Disclaimer: Nothing is mine; everything is J K Rowling's.

Here's number 80; it's quite a short one, so I wrote it quick, and so late it has become early! Enjoy...

Chapter 80

The mirror was less put out with her this morning. It's customary, disgusted huff had been little more than a slight sigh, and Fleur was hardly surprised. She'd been up all night.

Teaching Harry the anti-apparition wards until he could cast them flawlessly had kept him busy for almost an hour, and anti-portkey wards had bought her a little longer after that, but her attempts to distract him all inevitably failed in the face of his godfather's reckless exit.

On reflection they should have known better than to tell him without first making sure he would not be able to do anything rash, but Fleur had not expected him to be able to break her wards.

At least he will not be able to repeat the feat, she reassured herself.

Her second set were much stronger; there had been no need to conserve her strength for casting another piece of magic, and Harry had cast an inner layer himself around the house, just in case. He'd poured so much magic into them that she had thought he might exhaust himself completely, so she'd hovered anxiously nearby until he finished.

Harry hadn't collapsed, but she had almost wished he had so he wouldn't have had to endure the wait. Fleur hadn't seen him so distraught in a long time, and it unsettled her to see him so far from his usual aspect.

She'd been showing him what she had decided to keep in her newly enchanted box when they had been interrupted by a soft knock on the door. Harry had apparated from their lounge to the door in an instant, and she had been left to quietly sigh with relief at the sound of Sirius' voice, and carefully replace the vials of memories Harry had gifted her into the box.

His godfather had apparated through her wards back to the headquarters of the Order, somewhere she knew was also under the Fidelius, demanded to know Snape's location, swearing he was going to kill him, then had taken two steps towards the man before collapsing. It took considerable energy to break anti-apparition wards like hers, and they were fortunate that the toll it had taken had prevented Sirius from doing something he would regret.

The three of them had stayed up until the early hours of the morning talking over everything Sirius could remember, but he hadn't been able to recall much more than his own words. In fact the only words he remembered aside from his own had belonged to Harry's former friend Hermione.

Sirius had laughed while relating them, chuckling at her naivety. The girl believed he must have been influenced by a dark wizard, and hoped that Sirius would now listen to Dumbledore and stay inside where he safe. He'd fallen asleep still chortling about the look on her face when he'd apparated away in front of her the moment he awoke.

Harry was still sleeping, despite it being nearly lunch, but she had to return to Gringotts to terminate her contract of employment. She no longer needed an excuse to be in Britain, everyone would know about her and Harry soon enough, and being exposed to followers of either Voldemort or Dumbledore everyday in London was a risk Harry was justifiably adamant that she need not take.

Several weakly cast healing charms repaired the broken blood vessels beneath and within her eyes, and her face swiftly regained its usual, flawless appearance. It did nothing to alter the slight fog of weariness that clung to her, but that was nothing something to eat wouldn't cure.

Slipping quietly back into their bedroom she gently kissed Harry on the forehead, smiling when he stirred in his sleep, lips curving faintly upwards. He would meet her at the café Katie's parents owned for lunch; they had agreed it would be a nice idea to go out briefly together before he had to return to Hogwarts.

Fleur straightened her clothes, smoothing them down, and clamped down on her magic, restraining her natural aura as much as she could. With a last, fond look at Harry she apparated silently away onto the steps outside Gringotts.

Diagon Alley was warm, not the pleasant dry heat of the French summer, but warm enough not to be intolerable. She strode quickly out of the alley, ignoring the scatter of stares as she always did, and entered the bank.

'I need to speak with Haftak,' she informed the most senior goblin on the floor.

'Haftak is quite busy,' the goblin warned, 'is it important?'

'It relates to my employment here,' Fleur explained simply. Goblins did not appreciate misdirection or dancing around the subject; it was best to get straight to the point before they took offence and took the point of whatever weapon was nearest straight to you.

'Follow me,' the goblin instructed, sliding out of his chair and ushering in a replacement.

Fleur was led through one of the more opulently decorated corridors of Gringotts. Few of the areas of the bank were furnished in anything more than the solid, functional wooden desks, and green lamps, but this one was interspersed with twisting, flowing metal sculptures and the busts of the goblins famous kin.

