A/N - Reminder thoughts are in italics
Chapter 3 – Allies and Information
Harry opened his eyes and realized that he still felt that same sense of peace and contentment he had felt before he had blacked out. It felt as if he was exactly where fate meant for him to be. 'Wherever that is.' He looked around to get a sense of his surroundings and noticed Narcissa also waking up in a chair next to him. They were seated at a table in a small, but comfortable kitchen. He continued to look around and his eyes quickly homed in on the short, plump, grandmotherly figure standing in front of him with a wide smile on her face. A tall, ancient looking man in white was standing slightly behind her with a similar smile. 'I've seen these people before, where have I seen them before? Ah!"
"Is this usually how you introduce yourself Perenelle," said Harry with a smirk. Perenelle laughed.
"No, not usually, but you are special Harry Potter," replied Perenelle. Narcissa eyes widened at the realization of who these people were. "I'm surprised you know who I am." Harry shrugged.
"I spent a lot of time researching the Philosopher's Stone when Dumbledore hid it in the castle my first year. I saw your picture a few times," responded Harry. "But Dumbledore said you died when you destroyed the Philosopher's Stone after Voldemort tried to steal it." Nicolas laughed.
"Do you actually think we lent Dumbledore the real Philosopher's Stone? However, it would be easier if people continued to believe that." Said Nicolas, joining in on the conversation. Harry nodded in understanding.
"Would either of you care to tell us why you have gone to so much trouble to bring us here?" Asked Harry firmly, but with no hint of annoyance in his voice.
"Yes, yes. We will get to that," said Perenelle waving her hands about in a way that reminded Harry of Mrs. Weasley. "But first you should eat Harry." Narcissa scoffed playfully at this until she caught Perenelle's intense glare and regained her composure.
"Your body is going to burn through energy incredibly fast until you learn to control and channel all of the power you have access to now. If you do not frequently replace the energy you are using you will start feeding off of your own magical energy for fuel, which will eventually cause you to lose consciousness or die, if it continues long enough," explained Perenelle as she waved her wand and a full Sunday dinner appeared in front of Harry, complete with Yorkshire pudding and truffle. Harry immediately dug in. He really was starving. He looked over at Narcissa sheepishly and gave her a shrug.
"Can I get you anything Narcissa?" asked Perenelle with a kind smile. This caught Narcissa off guard. Other than Harry and sometimes Draco she wasn't used to people treating her with kindness.
"Um," she said as she cleared her throat and schooled her features. "A cup of tea would be wonderful Mrs. Flamel, thank you." Perenelle nodded and waved her wand again, causing a steamy mug of tea to appear in front of Narcissa.
"Mrs. Flamel, may I ask a question about what you just told Harry?" Asked Narcissa kindly as she sipped her tea.
"Please Narcissa, call me Perenelle, but yes ask away," replied Perenelle as she took the seat across from Narcissa.
"What did you mean by the power he has access to now. You make it sound like he didn't used to have access to it, so what has changed?" Asked Narcissa.
"You don't miss a thing do you dear?" Perenelle responded before she turned to Harry. "You've picked a fine woman, young Harry." Perenelle winked at him when he looked up and Harry blushed deeply.
"Yes well, I wouldn't have thought to ask that so I'm certainly glad she's here," said Harry as he flashed Narcissa his signature grin. This caused both women to laugh lightly.
"Anyways, to answer your question Narcissa," said Nicolas as he joined them at the table. "When Harry performed the bonding ceremony with you, the bindings on about 80% of his magic were shattered." Harry and Narcissa both looked at him in disbelief.
"How do you know I performed a bonding ceremony?" Asked Harry curiously.
"I dreamed about it the night it happened. It's part of why we brought you here," responded Nicolas. This made Harry even more curious but Narcissa looked like she wanted to ask another question, so he just took another bite of his food and let her speak. She seemed to have a better idea of what was going on than he did anyways.
"How do you that is what happened? It seems very unlikely," said Narcissa. Harry noted the hint of concern in her voice.
"He passed out, didn't he?" Asked Perenelle. Narcissa nodded. "And the moment the bond was complete, you could feel the change in his magic, couldn't you?" Asked Perenelle knowingly. The blush creeping up Narcissa's cheeks was all the answer she needed. Harry was deep in though as he chewed and completely oblivious to her sudden shyness.
