~*All You Wanted*~

Chapter Three: International Relations

Dove: There shall be no A/N from Bena in this chapter, due to the fact that the poor darling is very sick!  I wish I could bring her chicken soup, but… well, there you have it.  We did have a merry old time working on this chapter.  I think you'll find Alex is hilarious.  And our multi-linguality is spreading.  Thanks to Thalia who gave us the one Chinese phrase… the Russian came from me as does the French, if there is ever Spanish, you can expect Bena inserted it.  And we won't go into Japanese.  Yet. *lol*

Disclaimer: If we owned them, Dove would already have coerced (or blackmailed, whichever works) Draco into marrying her.

"They pretend to tell us the truth, and we pretend to believe them."

Two weeks later, Parvati tapped her fingers on the desk, stared at Alex's schedule, and sighed. She stared at the day in question, eyes fixated on the red sprawling handwriting of the diplomat she was stuck working for, and the little bitty stars and dots and what looked like hastily erased hearts around the words, "Dinner with Tsau, 9:30 pm," and a restaurant name written out in long convoluted Chinese words that roughly translated to something along the lines of, "Fabulous Duck Palace of Water." She had a feeling he might have messed up on the grammar again.

            He's how old now, and still acts like a fifteen year old student. A fifteen year old school girl, to be precise. How did I get stuck working for him again? Oh, right…the fact that Harry's already the best Auror here and Alex won't listen to anyone else.

            The thought of Harry triggered an idea, and Parvati sat up. This was treading dangerous ground, especially considering what had happened between Alex and Ambassador Flores from Mexico, Minister Kingsley from Canada, and that African Quidditch player in the last six years-but if she could get Harry involved somehow…

            Parvati hurried down to one of the rooms used for floo communications, and threw open the door. The young employee inside looked at her, startled. Parvati pointed at the door. "Out. Now. International emergency. I'm commandeering this room."

            The young man looked at her again, and scurried out. Parvati closed the door and hoped that Harry was in his room.

            A familiar bespectacled face appeared in the fire. "Parvati?"

            "Harry, I need your help."

            He blinked at her. "What happened this time? Did Ginny finally kill Draco?"

            "Actually, no. I have a feeling she might be weakening. But this is much, much worse."

            "Ew. Do I want to know?"

            Parvati nodded. "It will directly involve you, I hope."

            "What is it?" Harry ran a hand through his hair. "I'm pretty busy here already."

            "Alex has a meeting with Minister Liang tonight."

            "So?"

            "For dinner."

            "Uh oh."

            "In China."

            "Oh bloody hell!" Harry sat down, and looked at the ceiling. "So how does this involve me?"

            "I think it might be helpful if you were involved. After all, he sometimes listens to you. When he listens to anyone."

            "Why not just get Fred to come along? He listens to Fred."

            Parvati raised an eyebrow. "Two flaws with that. One, he only listens to Fred when Angelina isn't glaring at him, and two, Alex is having dinner with Minister Liang. I don't think that Fred would exactly suit the purposes."

            "Okay, you're right." Harry sighed. "I don't think I can make it, though. I was planning on going to talk with Gabrielle Delacour again tonight. She only seems to be around on Tuesdays and Sundays, and the rest of the time I can't ever seem to find her."

            Parvati slammed her fists onto the edge of the hearth. "Then bring your damn date along with you! This is serious!"

            Harry blinked, and a slow smile spread across his face. "Maybe I will, Parvati."

            Parvati glared at the expression on his face. "You don't need to look so pleased. She eats guys like you for breakfast, you know."

            "Who is Yuu? Should I know him?"

            Parvati tilted her head. "Actually, the Japanese Minister has a son named… no, no, I won't say it. Alex has been following me lately, probably to make sure I don't do what I am right now."

            "International emergency, right?"

            "How'd you guess?"

            "I read it in the stars."

            Parvati groaned. "Ha, ha. Look, I should get going before Alex comes looking for me and hears me mention another delicious available young male important political figure and sets his sights on him, or he finds out I've dragged you into this. Do me a favor, though?"