'Haftak is inside,' the goblin told her shortly, gesturing to the door at the end of the corridor, 'but he does not have time for a long meeting, so be brief.'

'I will be,' Fleur promised politely, opening the door and stepping inside.

Haftak was an ancient goblin with a tonsure of long, brittle, white hair, deep-etched wrinkles, and gleaming, gimlet eyes. He was also in charge of managing all Gringotts non-goblin employees.

'Mademoiselle Delacour,' the goblin folded its long fingers over the surface of its desk. 'I must say that I have been expecting this meeting for some time.'

'Then you know why I am here,' Fleur responded calmly. The goblins were already aware of her link to Harry, and, being cunning creatures, had no doubt guessed the real reason for her presence in Britain.

'I do,' the Haftak swung himself off his high chair with speed that belied his age and stepped out from behind his desk. 'It is a shame to lose your skills, you're a fine enchantress, for a human, and a good liaison, but this no time for a veela to be in Britain without good reason.'

'Indeed it is not,' Fleur agreed, watching the goblin carefully as it pulled open the grate before the fire.

'I do, of course, know that working here was not your reason for coming to Britain,' Haftak continued, pulling a thin folder from the cabinet beside the fireplace, and dropping it casually into the flames. Fleur glimpsed her named on the blackening paper, as the fire curled over it. 'So I think it would be best if there was no record that you ever worked here, in case the Ministry falls into the hands of those who might look less favourably upon you.'

'Thank you,' Fleur said, more than a little surprised. Goblins were not known for their generosity, least of all goblins of Haftak's stature.

'Don't be so shocked,' Haftak grinned nastily. 'I am not doing this for you, but for me, and my kin here in Britain. If Harry Potter wins, then I shall have avoided his enmity, and if Voldemort is victorious there is no link between us and his enemies.'

That makes much more sense, Fleur decided, almost relieved.

'Now,' Haftak pushed the grate back into place, and made his way back into his chair, 'since you no longer work here, Mademoiselle Delacour, I must insist that you return to the visitors' section of the bank.'

'Of course,' Fleur agreed pleasantly. 'Au revoir, Manager Haftak.'

'Goodbye,' the goblin disagreed politely as she closed the door to his office.

Fleur was hardly surprised. The goblins were proud; they didn't offer places within their bank lightly, and certainly not twice to the same person. If you walked away then that was that.

The locket flared hot against her chest as she left the bank; Harry had got the note she left him reminding him that they were having lunch in Diagon Alley.

Fleur was quite looking forward to it. It would be nice to spend some time with Harry just being together, and there was the added benefit of the two of them going to the café Katie Bell worked at. The girl needed a reminder that Harry was Fleur's; it was fair payback for the overly long embrace she had inflicted upon her beau in front of Fleur the last time they had met.

She quickened her pace towards the red umbrellas as the crowd parted before her, anxious to get somewhere more concealed. Nothing about the stares pleased her anymore, not now she had Harry. Their covetous eyes could never compare to the understanding he offered, and she wished, as she always did, that they would no longer notice her.

How far I have come, she realised, remembering Harry's words to her before the Yule Ball.

Fleur had basked in their stares then, let her pride tell her that they were deserved, that they were a sign she was fulfilling her potential. Now she too would rather be disregarded than stared at.

Cutting past a handful of wizards who looked vaguely familiar she took cover beneath the red umbrella closest to the corner. Harry would know to look for her somewhere out of obvious sight. He wouldn't arrive for a little while though. Unlike Fleur he couldn't seem to manage to get out of bed, dressed and anywhere very quickly or efficiently.

He's probably still trying to fix his hair.

She let her eyes rove over the café; it was almost empty, only a handful of tables were occupied on a day that in any other year would have had every chair filled. For now nobody had noticed her, and that suited her just fine. Fleur did not want to have to endure any awkward conversation with Katie or her mother while she waited for the wizard they both loved to come and join her instead of the brunette she had all but stolen him from.

