Thanks Seaver for everything!
JoNaY: Thanks… well you are not too far off with the crying part, when I
started writing BW I played with the thought of having loads of Phoenixes cry on
them… lol. I am happy I didn't do that. Fighting Scenes too short… I'll remember
that for the future.
Trigun: Well he is seventeen soon so it shouldn't be too far off…. unless
something happens… : )
keebler-elmo: Thanks, I will!
jbfritz: Err… sorry for keeping you waiting : )
Nasser Himura: Not too much cool fighting I'm afraid…
My two hundred reviewer, Acacia Jules!: Yes of course they
will be alright... Well to be perfectly honest with you, Selena won't make it…
and well Tonks follows her. But they wouldn't want it any other way. Then there
is the fact that they don't like muggle-borns so I'm afraid Hermione meets an
early end as well. But apart from them and Ron, they will all live…. until the
end of the chapter anyway, but it's all very sweet and Harry goes happily
together with Fleur. Vertex would make it though had he not been a phoenix and
dependant on Harry and Fleur…. Lol just joking, promise! Glad you liked the
magic. Imagine my flames if it turned out that the bracelet didn't work!
coolone007: That's a great idea, wish I would have thought of it…
iceygaze: Thanks, I am flattered! Well to be perfect honest about the
length of the sequel, I have no idea how long it will be… I have the events
planned out but I find it very difficult to estimate the length.
Wytil: Thanks! I see the Nagini part as a revenge for Hedwig.
Brolly_LSS: Thanks I do my best… lol…
fledge: Thanks for reading! The warning was fun, glad someone spotted it.
You seem to know me too well : ) Hmm I never said Harry and Fleur would get
together in the of this story did I? Thanks I'll get going as soon as possible
on the sequel.
Rocky235: Thanks, hope this chapter will contain a few surprises as well!
¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤
Chapter 37 Phoenix song
It was beautiful, divine, glorious and soft. Harry had heard Phoenix song many
times before but never like this. He continued listening to the song for what
felt as forever. He noticed that this could not possibly come from one phoenix
alone. Slowly he realised that he didn't remember anything concrete and that he
should be worried, but it was very hard worrying with all the wonderful phoenix
song.
He slowly started to get a feeling that he should open his eyes but he didn't
want to, he felt so at peace the way it was. The feeling that wanted him to open
his eyes did not stop however and soon it had become so strong that he couldn't
bear it any more. With huge effort, he managed to open his eyes slightly and saw
a blue summer sky above him with some puffy white clouds in the distance.
Wherever he was, he wanted to stay, it was beautiful and the phoenix song was
wonderful. The feeling that had forced him to open his eyes had been replaced by
a feeling to move his body. It was a very strange feeling since he wasn't aware
of having a body but he supposed that his eyes had to sit in a head and that the
head had to be attached to a body, it wouldn't work otherwise.
Soon the feeling that he should move his body forced him to move his limbs. He
contorted some muscles in his neck and then in his shoulders, he continued
contorting muscles all through his body and found that it did he did in fact
seem to have a body. He vaguely noticed pain in his left hand but it was not
only pain it was something nice as well.
It was something he cared a lot for, he thought, but then figured that it was
wrong it was not something it was someone. It was Fleur. Harry gasped in
realisation as the memories flooded back to him and he sat bold right up.
He saw all his closest friends lying around him on the compartment floor. He
looked up again and wondered how he could possible see the sky if he was inside
the compartment. Half way up he saw that the top of what was left of the train
wagon was missing.
Fleur opened her eyes and looked thoughtfully yet happily up at the sky.
"Fleur," Harry said hopefully.
Fleur focus on him with an empty confused expression but then she smiled, "Are
we in heaven, Wingbeat?"
"No angel," Harry replied softly, "We are still in the compartment but the roof
must have been blown off."
Fleur sat bold up right just as he had a few moments before, "What about the
death eaters?"
Harry glanced out over the low wall that was still left and saw that the death
eaters were still there but they seemed to have been knocked out by the
explosion as well.
"Try to wake the others and I will see if the apparation wards are still up,"
Fleur said hurriedly and Harry turned over to Hermione who was lying down on his
other side turned to Ron who was on her other side.
"Hermione," Harry said and checked for pulse but before he could feel it, he saw
that she was breathing.
