Harry rode the cheerful Christmas high for days, his warm feelings illuminating the dark halls of Grimmauld place. He'd taken to exploring the upper floors, though he studiously avoided the room Sirius had told him housed a boggart. No need to bring down his good mood with...whatever it would show him.
His final stop on his explorations had been the library; a room so dark and filthy that he was more inclined to call it long term storage, than a collection of prized family tomes and grimoires. He drew open the curtains covering the single window at the back of the room and began wandering down the bookshelves. His head was tilted to the side, a tiny smile growing as he read increasingly dull titles as he walked.
'Unusual Household Charms: A Guide for the Practical Use of Unconventional Charms'
'Theories on Transcendental Magical Connections'
'Magical Bondage and Servitude'
He paused his trek around the room, noticing a sudden shift in book color, age, and most significantly, tone.
'The Soul's Journey'
'Spell Substrates-Affecting Undetectable Change for Personal Gain'
'Advancements on Owle'
"Careful with those," Sirius said from the doorway, his sudden appearance making Harry jump. "You're getting to some of the...family favorites."
Harry took a surprised step back, allowing the finger he'd held up to trace the titles fall down to his side.
"Why do you keep them around then?" Harry asked, glancing over at 'Advancements on Owle,' which had just quivered slightly. "Why not burn them or something?"
"If you can destroy them," Sirius said with a short bark of laughter, "be my guest. Many generations of my family have enchanted those books. Layers upon layers designed to keep them intact, and to keep them in our possession. Most of them are ones you could still read, but some are tuned so strongly to the Black family, that it wouldn't let you read it."
"The book...wouldn't let me read it?" Harry asked.
"I've been told it gives you a rather persistent headache...once you finally wake up."
"How do you-?"
"That's not important," Sirius interrupted quickly. "I actually came up to ask you something serious."
Harry turned to face his godfather. "What is it?"
"Well, Jacobson has asked that you come along to one of our sessions," Sirius said, scratching at the side of his nose. "You don't have to if you don't want to. It's totally optional."
"Jacobson?"
"Oh, he's the mind-healer I have to go to in order to get reinstated as Head of House."
"Why does he want me to come along?"
"I think he just wants to meet you," Sirius said with a shrug. "Maybe talk a few things over, I don't know. He wouldn't tell me. He knows generally of your situation since that's the reason I need to be reinstated, but he doesn't know the specifics."
"I guess I can go," Harry said, the words falling slowly from his mouth. Something inside him pushed hard against the idea of going to some stranger to talk about his home situation.
"You don't have to if you really don't want to," Sirius said, a lopsided grin in place, raising one side of his scruffy cheeks
Harry paused, grappling with the anxious beast inside him that pulled him far away from the idea.
"Will it help you get reinstated?" he asked.
"Maybe," Sirius said with a shrug, his eyes glancing over to a bookshelf before resting again on Harry. "I don't really know."
"If there's a chance, I guess I'll go," Harry said, fighting to keep the nervousness from his face and voice. He could do it. If it meant helping Sirius, he could do it.
"Oh! Great!" Sirius said, his eyebrows shooting up in surprise. "We're going to be late if we don't get going then."
"Now?!"
XxXxXxXxXxXxX
"Gabrielle!"
Fleur's voice echoed down the large upstairs hallway, making Gabrielle jump and nearly drop her armful of schoolwork. Had it really taken so little time for her to get used to Fleur being gone? She put on a quick smile before turning around to greet her sister. The coming conversation wouldn't be pleasant, but maybe she could avoid it if she seemed okay.
"You're not fooling anyone with that," Fleur said, pointing to her mouth. She raised her finger up to the outside corner of her eye. "It's more about the eyes than the mouth. If you can make your eyes smile you've already done most of the work."
Gabrielle let her face fall into the picture of annoyance she felt brimming inside. She didn't want to talk about what was bothering her. It really didn't matter. She pushed down her flaring anger as she'd had to do so often of late.
"I don't-"
"Spill it."
Gabrielle ground her teeth, glaring up at her older sister in an attempt to see if she could will the older witch out of the house. She felt her pulse quicken as the anger began to boil, her hands tightening around her homework.
Her glare was broken as her eyes widened, acrid smoke reaching her nostrils as she felt sharp prickles dancing down her spine.
"No-" she whispered through gritted teeth, furious tears beginning to leak from the corners of her eyes.