There was still a twist of guilt that came with that thought, because in essence she had stolen Harry away from Katie Bell just as she had always been accused of doing. They had been happy, slowly drifting towards becoming a couple until she had interfered and made a mess of everything. A few weeks later and she'd taken Harry for herself and Katie, who had made a single mistake, one provoked by Fleur at that, had lost Harry forever.

Hopefully forever, Fleur admitted, cautiously brushing her fingers against the wooden chair beneath her.

Katie Bell didn't seem to have given up, not if the way she acted around Harry was any indication of what she was still hoping for, and Harry, though oblivious, seemed to enjoy her company more than Fleur was truly at ease with.

Movement flickered in the corner of her eye, and the girl she was thinking about breezed cheerfully around the counter to collect a stack of mugs before disappearing back towards the kitchens.

Fleur scowled after her. Katie Bell would never be anywhere near as powerful, talented or beautiful as she was, pride or not that was true, and they both knew it, but she had a warmth, a bright, brilliant aura about her that was every bit as captivating as Fleur's allure could be.

A great deal less artificial as well, Fleur groused, testily rearranging the stack of napkins on the table in front of her.

'Miss Delacour?' The voice was vaguely familiar, and rough, but not rude, however Fleur was not in a mood to tolerate some enthralled fool. She forced a polite smile onto her lips, and turned to face whoever had decided to pester her.

'Sorry,' the young, red-haired wizard apologised, 'I didn't mean to intrude, I just saw you sitting here all alone and wondered if you might like some company.'

'You would be surprised by how many wizards make the same mistake,' Fleur noted. 'They are normally affected by magic though,' she relented, noticing the clear, unaffected gaze. 'Bill Weasley, yes?'

'Yes, but Bill is just fine, otherwise I feel old,' he seemed surprised that she knew his name, and burst into a wide grin. 'I didn't expect you to remember me.'

'I almost didn't,' Fleur shrugged, wiping the grin from his face to no little satisfaction. 'A lot of wizards take it upon themselves to introduce themselves to me.'

'You get that a lot do you?' Bill looked faintly apologetic, and Fleur suddenly remembered the ring he had given her, weighing heavy in her pocket.

'All the time,' she answered dryly, 'the worst ones are those that don't realise when I want them to leave. They all want the same thing.' The redhead looked distinctly less comfortable, and Fleur hid a smile, rather enjoying herself.

Bill did not leave though, and instead slid into the seat opposite her, the slim, shiny curved earring swaying from his ear.

'It's a dragon fang,' he grinned, ' but it was a present from my brother; I didn't have to get quite as close to one as you did.'

'It's nice,' she remarked politely. 'Your brother has good taste.'

Harry might look quite nice with one, she mused, before shaking her head.

It probably wouldn't quite suit him.

'Charlie prefers dragons to people,' Bill said happily, 'he only just came back to Britain from the reserve in Romania.'

'It might have been safer to stay away,' Fleur said. Harry had mentioned that the Weasley's were all part of the Order; it was possible that Bill's persistence was because he had been volunteered to investigate her presence in Harry's life.

'I'm sure it would be,' Bill sighed. 'Which makes me curious as to what a French witch is doing here still when she has no real reason to stay?'

'I would not be here if I did not have good reason,' Fleur smirked.

'You enjoy working for Gringotts that much?' Bill chuckled good-naturedly. 'I'm a curse-breaker, we get to do all the exciting stuff, and even I don't love it that much.'

'I do not work for Gringotts,' Fleur said simply.

'I've seen you there,' Bill frowned. 'You're a liaison between the independent treasure hunters and Gringotts.'

'I no longer work there,' Fleur explained, wondering how long it would take for Harry to arrive, and glancing about in search of him.

Looking up proved to be a mistake, because the only thing she saw was Katie Bell's face caught somewhere between fury and ecstatic hope.

Merde.

Fleur was not naïve enough to think that Katie wouldn't try to spin this into something that suited her. The way she was ominously beaming as she reclined on the bench by the counter was far too gleeful for anything less to come about.

'So why are you staying in Britain if you don't work here anymore?' Bill asked bluntly. 'If you don't mind me asking,' he added hurriedly.