He shook her gently at first but when she didn't respond he tried more
forcefully but still without success, she was clearly not well enough to wake
up. He continued with Ron and found that he was in very much the same state as
Hermione. Closest to where the window had been, under what had been the
compartment table, laid Tonks curled around Selena in his invisibility cloak.
Tonks and Selena were alive as well but wouldn't wake up.
"The wards are gone!" Fleur exclaimed, "Dumbledore will be able to get here any
moment."
"KILL THEM!" Lord Voldemort's piercing voice screeched frantically, "KILL THEM!"
"We have to apparate," Fleur said as the first killing curse hit the low wall
right next to them.
"Keep your head down!" Harry said and pulled Fleur closer to the floor as
killing curses started flying over them and crashing into the remaining parts of
the walls, "I won't leave them you go if you want to."
"We can apparate them with us, like Dumbledore does," Fleur said as the top part
of the wall that had been under the window blew off with a crack. Harry briefly
noticed several other killing curses flying their way and bend even lower down
on the floor.
"We should have been dead, Hermione was right," Fleur said quickly, "I don't
think even Dumbledore could have survived that explosion. Our ward took the
worst of it and the rest my dampening charm must have taken care of the rest… it
must have been us Harry we did it."
"What?" Harry asked.
"That's why it feels so good to hold hands it is magic," Fleur said as the top
part of one of the benches blew away in a green flash, "Just like that book you
summoned that broke the door, we were having body contact then as well… it makes
us much stronger."
Harry didn't knew what to think, "Are you sure?"
"No," Fleur snapped, "But it's worth a try, if it is true we should be able to
apparate."
"I have no idea of how to apparate," Harry said as another curse blew the last
of the window wall away they now had nowhere to hide.
"It's simple we hold hands wave our wands and say disapparate while pretending
that everyone is a part of our body, like Dumbledore said but remember to focus
on yourself as well." Fleur said and caught his hand, "Then we focus on Diagon
Allay it shouldn't be too far. I think we are close to London and when we start
falling towards the ground we say apparate."
"But what if we splinch?" Harry asked frantically but just then, Fleur flew
violently over to the other side of the compartment.
Green light hit the spot she had been half a second ago. Harry didn't let go of
her hand and quickly pulled her down on the floor even though she was not much
safer there.
"On three," Fleur said breathlessly she appeared to be in pain, "One."
"Two," Fleur said and took a deep breath. Harry squeezed her hand harder then
ever.
He found it hard to pretend that Hermione, Ron, Tonks and Selena was apart of
his body especially as he couldn't see all of them from where he was. He instead
found it easier to pretend that the floor was a part of him as he was so close
to it and that his friends were apart of the floor since they were laying on it.
"Three!"
"DISAPPARATE!" They yelled and everything went black again or white Harry
couldn't tell.
"Diagon Alley, Diagon Alley, Diagon Alley," Harry kept chanting in his head but
then he realised that he didn't focus on any specific part of Diagon Alley.
He figured that the name probably was not enough, as it was with floo powder. He
probably needed to picture a part of Diagon Alley for it to work. With a quick
decision, he started picturing the Leaky Cauldron in his minds eye. He tried to
get every detail right and even how remarkable unnoticeable it was from the
outside.
Just as he imagined how it looked form the out side, a muggle street came into
view below him and he started falling down. There were cars on the street and
loads of muggles on the sidewalks. They were not in Diagon Alley, but close.
They were outside the leaky cauldron and falling. They were going to land in the
middle of the street, and probably get hit by at least one car but there was not
any choice. The street came closer and closer.
"APPARATE!" He yelled with all his might, he heard Fleur chorusing him and with
a huge crack, they appeared.
Harry was lying down on his back and he wondered vaguely if he was on the
asphalt of the street. A car horn sounded and there was a huge crash, Harry felt
himself being thrown away from his back and he tumbled over somebody. There was
another crash and Harry was thrown back on his back. There were people screaming.
"Just appeared," Someone was yelling in disbelief over and over again.
"Somebody, get an ambulance," Someone else yelled frantically.
"Harry, are you alive?" Fleur's face appeared over him her long hair hanging
over him.
"Answer me," Fleur demanded but Harry was too shocked to answer.
"HARRY!" Fleur jelled when he didn't answer.
Harry felt stinging pain in his cheek Fleur must have slapped him.
"Ouch!" He croaked out.
"Oh Harry I am sorry are you all right?" Fleur asked desperately.
"Did we make it?" asked Harry
"Yes we did," Fleur replied.