A cool hand rested gently on her shoulder, the feeling barely registering through the hot needlepoints covering her body.
"Slow, deep breaths." Fleur's voice floated through the haze, soft guidance replacing the commanding tone. "Fast breathing fuels the fire which accelerates the transformation."
Gabrielle tried to do as she was told, her fists clenching tight in front of her, ashen remnants of her schoolwork falling to the floor. Her chest heaved as her skin burned, her tears turning to steam as they fell to her cheeks. She couldn't slow her breathing. She felt an eruption of molten pain across her skin as a painful call pierced her mind.
"It's okay," Fleur whispered, following her sister to the ground as she fell to her knees, her hand still held tight to Gabrielle's shoulder. "It hurts but it will be over soon. Prepare yourself for the wings. They will be painful."
Fleur quickly drew her wand, casting privacy charms around the hall as her sister shook beneath her hand. She squinted against the fledgling waves of heat that began washing over her.
A scream reverberated down the hall, the back of Gabrielle's large shirt falling to shreds as two scaly wings burst forth. Silver feathers sprouted across her body, traveling down from her neck in a wave. In a flash, her nose had become a hooked beak below glowing pale blue eyes.
A taloned hand grabbed onto Fleur's wrist, holding tight with almost crushing force.
"Be careful," Fleur said gently, keeping a wince from her face. She slowly moved her gaze to where Gabrielle's talon squeezed her arm. "You are far stronger than normal."
"I can tell," Gabrielle said through her bird-like shriek. She let go of Fleur's arm, and raised her talon out in front of her. Small blue sparks fitfully winked to life before vanishing.
"Don't!" Fleur shouted, her hand outstretched in front of her. "Surely Maman told you. The blue fire is far too dangerous to summon indoors."
Gabrielle nodded her feathered head. "I forgot. I don't like this. I want to change back."
Fleur nodded, helping her to her feet. She caught Gabrielle by the shoulder as she stumbled backward, her wings stretching out in reflex. "Your body knows how to balance. Let it."
Gabrielle nodded again, her wings folding up against her back.
"It will be easier to change back than it is to keep it at bay, all you have to do is subdue your fire. It should be nearly spent after your transformation anyway," Fleur coached, watching as Gabrielle's quick breathing slowed and vibrant eyes dimmed. Her wings began to shrink away, eventually vanishing beneath the tattered remains of the back of her shirt. Her feathers grew smaller, eventually transforming back into her unblemished, if a bit paler, skin. Her beak retreated back into her face, freeing her nose and mouth. Gabrielle worked her jaw as it vanished, wincing as it popped loudly.
"That was...unpleasant," she whispered, one hand holding the front of her shirt.
"It is," Fleur agreed. "Go get changed. I'll wait out here for you."
XxXxXxXxXxXxX
Sirius pushed open the wooden door to Jacobson's office, offering a half-wave to the man sitting in his usual place behind his over-large desk. Harry followed closely behind, patting the fringe of his hair down as far as he could. He hadn't been recognized quite as many times on his way up as he had been expecting, but it still hadn't been ideal.
"Sirius, and Mr. Potter! Welcome!" Jacobson said, standing from his chair and stepping around his desk to greet them. He shook Harry's hand firmly and held a hand out to the chairs in front of him. "Please, sit! Make yourself comfortable.
"My name is Phillip Jacobson," he continued, returning to his seat. "I appreciate you coming along Mr. Potter."
Harry nodded, feeling unaccountably visible beneath the older man's level gaze.
"How was your holiday?" Jacobson continued after a moment. "Sirius, I remember you saying you were going to visit some friends?"
Sirius nodded, dropping his usual seat. "It was a good time. The Delacours are very welcoming."
"I'm glad to hear it," Jacobson said with a small friendly smile. "It was a busy holiday for my husband and I as well. We went to Berlin this year to visit with his family. They're usually traveling this time of year, so it was nice to finally get to spend a Christmas with the in-laws, even if they are a little...excitable, for my tastes."
Sirius grinned. "The Delacours are pretty into the season as well, but it was really nice. They made it feel like a proper Christmas."
Harry nodded his agreement, his mind flashing back to the too-brief moments under the mistletoe.
"Do you think you'll be doing it again next year?" Jacobson asked, shifting his gaze between Sirius and Harry.
