Summary: Fleur Delacour joins the Order of The Phoenix following her boyfriend's actions. Rose Potter is Dumbledore's best-kept secret. The fight against Voldemort is escalating. Fleur suspects there is much more to the witch than meets the eye. Rose enjoys proving her right. AU. Girl-Who-Lived. Slytherin!Harry.
Chapter 1
Fleur
It was true, Rose Potter was alive and well. Fleur was looking at the "lost" girl, England's biggest mystery.
The sixteen-year-old witch looked older than her years. The scar which had once made a lightning bolt from just above her right eyebrow to just below her eye was bigger. It had almost doubled in size, starting well into her forehead and ending level to her nose.
It didn't seem to take away from her beauty in the least. No, the last years had polished what Fleur knew would be a gorgeous woman. As a Veela, she was no stranger to beauty. Despite that, the air around the girl with the long, wild wavy-haired redhead evaded her. She was unlike anyone she had ever met.
If Fleur had to bet money on it, she would assume Rose to be older than her birth certificate. She was confident. She was quiet and offered nothing until asked for it. She alluded to playing parts none could lay claim to. "And the McNair family is still reporting their head of house missing with no leads."
Fleur was watching the younger witch. Her face didn't change in the slightest, the calm, bored look on the teen not even twitching as others glanced her way. "Rose," Dumbledore called out. She smiled at him, a smooth easy motion on her scarred face. Dumbledore looked like he was trying to be patient. "Would you have any light to shed on this?"
Her head tilted and she looked around the table. "That depends, Dumbledore." Her impeccable white teeth seemed almost ferocious as she smirked at him. "Are you going to reprimand me for my answer?"
Down the table, there were different reactions. Fleur's boyfriend, Bill Weasley, smirked at her response and shared a glance with his brother Charlie. The two oldest Weasley's could have conversations without words. Often in the last two weeks, Fleur had heard them speculating on the witch and she heard stories and rumors of the girl's exploits.
After facing off against her in the Tri-Wizard Tournament, she believed them. Having spent more time with the witch in these last few meetings, she was only more sure.
Bill's mother, Molly Weasley, was scoffing and bustling, rising to the bait. There were two other voices already trying to reprimand the girl. The cool teen ignored the commotion she had caused, looking apathetically at her nails. She must have sensed the depth of Fleur's considerations and her eyes lifted.
Fleur felt... funny. Her empathetic nature seemed to abruptly focus on the witch. Intense green eyes, one with an eerie silver pupil where the scar marred it, glittered when they held her own. Chaos. Wildness. Untamed yet existing in a tangible form at the table.
The words she had said to her in the past, the short conversations they had, rushed forward. Are you so scared of a witch who embraces the very sexuality you have always had to push away? Are you threatened by my willingness to thrive where you run? Then, she had been younger, they both had been. The conversations had stopped her, confused her. I am fated, Fleur. Have you ever lived in fated moments? You're never going to win against me. Only those with me will win.
She had been correct. Rose Potter won the tournament and disappeared when she touched the finish line. A week later, "Voldemort" had appeared in Diagon Alley, showing off a "dead" Rose Potter. The announcement, the publicity of it, and the Dark Mark over the popular wizarding alley kick-started a war.
Two weeks ago, Sirius Black presented his cousin and Rose to the Order. Then they had divulged some of their past actions, including impersonating the Dark Lord. They claimed it was the only way to stop Voldemort from staying under wraps.
Why she had stayed hidden for the past year hadn't been revealed to them, though Dumbledore seemed to know. Fleur couldn't help the intrigue she felt around the girl. She was shrouded in mystery, playing with it and wrapping herself in it as though it were the finest silk. As she looked at the magical witch, she felt herself wanting to pull the threads of the fabric.
"I assure you, Rose, you sit here an equal. If I will not reprimand you, then certainly the others here will not."
A coldness came back to the girl, who dropped her manicured nails to the table, tapping them. "McNair will not be found. He has been fed to magical beings bigger than him."
War was messy. Fleur knew that life itself was messy in the best of times, and in times like this... So for the life of her, she could not understand the reactions occurring.
"This is war, no?" she surprised herself, speaking out loud. She hadn't participated in the general discussion at the table until this point. For the months she had been involved with the Order of the Phoenix, she offered few words. International concerns, magical creature concerns, and warding/enchanting discussions. Others at the table turned to her now and so she continued. "War is messy. Better those we are against be fed to beasts than those of our own?"