            "Sure thing."

            "Keep that woman on a leash."

            "I don't think I could if I tried," Harry sighed.

            Parvati finally grinned. "Thanks, Harry. And don't forget-bad girls are always much more-"

            "Shut it, you good girl you."  With that, Harry closed the connection.

            Parvati made a face at the now-blank fire and walked out of the room, well satisfied with her progress.  She knew there were a few innate problems in inviting the woman who was probably the biggest threat to the wizarding world to have dinner with the Minister of Magic-two Ministers of Magic, in fact-but at the very least it would give Draco and Ginny another reason to argue… not that they needed it, but an extra one couldn't hurt.  Just in case there was a lull in conversation.

            She stopped by the Muggle Relations division and waved to Lavender who, horror of all horrors, seemed to be working for once, writing down something furiously by means of a broken peacock quill while the heavily pregnant Hermione stalked around the room, dictating.  It looked as though there had been some sort of problem with George, a trick wand, a giant orange rabbit, and a magic show in Las Vegas.  Parvati had only a moment to marvel at the Weasley ingenuity before the livid Hermione shouted, "Parvati, in here!  Now!"

            "Figures that idiot would have to do it in a foreign country," Parvati sighed and pulled out a quill.  "I warn you, Alex won't be good for much until tomorrow.  Maybe not until next week, depending on whether we start a war tonight or not."

            Hermione glared.  Obviously her sense of humor was not awake yet.  "Then you can send someone else," she said.

            "Who?" Parvati asked innocently.  "Everyone's on vacation, except Alicia Spinnet.  Would you really like me to send her?  You know every time she gets mad at him he locks her in a room with him overnight and the next day she agrees to whatever he has to say."

            Hermione glared helplessly.  "Damn the Weasley hormones," she hissed.

            Parvati meaningfully looked at Hermione's bulging stomach.  "You don't seem to mind.  Isn't this the third result of Weasley hormones?"

            "Ron doesn't count," Hermione said.

            "Why on earth not?" Lavender enquired.

            "Because he has the brains and decency not to work in this madhouse!"  Off Hermione stormed again as Lavender pulled out a notebook and marked something down.

            "Does everyone have those damn things now?" Hermione asked.

            "Parvati started a fad," Lavender said calmly.  "Sit down before you hurt yourself.  You remember what happened last time.  St. Mungo's still hasn't forgiven you."

            "George doesn't work here either," Parvati muttered.

            "Yeah, because no one would be crazy enough to hire him," Lavender whispered and giggled.

            "Alex might.  On account of it scaring Fred."

            Someone, namely Hermione, cleared her throat above them.  "If you two are done gossiping, perhaps you will be so kind as to get to work?  Damn it, Lavender, where's my coffee?"

            "Coming right up, ma'am," Lavender sighed, and scurried away.

***

            Harry stood outside Gabrielle's door, and took another deep breath. "Okay. This time."

            He raised a hand to knock, stopped, and let it drop to his side. "Better make sure I'm really thinking straight first."

            "Brilliant idea, Monsieur Potter, given zat ze last few interviews we 'ave 'ad ended razer quickly," Gabrielle called out to him. "'Owever, if you don't mind, it is getting razer chilly in 'ere keeping the window open to watch you debate entry, so if you would be so kind as to come in? It 'as been nearly twenty minutes."

            Harry started, blushed, and quickly composed himself. "Thank you for the invitation. I believe I will accept."

            Gabrielle flashed one of those smiles that seemed to so effectively disarm him, and closed the window. Harry hurried in after her.

            Once inside the parlor, the two sat opposite each other with the fire crackling merrily in the background. Harry finally found his voice. "Well, I came not so much for an interview as to ask a single question. Since you don't ever seem to be around often enough for us to have an effective interview, I thought perhaps a different setting would give you the incentive to clear your schedule enough to allow me to question you."

            Gabrielle titled her head. "Oh, so zat's why you can't seem to formulate questions whenevair I see you?"