"Well, Sebastian said he looks forward to doing it next year too, so I suppose we have a standing invitation," Sirius said, shrugging. "I certainly wouldn't mind."
"What about you, Harry? Did you enjoy your holiday?"
"Yes, Sir," Harry said, nodding.
Jacobson leaned forward, resting his elbows on his desk. "I'm not here to interrogate you, Harry. I just wanted to meet you, since you come up in our discussions frequently, for obvious reasons. Feel free to tell me as much or as little as you would like."
"Yes, Sir," Harry replied automatically. "I...understand."
Harry spent the slow hour mostly listening as Sirius and Jacobson talked about their day-to-day activities, occasionally touching on the holidays, and the upcoming New Year's party they were hosting at Grimmauld Place. He chimed in where necessary, though he couldn't help but be unnerved by Jacobson's unreadable professional smile. Once or twice, he felt the sudden pivot of conversation, as they touched on what he could only assume to be much more significant topics. At the end of the hour, Jacobson stood, thanked them for their time, and invited Harry to return whenever he would like.
"What'd you think?" Sirius asked as the door clicked shut behind them.
"He was nice," Harry answered diplomatically, prompting a laugh from Sirius.
"Weirdly nice, right?" Sirius asked. "I thought so too. It takes some getting used to."
Harry went quiet, waiting for the inevitable followup question. When it didn't come, he glanced over to Sirius as they began descending the stairs.
"Am I going to have to meet with him too, now?" he asked, his voice hushed as they passed by a Medi-witch running the opposite direction.
"You can if you want," Sirius answered, holding the front door to St. Mungo's open for him. "I really think he just wanted to meet you, to help see if I'm...you know...fit to take care of you."
"Does he think you'll make it by the end of school?"
"He says we're on track. There are a few things we're still working on though," Sirius said, whetting his lips absently. "Don't you worry though. We'll get it taken care of, and there's always the Delacours if something crazy gets in the way." He led Harry over to an open spot and offered his arm. "Ready?"
Harry nodded and grabbed hold of Sirius, clenching his teeth as he was pulled into the cold, crushing blackness of apparition.
XxXxXxXxXxXxX
Gabrielle pulled on her second favorite lounging shirt, tossing the ragged remains of her first favorite on her bed with a sigh. She put her hands behind her neck and pulled her hair free from the back of the shirt, letting it fall haphazardly down as she dropped her arms. Maybe she'd get a haircut. It'd certainly be easier to maintain that way. She frowned as something inside her rebelled against the idea.
She shook her head, attempting to dislodge the pointless thoughts. She was tired, and couldn't focus...and hungry. Her stomach let out a rumble at the thought of food. Maybe Fleur wouldn't mind talking in the kitchen…
Gabrielle stepped out in the hall to find Fleur leaning against a wall, twirling her wand through her fingers as she waited. She pushed herself from the wall with her shoulders when she saw Gabrielle emerge, and pointed with her wand to the stairs.
"Hungry?"
Gabrielle nodded, following Fleur down the stairs and into the kitchen.
She sat at one of the stools at the tall island, watching as Fleur swung open the refrigerator door.
"I think we have some Christmas ham left," Fleur said, digging around on the lower shelf.
"That's a week old," said Gabrielle, wrinkling her nose.
"Still looks good." Fleur pulled off a piece and stuck it in her mouth. "It's fine."
"I guess that's okay," Gabrielle said, her stomach offering a loud complaint of impatience.
"There you go," said Fleur, setting a plate down in front of her.
"Thanks."
Fleur leaned against the counter next to Gabrielle, readjusting herself a few times before opting to sit on one of the stools next to her sister. They sat in silence for a moment, before Fleur cleared her throat, dropping Gabrielle's heart into her still-empty stomach. She really wished they didn't have to talk about it.
"That was your first, I take it?" Fleur said, her purposefully calm tone infuriatingly similar to their mother's.
"I've had feathers, er...sprout, before," Gabrielle mumbled, taking a large bite of ham. "But yeah, this was the first time."
"How are you feeling?"
Gabrielle swallowed her bite and stared down at her plate, frowning. "I don't really want to talk about it."
Silence fell between them for a moment, before Fleur shrugged and stole a piece from Gabrielle's plate.
"If that's what you want," Fleur said, popping the small bite into her mouth.
"But…" Gabrielle said, turning to her sister. "Why did you silence the hall?"
"I didn't think you would want Maman sprinting up the stairs and fawning all over you."