'As I have mentioned half a hundred times,' Fleur answered with a touch of irritation, 'I am here because of my partner.'

'Right,' Bill nodded, but it was obvious he didn't believe her. Clearly he was one of those wizards who needed to see something before he accepted it. 'So what does your partner do?'

'He kills dark wizards.' Fleur suppressed her smile.

'An auror,' Bill rubbed his chin thoughtfully, 'is he any good?'

'Like he's been doing it since birth.' This time Fleur couldn't resist a smile. 'He's quite famous actually.'

She was done playing games with Bill Weasley. There was no sense in leaving him with any hope when Katie was going to be stirring up trouble regardless. Anything he might think he felt for her was getting nipped in the bud now.

Fleur's hand dipped into her pocket, retrieving the ring he had once given her.

'This was a good apology,' she said as kindly as she could manage, 'but I can't accept it.'

'Oh,' Bill's face fell.

Fleur opened her mouth to let him down gently, but the words stuck in her throat.

It was no sudden change of heart that caught her tongue, just the sight of an innocently smiling Katie leading her Harry by the arm to sit at the table next to her and Bill. Fleur could almost see the smug satisfaction radiating off the girl as she bounced away. No doubt she intended to watch for fireworks from a safe distance. Fleur made a silent promise to exact something suitably spiteful for revenge. There were countless empty tables, and absolutely no need to place Harry right next to her when she was being bothered by another infatuated wizard.

'Fleur?' Bill's question was oddly hopeful. The ring loomed large between them on the table, painfully obvious after she had promised she would get rid of it. Fleur threw a panicked glance at Harry, fearing she would find his eyes hard, cold and angry, only to see him trying his utmost not to laugh at her misfortune.

Fleur was so relieved that he wasn't upset, or paranoid that she might have betrayed him she forgot to be angry that he was once again laughing at the trouble she had with wizards.

And this time he really is laughing at me, she realised, unable to find any ire at all.

'Harry,' she smiled softly at him, hoping Bill would take a hint and leave, preferably taking the ring with him.

'You know each other?' Bill's eyebrows had disappeared into his hair. Fleur was amazed he hadn't contacted the Order. The one person they were searching for most was sitting next to him and he hadn't moved a single muscle.

I suppose that makes it obvious that he is not here on behalf of the Order of the Phoenix.

'Of course,' Harry grinned. 'She was my competition in the tournament. It was an unforgettable experience.'

'You should try curse-breaking,' Bill grinned, 'some of the spells I've had to take apart make getting eaten by a dragon look blissful by comparison.' His nonchalance would have been more impressive if he hadn't looked quite so put out that Fleur had smiled at Harry and not at him.

'So what brings you to Diagon Alley?' Harry asked.

'Fleur is being mysterious,' the redhead laughed, 'she won't tell me what she's doing.'

'I'm sorry,' the corner of Harry's mouth twitched in amusement, 'I meant you, Bill. I know why Fleur's here,' he dismissed with an easy smile.

'You do?' Bill looked like he'd swallowed something particularly sour. 'I came with my family; you know how it is Harry, pre-school year shopping. You should probably carry on with yours before all the good stuff vanishes.'

'I did all mine a while back,' Harry smirked, ignoring the jibe about him still being in school. 'I've had all summer to wander around Diagon Alley,' he remarked, 'I must have spent half the summer here.'

Bill's face tightened momentarily in anger; it seemed he had been part of the search party Harry had been so effortlessly evading. Fleur bit her lip to avoid laughing. She would feel slightly guilty. Bill Weasley hadn't been as bad as most of the other wizards that had accosted her; he'd actually paid attention to her a little. A more innocent Fleur might have given him a chance.

'I'm glad you've been enjoying your summer,' Bill gritted. 'I wish mine had been so easy,' he sighed, 'but the war against Voldemort is harrowing.'

Perhaps I should keep score, Fleur mused, enjoying their sparring with the knowledge that Harry had already won the battle Bill thought they were fighting almost two years ago.

'Having to fight Voldemort is a terrible burden,' Harry agreed. 'Sometimes sacrifices have to be made, wouldn't you agree?' Bill missed the edge of ice in his question, but she didn't.