            Harry ignored the question. "I've been called to help supervise a diplomatic incident in China tonight. Perhaps you would be willing to join me and we could discuss this more in depth?"

            Gabrielle feigned meekness. "Why Monsieur, are you asking me out?"

            He frowned. "No, I'm not. It was suggested by my coworker that I bring you. She also suggested that I put you on a leash."

            "I do not sink you could if you wanted to, Monsieur."

            Harry grinned, remembering he had said close to the same thing.  "Perhaps if I tried very, very hard," he said with a shrug.  "Now, I can't order you to go with me, of course, but I do think a day out might be good for your nerves.  It's not sunny in Beijing today.  You won't burn, I promise."

            Gabrielle allowed herself a smile-not a laugh, she wasn't allowed to laugh-and sighed.  "Mmm, per'aps.  Allow me to go freshen myself.  'Elp yourself to ze tea."  She gestured towards the obsidian tea service on the little table.  "I will return shortly."  With that, she slipped out of the room with the crackling red fire and turned the corner before she nearly ran into the other inhabitant of the house.

            "You're going to go have dinner in China tonight," he informed her.  "Get him to ask you along."

              She did her best not to appear overly shocked.  "En… Chine?" she asked.  "But… I 'ave not left ze grounds for…"

            "Three years, yes, I know," he said impatiently.  "But you're going to tonight.  Don't worry, I'll be there as well."

            She smiled a little.  "As you wish, of course," she told him.  He drew her into his arms, tilted her chin up, and kissed her absently.  "Make me proud, cherie."

            She sighed.  "Mais oui."  With that, he released her and prodded her towards the door.  She walked back in and ran her hand over Harry's hair.  "I believe I can make it, after all."

            Harry looked up at her.  "Similarly, I believe we've agreed that you're not to touch me."

            She shrugged, allowing the midnight blue silk she was wearing that day to shimmer, but moved across the table and poured herself a cup of tea.  "I'm sorry.  Do you find me zat repulsive?"

            "Perhaps I am only wary of you," Harry said, crossing his legs.  "So, we leave at four," he said.  "I suspect that you, being a woman, need the time to get ready?"

            She stood and looked at him challengingly.  "Am I an embarrassment to you like zis?"

            His head was aching as it always did in her household, and he couldn't stop himself saying, "No, you're lovely, but I'm afraid Liang Li-Li will be rather put out if you outshine her."

            Despite herself, Gabrielle giggled girlishly.  Then, looking shocked and rather afraid, her hand flew to her mouth.  "I… will be waiting for you.  If you will excuse me.  I will show you out now."

***

            "Are you sure this is the place?" Cho Chang-Davies, assistant to the Minister of Magic, shaded her eyes. "I thought you said it was called Magnificent Duck Lake or something."

            "That's what Alex said." Parvati held out the slip of paper. "Here's the real name."

            Cho looked at it, blinked, and laughed. "Oh, I just hope his grasp of the spoken language is better. This is the right place, though. I'll let Minister Liang know. You get in contact with your group."

            "I'm not a novice, Cho."

            The older woman smiled sweetly, and walked into one of the booths along the side of the restaurant. Parvati headed into another one, wondering all the while what the actual name of the resteraunt was.

            Not five minutes later, Minister Liang and his younger sister, who was never seen outside of his company, sat at the table in the small room reserved for private dinners. Draco and Ginny were seated across from them, Draco looking very businesslike for once and Ginny doing her best not to look ready to melt into the floor. Parvati and Cho headed over to their table to sit, observe, and be ready to provide information that would cancel out any possible arguments over the treaties and policies being discussed. Cho leaned over to Parvati. "Where's Alex?"

            "Probably making sure every red hair is perfectly in place."

            "As long as he doesn't go back to green bangs, I think we're safe."

            As if on cue, Alex entered, carrying a satchel filled with the necessary papers and diplomatic materials. Parvati had to grudgingly admit that the man did know how to do his job.

            Now if only he could pull it off without falling head-first for the other parties.