Gabrielle nodded, returning her attention back to the plate in front of her.
"Well," Fleur said, sliding from her seat, "if you do ever want to talk, I'm always available. You can floo right over to my place if you need to, I don't mind."
Gabrielle brightened, then winced.
"I don't want to get in the way of you spending time with Harry," she said.
Fleur smiled lightly. "I do like spending time with him, but I like spending time with you too. Just because he and I are together doesn't mean I have to spend every minute with him."
"You spend every minute talking about him," Gabrielle said, grinning as she took another bite.
"Rude. I do not!"
Gabrielle giggled, prompting a good-natured sigh from Fleur.
"Well anyway, I won't tell Maman about what happened, but you should," Fleur said, rising from her seat.
"She's just going to make everything awkward," Gabrielle grumbled, her fleeting humor vanishing.
"Probably," Fleur grumbled to match, her ears turning a faint shade of pink. "But she'll make it far more awkward if you don't bring it up. You know how she is. She'll start dropping obvious hints and dispensing unasked for advice."
"That's oddly specific."
"You're welcome."
Gabrielle smiled as she ate the last piece of ham. She really did feel better. "Thank you," she said, finally turning to look at her sister. "That would have been scary...without you. Scarier anyway."
Fleur smiled and wrapped her sister in a hug, despite her feeble protests.
"It's one of the things I'm here for. Let me know if you ever need anything else."
Gabrielle nodded against Fleur's chest, stopping her struggles and wrapping her arms around Fleur's middle.
"Thank you."
XxXxXxXxXxXxX
New Year's arrived quickly at Grimmauld Place, leaving Harry and Sirius scrambling in an attempt to make the dingy house as welcoming as possible. It was easy enough to clean, but no matter what they tried, they only managed to make the house seem slightly less oppressive than usual. They hung a 'Happy New Year' banner across the doorway to the kitchen at Sirius' suggestion as well as a handful of colorful streamers hanging down from each side. The cheery colors seemed distinctly at odds with the aptly black and grey aesthetic of the Black family house.
"Well," Sirius said, staring at the single decoration. "It looks ridiculous."
"A little, yeah," Harry agreed.
"No time to worry about it though, they'll be here any minute. Is the food ready?" Sirius swept through the doorway to the kitchen to check on the food Harry had prepared for the coming group for what had to be the third time.
"Is it all still there?" Harry called from the living room, a grin pulling at his mouth. It'd been oddly fun needling his usually unflappable Godfather in the days leading up to New Years.
"It is!" Sirius shouted back, relieved.
Harry laughed aloud, casting one last glance at their poor attempts to decorate. Well, hopefully, it was the thought that counted.
The fireplace suddenly roared to life, the sound dragging Sirius out of the kitchen in a flash. Hermione stepped through, turning to stick her head back in the green flames.
"I made it Mrs. Weasley! Thank you!"
She turned back and stopped suddenly in surprise to find Harry and Sirius standing eagerly just in front of her.
"Relax you two," she said with a laugh. "You look like you're about to burst. Am I the first one here?" She scanned the room, eventually noticing the singular banner. Before she had a chance to comment, the fireplace roared to life again, disgorging a middle-aged woman with light brown hair and somehow familiar features alongside a much younger woman with bright pink hair.
"Andy!" Sirius said, his voice just slightly too-loud. He held his arms open for a hug that went unanswered, the woman's previously kind-looking eyes narrowing with a steely glint.
"Uh-oh," muttered the pink-haired witch, neatly stepping to the side.
"Don't you 'Andy' me, Sirius!" the woman said, stepping forward menacingly as Sirius' arms fell to the side. "Why-did-it-take-you-four-months?!" she shouted, each word punctuated by an angry, but not too serious swat to Sirius' arms and torso. "Four months to invite us over! And you didn't even come to visit!"
"I'm sorry!" Sirius said, holding his hands up in surrender. "It's been hard getting back into the swing of things. You're here now, aren't you?"
"I suppose so," she said, her eyes losing little of her clear irritation. "Well, introduce me."
"Harry, Hermione," Sirius said, gesturing to them. "This is my cousin, Andromeda Tonks, and her daughter...Nymphadora."
"Sirius," Nymphadora said, her tone both greeting and warning. She turned to Harry and Hermione, a lopsided grin on her face. "Just Tonks'll do. Good to finally meet you, Harry. Hermione."