She immediately pushed away the awkward butterfly feeling in her stomach. Rose was giving her an intense look of pleasure and satisfaction. Fleur didn't have the time to think about it.
"Correct, Ms. Delacour. It is a sad but true fact that wars are, indeed, fought." That brought the outrage at the table to an end. "Is there anything more you might be willing to add on the topic at hand? You seem to be the most well-informed."
"Draco Malfoy has taken the mark, and Nott is next in line. Unlike Malfoy, it is unclear whether Theodore wants the path chosen for him."
Dumbledore accepted this with a nod. "Thank you, Rose. And now, perhaps a lighter revelation?" Dumbledore looked at Fleur and Rose with smiles. "Miss Delacour has accepted an apprenticeship with Hogwarts Professors Flitwick and Vector." There were congratulations around the table and Dumbledore gave Rose a smile. "And Miss Potter, who will be disguised as Capella Black. She has accepted an apprenticeship with Professors Babbling and Slughorn."
Sirius Black grinned widely. "Oh yes, may I introduce my rumored love-child, Capella Black."
There was a small flash of smoke around Rose. When the smoke cleared, Rose wore a new face. Gone were the intense green eyes, famous scar, and recognizable blood-red hair. The regal features of the Black family angled her cheeks. Icy silvery grey eyes, the same color as her iris had been, starred out. Short, stylish silky black hair framed her face not passing her ears. Her ears sparkled as her head turned, the jewelry there catching the little light in the room. Her hand was silent casting charms at her face, makeup appearing. The dark grey glittering shadow grew darker toward the black eyeliner. Blush kissed her cheeks. A dark stain topped with a smooth gloss appeared on her lips. She smiled and eyebrows rose at the expression. "It's a pleasure. I'm excited to work with the staff of Hogwarts this year. Please let me know if there's anything I can help you all with."
Sirius and Remus were snickering at the quiet that followed. Rose-Cali kept smiling with her angelic innocent face. "Here's a bit of background, if any of you want to know."
With another flick, the folder in front of Sirius opened. A sheet of paper flew in front of each person. As Fleur looked at the information, she smirked. American, raised in the muggle world, with an affinity for Potions and Runes. O level NEWT grades in several subjects. She would have to be able to back that up.
Like she sensed Fleur's mental challenge, their eyes met for the third time that night. Challenge Accepted.
Rose
Rose watched as Sirius and Remus spoke to Bill and Charlie. Her eyes shifted around the room. All in all, she believed there was much truth to strength in numbers. But numbers without strength meant little to her.
She was paving the way for them to win this war. She was leading from the shadows. Using Voldemort's tactics against him more daring than he had even risked.
That wasn't entirely true. It wasn't as though she had split her soul.
Moody gave her a nod of approval before leaving. She had recognized the man's imposter the year of the Tournament and subdued him. Barty Crouch Jr. had been the one to place her name in the Goblet, and she had been his end. Mad-Eye Moody had thanked her in the form of leading her combat training.
There was a temptation to look at the veela in the room but she fought it. The blonde witch's support had been a pleasant surprise. She had a reputation of flirting and seduction earned over her third and fourth year at school. It was natural for her. After living as a runaway eight-year-old posing as an eighteen-year-old adult, childhood held little meaning to her. And it helped with the fame and expectations heaped on her as the Girl-Who-Lived.
None protected her. Her relatives were abusive. Learning about the world without people to follow, costly. But she overcame all things she had been through. She found magic and learned all she could. She believed she could protect herself if she had the right questions and answers.
All failed to keep Voldemort from her. It had been up to her to protect the Sorcerer's Stone and deliver it back to Nicholas Flamel. It had been up to her to figure out the riddle of Tom Riddle. She had been the one to face him during his fall and rebirth. She had been the end to all other pieces of his soul.
She would defeat Voldemort again. She would be stronger for it. And she had to do the things that those she led were too weak to do. She accepted the burdens heaped on her early, allowing the weight to challenge her. Few accepted such challenges, fewer still accepted them so early. But, she was fated.
"Lovely daughter," Sirius's cheery face called to her. She mirrored his smile and it grew. "Shall we retire to the Black Ancestral grounds for dinner this evening?"