"It makes sense Narcissa," Harry chimed in after he thought about it for a time. "You said what happened to me wasn't supposed to happen, maybe this is why?"
"But Harry, you don't understand. Binding someone's magic, even part of it, is extremely illegal. It's considered just as bad as the unforgivables," explained Narcissa as her mask slipped and her anger showed through. "Who could have possibly done this? And why?" She finished as she turned to Nicolas for an answer.
"Can you think of no one?" inquired Nicolas.
"It was obviously Dumbledore, Narcissa. It is always Albus bloody Dumbledore interfering in my life," Harry answered.
"Yes, we do believe Albus is the most likely candidate, especially since he named himself your magical guardian the night your parents died. I imagine he could sense how powerful you were and saw you as a threat, so he bound your magic and sent you to live with your muggle relatives so that you would not reach your full magical potential." said Nicolas. Harry's anger grew as Nicolas spoke which caused his magic to flare unpredictably. Narcissa gasped softly next to him and closed her eyes. Nicolas sighed sadly and then continued. "When we first met Dumbledore in his late teens, he seemed genuine and kind, so I agreed to take him on as an apprentice. He had an affinity for alchemy, and he was interested in how the Philosopher's Stone worked but he didn't seem overly eager to use it. Not that he could if he wanted to. Years later, when Grindelwald rose to power he came back and I tried to help him as much as I could, even though it had been over 200 years since I had fought in a war myself. Shortly after Grindelwald's downfall I learned that Albus was not what he seemed. He was very close friends with Grindelwald and that friendship remained until the very end. I learned he had been passing information to Grindelwald the whole time and that his public confrontations with him were merely a ploy at increasing his own fame. I imagine he has placed himself in much the same position with the current dark wizard that is plaguing Britain. Anyways, I also learned that his coming to visit us that first time as a young lad was no accident. He had suspicions about how I came to possess the Philosopher's Stone and since then he made it his life mission to learn all he could about me. He may not have turned out to be who we hoped he was, but he is very clever and very powerful. He learned enough that the night your parents died he believed that you were the subject of a vision I have spent over 600 years ensuring comes to pass. That is why he became your magical guardian, to keep you from me and maintain control over you so that you did not become powerful enough to defeat the man that creates enough fear to give Albus himself power over them."
"A vision?" Said Harry. "This is all about that stupid prophecy. I already know all about that. It's the reason Voldemort tricked me into going to the Department of Mysteries last week. He wanted me to retrieve it, but 600 years? How could you have known about it back then? I thought Trelawney made the prediction like 16 years ago or something." Nicolas chuckled.
"Not that prophecy Harry. I don't doubt that Trelawney is a true seer, at least some of the time, but that day she only saw a very small piece of the true prophecy about you, and Narcissa," he said looking over at her. They both raised their eyebrows in surprise at this. "Luckily, Dumbledore does not know the true vision, and has only had Trelawney's prophecy to go off of. The vision I speak of was made over a 1,000 years ago. It was the first vision Merlin ever had."
"So there's another prophecy about me?" Asked Harry with a groan. Narcissa smiled at him softly. 'It is easy forget he is only fifteen.'
"So this prophecy is the reason that the Dark Lord is so interested in you. It's the reason he sent Lucius to the Department of Mysteries that night. The Dark Lord wants to know what it says, that means he's -" but before she could finish her sentence Harry was standing from the table, an angry fire blazing in his eyes as his magic swirled around him.
"Is that how you think of Tom, Narcissa? Is he your dark lord, even now? Will you go bow to him once you've killed me in my sleep?" He roared menacingly. Narcissa gulped as she tried to hold back a scream from the sensation of his magic pulsing through her. Her body began to shake involuntarily as she tried to gain enough composure to speak.
"No - no Harry - I would never hurt you- I'm - sorry... gasp... it is just habit. I was going to say that - that - he is scared of you - just like Lucius was," finished Narcissa panting slightly. Harry noticed the state she was in and looked at her in confusion. Then he noticed how quiet the room had gotten and turned to see Perenelle and Nicolas looking off into space with a glazed look in their eyes and content smiles on their faces. Harry tried to take a calming breath, but his anxiety was rising. 'What is going on here?'
Perenelle was the first to recover and she looked at Harry and then Narcissa in concern.
"Harry you need to calm down. The power in your magic can be quite painful for Narcissa in such intense bursts," she said gently.