"All of us?"
"Yes and what's left of the wagon too," Fleur said and tears started falling
down on him from her eyes down on his face, "I thought we were going to die
Harry, I was so sure of it."
"It's all right," Harry said and Fleur broke down on him sobbing hysterically.
Harry put his arms around her and cried. He cried so badly, all the tension
flooded out through his eyes, his body racked with uncontrollable sobs and so
did Fleur. He was vaguely aware of somebody climbing up next to them and started
making sure everyone was alive. He couldn't see who it was even if he had wanted
to since Fleur was in the way and her long silver blond hair.
"Er… Miss?" A male voice asked gently, "Are you all right? Will you let me
examine you, I am a healer."
Fleur didn't pay any attention she just continued sobbing her eyes out and so
did Harry.
"Miss you will have to answer me. I have to make sure you are in no lethal
danger," The male voice said softly.
"Miss!" The male voice said more forcefully when Fleur didn't respond.
"It's all right, John I will take care of her just get the other to St Mungo's
and make sure they will be taken care for," Professor Dumbledore's voice said
imperiously.
"There is someone else here as well, Professor," John said sounding like a first
year.
"Thank you John that will be all," Dumbledore said firmly and Harry could hear
John leaving them.
"As you whish Professor Dumbledore, do you care to identifying them before I
leave?" John's voice could be heard though it was much further away now.
"Nymphadora Tonks, Selena Tonks, Hermione Granger and Ronald Weasley… and I will
keep that cloak if you don't mind, John?" Dumbledore said gently.
"Of course not Professor… it was nice meeting you again," said John.
"Likewise albeit I wish it could have been under more pleasant circumstances,"
Dumbledore replied courteously.
"You aren't hurt are you?" Fleur sniffed.
"No, what about you, are you sure you shouldn't go to St Mungo's?" Harry asked.
"I will manage," Fleur whispered, "but I think you broke my hand."
"Sorry," Harry apologized at once, "We just faced Voldemort and about a hundred
death eaters and I am the only one who actually hurts you."
"I forgive you Wingbeat you saved my life twice after all," Fleur said holding
up her hand and her bracelet.
"Professor?" Harry asked when Dumbledore came into view above him.
"Please keep your voice down Harry, the ministry is better off not knowing the
finer details of what happened today," Dumbledore said silently but loud and
clear enough for both Harry and Fleur to hear him.
"Put your cloak on, Magical law enforcement will arrive any moment," Dumbledore
said and spread the cloak over them so that they could put it on lying down.
Harry and Fleur wrapped the cloak around them and stood up.
"Are you well enough to walk a few blocks away?" Dumbledore asked.
"Yes but Fleur's hand is broken," Harry whispered
"I am afraid I forbade Vertex of following you here, once we are a few blocks
away I will call for him," Dumbledore said and jumped down from the train wagon
and on to the street nimbly.
Harry and Fleur jumped down after him though not as nimbly as they both had to
remain under the invisibility cloak. It was almost nothing left of the train
wagon only their compartment. The compartment was balancing oddly at the only
remaining train wheel. Harry knew the ministry would have loads of trouble
making the muggles on the street forget about this but didn't care much.
"Follow me," Dumbledore said quietly and starting walking away from the remains
of the Hogwarts express wagon.
Harry expected the muggles on the street to gape at an old man with white long
beard and purple robes but they didn't they seemed hardly to notice him even
though they must have because people stepped out of his way.
"What do you think is happening?" Fleur whispered in Harry's ear.
"No idea," Harry replied, "I don't see why we didn't have to go to St Mungo's
for observations or at lest to the hospital wing…"
"You are fine aren't you?" Fleur asked suspiciously.
"Sure," said Harry, feeling slightly sick again when he thought of the human he
had killed.
"What is that supposed to mean?" asked Fleur.
"I killed someone Tonks did too, they didn't even see us," Harry whispered.
Fleur didn't reply for a long moment, "Thank you," she finally said.
"For what?" Harry asked slightly annoyed.
"For protecting me," said Fleur simply, "You didn't want me to be dead rather
then the death eater would you?"
"No," Harry said as loud as he dared with muggles all around him.
"There you go then, you did what you had to do," Fleur explained, "It was a
choice between them and us don't you ever feel guilty for it."
"I still murdered someone," said Harry tunelessly.
"That was a price you had to pay then, you had to kill somebody deal with it,"
Fleur said firmly.