            "Are we all here?" he asked. "Good. Minister Malfoy, Miss Weasley," he continued, inclining his head. Both of them nodded their acknowledgement. Alex turned to the Chinese contingent. "Good evening, Miss Li, Tsau. I hope you haven't had to take too much time out of your schedules for this."

            Cho looked at Parvati, and both of them mouthed, "Tsau?"

            He could've come off as actually wanting to do his job. Except he said that.

            "I believe," Alex continued smoothly, "that we have two others who will be joining us after negotiations, However, as they are not necessary to these proceedings, shall we begin?"

            Ginny stifled a yawn. This is why I was an Auror, she thought. All this boring legal mumbo jumbo is putting me to sleep already. Wow, Alex is actually doing halfway well, if you excuse the subtle familiarities and the huge cow eyes. I wonder why he always goes after Asians and redheads? Good thing I'm a girl and if Draco doesn't take his hand off my leg I'm going to scream!

            Meanwhile, the man in question was busy proving why he had ended up as Minister of Magic. "We can't offer that, Minister Liang. Our resources are strained a bit thin since Voldemort's fall. We only recently stopped using all our resources to search out the last of his supporters. While we would love to offer the assistance you have so graciously requested, it is simply impossible at this moment."

            "Perhaps," Alex said, "we could work out an arrangement where we can spare some assistance to work with other forces you may have already deployed?"

            How he was pulling this off, he had no idea. Every second, Alex was more and more certain his heart was about to explode out of his chest, it was beating so fast. His head didn't feel connected to the business aspect of this dinner at all. It was a pure miracle of training that he was making sense while having no connection to the scene whatsoever.  Parvati, watching him from under her lashes and meekly taking notes as befitted a good secretary, sighed.

            Across the table, Cho was speaking soft, rapid Chinese to Li, who had yet to develop any knowledge of the English language.  The young woman, her long hair pulled up in an elaborate bun and clad in red silk embroidered robes, was eagerly asking questions, when she wasn't shooting glances at Alex from across the table too.  Alex seemed not to notice, so concerned was he with showing the finer points of the papers he had had drafted.  Minister Liang was looking very serious as he and Draco studied them.  After all, as the Minister for all of Southeast Asia, Liang Tsau-Liu was wearing his resources thin as he attempted to put the wizarding population of Vietnam at ease after the fiasco with the kidnappings, as well as establish separate wizarding schools in the two Koreas, as the students in the one school, which was standing precisely on the border, were coming perilously near killing each other in duels.  For Vietnam, he needed special forces to comb the jungles and root out the last of the Dark wizards.  Unfortunately, the Chinese forces, the only ones which were worth anything, were stretched rather thin keeping the peace in the Phillipines where a sort of wizarding civil war had broken out.  For Korea, he simply needed money.  Japan, separate from the rest of the bulk of Southeast Asia for generations and with its own Ministry had other worries, and the Clow Reed Academy of Magic in China was badly overcrowded.

            In the end, this all amounted to the fact that they had come to Britain for their help and Draco, remembering China's lending them forces during the final years of the battle with Voldemort, couldn't simply refuse.

            "I think we can help you build the school," Draco was musing.  "I'ts finding the teachers that will be the problem…"  he winced as Virgina, smiling seraphically, kicked him under the table.  "But as for Vietnam, I just don't know how much we could do.  We're all rather involved with the business in France.  There's quite a large problem there, you know…"

            Just then, this "problem" walked through the door on Harry Potter's arm.

            Gabrielle had outdone herself.  She wore thin, clinging silk robes of a shimmering black and her long hair was allowed to hang down her bare back.  Her eyes were smokily lined as always and her lips as red, and black opals sparkled at her ears and throat.  The members of the Department of Mysteries which were serving as an honor guard, lead by the omni-present Blaise Zabini, opened the doors to them, as they were expected, and Gabrielle offered a brilliant smile to one of the guards, who was then left swaying and barely able to stay on his feet.