She wanted to scrutinize him but didn't. She could trust Sirius now. His entire purpose for living was to see her win the war, and he took it seriously. If he wanted to entertain Fleur Delacour, Bill and Charlie Weasley, there was a reason.
"Dinner would be lovely, father."
Sirius's face pinched at that and he started grumbling about being too much of a pureblood princess and reminding him of a punk-rock version of his mom.
As the group passed said woman's frame, Rose stopped in front of it. "Grandmother," she greeted with fake respect. "Such a shame to not have met you while your beauty remained fully on this world. It is nice to see that you had the sense to have a portrait made."
Remus and Fleur watched the scene in front of them unfold while Sirius continued outside with Bill and Charlie. "Grandmother, you say? And who might you be?"
"Capella Libra Black," she introduced. "Daughter of Marlene McKinnon and Sirius Black."
"And is the future Lady Black a bastard?" Walburga sneered at her.
Rose gave a sinister smile that made the portrait pause. "I think you'll come to find I offer far more value to the Black family as a bastard than the previous incestuous generations have done. Then again, it is not difficult to do more for the house than you and your husband. Once a strong and powerful family leading our magical community, lost with your greedy, grabby little hands. No, you've done me no favors, Grandmother. I will use this as fuel to reach further than you could have dreamed."
Remus looked unsurprised by the well-said introduction and favored Rose a smile. Fleur was staring and Rose stopped herself from smirking. The French were hard to impress, but she was making it easy.
A flick of the wrist stopped any responses that might have come from the portrait, curtains whipping closed. The last of the Order members had gone through the floo and they alone remained in the house. "Shall we?" Remus offered.
Rose followed him next to Fleur. She had once dreamt of making a move on the older teen but felt glad she had not. It would not have been fair to drag her into the center of a universe she might yet be able to avoid. She didn't think Fleur would be satisfied by her usual offer of a single night. Seeing her here, now, in one of her family homes had reminded her of the things she couldn't yet dream to have. It felt right having her there, like she balanced out the shadowy pools of the Blacks with her glowing passion bubbling away under the surface. It was tampered by the presence of the witch's boyfriend usually at her side.
Good for them, Rose had decided. If she couldn't attempt to win over the brilliant French Champion, at least someone talented and skilled was trying. The Weasley's had few flaws and Bill was heir to what could one day become a prominent family again. Maybe she would end up a friend in the end. Is that what I'd actually want?
She didn't deliberate internally on the question and let it pass. The other trio were sat at the table in the garden, magical plants and some fairies lighting up the space. Rose allowed herself to relax as she breathed in the enticing scents of the garden.
Remus, Sirius, and her each had different hobbies. They had said it was important to have something in front of you to work on when you had something inside to work out. Gardening and invention were her favorite hobbies. In her private notebook, she kept notes and scribbled down ideas. Magic made so much possible, she often had problems picking out which project she wanted to work on. The garden showed the fruits of her year of attention, and she was proud of it.
"This is a beautiful garden," Fleur commented politely.
Sirius grinned widely and nodded. "Cali has quite the gift when it comes to design."
Their eyes met and Rose stopped herself from shying away. "Oh, congratulations, Ro- Cali," she caught herself. "And not only on your beautiful garden but on the apprenticeships as well."
Rose smiled proudly. "Thank you, Fleur. And congrats to you as well. Professor Vector and Professor Flitwick are legends in their fields, I can't wait to see what you do to earn your mastery."
"Perhaps we can study together while we are at Hogwarts this year?" she offered.
"That would be nice. Most of the company I've had in the last year has been old, cranky, war-torn men."
That got a laugh from the rest of the table. Fleur looked at her for a moment longer before engaging in the conversation her boyfriend had started.
Dobby, Rose's confidant, friend, and personal house-elf, had taken their drink orders while Winky sent out some appetizers before the dinner was brought out. Sirius and Fleur were bonding over the finer things presented to them, Bill, Charlie, and Remus discussing their favorite muggle whiskeys and ales.
"As part of building her background, Cali opened her own wine and mead brand in America," Sirius brought up, pulling Rose into the conversation.
"Oh? It is incredible that you found the time to do such things, what with all you've been able to do here in England this last year." She cocked her head to the side and looked critically at her. "Then again, perhaps you've had nothing but time?"