"You too, Tonks," Hermione said, her eyes darting up to Tonks' bright pink hair. "I...like your hair."
Harry goggled as Tonks' hair shifted almost instantly to pitch-black, before returning to its original pink.
"I prefer it pink myself," Tonks said, grinning at her stunned audience of two.
"Y-you're a metamorphmagus!" Hermione said, practically bouncing on the balls of her feet. "They're incredibly rare!"
"So I've been told," Tonks answered with a laugh.
Harry turned from Hermione and Tonks when he felt a gentle hand on his shoulder.
"Harry, it's lovely to meet you. I'm sorry we weren't able to do so sooner," Andromeda said as Harry turned. He looked up at the older woman and could see echoes of Sirius in her eyes, and the shape of her nose.
"It's nice to meet you too, Mrs. Tonks," he answered. He saw her eyes slip up to his scar and was pleased when she made no mention of it. "Sirius told us not to eat," she said, looking around the sparse room. "So I am starving. Is there food in the kitchen?"
Harry nodded, pointing to the doorway to the kitchen, before dropping his hand, feeling foolish. She smiled gratefully and stepped away without comment.
Harry joined Hermione, who was clearly in the process of interrogating Tonks about her abilities and their practical uses. Harry saw Tonks' eyes begin to grow wide as she experienced Hermione's near insatiable curiosity, and he was about to interject when he heard the fireplace flare again, finally producing the person he'd been longing to see.
Fleur stepped gracefully out of the fireplace, her long hair loose behind her, with her ribbon tied neatly in a bow that rested loosely on the side of her head. Instead of the lavender he'd grown accustomed to seeing, it was a sunny yellow. Fleur caught his eye and waved, moving to take a step towards their small group before stiffening in surprise.
"Tonks?"
"Fleur?"
"You two know each other?" Harry asked, looking quickly between the two as Fleur resumed walking, stopping a short distance away from Harry. He frowned for a moment at the space between them, looking up at Fleur in the hopes of catching her eye.
"We've crossed paths at the Ministry and chatted a few times," Tonks said, her open smile suddenly becoming a little forced. "You all catch up, I'm famished." She left quickly, grunting as her foot hit the edge of a nearby table, but didn't slow her pace, eventually vanishing into the other room.
"Is she…?" Harry asked, looking from the kitchen doorway back to Fleur, who winced.
"The last time we spoke she asked me of Alastor Moody's death. I think I may have reminded her of that. She was his protege."
"She's an Auror?!" Hermione nearly squealed, staring fixedly at the kitchen.
At Hermione's distraction, Fleur gently tugged on Harry's sleeve, glancing significantly over at Hermione before pulling him close.
"I cannot believe we did not discuss how we are telling people about us. Or even if we are telling people," Fleur whispered as he leaned in close.
"Why wouldn't we tell people?" he asked, frowning. "But we don't have to if you don't want to," he added quickly, hoping she couldn't feel exactly how dejected the idea made him.
The flat stare he received in response dashed his hopes, and he watched her mouth turn down into a stern frown.
"You had better not be thinking anything other than that I am thrilled to be seen with you," she hissed, pulling him closer, until their noses were nearly touching, the fire behind her eyes rooting him to the spot.
"What on earth are you two whispering abo-" Hermione asked as she turned around, her mouth falling open in slight surprise when she saw the two of them standing face to face.
"Erm-" Harry tried but was quickly interrupted by Fleur, who stepped forward, deftly wrapping her arm around his.
"We are together now," Fleur said brightly, squeezing his arm as she spoke. "It happened on Christmas Eve." His head snapped over to look at her, and he was shocked to find her ribbon a deep, possessive crimson.
"Oh!" Hermione said, wide eyes darting between Harry and Fleur. "Well, congratulations you two." Her surprised expression faded into a mischievous one that Harry was positive belonged to Fleur. "I'm surprised he made a move so quickly," she teased, a kind smile taking the sting from her words.
"Actually, I was the one who...made the first move, as it were," Fleur said, blushing slightly.
"That's less surprising," Hermione said grinning. "I suppose I expected this, but not quite so soon?"
"You did?" Harry asked with a sigh. "Everyone keeps saying that."
"Harry, you've been preoccupied with her since you first saw her at the world cup."
"Have you?" Fleur asked, turning her head, a look of mock-innocence plastered across her features.