"What do you mean? What is happening to her?" Asked Harry in concern as he tried to get his magic under control. He realized it was a lot harder to do now, then it ever used to be.
"You are not just a wizard Harry, you are a sorcerer. That means that your magic is energy based. It is fueled on emotions and intent," said Perenelle. Narcissa's eyes widened in understanding, but her nerve endings were still on fire too much for her to speak. Harry still just looked confused. "Albus did you a favor when he bound your magic Harry, even if that wasn't why he did it. It made you more like other wizards, allowed you to blend in. You would have become a pariah among your peers very quickly otherwise. You will see the difference when you see them again, I believe. Anyways, I've gotten off track. Since your magic is energy based when you use your magic or release it unexpectedly that energy travels through others in close proximity to you. You now have access to the full strength of your magical power, but you don't yet have control over how much you release, especially when you are in a heightened emotional state like you were just now."
"So when I use my magic the energy travels through other people," said Harry. Perenelle nodded. "But why is it hurting her? My cousin Dudley had a bad reaction to peanuts once, is it like that? Is she allergic to my magic?" Said Harry frantically. 'How is this marriage possibly going to work if she's allergic to my magic?'
"Some people might have a similar reaction to your cousin Dudley, but for Narcissa it is more that your magic is stimulating than hurtful. She's - well- it might be easiest for you to understand if I explain it in terms of intent," said Perenelle as she looked over at a clearly embarrassed Narcissa for consent to continue. Narcissa looked at Harry nervously but then let out a sigh and nodded. Harry noticed for the first time how flushed her face was. 'Stimulating, wait is she....' Both women noticed when a blush began to creep up Harry's cheeks.
"Good, you're starting to understand," said Perenelle. "To someone that has never met you and has no intentions towards you, good or bad, your magic would simply make them feel a little happier, maybe a little more optimistic about life, but not much would change. Someone that truly cares for you and has genuinely good intentions towards you would feel a sense of peace and contentment, perhaps a sudden burst of energy and euphoria. The deeper their feelings the stronger the sensation will be. On the other side, someone with negative intentions and feelings towards you would feel pain. Again, the depth of their malicious feelings towards you would determine how bad the experience would be. Someone who simple doesn't like you but wouldn't want to harm you might feel a bit nauseous or get a headache. Someone with true malevolent, sinister intentions towards you would feel excruciating pain. Someone who is compatible with you and attracted to you would feel - well - a strong sense of arousal. This is especially true for Narcissa since she is blood bonded with you in marriage. Your magic seeks her out, so to speak," finished Perenelle with a smirk as she watched the blush on Harry's face deepen. 'Oh, to be young and in love. Those were wonderful days.' Perenelle watched Harry eye Narcissa with a mixture of awe and embarrassment and decided to take things into her own hands. They were married after all and Narcissa would feel much better if Harry 'dealt' with her predicament.
"We have a great deal more that we need to tell you, but a lot of it would be easier if we just showed you our memories instead of trying to explain, there are also a few books that Merlin left especially for you. Nicolas and I are going to go gather somethings for you and give you and Narcissa sometime alone to discuss things," said Perenelle with a soft smile as she stood up. She walked over and squeezed Harry's shoulder gently.
"We'll be back in an hour. Come on Nicolas," she said as she walked towards the stairs. Nicolas winked at Harry as he rose from the table and followed his wife.
"What do I do to help her?" Asked Harry as he looked over at his new wife. Narcissa had her eyes closed. She had stopped shaking but her breathing was still ragged, and her legs were clenched tightly together. Harry wasn't sure if he wanted Perenelle to tell him what he thought he had to do or not.
"What are your instincts telling you to do Harry," Perenelle responded. Harry's face flushed in response and his eyes glazed over in thought. Perenelle laughed gently.
"I'd go with that," she said with a wink as she took out her wand and cast a silencing charm on the room before she continued up the stairs. Once they were out of sight, he heard Narcissa moan. He laughed slightly as his predicament. 'Why is it always me that these things happen to? Is this Sirius' idea of a prank from the afterlife?' Harry sighed. 'Well, no reason to put just a toe in, might as well jump in all the way'
Harry took a deep breath to steel his resolve and then he stood and leaned over Narcissa, pausing for a moment when his mouth was a breath away from her own before he claimed her lips in a passionate kiss. Narcissa opened her eyes in surprise, but when they met aroused green orbs, she felt a new surge of arousal and wrapped her arms around his neck to pull him in closer. Harry continued to kiss her tentatively for several minutes until Narcissa took control by biting his lip hard enough to cause Harry to gasp, giving her enough room to poke her tongue in and start exploring his mouth. Harry moaned at the feeling of her tongue caressing his own and eagerly returned her ministrations as he snaked his fingers up and slide them through her gold tresses gently. Suddenly Narcissa pulled away.