"Right," Harry said and with huge effort, he managed to put it out of his mind
for the moment, "I killed Nagini too."
"You did?" Fleur asked impressed, "You killed Voldemort's snake?"
"Yes that's why he blew off half the wagon," Harry said feeling a little better,
"Tonks saved me, she made me run."
"I got to thank her," Fleur replied.
Dumbledore turned and walked into an alley away from view once there was no
chance of anyone noticing them Dumbledore turned and fixed them with his
piercing gaze right through the invisibility cloak.
"You can remove the cloak now," Dumbledore said and as they did so, there were
two bright red flashes and Vertex and Fawkes appeared sitting on each of
Dumbledore's shoulders.
"Vertex!" Fleur exclaimed, "Are you all right? I was so worried Voldemort had
trapped you with the apparition wards somehow."
"Phoenixes doesn't care about apparition wards," Harry said and held out his arm
for Vertex to sit on.
"Hello Vertex," He said when his bird landed on his arm, "Hello to you to as
well Fawkes."
"I hurt my hand," Fleur said and showed her hand carefully for Vertex, "Can you
help me?"
Vertex bent his long neck and investigated Fleur's hand carefully before he
started crying on it. Harry was a bit curious to see how Phoenix tears healed
broken bones; he had only seen them heal scratches. As if the tears knew what
was wrong they seemed to go right through Fleur's skin and into her hand.
Fleur's hand turned red as if being held over a powerful lamp, the bones in her
hand were visible as greyish shadows and it was easy to see which bone that was
broken. The broken bone started shining white through her skin and Fleur gasped
as it grew back together.
"Well done Vertex," Dumbledore praised.
"Yeah," Harry added, "That was amazing."
"Thank you sweetie," Fleur said and kissed the bird who happily kissed back.
Fawkes looked on slightly confused over the strange behaviour.
"Are you both feeling physically fine now?" Dumbledore asked gently.
"Yeah I suppose so," Harry said and stretched his body just to make sure, it
ached all over but it was bearable and he knew he had nothing worse then bruises
and some minor cuts.
"We're fine," Fleur said lacing her fingers with his.
"Excellent, now is there anything I should know of immediately?"
"Other then Voldemort attacking us?" Harry asked.
"No headmaster I can't think of anything," Fleur said thoughtfully.
Dumbledore nodded, "Then I am afraid we have to continue to Privet Drive."
"Dumbledore sir, but what about Selena, Tonks Hermione and Ron?" Harry asked
quickly. What he most of all now wanted was to go strait to St Mungo's and be
there when they all woke up.
"They will be perfectly fine. You can write them a letter telling them you are
in good condition as well," Dumbledore replied reassuringly as he pulled out his
wand.
"Not to be rude sir but my aunt and uncle…"
"And what about me headmaster?" Fleur interrupted.
"One thing at a time," Dumbledore said patiently, "First we apparate to the
Dursleys and then we sort out the technicalities."
Harry and Fleur nodded reluctantly.
"Good," Dumbledore said and apparated them all right to the front porch of
number four privet drive. The last place on earth Harry wanted to be.
This was not his day Harry thought grumpily as Dumbledore rang the doorbell. He
wondered if the muggles of Privet Drive wouldn't notice the three of them
dressed in robes suddenly appearing outside number four but nobody seemed to do
so.
Harry was brought out of his thoughts by the familiar sound of his uncle
unlocking the door from the inside; he could tell it was his uncle by the
forceful way. His aunt had the almost creepy ability to sneak doors open
silently probably hoping to see things she shouldn't.
The door burst open as violently as possible without any of the neighbours
noticing the rudeness. Vernon looked at them with a slightly confused expression
and didn't even seem to notice Harry, of course Harry was not exactly easy to
notice next to Dumbledore and Fleur.
"Yes?" His Uncle barked irritably.
"You must be Mr Vernon Dursley," The old wizard said, "I am Albus Dumbledore."
Uncle Vernon took a step back and surveyed Dumbledore again as if first now
noticing he wore long purple robes.
"You are the one running that freak school!" Mr Dursley exclaimed accusingly.
Dumbledore chuckled, "I would prefer Headmaster of Hogwarts but it is obviously
the same to you so I won't argue."
Uncle Vernon cast a glance over at Fleur where his eyes lingered for a moment
and then strait at Harry.