"I haven't-I mean...maybe?" Harry mumbled, feeling as though his face were near to setting his hair alight.
"That is...sweet," Fleur said, allowing a small smile to push through her teasing expression.
"Harry!" Sirius' voice called from the kitchen. "Come in here a minute!"
"I'll be right back," Harry said, quickly pulling his arm from Fleur's and trying not to sprint from the room.
Fleur and Hermione watched his retreat, both silent as he vanished through the doorway.
"Oh…" Fleur moaned anxiously, biting her bottom lip. "I have done it again."
"Done what?" Hermione said, turning to face her friend.
"I cannot help but tease him sometimes. I worry that I will upset him one of these days," Fleur answered, her gaze still locked on the entry to the kitchen.
"Of all people, I'd expect you're the last one he'd get angry with," Hermione said after a moment.
"But if I do something he does not like, he should get angry with me. I worry that he would never tell me."
"That's-" Hermione began, prepared to reassure her friend yet again, but the words wouldn't form. "That's something that would probably happen."
Fleur tilted her head and looked at Hermione, adopting a bland expression.
"You are little help."
"Well, if it helps, I also think you might be the only person he would feel comfortable saying something to."
"Thank you," Fleur said, turning back to face the space Harry had vacated so swiftly. It would be difficult to keep herself from hanging on him all night. Especially considering it could be their last evening together for quite some time.
"Fleur, your ribbon!" Hermione said, her eyes focused up to where the bow sat on the side of her head. "It changed colors again! How did you do that?"
Fleur smiled fondly, pulling an end of the ribbon into view. She found it to be a deep blue; a reflection of her melancholy turn of mood.
"Harry got it for me," she said. "I can make it stay whichever color I want, but if I do not choose, it changes with my mood, which I usually quite enjoy." She pulled her wand from the long sleeve of her jumper, and tapped the bow, returning it to its original bright yellow.
"So what did dark blue mean?" Hermione asked, open curiosity in her eyes.
"It is...not important," Fleur said, feeling her cheeks heat. She did not need it known that she was already lamenting not being able to see her boyfriend regularly.
A sly smile stole through the curious expression, mirth dancing behind Hermione's probing brown eyes.
"And the deep dark red?"
XxXxXxXxXxXxX
"You look fine," Sebastian said, gently pulling Apolline from the large mirror that hung on their bedroom wall, "though Fleur did tell us it was going to be pretty informal."
"This is informal," Apolline muttered, looking down at the long purple dress.
Sebastian looked down to his khaki trousers and blue button-up, then back up at his wife with a raised eyebrow.
"Fine," Apolline finally acquiesced. "Would you unzip me please?"
"Gladly."
Apolline laughed lightly, stepping out of the dress as it dropped to the floor, and over to the first pair of clothes she had tried on and deemed far too casual.
"I just...don't want to look out of place," Apolline said, pulling the comfortable blouse over her head.
"Fleur said she'd be wearing a jumper, and I don't think we've ever seen Sirius or Harry in anything more formal than a button-up. What I would worry about though, is being late."
"I know, I'm sorry," Apolline said, rising to her tip-toes to kiss Sebastian on the cheek. "I'm just nervous."
"I know," Sebastian said, "but it's Sirius, Harry, and just a few other people. So let's get going."
"I'm right behind you," she said, buttoning her trousers. "Let's see if Gabrielle is ready."
They found Gabrielle already waiting in the parlor, the fifth book in her new series in hand. Apolline noticed she had taken her sister's comment to heart and had dressed in a dark green jumper and loose, comfortable trousers.
"Are you ready?" Sebastian asked as they joined her.
Gabrielle nodded, dog-earing her book and rising from the couch.
"Leave the book here," Apolline said, pointing to where Gabrielle was trying to surreptitiously slide it into an overlarge pocket on her jumper.
"But it's just going to be a "party" full of people I don't know," she said, tossing the book irritably on the seat next to her.
"You'll know Harry, and your sister," Sebastian pointed out, pulling the pouch of Floo powder from the mantle. "And us."
"The new couple and my parents," Gabrielle muttered. "Hooray."
"You don't have to stay the whole time if you don't want to," Apolline compromised, smiling down at her youngest. Though, she noted sadly, not as far down as she was used to. "But you do have to go."
Gabrielle nodded, tucking loose hair behind her ear as she joined her parents in front of the fireplace.