"Touch me Harry, please I - I need you to touch me," She pleaded. Harry nodded and reached around to unzip her dress and slid the arm straps down tenderly. Then he unclipped her bra and quickly removed it before staring at her chest in awe. When the dress had pooled in her lap and the bra was on the table beside him, Harry reached underneath Narcissa and lifted her bottom off the chair to flip their positions. Narcissa gasped in surprise as he deftly placed her so that she was straddling one of his thighs. He then grabbed a handful of her hair and pulled her down for a fierce kiss. His hands roamed down her neck, and sides, then lingered on her hips, drawing small circles on her skin just above the boundary of her panties. He moved his lips along her jawline and then sucked firmly on her pulse point while he cupped one of her breasts firmly with the hand that wasn't holding her in place.
Harry felt completely out of his depth, unsure of how to proceed, but when she wrapped her arms around his shoulders for support and started thrusting into his leg and moaning softly into his touch, he could feel himself hardening and decided to stop thinking about it and just let his instincts guide him like Perenelle had suggested. He enjoyed the feel of her soft flesh as his inexperienced hands massaged her breasts. When Narcissa started to increase her pace against his leg he rolled an erect nipple between two fingers before pinching it firmly. When this elicited a load moan from Narcissa and caused a flood of liquid to soak his pant leg, he did the same with the other side. After a while, he pushed Narcissa back slightly so he could take the unattended breast into his mouth. He sucked and kissed gently as he lost himself in the sensation that was building inside him. 'I've never touched anyone like this before, I never thought I'd enjoy touching someone else like this, but she feels amazing, all of her, I think this will be a very enjoyable part of being married.'
When Harry felt Narcissa's pace grow frantic, he bit down on the nipple between his teeth the way Narcissa had done with his lip. He immediately heard Narcissa scream her release and he looked up to see her head thrown back in pleasure. 'She's the most beautiful woman I've ever seen.' Narcissa's pace slowed and then she collapsed against Harry's chest.
Narcissa took a moment to regain her composure. 'It has been too many years since someone has touched me with so much enthusiasm. With a little more practice, he could prove to be a fine lover indeed and he seems eager to learn. But I suppose we should talk about this.'
"I'm sorry Harry. I didn't plan on telling you. I - I didn't want you to feel forced into being intimate with me." Said Narcissa into his chest, her voice barely above a whisper.
"Narcissa, look at me," said Harry softly. When Narcissa pushed herself back to look in his eyes, Harry caressed her cheek gently and continued to speak. Narcissa was surprised to see no hint of uncertainty in his eyes. "I admit that without this 'situation' it likely would have taken me ages to work up the courage to initiate anything with you. But that's mostly because I have no idea what I'm doing when it comes to being intimate with a woman, it's not because I didn't or don't want to be with you that way. You are an extremely attractive woman Narcissa. I noticed it the first time I saw you on platform 9 3/4 and I still thought girls had cooties back then. Maybe it was fate trying to push us together even then, but I felt the strongest pull to you, and I couldn't help but stare." Harry smiled at her and laughed.
"I was extremely embarrassed when I realized you were Draco's mother." He said as he kissed her gently and then handed her back her bra from the table. Once she had it in place, he gently pulled the straps of her dress back up her arms, kissing each shoulder blade as he went and then lingering on her neck while he zipped the dress back up. He stopped when Narcissa let out an appreciative moan.
"Thank you, Harry," she said as she stood from his lap and cleaned them both up.
"You don't have to thank me Narcissa. It was a very enjoyable experience with a fantastic view," shared Harry with a cheeky grin. Narcissa tried to hide her blush as she walked over to check her appearance in the mirror by the stairs. She smiled when she noticed Harry staring at her backside as she walked away. 'It's been a long time since anyone I care about has looked at me like that. I don't think Lucius ever even watched me leave a room. It's nice to feel desired.'
"See something you like Harry," Narcissa said with a flirty smile as she came back to the table and sat down in the chair Harry had been sitting in before.