Rose and Sirius shared a look. Fleur was quick. "I make time for things I enjoy doing. Otherwise, I'd only be left behind." She could take that for whatever she wanted. Seeing the look of triumph come over the witch, Rose thought she had taken validation from it. "But I did open up a muggle Wine and a magical Mead business in America. We began selling the wine last month and it has gained a surprising amount of traction."
Sirius scoffed. "You're becoming just as popular in muggle California as you are here." Turning to Fleur he bragged. "We hired two dozen squibs to oversee the operations. One of them is what the muggles call a publicist, are you familiar?"
"Yes, while I've never lived in the muggle world, I'm well versed. My father invests some money in different muggle economies that have proven to be a boon."
Sirius's excitement grew. "Then you'll understand that news of a mysterious young entrepreneur in Sonoma Valley investing her inheritance in wine might have made a splash, but being interviewed on national TV for fifteen minutes for her astounding success might be a big deal?"
Rose rolled her eyes. Fame didn't impress her, she was Rose Potter. Hearing her wine might be nominated as the new wine of the year was more impressive to her. "I'm just happy all of the connoisseurs and publications we sent bottles to enjoyed it."
"How big is the vineyard?" Fleur asked as she sipped the wine Dobby brought out. She was impressed as the flavor filled her mouth and the warmth spread inside.
"Just over two hundred acres. If it continues to go well, we'll consider expanding. It's hard to plan for a business when you're busy with a war, but having money coming in is necessary."
"The land was just sitting there," Sirius explained. "My family has purchased and hidden an abundance of land across the world, particularly in Europe, North America, and Australia. I was considering selling some of it for cash to spend on the war but Cali had other ideas."
"It goes against tradition to sell off land," Rose sniffed, tilting her head up snobbishly. "I'm merely doing what should be done as the future Head of House Black."
"My father holds similar beliefs," Fleur admitted. "What is designated magical should stay that way, especially with how the muggles are treating the world currently. Everything they touch is beginning to spoil. To sell and at a time like this is to do the world a great disservice."
"You're assuming I would sell to muggles?"
Fleur's head shook. "I'm assuming you would sell to the highest bidder. The highest bidder for any land right now would be the muggles."
Sirius smiled and nodded. "You're not wrong." Then he frowned and looked between the two witches. "The pair of you will get along fine. Cali is always trying to update me on the status of this rainforest and the destruction of that reef." He shook a hand in the air. "It's all too much for me to think about, but I'm glad we didn't sell anything."
The appetizers left the table and a moment later full plates appeared in front of each of them. "This looks delicious, Sirius. Thank you for having us."
Sirius smiled back at Bill, taking a bite of the food. "Your mother is a fairly adept cook, isn't she?"
Charlie grinned, swallowing his food. "You'd have to be, feeding the army she mothered."
"She's got more than a couple of perfected recipes. Fleur's quite the baker, too," Bill added.
"My mother loved baking," Remus chimed in. "As a French baker, you must have a delicious favorite pastry?"
Rose watched the witch as she answered. Slowly, her face was unfolding to them, becoming ever the more captivating.
"Macarons." Rose's mouth filled wetly and she fought her reaction to swallow or squirm in her seat. The way Fleur almost purred out the word has caught her off guard, a rare thing for her. "There are so many different flavors and zey 'ave just ze perfect amount of sweetness with a cup of coffee. Magnifique."
The heightened French accent only served to further Rose's sudden intense attraction. It was easy for her to fight off the effects of something magical like an allure, but an accent? From lips shaped like that?
The lucky boyfriend must have felt similarly as he suddenly took her hand and brought it to his lips, giving it a kiss and a squeeze. Fleur's eyes met her own and goosebumps threatened her spine. She burned under the gaze.
Fleur turned her attention to Bill, giving him a smile, eyes flickering around the table and coming back to Rose. Rose decided then that she was going to learn how to bake macarons.
Her wine was delightfully dry when she allowed herself a generous sip before tanning another bite of her dinner.
"I, myself, am not allowed near cooking," Sirius admitted.
"Because no one trusts you to not burn down the house by creating something so hellish it summons fiendfyre." Remus shot the table a warning glance. "Never. NEVER, allow Sirius Black to cook you a meal," he lectured. "Understood?" he pressed, pointing his fork at Bill and Charlie who both put their hands in the air.