            As they entered, there was a charmed silence.  Every male's head turned and fixed unwaveringly on her-this number included even Alex.  Parvati seemed to be staring abjectly too.  The two of them sat down at the end of the table.  No one spoke.

            Li saw Alex's eyes fixated on the woman-only for a moment, true, and jumped out of her seat, leaving Cho nothing to do but follow after her as she barged down the room and blurted something out in rapid Chinese.  "Gau su wo ni de mi mi!"

            "Pardon?" Gabrielle asked, as Harry moved out her chair and bowed to Li.

            Cho smothered a laugh.  "She says, 'teach me your secret.'"

            Parvati, still peering at Gabrielle from the corner of her eye, overheard and somehow managed not to laugh.

            Alex coughed, eyes changing rapidly from impressed and entranced to filled with barely smothered jealousy. "Tsau, Li, this is one of our top Aurors, Harry Potter. I was not under the impression that he was bringing anyone along…" He stood, and knelt over Gabrielle's hand. "Your name, Miss?"

            "Gabrielle Delacour," she answered courteously. "You must be Ambassador Alexander Whitman. 'Arry 'as mentioned you quite often."

            "And rarely fondly, I'm sure," Ginny hissed under her breath. Draco nudged her impatiently before looking back at the young beauty latched onto Harry's arm-a move which only served to make her grind her teeth loud enough for Minister Liang to look at her curiously.

            After Alex sat again, Tsau cleared his throat. "Well, now that everyone is here, perhaps we should order," he said quietly, in barely accented English. "Miss Chang-Davies, if you would?"

            Cho stood, and exited, returning only a moment later with a waitress. She began conversing with the Minister in rapid Chinese, and soon he had translated everyone's orders. Alex's businesslike guise completely fell for just a moment. "That's so impressive. I wish I were more fluent in Chinese. It's such a lovely language."

            "Thank you."

            "It would be so nice to be able to talk to you in Chinese, Tsau. It's even more beautiful when you speak it."

            Parvati stood, walked over quickly before the Southeast Asian Minister could do more than look a bit startled, and handed Alex a stack of papers. "Ambassador, perhaps we should see if there are any other countries which may be able to assist in this situation?"

            Alex started. "What? Oh, yes. Excellent idea, Miss Patil." He smiled at her, eyes clearly stating that she would be subjected to various tortures the moment they got back to the Ministry. "Now, I believe Spain is indebted to us after assisting them in their campaign against the Inqusition centuries ago-I'm certain they might be able to spare a few forces to assist you if we ask, the Spanish don't enjoy owing people for so long. Would you like it if I asked them, Tsau? I'd do anything to help you-"

            Parvati's shoe connected with his ankle, and he winced. "-with this. We understand how difficult it can be rounding up supporters of the Dark Arts."

            His look at Parvati now promised death by rabid squirrels with weed whackers, or something equally unpleasant and bizarre. She smiled sweetly, and headed back to her seat.

            "The Spanish?" Tsau asked, clearly unsure.  "Well, I suppose we could ask them, but then, their economy is really rather unstable at the moment.  We wouldn't want to put them into a similar situation."

            Alex looked thoughtful.  "True enough.  I wonder, if we went to the States…"

            Draco shook his head.  "No, no, America won't do at all.  They'd demand we make it a loan and add interest.  They're businessmen."

            "In other words, they're leeches," Ginny said softly from next to him.

            Draco shrugged.  "It amounts to the same thing.  They're still sore at us about that little misunderstanding with Canada."  He looked pointedly at Alex who kept a perfectly blank face.  "Right, then.  America won't do.  Spain is in jeopardy as it is.  That only leaves-"

            "Ask Russia," a French-accented voice from the other side of the table spoke up softly.  Everyone swiveled their heads to regard Gabrielle, who was calmly patting her mouth with her napkin, her chopsticks propped neatly up on her plate.  "After all, zey 'ave been on your backs for years about opening a new school… ze Akademiya Volshyebstva and even ze Shkola Imenyi Vasyelisi 'as been accepting your students for years… zey would consider it a wise investment.  Besides," she grinned, "zey still 'ave zat debt to England to pay for saving ze Tzarina in… oh… ze eighteen-'undreds?  Zey would 'elp.  And Russia 'as been wonderfully stable for ze past five years or so."  The silence was thunderous.  Gabrielle shrugged.  "Of course, I'm not involved.  It was just a suggestion."  She lowered her gaze demurely and said nothing more.