"Absolutely," responded Harry as he put a warming charm on her abandoned tea and then pushed it towards her. Narcissa gave him a soft smile in thanks. 'It's nice to be able to tease him and he's clearly very thoughtful. Maybe calling for Kreacher that night will end up being the best decision I ever make.'
"Can I ask you something Harry?" Said Narcissa, pulling them both out of their thoughts as she sipped her tea. Harry shrugged in response.
"You called Voldemort...," began Narcissa looking over at Harry with a surprisingly bashful expression. "You called him Tom, why?"
"Because that's his name?" Said Harry simply.
"I don't understand," said Narcissa.
"Did you really think his mother named him something horrid like Voldemort? Voldemort is the name he made up to hide his true heritage. His given name is Tom. Tom Marvolo Riddle."
"Riddle," said Narcissa thoughtfully. "That's not a pureblood name."
"No, it's not," said Harry plainly. "His father was a muggle."
"How do you know this?" Asked Narcissa in surprise.
"He told me. Well, a younger version of himself did. It's difficult to explain, it probably would be easier if I showed you the memory. I'm sure Nicolas has a Pensieve since Perenelle said they have memories to show us, so I'll ask him if I can borrow it and show you the memory of our conversation later," responded Harry. Narcissa nodded.
"That's fine Harry. Can I ask though, how many times have you spoken with - Voldemort?"
"Four times. Except my third year, it has become somewhat of annual event. We seem to get together at the same time every year," said Harry with a teasing smile. Narcissa laughed sincerely and Harry vowed to make her do that as often as possible.
"Nicolas and Perenelle won't be coming back downstairs for a while yet. Would you like to go for a stroll and stretch our legs?" asked Harry.
"Sure, that would be nice," answered Narcissa. They borrowed a couple cloaks from the Flamels' and walked around the property hand in hand. They enjoyed friendly conversation, and both took advantage of the opportunity to get to know each other better. When they returned to the cottage, Nicolas and Perenelle were just coming down the stairs.
"You look much better my dear," said Perenelle with a knowing smile as she levitated a pile of books onto the table. Nicolas was right behind her with a giant hand bound tome and a Pensieve.
"Yes, I feel much better, thank you Perenelle," said Narcissa maintaining her neutral expression despite the awkwardness of the moment. Harry was impressed. 'I would definitely at least be blushing. How does she do that?'
"So, where did we leave off?" chimed in Nicolas as he sat down at the table.
"Albus Dumbledore and a second prophecy," reminded Narcissa softly.
"Oh yes, that's right. Well, in a nutshell when Merlin was a young boy, he had a vision about you both, and well, me too I suppose. That vision set in motion everything he did and developed over the rest of his many lifetimes. When he felt as though he could do no more to assist you when the time came, he found me and passed his work onto me. When I first met Albus, he was such a steadfast supporter of the light that I'd hoped I could pass it onto to him, but alas he did not end up being who I hoped he was," said Nicolas sadly.
"So what is the prophecy that Merlin had?" Asked Harry.
"Heir of Emrys will return when darkness is on the verge of victory. Though vanquished once by a mother's love, a piece of the darkness will remain. When controlled by the heir it will be the undoing of the dark. As a black flower dies a bond will be forged to save a life releasing that which was locked and calling the heir to his destiny. Two broken hearts will mend each other become more powerful than any before. The enemy hiding in the light will be revealed when the truth is set free and allies will be stolen from unlikely places when given the chance to change their own fate. Master of the Druid way and trained by the immortal alchemist the Prince of Enchanters will walk again with magic none have seen. Evil hearts will feel the agony of their ways and crumble when judgement is delivered. The rest will bow to the defeater. Heir of Emrys will return when darkness is on the verge of victory but will only stay till the baby's first cry. Then will be lost once again," said Nicolas having memorized it many, many years ago.
"And how could you possibly know that refers to me?" Asked Harry skeptically. In response, Nicolas pushed the Pensieve into the middle of the table and pulled some strands of memories out of his mind with his wand.
"This is one of the things that will be easier to show you then explain," Nicolas said as he motioned for them to enter the Pensieve. Narcissa and Harry went in and watched Merlin's conversation with the Flamels all those years ago and then the dream Nicolas had woken up from that fateful night that had brought Harry and Narcissa together. They were both a bit in shock when they came back out.