"If you think I am taking him in my house… we decided not to pick him up, he is
old enough to go live for himself. We have given him a roof and food for sixteen
years and he has been nothing but trouble from the start!" Vernon ranted and
Harry squeezed Fleur's hand gently hoping she wouldn't transform. Fortunately,
Fleur seemed too exhausted to transform.
"I see," Dumbledore said evenly, "Could we perhaps come inside to discus Harry's
situation I dare say we are causing quite a scene."
Uncle Vernon paled at once and cast nervous glances over to the other occupants
of Privet Drive. Harry wondered if Dumbledore knew how well the threat of
causing a scene would work on Mr Dursley. When his uncle carefully had made sure
none of the neighbours were watching them he stepped aside and gestured for them
to enter.
"Vernon?" Aunt petunia shrieked at the sight of Albus Dumbledore entering.
Judging by the flowery apron she was wearing she was cooking dinner.
"Ah… Mrs. Petunia Dursley I presume," Dumbledore said politely ignoring her
shriek for her husband.
"You are Albus Dumbledore," Petunia said taken aback.
"I see my reputation precedes me," Dumbledore said taking off his pointed hat
courteously.
"Lily once showed me a photo," Petunia explained. She obviously feared
Dumbledore enough to show him some respect even if her husband glared at her.
Harry noticed his cousin sitting cowardly at the far end of the table in the
kitchen gaping stupidly at Fleur.
"Oh… this is Professor Delacour," Dumbledore said gesturing to Fleur who
tightened her grip on Harry's hand and took a step closer to him.
"Hello," Fleur said in a very forced voice her French accent shining through
clearer then usual.
"uh… Hi," Dudley said stupidly both his parents glared at him for speaking to a
freak.
"Would it be too much to ask for a moment alone with Harry… perhaps we could go
to your room?" Dumbledore asked.
"You are going nowhere but out! Leave me and my family alone we don't need
freaks like you!" Uncle Vernon bellowed.
"Confundus," Dumbledore muttered under his breath and without any of the
Dursleys noticing waved his wand at Vernon.
"Magic is not so bad," Dumbledore said softly.
"No magic is not so bad," Uncle Vernon agreed dreamily.
"We can have a chat with Harry in his room," Dumbledore went on.
"Yes, I suppose that is all right," Harry's uncle agreed, "Boy, show the way!"
"Thank you," Dumbledore said and gestured for Harry to lead the way.
A few moments later Harry and Fleur were sitting on the bed in the smallest
bedroom and Dumbledore was sitting in a chair he had conjured.
"I got a note from Hermione," Dumbledore said seriously when Harry and Fleur
didn't say anything, "It says you got disconnected from the Hogwarts express,
that you were alone and that you saw Voldemort in Harry's foe glass."
"Yes," Harry confirmed, "And just as we sent Vertex off we heard the train's
ward fall and then there was this click like when you dive on a broom. Hermione
said it was apparition wards and Tonks said that she and Fleur would have to
break them and then someone yelled the killing curse."
"It was Bellatrix Lestrange, I was on the lookout at the front of the wagon and
suddenly Voldemort, she and Malfoy appeared in front of the wagon and before I
could do anything she just cursed me," Fleur explained quickly, "But Harry's
bracelet pulled me out of the way."
Dumbledore nodded, "Remus mentioned the bracelet please go on."
"I found Fleur in the last compartment of the train, she had burst right through
the wall," said Harry.
"And I didn't even hurt myself." Fleur added questioningly.
"That would be the bracelet as well," Dumbledore said calmly, "Please continue."
"Then Tonks ordered me strait to Hermione to help her with the wards," Fleur
told the older man.
"And I joined Tonks at the end of the wagon," Harry explained. "We had to hold
them off somehow and make sure we gave Fleur and Hermione enough time to break
the wards."
"I take it you faced Voldemort once again?" Dumbledore asked wearily.
"He threatened to go in if I didn't," Harry said defensively, "I had expected my
scar to hurt but it didn't not as badly as usual anyway."
"When was the last time your scar hurt? Before this I mean." Dumbledore asked
looking carefully at Harry's forehead.
"I don't know it was a very long time ago… at the end of the summer, no later
before Halloween," Harry replied uncertainly.
"That would suggest that the reason your scar hurt is because Voldemort is a
very dark wizard, so dark that it hurt those who are pure and don't have any
resistance against dark arts," said Dumbledore thoughtfully, "It appears that
the unfortunate incidents of Halloween may have given you some resistance
against dark arts."