Sebastian threw a handful of Floo powder into the fire and grabbed onto Apolline and Gabrielle's hand before stepping into the green flames. "House Black!"
The whirling colors of the floo network materialized into a somewhat dark, spacious living room. They stepped through in time to see a flash of silver hair as Fleur dashed through a decorated doorway. The only other person in the room was smiling, though it faltered as she caught sight of them.
"Oh!" she said, stepping forward. "Everyone else is in the kitchen. You must be Fleur's family. I'm Hermione Granger."
"It's nice to meet you, Hermione," Sebastian said, offering his hand to shake. "Your reputation precedes you. I am Sebastian, and this is my wife, Apolline, and my daughter, Gabrielle."
"My...reputation?" Hermione asked after exchanging hellos with Apolline and Gabrielle. "Did Harry mention me?"
"Your headmaster, actually," Sebastian said, grinning at the flabbergasted look that came across Hermione's features. "I've worked with him on a number of projects at the Ministry now, and he had some rather complimentary things to say."
"O-oh...well," the younger girl stammered.
Sebastian's conversation was cut short by a mop of messy black hair poking out from the doorway, an excited smile revealing itself as Harry popped his head around the corner.
"Mr. and Mrs. Delacour, Gabrielle, welcome!"
He vanished for a moment, before emerging, Sirius close on his heels.
"I see you've met Hermione already," Sirius said, ushering the family away from the fireplace. "Welcome to our home!"
"Thank you for having us," Apolline answered, surveying the room. She fixed Sirius with a satisfied smile. "I have always been curious about what it's like inside of some of the oldest wizarding families' ancestral homes. Members of the Sacred Twenty-Eight especially. They tend to have a rather...unique sense of decadence."
"As you might expect from one of the traditionally darkest of that group, a lot of blacks and greys around here, and not a lot of natural light. We weren't a very imaginative lot."
"Regardless, thank you for allowing me to sate my curiosity," Apolline said.
"Of course! Feel free to wander around if you want. The kitchen is through the doorway with the embarrassing decorations, and it's full of food that was all made by Harry."
"Really?" Apolline asked, turning towards the kitchen to find Sebastian and Gabrielle already halfway there.
"It's quite the spread," Sirius said, following Apolline as she moved to join her family. "My cousins are in there too. I'll introduce you."
Hermione joined Harry as Sirius and Apolline left, her eyes dreamy and unfocused.
"Are you alright?" asked Harry.
"Y-Yeah," Hermione said, shaking herself, her hair briefly continuing the momentum after she stopped moving. "Mr. Delacour just said something surprising is all."
"Well, come eat something," Harry said, moving to join the rest of the party in the other room. "I made more than we're probably going to be able to eat, and the less we throw out the better."
Harry and Hermione joined the lively group in the kitchen to find Apolline talking animatedly with Andromeda and Fleur, Sebastian and Sirius filling plates from the large spread of food, and Tonks and Gabrielle talking quietly, food already in hand.
Fleur stepped away from her conversation and walked over to Harry and Hermione.
"Maman is...very happy to be here," Fleur said, joining in as they began to fill their plates. "It is not often she is able to attend a party that is not simultaneously a government function."
"Sirius was going absolutely mental about it," Harry said, glancing up at his godfather, who was happily chatting with Sebastian, his fork waving through the air as he gestured.
"It's probably been a long time since there has been a group of people here at all," Hermione pointed out, "not to mention for a party. He probably just wanted it to go well."
"With the exception of the decorations, it seems to be going pretty good," Harry said, looking around to the small groups that had formed.
Fleur nodded her agreement, before popping a piece of food into her mouth. She paused a moment, before again tugging on Harry's sleeve for his attention.
"We will be having a dinner date sooner, rather than later," she said, looking down at the filled plate in her hand. "I desperately miss your cooking."
Hermione stepped quietly away from Harry and Fleur, allowing them a modicum of privacy in which to grin ridiculously at each other. Tonks and Gabrielle welcomed Hermione as she approached, after which Tonks promptly returned to attempting to match Gabrielle's silvery-blond hair, to only moderate success.
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The party settled into comfortable familiarity as the night wore on. Tonks regaled everyone with some of her personal favorite stories of Mad-Eye, complete with transformations into the late Auror...after a few drinks of firewhisky anyway.