"This is coming from experience, methinks," Charlie teased.
Rose chuckled into her wine as she slowly sipped it, relaxing back into her chair. She felt Fleur's eyes on her and pretended to be paying attention to the story she had heard before. Her glass pressed against her lips, held there purposefully and rolling gently across them. She knew it wasn't just taking place of her habit of biting her lip, but Fleur's eyes were on it. Her tongue teasingly licked the rim of the glass before she took a sip and finally looked back at Fleur.
She would need to move macarons further up her list of goals.
Fleur
Conversation flowed easily at the table. For the first time since she had moved to England, Fleur was enjoying herself.
As the wine flowed and stories shared, she relaxed. Bill's hand was on her leg, her own hand resting on top of it. Charlie, Sirius, and Remus were all now skilled at resisting her allure. Bill had been the first man that showed her interest who could resist it, and it was with excitement that they started dating.
Their honeymoon phase was coming to an end, that much was clear. While she still enjoyed seeing him after a long day, she had been against them becoming engaged soon.
Bill was a lovely boyfriend. He was handsome, had good style, treated her with respect, and worked hard. He had talent, good career prospects, and hopes and dreams of having a big successful family.
It concerned her how focused Bill was on starting a family. She had no qualms about having children, but she didn't want to get started in the coming years. Why he thought marrying and having a child during a war he was fighting in was a good idea, she did not know.
Her reluctance to move forward created tension between them. Before he had brought up marriage, they were the perfect couple. Now, however... Bill seemed to be spending more time at home with his younger siblings and mother. If any of them had made an honest attempt to get to know her, she would join him more often. As it was, Bill's mother and sister seemed to hate her. She heard them calling her names behind her back. They shot her scathing remarks when possible. They made fun of her accent, her fine tastes, and French culture. It was not the kind teasing Rose, Sirius, and Remus peppered into the conversation. It was mean and cold, meant to pull Bill away from her.
Fleur sipped her wine and looked at his face, smiling at the story he had started telling. His hand had come away from her leg, waving around as he explained the perils in Egypt. The loss of his hand was hardly registered. Perhaps Molly Weasley was coming between them, and Fleur wasn't sure that was a battle she wanted to fight.
Feeling eyes on her, Fleur looked around. Rose was watching her and Bill. Her current features seemed more adept at looking calculating. The bright mind behind the eyes took in more than Bill's story. Fleur held her attention. She shifted in her seat and she crossed her right arm beneath her chest, twirling her wine in the other hand. A flare of pleasure shot through her when Rose's silver-grey eyes flickered toward the arm. Her gaze lingered on the display of cleavage for a brief, almost unnoticeable moment, but she saw it.
Rose's eyes returned to Fleur and she licked her bottom lip, pulling it to her teeth before smiling. In a swift action, the disguised witch finished the glass of wine she had and returned it to the table. Her attention was back on Bill, watching him tell the story.
Finally, he finished and the chuckles died down. Sirius cleared his throat. "Fleur, Bill, Charlie," he started, sounding more formal. "There is something we would like to discuss with you this evening before it gets too late."
Nodding her head, she looked briefly at the redheads who also looked unsurprised. "There are three things, really," Remus amended.
"Yes," Sirius agreed. "Foremost being, you three are among the most uniquely talented in the Order. We have tentative plans requiring particular skills."
"We have made plans to convert some of the Black and Potter land in Scotland to safe housing for muggleborns. Given how the last conflict went, we're preparing for the worst possible outcomes."
"We are willing to pay for your skills," Sirius added. "We will not be able to match the bonuses offered in tomb raiding. What we propose instead is giving you a beautiful undeveloped patch of magical land. The location is near Ottery St Catchpole. It contains no housing and is currently completely off any map or grid."
"Last century the Blacks purchased around 30 square acres. This was during the magical land preservation initiative," Remus explained. "In the following five years, the property was magically extended. This is common for all magical land purchased for the initiative. The total amount of land is now 150 acres. We were thinking of splitting this property in half and give half to you, Bill, and the other half to you, Charlie. This would be in exchange for three years of work."
Sirius turned to Fleur. "For you, Fleur, we thought it might be beneficial to get your professional opinion on ideas. Since we knew the demands put on mastery level study is high, we would like to propose light work over this next year. We will sit with you for a few hours each Saturday morning. The material you would need to look at during the week would be no more than five hours of reading. Following your mastery, we would like to hire you full-time as a developer. We have several international properties, smaller in size than those in England. We thought you might appreciate options, seeing as how your family is in France."