'I suppose they do,' the red haired wizard rubbed his chin again, stroking the short, ginger stubble there. 'Ah,' he grinned, 'here's everyone.'

Fleur threw a glance over Harry's shoulder to glimpse a large group of redheads approaching the café.

Joy, she thought dryly.

Harry looked none too pleased either.

'I should introduce you,' Bill decided cheerfully, waving the entire Weasley family over.

'Mum, Charlie, Percy, Fred, George, Ron and Ginny,' Bill gestured to each of his relations in turn as Harry leant casually back in his chair to observe. He threw his family a warning look as if to give them a hint that he wanted them to behave in front of her so that she would be impressed. 'This is Fleur Delacour,' he said cheerfully.

'I'm Harry's girlfriend,' Fleur added helpfully.

She had never seen anyone look quite so devastated as Bill Weasley did at that moment.

Stony silence descended over the group, and Fleur was distinctly aware of Katie Bell drifting at a suspicious distance, wearing an expression torn between genuine happiness and utmost disappointment.

'It's nice to meet you,' Ron said after a moment, and Fleur was surprised to see that he was mostly unaffected by her allure now. There was only the slightest hint of glazing in his eyes, and no hint of it in his voice. It seemed he had grown up since she had last encountered him in Hogwarts' Great Hall.

'Indeed,' Percy added icily.

'A pleasure,' the identical twins murmured coolly.

Their mother said nothing, but stared at Harry with such profound disapproval Fleur thought he might wilt. Of course, he didn't. Her beau just stared back innocently for a moment, before rising from his chair and drifting round to slide an arm about Fleur's waist. Harry planted a light kiss on her cheek, ignoring the look of probably justified outrage that Bill was sending him. It hadn't been at all nice of Harry to lead him on and into this embarrassment, but she had told him she had a partner, so some of the blame was his.

'It's nice to see you all again,' he smiled. The irritating, false bright smile retuning briefly to his face. 'I hope you enjoy your shopping.'

'Congratulations,' the girl, Ginny, said quietly, looking straight at her.

Another one, Fleur deduced, annoyed for an instant, but she quickly realised from the look in her eyes that Ginny Weasley had already given up on Harry.

'Thank you,' she replied earnestly, but the Weasley's had already turned away.

'So that's the selfish attachment Dumbledore said Harry was harbouring,' they heard Mrs Weasley exclaim a little too loudly. 'Everyone else is fighting, or worrying about him, and he's run off to mess around with some air-headed, pretentious veela.'

Harry took a step back in the direction of the Weasleys after hearing that, but Fleur caught his arm hurriedly before he caused a scene by cursing a prominent supporter of Dumbledore in the middle of Diagon Alley.

'I don't care what they think about me,' she said. 'I want to enjoy being here with you before you have to go back to Hogwarts, and while you're wearing your own face for once.'

Harry's hands flicked up to his unaltered features.

'Damn,' he frowned. 'I knew I forgot something. Well, at least that explains all the looks.'

They settled back down at their table, where a conflicted Katie came out to ask them what they wanted just in time to catch Fleur kissing Harry particularly ardently.

Such a shame she happened to see that, Fleur crowed internally, stealing a few more kisses while Katie hovered awkwardly.

She had a terrible weakness for sweet things, and revenge was the sweetest thing there was.

'Oh look,' Harry remarked, when Katie hurriedly departed with their order. 'Bill forgot his ring.'

'So he did,' Fleur realised, picking it up off the table, and weighing it in her hand. Three thousand years old, well made, beautiful, and well enchanted; it was likely worth a few galleons to the right person, but not to her. Fleur just wanted it gone. Idly she tossed it over her shoulder into the street. 'Maybe the next person who receives it will actually want it,' she said simply.

AN: Please read and review, thanks to everyone who does! I was trying to slip a good quote in from Kill Bill, but I couldn't quite manage it. Only one line in this chapter is actually particularly important, so I'm indulging my love of well filled out stories a bit, but it does mark the end of my fun with the ring. I suppose the chapter title where it makes its first appearance does kind of give the game away though.