Harry tried to be a proper host, and make his rounds to the limited guests, with Fleur sticking close to his side as he walked. He tried to join a lively conversation between Gabrielle and Hermione but was completely out of his depth as they exchanged their favorite fantasy series and theories on how they could have been written a little bit better. He was eventually called over by Sebastian, the older man standing near to a clock hung on the wall, its hands showing a few minutes until the new year. Fleur attempted to give them their privacy, though Harry could see the reluctance in her eyes.
"No, you too, Fleur," Sebastian said, waving her over as well. "This affects you both."
Harry felt his heart give an uncomfortable lurch at the stress sitting in the corner of Sebastian's eyes, and the flat line of his mouth.
"I wanted to give you both a heads up," Sebastian began. "Dumbledore and the ICW will be pursuing a complete session of the Wizengamot within the next couple of weeks. After a little pressure from the ICW, Fudge finally got out of Dumbledore's way, and we will be pushing for allocation of resources to combat Voldemort before he becomes too significant a threat."
"What has he been doing all this time?" Fleur asked.
"Probably gathering resources of his own," Sebastian said with a sigh. "To be honest...we don't really know, and that...putain d'idiot Fudge has only made it more difficult to find out.
"Regardless of incompetencies," Sebastian continued, shaking the anger from his face, "we are nearly there. The two of you will likely be called on to either provide your version of events, your memories too, if you're comfortable with that."
"I thought you said memories weren't reliable," Harry said with a frown.
"They aren't in a trial," Sebastian said, "but this isn't a trial. A number of members of the Wizengamot will likely say that your memories have been modified, but we're never going to change the minds of those people. What we are trying to do is sway those that would be on the fence about essentially committing to war."
"War?" Harry and Fleur echoed simultaneously.
"Unfortunately, yes," Sebastian said with a grimace. "Voldemort will not go down without a fight, though hopefully if we are more coordinated this time, it will not be as brutal. There is a reason you are a celebrity, Harry."
Harry could only nod, his nerves settling as Fleur slid her hand into his.
"But I didn't bring you over here to bring your mood down," Sebastian said, running a hand through his thick hair. "We've actually known since just before Christmas, but I didn't want to bring it up during the holiday. Dumbledore wanted to tell you when term started back up, but considering the hearing could happen nearly any day now, I didn't want to wait that long. He's an incredible man, but he keeps things a little too close to his chest for my liking."
Harry could only nod, the sudden reality of a coming war threatening to dampen his spirits. Fleur squeezed his hand, and he turned to find her fierce blue eyes penetrating deep into his. She held his gaze as Sebastian excused himself at a call from Apolline from across the room.
"There is nothing we can do about it right now," Fleur said quietly once they were alone.
"I know."
"And when there is something we can do about it," she said, her blazing intensity bringing a flicker of ethereal light to her eyes, "we will do it together."
Harry nodded, his reply forestalled by the loud ringing of silverware on a glass.
Sirius stood in the middle of the room, his cheeks flushed above a sheepish grin.
"Andy bullied me into a speech that I absolutely had not planned, so be sure to manage your expectations." Sirius looked around the room, his gaze lingering on Harry and Fleur for a moment before he raised his glass. "It's a small group here tonight. It would have been larger if people knew how to properly respond to gracious invitations. But! I'm not going to make this long or sappy, and I'd like to end it right at the new year, so it'll have to be short!" He glanced over at the clock, his eyes widening in a mild panic. "To new friends, and to family old and new," he said, raising his glass. "Happy New Year!"
On cue, the clock began to chime above Harry and Fleur, noisily ringing in the new year. Harry saw Apolline put her hands on Sebastian's shoulder and rise up on her tiptoes to give him a kiss.
A spark lit inside Harry, making the warmth of Fleur's hand in his seem to burn hotter than ever before. A new year, with a new family, and a potential war on the horizon. He glanced over to Fleur, who was staring at him, her head tilted slightly to the side.
He wanted to kiss her. To ring in the new year with something he would never grow tired of doing.
Her eyes widened, the smile blooming on her lips alongside a playful glint in her eye as she focused her gaze on his. Her mouth turned up into a grin, her head still barely tilted.
Harry felt his own smile begin to form as he took the step forward. Her warm arms wrapped around him as he pulled her close, a happy squeak issuing from Fleur as he pressed his lips eagerly to hers.
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A/N: Things will pick up from here on out! I really enjoyed writing the fluff, but it's time to get moving!
On towards the end!