Remus pulled several folders out from inside his robes and enlarged them. They floated towards each of them and Fleur finished her wine. Returning the empty glass to the table, she picked up the folder. Her eyes widened at the number she saw. 1,500 galleons a year, paid in an annual lump sum. She scanned over the description of work expected of her. Warding, property development, possible curse breaking. There was a note that they would be using her Arithmancy mastery to plan development. "How will Arithmancy come into play?"
This time, Rose answered. Cali's voice was similar, though higher pitched and with an American accent. Fleur realized she had hardly heard her during the course of the evening. "That is something we would discuss after you make your oath and sign the magical contract.
"You'll notice that we've listed the terms of the vow following the proposal. As our goal is to protect and hide the vulnerable during the war, we feel it necessary. As you can see, we are willing to pay a handsome amount for this vow. Those who have taken the vow are able to have open communication with one another.
"There are eight others who have made the vow, but we ask you not to discuss the terms of your contract. We have offered you very favorable rates. This is in hopes of continuing to have a possible alliance when Bill and Fleur come into headship."
Rose was smiling at them and turned to Charlie. "For you, Charlie, we have magical creatures in need of attention. There may or may not be a Dragon involved."
Sirius was grinning when Charlie looked at him with wide eyes. Fleur wondered how on earth the Blacks had a dragon under wraps. She remembered Charlie had picked up a baby dragon from Rose and Hagrid during her first year. Then she remembered something she'd never be able to forget.
Rose had slain her dragon during the first task of the Tournament. The fantastic chase had occurred with her on a broom. The dragon had gotten free from its warded barrier. Rose had summoned a large sword, outflown the dragon, and cut its head off.
Blood had rained down on the stadium. The ferocious corpse fell into the arena. It caused outrage from the Ministry and dragon handlers. She had claimed the dragon and its nest as hers. A deal came to light between Rose and a Romanian Dragon preserve.
Fleur had tried to interpret it but always ended up frustrated. She had overheard odd gossip about the girl's love of magical beings and creatures. Fleur had even been the center of one such rumor. The image she remembered was one of earnest ferocity. Green eyes had looked up at the crowd, Gryfindor's legendary sword bloody and raised. Power and might radiated from her. There was grim acceptance and a clear message: Don't Fuck With Me. The Girl-Who-Keeps-Living was her new international crown. The Next Morgana le Fey? was the English interpretation.
"Cali is quite adept at finding magical creatures in need. They tend to like to stick around once we've placed them on a property. There are many magical potion ingredients we have access to. At this point, Cali has a list of some of the animals and their general location. We do not have the time or skill to manage this type of venture currently. You would have two recent Hogwarts grads vetted and vowed paid hourly. They're living on one of the properties already. Both are skilled with magical creatures and herbology."
"Depending on how the future goes and how successful you are, we intend to offer you a partnership in a new Dragon preserve." Remus was smiling at the stunned man.
Fleur did the math. She had read in the papers following the first task about the dragon contract. It had been for five years. With a jolt, she realized the Blacks would have four young dragons to take care of in time for both contracts to end.
Rose seemed uninterested in the conversation once more. Her eyes looked off into the distance, seeing something Fleur could not imagine. Bill was still flipping through the contract next to her, pointing things out to Charlie.
"When would you like our responses?" he asked.
Fleur flipped through the possible properties she would have to choose from. She came across a lovely option in California and wondered how close the property was to Rose's vineyard. Both were in Sonoma, though Fleur's was bordering the east side of the county. Her grandmother would be joyous if she had a vineyard. The thought brought a smile to her lips.
"August 30th. It is short, but this is war."
Sirius's statement brought Cali back to them. Silver eyes looked intensely at each of them. They lingered longest on Fleur but kept moving. "I want great things. Such desires are hard-earned. It is our belief that working as a team, we can do great things." A smile came to her lips and her head tilted. "Let's win a war and reap benefits."
There were very few people who could evoke real inspiration to those around them. Rose was one of those people. Dumbledore was another. The burning Fleur felt in her stomach blossomed up and down her body. The call to war, the offer of competition, sang to her inner nature. She stopped herself from allowing her Veela form from emerging to the surface. The realization brought more questions to mind.