Fleur and Harry continued with each other's help to tell Dumbledore what had
happened. Dumbledore did not seem surprised by the fact that they had lived
through a explosion caused by about a hundred death eaters nor that they
afterwards had managed to apparate the remains of the wagon away to the street
outside the Leaky Cauldron.
"And then you found us," Fleur finished.
Dumbledore nodded thoughtfully, "If I understand this correctly then nobody
knows you are alive?"
"No I don't think so, but Voldemort probably knows I am alive at least," Harry
said gesturing to his scar.
"Voldemort is probably aware of it yes," Dumbledore agreed wearily.
With a flash, Fawkes and Vertex appeared and Dumbledore wrote a note, which he
attached to Fawkes, "Please deliver this to the old heads of Hogwarts."
With another flash, Fawkes was gone.
"Now I believe you have some questions of your own?" Dumbledore asked surveying
them gently with his bright blue eyes.
"Yes we do," Fleur said firmly as Vertex started exploring Harry's room
enthusiastically.
"Why wouldn't you tell us before at St Mungo's," Harry burst out, "And what do
you know about us… sir?"
"I learned my lesson not to meddle in private relationships long ago, what you
have together no one but yourself can tell you," Dumbledore answered.
Dumbledore was probably right as usual, Harry figured, but he still felt
irritated. He and Fleur sat quiet, awaiting explanations.
"I am not aware of everything but I do know certain facts," Dumbledore finally
said, "I would have told you the little I know earlier but you seemed to figure
it out by yourself so I decided not to."
Dumbledore paused for a moment to watch Vertex poke one of Harry's drawers open
with his beak before he continued, "What I know about your special connection is
not much I am afraid, but I do know some things."
Vertex gave an excited whistle, he had managed to open the drawer and found an
old eagle Quill.
"I am proud to say, Harry that I knew your parents well enough for them to tell
me about any kind of magical accidents," Dumbledore went on.
"They told you about it," Harry asked hopefully.
"No they didn't," Dumbledore replied shortly.
"But why did you say that then?" Fleur asked curiously.
"A little more then sixteen years ago, both of your mothers bought new wands
from Ollivander…"
"My mum too?" Harry asked.
"Yes your mother as well, Harry," Dumbledore replied gently.
"But that is not very likely," Fleur said, "Wands doesn't just break like that
and I can't have snapped both of them."
"No you are indeed correct wands don't break like that without a reason. As I
said James and Lily would have informed me if it had been an accident," said
Dumbledore surveying them seriously.
Harry and Fleur sat silent. Millions of thoughts whirled through Harry's mind
and he wasn't sure what to believe. If Harry understood Dumbledore right then
his parents had been aware of everything.
"So it was on purpose," Fleur finally asked.
"Yes, it appears so," Dumbledore replied smiling gently.
"They didn't curse us did they," Harry asked stupidly, he knew their mothers
would never curse them but it was all he could think of.
"No on the contrary, I believe they did the very opposite," Dumbledore said
while watching Vertex trying to open another drawer, "Both your and Neville's
parents where of course informed of the prophesy, Harry."
Harry stared blankly down in his knee, he had not thought about the prophesy
since that night in McGonagall's office much less told Fleur about it. He could
feel her wondering gaze at him but didn't look up.
"I appear to have said too much, as usual," Dumbledore said apologetically.
"No it's okay," Fleur said gently, "I don't mind having my memory erased if that
will help."
"I'm sorry for not telling you," Harry muttered, "I don't like to think about it
you see but I don't mind if Dumbledore tell you."
"No," Fleur said at once, "I don't need to know unless you want to tell me… I
mean you haven't well…" Fleur cast a glance over Dumbledore who seemed to be
completely occupied with Vertex, "… you never even asked me once about veela
stuff and I am okay with not knowing if you promise to tell me when you are
ready."
Harry looked up at Fleur she was smiling gently. Harry wanted to tell her
everything that moment but held himself back, it was much too private to him and
he could never be just her friend if she knew about the prophesy.
"I promise," He said instead.
Dumbledore was entertaining Vertex by transfiguring the old quill to different
small animals. Unlike every animal Harry had ever seen anyone transfigure,
Dumbledore's animals were pure fantasy. Strange toad like creatures with wings
and giraffe necks slowly appeared as if Dumbledore modelled them in his mind.