            "Right, then," Alex said, a smile slowly growing on his face.  "I can't believe I didn't think of Minister Nikolayeva right away!"

            "I can," Parvati muttered.  "She's female."

            "I'll get in touch and see what we can do," Draco promised.  "But I think that's one problem solved.  Now, as for the armed forces, perhaps…"

            Harry was staring at Gabrielle, who looked perfectly at ease.  "I didn't know you were politically savvy," he finally said.

            She smiled in a mysterious fashion.  "Ah, well, I keep up."

            "But you never leave your house," he persisted.

            "I order newspapers in several languages," she said.  "After all, zere isn't much to do alone, day in and day out."  Realizing she was sounding weak, she quickly attempted a remedy.  "You come by so rarely to divert me!"

            Harry was not taken in by the bait.  "Why don't you leave more often?"

            "I 'ave no need of ze outer world," she said, sounding as though this was a repeated daily mantra.  "My own is sufficient."  She took another bite of her orange-glazed chicken.

            "I wonder what secrets you're hiding," Harry mused under his breath.  "I'm never quite sure of you."

            She placed her hand lightly on his, and he didn't think to remind her she had promised not to.  "Per'aps, Monsieur, zis is because I want you to be."

            Ginny stared at Harry and his guest for a moment, then sighed and tried not to seem too eager to look back at Draco. While Alex went over a few of the terms to present to Russia with Minister Liang, she mouthed carefully at him, Why did he come? And with her?

Draco shrugged. No idea. I'd guess Parvati's responsible. She usually is.

His eyes narrowed, and his next words were kept strictly to himself. His position as Minister of Magic was sound enough, but too many people remembered who Lucius Malfoy had been during Voldemort's days, and more still remembered the amnesty towards Harry that had been so infamous during school. No matter the context, such a thought could have easily unseated him if anyone heard it-but no one did.

Bringing a suspect to dinner... I'll kill you for this, Potter. If anything happens because of her, I swear I will...

Ginny nudged Draco pointedly, and he turned back, years of training keeping an embarrassed flush from crossing his pale face at being caught off-guard. Alex was drumming his fingers on the table impatiently (and most certainly not just due to my lateness, Draco thought, hiding a wry grin), and Minister Liang was holding out several papers. "Minister Malfoy, can you think of anything else that we could add? Between the terms of this treaty and ours, I think everything in Vietnam should be fine, but should Russia negotiate their way out of this-"

"They won't!" Alex reassured him. "I'll make sure of it. It's my job."

Parvati leaned over to Cho. "And he does it well, when he's not flirting."

Both women giggled, and turned back to the discussion. Draco looked over the contracts. "It looks as if you've come up with a very sound plan regarding this situation. I have nothing else to add. However, if there is need for more assistance, I would ask you to entrust that to Alex..."

He trailed off, noticing the half-smile lingering on the ambassador's face as he watched Minister Liang. Tsau was too busy listening to Draco to notice.

Draco resumed quickly. "...in matters of personal negotiations with other prospective allies. I will deal personally with you, Minister Liang. England is willing to do as much as we can to assist you."

Alex shot a glare at him that promised he'd join Parvati hanging from his hair from a rafter very very high off the ground while piranhas ate their shoes. Everyone ignored it.

Just as the last of the paperwork was going through, the food began to arrive.  As the dishes were set out by silently efficient serving staff, the conversation turned to lighter matters.  Seeing that the higher-ups were well-occupied in discussing the finer points of the Russia proposition and finding that what Cho translated was not very interesting, Li turned to her other side and began to speak with Gabrielle.  Cho immediately moved to the other side of the table and greeted Harry before re-commencing her job.

