the news of his wand. Harry nodded subtly, signaling him that they would speak on that later.
"And your name is... oh Harry James Potter! You are not the boy-who-lived by any chance, are you?"
"The very same, madam", Harry replied with that fake flashy smile, he had learnt to imitate for his political attire.
"Oh!" She squeaked, "very pleased to meet you Mr. Potter. Hope you have a great time at the tournament."
"Oh I hope so!" Harry flashed his smile again.
The executive nodded and left.
"Anything I should know Harry?" Filius put in.
"My magic had changed after the heirship ritual", he paused. It was truth anyway. He had done the heirship ritual after the cleansing. "and I needed an adjustment done to my wand."
Flitwick listened to his answer. When he was satisfied, he nodded and walked away. Harry followed him.
"Master Flamel?"
"Yes?" the heavy voice of the ancient Alchemist resounded out of his study.
The elf stood silent for a moment, and then replied, "You have a visitor, master."
"Oh!"
There was a silence.
"Well who is it?"
The elf spoke up. "Albus Dumbledore."
Silence.
"Where is he?"
"In the hall."
Silence.
"Very well, tell him I shall be there shortly."
"As you wish, Master." There was a small pop, and silence pervaded again.
Albus Dumbledore was many things. He was an accomplished master of battle transfiguration and a renowned researcher, his best so far being the twelve uses of dragon's blood that he had collaborated with his long time mentor and friend, Nicholas Flamel. The defeater of Grindelwald, grand sorcerer, supreme Mugwump, Headmaster of Hogwarts, and Chief Warlock of Wizengamot were the other titles that hung beside his name. But for the moment, Albus Dumbledore sat in a couch of the great hall in Flamel Mansion, readying himself for getting some serious chastisement.
"Albus. Did not think you would come back so soon, especially after our last encounter."
Albus winced. The last time he had been there, he was just one step away from being thrashed like a dusty rag. He had asked for the Philosopher's stone from his mentor, wanting to use it as a bait for Voldemort, but the stone had gotten destroyed in the process. Nicholas was... let's just say he was furious and leave it to that. Dumbledore was no weak wizard, but he knew that barely stood any ground before his mentor. It was quite a mystery why his mentor and friend was so reclusive.
"I wanted your ... advice in a certain matter."
"I hope it is not some new tomfoolery again."
"No Nicholas. This is different."
Nicholas waited for his explanation.
Silence.
"Well?"
"I wanted to ask, what you knew about Elementals?"
Whatever Nicholas was expecting; this was not it. He narrowed his eyes and looked at his longtime student and ...friend, "Why do you ask?"
"A student of mine claims to be one." Dumbledore answered, surprising himself by his bluntness.
Nicholas laughed loudly. It was hilarious. A student, admitting that he was an elemental of all things? Knowing how the people of Britain would rather kill the child at first chance than let him grow up and perchance, destroy the world again?
"And who is this... petulant child?"
"Harry Potter."
Nicholas's eyes glinted. Now this was interesting.
"The boy who lived?"
Dumbledore nodded.
"And you believe this because?"
"He defeated a Dementor horde."
Nicholas frowned. "Well the boy might be a magical powerhouse and cast a Patronus powerful enough to ward the Dementor off! That doesn't amount to-"
"You do not understand Nicholas." Dumbledore pressed. Standing up to his fullest height, he looked at his mentor in the eye. "What I mean is, he obliterated the entire Dementor horde, that is, over a hundred of them, with fire."
Nicolas's eyes glinted.
"Please, tell me in detail."
### This is my fourth chapter since morning. Gosh I must be seriously jobless to write so much. Kidding.
### Anyways, did you expect that coming? Review review!