"Professor, you were saying my parents knew about…" Harry asked and the strange
animals slowly transformed back into the old quill.
"Yes," Dumbledore said wearily and turned his attention back to them, "I
informed them as soon as it was clear you and Neville were the possible
candidates."
Fleur sat quiet and didn't say anything though Harry could feel her radiating
curiosity.
"I should have expected your parents to try something like this of course,
especially as they seemed to accept the prophesy without questions. But then
again James managed to keep his animagus form a secret from me during all those
years…" said Dumbledore thoughtfully.
"So our parents did this to us?" Fleur asked, "I mean why us, and for what
good?"
"Your parents somehow managed to unlock your magic for each other's use, my
guess would be that they performed a ritual of some kind that resulted in the
destruction of their wands. The reason they did this would be to protect the two
of you, and I dare say it has worked excellently so far," said Dumbledore
gently.
Harry felt completely and utterly lost. He had slowly accepted Hermione's theory
and found it acceptable but now he would have to readjust again.
"I took myself the liberty to go through your medical journals and found that
you fainted the night of Halloween when Harry was hit with the curse,"
Dumbledore was telling Fleur when Harry snapped out of his thoughts. "At first I
thought it was a coincident but then I saw that the healer wrote that you didn't
have any apparent physical damages."
"But I remember it, Albus, I got so scared…" Fleur said but trailed off as she
realised what Dumbledore was hinting.
"If you indeed already shared your connection then, which I believe you did, I
find it very unlikely that you would not notice anything at all when Harry was
hit with the curse," Dumbledore said almost apologetically.
"So it was because of that I fainted," Fleur stated, "Just like when Harry saved
Selena."
"Yes I believe so, at both occasions Harry strained his magical strength to the
limit and probably most of yours as well," Dumbledore explained, "Had you not
had your connection these events might not have worked out as well as they did."
Harry and Fleur sat silent thinking everything over.
"But why Fleur, I mean we don't even look alike," Harry finally asked.
Dumbledore chuckled, "No you definitely don't on the contrary, you look very
little alike in fact I would go so far as to say that you couldn't be less
unlike each other. Have you noticed for a chance that even your birthdays are
exactly half a year from each other?"
"No," Harry replied, "But I don't understand, sir, is this coincidence?"
"Judging by your appearance and date of birth very adapt to perform magic
together, you compliment each other. That is probably the main reason your
parents choose the two of you."
Harry didn't know what to say so he just sat silent, Fleur did the same.
Dumbledore let them take their time and started playing with Vertex again.
"Has Remus told you everything we talked about?" Fleur asked after a moment
narrowing her eyes. Harry still had millions of questions to ask but he was
thankful that Fleur changed the subject. It was just all too much to take in at
once especially as they just had survived an encounter with Voldemort.
Dumbledore smiled, "I don't know about everything but yes, he has told me quite
a lot. He worries for you both."
"Did you set them up by the way, in that carriage," Fleur asked smiling widely.
Dumbledore chuckled again, "Yes I may be guilty of that, but it seems to have
turned out rather well don't you think?"
Harry and Fleur nodded.
"Now over to the technicalities, Harry you are becoming seventeen this summer
and thus you don't have to come back here after that," Dumbledore said. "You do
however have to spend this summer here."
"I am not leaving Harry with them all summer!" Fleur exclaimed incredulously.
"Very well I will go and inform the Dursleys that both of you are staying,"
Dumbledore said resolutely and stood up.
"How are you going to do that, sir?" Harry asked nervously.
"I believe your uncle's car is not of this year's model," said Dumbledore his
eyes twinkling.
"You are going to buy them a new car?"
"I think a bit of transfiguration will do the trick," Dumbledore said lightly,
"Good day to you both."
Harry and Fleur found themselves speechless. They just smiled at each other.
This would definitely be the best summer ever at number four Privet Drive and
hopefully the last.
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Now I'm really nervous! You know how this part ends… what do you think? Does my reasoning make any sense at all? I know certain things are a bit sudden but Rowling often make things sudden as well.
If you remember… Mr. Ollivander tells Harry in PS that he remembers when his mother bought her first wand. I don't really think JKR meant anything by that but it fits this story.
I hope you don't hate me too much for not setting Fleur and Harry up for real. I know I said they would get together in the end… I just didn't mean the end of this story. I have to have something to write about in the sequel after all.
I'll upload an A/N tomorrow and answer the reviews from this chapter.