After introductions between the two women were through, Li asked with a friendly smile what it was that Gabrielle did.  The other woman shrugged.  "I stay at 'ome," she said simply.  "Zere is not much for me to do."

Cho translated the answer.  Li looked surprised and rattled off something else.  "But doesn't it become tedious?"

Gabrielle smiled almost sadly.  "Not really.  I 'ave… visitors sometimes 'oo entertain me… mostly I am content by myself."

"But where does the money come from?"  Cho looked apologetic as she translated.

"I am well off.  My fazer left my seester and me a fortune.  'E was in ze rare animal business… we 'ad a phoenix in ze 'ouse when I was young.  Once zere was a unicorn… it would not go near my sister and my parents grounded 'er for weeks and weeks."  She was sounding nostalgic now.  "Zen, 'e was tricked by a competitor and strangled by a Lesifold.  Zat was right before I began Beauxbatons and Fleur began work at ze Ministry of Magic."  There was poignant pain in her eyes before she quelled it.  "But zat is not important," she added, sounding as though she wished she believed it.  "My past is boring, really.  I prefer ze present." 

"I see.  Where is your sister now?  What about your mother?"

Gabrielle looked decidedly uncomfortable.  "My mozer is… gone," she finally said.  Harry, shocked that she was talking about her family willingly, wished dearly he could take notes.  "My seester is in St. Jean's, and 'as been for sree years."

"I see.  It is too bad."

Gabrielle looked unsettled.  "It doesn't matter," she said in that same half-convincing tone.  "I don't care."

Li looked shocked.  "But… she is family."

"I 'ave no family," Gabrielle said almost fiercely.  There was a look of intense pain in her eyes before she dutifully took herself to eating delicately with the chopsticks which, no one was surprised to see, she looked as though she had been doing for years.

"Who pays the hospital bills?" Cho said, looking tortured by her role as intermediary.

Gabrielle now looked on the edge of panic.  "I… don't know."

"I'm sorry, Harry, she's used to getting all of her questions answered," Cho said.  "I wish I didn't have to-"

"No, Cho, you're doing a lovely job," Harry murmured.  "Do go on."

Gabrielle looked at him venomously-the first sign he had had since he had met her that she did, indeed, harbor emotions other than the seductive sensuality she seemed to exude at every other moment.  He was coming closer and closer to the realization that this was entirely fabricated.

"But don't you love her?  Whatever she did that was so horrible?  It is blood calling to blood, isn't it?  Family.  My brother might murder someone, and I would still love him."

"Love?" Gabrielle said as if tasting the word for the first time.  "Zis love, I do not understand it.  It is a fairytale for ze gullible.  I like sings.  I enjoy sings."  She smiled icily, and Harry realized she had clammed up again.  "Like men.  Or fine wine.  One is no more enjoyable zan ze ozer.  But love?  I do not know it.  I 'ave not seen it.  Why would I believe it?"

Cho translated.  Li looked shell-shocked.  Finally, she composed herself enough to ask yet another question.  "But why?"

"If somesing is not evidenced in one's life, one naturally ceases to believe," Gabrielle said simply.

Harry looked at her.  He could swear tears were shimmering in those downcast eyes the color of a winter sky.  He wanted to reach out to her, but sensed it was wrong, somehow, and kept quiet.  Instead, he wondered how the two Chinese women had gotten her to open up.  He had known of Georges Jaques Delacour, but had never heard him described in such a way.  He had never had insight on the Delacour family before it had so suddenly ceased to be.  And now, with this glimpse, he was more curious than ever as to what Li would unearth next.

But the rest of Li's conversation was polite, cheerful and flighty, about the fine silk of Gabrielle's dress robes and her lovely hair.  Still, as the three women chatted, Harry catalogued something in his mind.  It was far past time to search for Violette Charlotte Delacour.  And then, well, then he would go see an old adversary.  There was something about Fleur that unsettled Gabrielle.  He had to discover what it was.