"So, Harry is a descendant of Merlin?" Asked Narcissa in awe. 'Did I seriously just marry the young man that will likely become the most powerful wizard in our world.'
"There's no way to know for certain. Merlin most likely had many, many children so I imagine he had more descendants than most, but proving it would be nearly impossible," responded Nicolas. Both Harry and Narcissa looked at him curiously. He noticed their inquiring stares and clarified.
"Merlin spent a large majority of his life with the Druid. Not a lot is known about them, but we do know that they were and those that are left probably still are a polyamorous society. Some Druid get married to a couple other individuals, some get married to several, and some, like Merlin, never get married but have many lovers over their lifetime both in and out of the Druid community. As far as I know, there are only a couple of Druid enclaves left in the world and they are very well hidden and do not often interact with outsiders, but in Merlin's time many people came and went freely between Druid territory and the rest of the world, so who knows how far his offspring spread."
"Oh, I see." Said Narcissa. "I knew Merlin never married, but I never thought to ask why."
"Either way it doesn't really matter whether he is a direct descendant or not. Merlin made it so that the Emrys name can only be passed down through a spell he created. The one he used to transfer his magic to me. When I transfer Merlin's magic to Harry, magic herself will recognize him as Emrys, and I will simply be Flamel once more.
"But won't that kill you?" Asked Harry in concern, remembering what they saw in the Pensieve.
"Yes, eventually. I have improved Merlin's spell over the years to allow me to pass just Merlin's magic to you while keeping my own. However, when you take the name Emrys I will no longer be able to use the elixir and so eventually I will die."
"How long will you have?" asked Harry
"Six months, maybe a year. It will be more than enough time for us to get our affairs in order and help you how we can."
"Okay," said Harry hesitantly feeling a bit overwhelmed. Nicolas laughed in understanding.
"Here," he said pushing the giant tone toward Harry. "Read this. I imagine it will explain everything. Merlin wrote it for you. When you're done, I can answer any questions you still have." Harry nodded.
"We built a cottage for you many years ago on the outskirts of the property. Why don't we show you where it is at and you two can get settled and start on the book and then come back and join us for dinner," said Perenelle kindly. "The fridge is also fully stocked in case you get hungry before then Harry.'
"Okay," responded Harry. "That's sound fine to me. Narcissa?" Narcissa looked surprised at being asked her opinion but nodded her assent as she squeezed his hand under the table.
"Can I take your Pensieve with me Nicolas?" asked Harry. "There are some memories I wanted to show Narcissa."
"You can borrow it any time you like Harry, but if you are only showing Narcissa you don't need a Pensieve."
"I don't?" Harry asked curiously.
"No, your magic is energy based remember, so just like how you push energy into people when you use your magic, you can also push memories into them, the same way you could draw their memories out once you know how to control it. Since you and Narcissa are bonded through the ritual you did it will be especially easy to share with her and since she can use that bond to draw on your magic, she will eventually be able to share memories with you as well, with some practice," explained Nicolas. Harry and Narcissa both looked at each other in surprise.
"Here I'll show you," said Nicolas with a chuckle. "Harry, think of a memory you would like to share with Narcissa. Aim for a simple, relatively short memory for this first time. Then when you have the memory in mind, touch your fingers to her temples and imagine pushing the memory into her mind. Eventually you will be proficient enough to do it without touch but start with it for now." Harry smiled as he thought of the perfect memory and then did as Flamel instructed.
At first nothing seemed to happen, but then Narcissa gasped softly as images began flooding into her mind. They were distorted at first but then they began to organize and come into focus. Eventually, she found herself standing on Platform 9 3/4. She was awed as she looked around at the platform through Harry's eyes and was pleasantly surprised that she could even feel his nervous emotions. She listened to Ron Weasley start to say goodbye to his mother and turned away to give them some privacy. Narcissa gasped again when she saw herself kissing Draco goodbye as he got on the train. She watched herself turn from the train, and their eyes never even met, but she could feel Harry's heart rate increase and a flush appear on his face as she stared at herself as she left the platform. As quickly as it came, the memory distorted again and faded until she was sitting back in the Flamel kitchen. Harry reached over and gently pushed some fallen strands of hair behind her ears. Narcissa was trembling slightly from the magic Harry had used to show her the memory, but it wasn't nearly as bad as before.
"You really were attracted to me, even then," Narcissa whispered in amazement.
"I told you so," he said as he gave her a chaste but meaningful kiss to prove his point.