They would have to wait.
Fleur took a deep, steadying breath in. The garden's perfume was thick, the humid Summer night condensing the potency. Life sang around them. As she looked at the fairies, she saw them dancing with each other. There was a summoning of spirit occurring and she could feel it in her blood. Her magic itched for use. Passion flooded and she looked back at Rose once more, feeling exposed and invigorated by it.
The girl smirked at her. There was a smoldering edge to her look. Fleur felt untamed, her Veela bubbling at the surface. She raised her chin at Rose and smirked back.
"Hear, hear!" Sirius cheered, raising his glass.
Fleur raised her own glass from the table and watched Rose roll her eyes. A smile played on everyone's lips, but Fleur could sense the magic in the air. There was anticipation. There was determination. The depth of it further pulled on Fleur.
They cheered and sipped their drinks. "What is the third thing you wished to discuss?" Fleur asked Remus.
"Right," he nodded to Sirius and they smiled at the Weasley's. "Would you mind at all if we offered Fred and George jobs as well?"
"As long as they do not become my future neighbors," she scoffed.
That got chuckles from all but Bill, who seemed not to like the joke. She scowled at him. "Here I was thinking it might be alright to make a joke at the expense of two clowns."
He sighed. She was not in the mood for this. As also didn't like the attention Rose was giving their moment. "But I do not think it is my opinion they truly wished for?"
"I would be fine with it. It would be great for them to get a job offer. They're trying to go after some dreams that will need investing." Bill nodded in agreement at his brother's words, turning from her. Fleur could feel the cold tension building and she wanted it to leave.
She placed a gentle hand on his leg but was disappointed as Bill brushed it off, shaking the leg in annoyance. Pursing her lips she sipped from her wine again. Bitter thoughts of a cold bed crossed her mind. Not that she would admit it, but Fleur found Bill's lack of sleepovers off putting. It bothered her how cowed he was by the woman and his inability to prove himself. If he wished with as much gusto he claimed to have to "be able to" stay the night, he should be able to. He was in his twenties and had a girlfriend with her own apartment.
She rolled her eyes at his continued immaturity. The wine was helping her relax. "Do you spend much time in the garden?" she asked Rose under the louder conversation about the twins.
Rose smiled. "I do. It is meditative work." Fleur nodded and she glanced around them. "Would you like a tour?" she offered.
Fleur considered it and smiled back. "Oui."
Rose turned to Sirius and excused them. "Fleur would like a tour of the gardens."
"Don't get lost near the mistletoe," Sirius warned, teasing. "Bill hasn't signed the deal yet."
Rose rolled her eyes. "You need to not be so intimidated by the number of sexual partners I bring home, Father. You're starting to lose your edge with the jokes."
Fleur looked at her with interest at that and they left the chuckling boys behind. They were beginning to get rowdy as their rounds refilled. "The lighting is spectacular," Fleur told her.
And it was. There were glowing patterns on leaves, bioluminescent blossoms, drops of dew that glittered. Some of them Fleur recognized as being mundane flowers. "How do you charm your garden so even the mundane are so precious?"
"One flower at a time," Rose purred, winking at her. She laughed and Fleur was happy it was dark. A blush stained her cheeks and she didn't want to give the witch more satisfaction. "A little bit of potions. I have a particular concoction I've come up with, Garden Glow. It is a concentrate as a potion, but you mix it with a few liters of water and use it on mundane flowering plants."
She turned toward the roses blooming next to Fleur and stepped toward it. Her arm brushed against Fleur's as she reached out to hold a glowing yellow blossom in her hand. She turned toward Fleur and closed her eyes as she leaned in to inspect the stem, running a finger along it.
Fleur felt a tremble inside of her as she watched. It was intimate. Soft. Slow. The witch seemed to tease her attention from her, the glowing flowers shining against her. Her eyes took in a delicate necklace swinging forward hypnotically from her chest. Desire was beginning to fill her and the wine kept her from questioning it.
"You see," Rose's quiet voice almost whispered. "Mundane plants have this extreme potential to them. The muggles call it grafting, to take a branch of one plant and house it on another. They are also capable of housing magical potions within their watery veins."
Her fingers were running up and down the stem, following a glowing path. "Garden Glow is a neutral magical solution. That means it does not affect anything non-magical. The potion reacts to its environment by soaking in ambient magic and reflecting it out as light. Because there is so much magic surrounding them, there is a lot of light emitting from the potion."
"Incroyable."
Rose smiled and straightened, looking at Fleur from her side. "Your English accent has significantly improved since I won the Tournament."
Fleur sniffed. "Thank you."
"I was hoping you would listen to my advice from then," she admitted.
They began walking through the garden at a sedate pace. "To not compete against you if I want to win?"
"Yes," was all she said.
She felt no need to rush through the conversation and considered her answer. "And will you always be set in taking the lead?" Fleur challenged.
A gentle laugh came from next to her. "Oh, Fleur," she purred, running her free hand down her exposed arm. A shiver of delight passed through her. "I wish someone would beat me to it."
The hand left the inside of her forearm after a gentle squeeze. The fire that seemed to roll off the contact replaced with tingling. It was exciting, like a sleight of hand trick. She wanted to replay it again but knew not how to brew such a moment.
The comment held an almost sexual tension to it, but Fleur knew better than to take it one way. Rose seemed to have a heaviness in everything she did. Hidden meaning. She wanted others to take the lead, despite her actions. She wanted others to do what she did, but she did it anyway. It was noble and simple and felt true.
"Perhaps more will," Fleur told her. "You seem to be picking targets for your inspiration."
She gave an amused laugh. "So you've got me all figured out, then?"
Fleur shook her head. "One day, maybe, but that day is not soon." They smiled at one another. "The Weasley family has ties in several different places this generation.
"Bill, who is heir Weasley, will hope to be your ally. Charlie, a Dragon handler, might become Head Handler of your upcoming preservation. Percy is in the Ministry and would appreciate the support from the Black family. The twins..." Fleur smiled at her. "They do seem to match your style of chaos."
A wide smile overcame Rose's face. Fleur paused in their walk, looking at her. "May I say how refreshing it is to be around someone perceptive?"
Fleur smirked. "You may."
Rose hummed, looking over her face. "I was nervous about Hogwarts," she told her. Their eyes met and Fleur listened. "Dumbledore mentioned you would be seeking your mastery, and I'll admit, I felt intrigued."
"Oh?" Fleur peered at her, holding the wine in front of her protectively.
"Indeed. It will not be Rose Potter returning to Hogwarts. It will be Cali Black entering Hogwarts as an apprentice." She motioned to the garden around them. "I get along with plants. We understand each other well. Creatures I come across either fall to me or respect me. Other beings have held none of the expectations the wizarding world has."
She turned back to Fleur. This was the most she had ever heard the witch speak. Her effect held more so now as she spoke of herself than it had to describe her Potion. Fleur's breathing became deeper as Rose looked into her eyes. The garden seemed to focus its light toward her, giving her an ethereal beauty. Fleur wondered how the witch was not Veela.
"To be Cali, I cannot be seen visiting Black Lake, Hagrid, the Forbidden Forest... Everyone remembers my peculiarity. I will have to act differently, have different habits. There was an expectation I was to make friends."
"And making friends was not easy the first time, so why would it be easier now?" Fleur posed.
Silver eyes bore into her. "Exactly." She smiled at Fleur and moved toward a flower glowing white and purple. With careful hands and a quick tap of her wand, she pulled the stem away. Fleur watched as she cast a couple of charms at the flower, enchanting it with a short Celtic song.
"I'm no apprentice at enchantments, but this is for you," she offered, gesturing toward Fleur's ear. "May I?"
Fleur assented with a smile and nod. The witch moved closer, their faces only a few inches away as she made slow, careful movements. She could smell her now and she blushed, feeling heat inside her. A smile lit Rose's face as she looked from the flower to Fleur, tucking a few strands of hair behind the ear. Fleur stared at the lips, her breath catching.
"Something tells me we're meant to be friends, Fleur." Rose twisted from side to side before taking a step back.
She shook her head to clear it from the sudden fog. Rose's smirk returned as she began walking back. "Coming?" she asked.
Fleur's lips pursed before she smirked as well. "That makes us both fated, non?"
Rose's smile was large and genuine after she laughed with pleasure. The blush remained on Fleur's cheeks with a stubbornness she blamed on the wine. "Oui, Fleur. Fated."