The Potter Factor

By: Amora

The author of this piece garnishes no royalties whatsoever.

A/N: Wow it's been a while. Won't do it again I promise lol )

Chapter 8: The French Connection

"Extraxi induviae!" A beam of incandescent light flew right over my head as I did a last minute duck and roll. Holy shit that was close. I coughed up a mouthful of sand as I leapt to my feet in an attempt to counterattack. Left. Right. Double back layout. Wow, I really should consider being a gymnast. Unfortunately, I never had a chance to continue that train of thought as another curse slammed into me in midair.

"Aww crap." I mumbled and watched helplessly as my t-shirt vanishes from sight. I look over to my opponent and Bella smirks at me while whistling appreciatively. We were currently participating in a 'strip duel' on a deserted sector of the beach and she was kicking my ass.

"You're getting predictable, Harry." She says with a grin. "Those are some fancy moves, but you can't physically move faster than I can aim my wand!"

Is that a challenge I hear? I smirked and reposition myself into my own dueling stance. Bella had unknowingly given me the hint I needed in avoiding curses and I was just waiting for her to fire the first shot. Not a second later, the now familiar curse was flying right at me.

"Alright Potter," I mumbled and sidestepped the curse. I immediately fell into my standard routine of sidestepping before concentrating on my next move. Bella had said I can't physically move faster than her curses. What stopped me from apparating around the battlefield? I silently chastise myself for being such an idiot. How could I have forgotten that little aspect of being a wizard?

I was in the middle of another amazing display of aerial acrobatics when I heard Bella fire off a curse. Damnit! If I didn't do something soon, I would be stark naked. Not wanting to lose my final article of clothing, I started thinking hard about wanting to be at the destination I had in mind. Come on! You worthless magic, do something! As if hearing my pleas, I felt myself being launched into the void.

It could only be called the void. Before I could even begin to analyze the trip across space, I appeared exactly where I had in mind: 30 meters above Bella and entering freefall wand first. The ground approached rapidly and so did Bella's figure who was looking around frantically trying to find me. Grinning to myself at my self conceived plan, I aimed my wand at my target.

"Extraxi…" I said and Bella immediately looks up at me in shock. Her eyes widen considerably as I'm almost on top of her now, but I have other ideas than to become a Harry Potter pancake. Keeping my mind focused on the spell I was casting, I willed myself to again be transported to a new destination. It was getting considerably easier every time I tried to jump around the space time continuum. I was about 10 centimeters from landing on Bella before I vanished and appeared directly behind her.

"…induviae!" I shout and before Bella even has a chance to react, my curse hits her directly in the back. The bikini top she is wearing slowly fades away and I stand back to admire my handiwork.

"What the hell was that Potter?" Bella yells furiously as she turns around to face me. Unfortunately, I'm a little preoccupied with the view to notice the shouting and murderous gleam in her eyes. But can you really blame me for ignoring the unimportant stuff if there is a set of gorgeous breasts in front of you? I blatantly tune out Bella's indignant shouts and close in on my target.

"You could have been killed! If you had waited one-" she suddenly stops ranting and her breath hitches when I reach out and trail my hand from her shoulder along her collarbone and down the valley of her ample chest.

"Harry..." she trails off and I smirk inwardly. Back to a first name basis are we? I feast my eyes on her gorgeous figure as my fingers continue their journey south. Damn, this is fun! Bella is now breathing hard as I trace the top of her bikini bottom. In small steps, I move forward into her personal space and add a little bit of personal magic to my fingertips to heighten her senses.

It was a weird thing really. Had I not been shocked trying to put up the lights at number four, I would never had thought about where my magic came from. Every wizard has some type of magic core that a wand draws from and that was the profound difference between magic users and muggles. After all the apparition attempts and subsequent battles, I've learned how to direct where I wanted that magic in my own body acting as a buffer to the outside world.

Unfortunately, there was no way I could perform any "wandless" magic, but it did allow me greater control of my own body. I do things like keep myself warm or jump higher due to a muscle and metaphysical cooperation. Right now I was diverting all my magic to my fingertips resulting in a touch that felt like simultaneous hot and cold patchs to Bella.

"You like that?" I whispered into her ear as my fingers now entered only recently explored territories. As I watched Bella's increasing gasps of breath, I slowly but steadily raise the amount of magic used. She could only nod at my question as her movements against me become increasingly desperate.

"Good." I say just before kissing the nape of her neck and allowing even more personal magic to flow across my entire body. Bella is grinding almost uncontrollably against me and I can tell she is almost at her boiling point. Smiling inwardly, I lay Bella on the white sands and make passionate love to her on the nude beaches of France.

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

"I'm sorry sir. All modes of public transportation have been temporarily suspended due to the tragic terrorist bombing last night."

I was currently in the process of trying to obtain a plane ticket to Marseilles where Beauxbatons was but the damn salesman was giving me the runaround. A terrorist attack? Had Voldemort struck here too?

"What terrorist attack?" I asked trying to figure out if old snake face had a presence in this country too. It seemed like I could never be free from slimy dark lords, power hungry politicians, or manipulative old men. The ticket salesman gave me a look that spoke volumes of what he thought of my intelligence.

"The bombing of flight 309 from London last night," He said in a very poor attempt at a polite tone. Oh THAT terrorist attack...hehe oops?

"What about a train ticket instead?" I asked attempting to direct attention away from my lack of knowledge about the breach in national security. If it were possible, his face became even more annoyed and I felt as if I had missed something.

"What are you stupid? I said ALL modes of public transportation!" He yelled and I felt the presence of saliva on my face. Ugh disgusting! I wiped my face with a sleeve and glared at the irate salesman. What a rude prick! I had a sudden urge to shank him with the utility knife on the counter before deciding against it. It would cause too much of a scene.

"Vous l'écume suce le cochon!" I yelled before leaving the ticket office in a huff. It was the only French phrase I knew and just appeared appropriate at the moment. So much for friendly English speaking travel agents at the airport. Bella was waiting for me outside and waved me over when she saw me exit.

"That was the worst service I've ever encountered." I spat answering Bella's unasked question. At her raised eyebrow I continued. "Apparently our escapade with the High Inquisitors from last night is being categorized as an act of international terrorism. All modes of public transportation have been shut down for the time being."

"Lovely," Bella sighed and pondered for a moment. "What do we do now?"

What could we do? We were on the opposite side of the country from where we needed to be and there was no way we could apparate there. I still had trouble with small distances. The broom was also out of the question. My invisibility cloak was in my luggage when the plane blew up and was now probably resting under the English Channel. I had no intentions of outmaneuvering the French Aéronautique Militaire should someone spot us flying on a broom.

A sudden honk broke me out of my reverie and I turned to see a Frenchman in his shiny new BMW shouting vulgarities for me to get out of the road. That's it! I quickly got out of the road and waved at the passing car to the driver's surprise.

"I've got an idea!" I said and grabbed Bella's hand. I didn't answer her questions until we had reached my destination, the economy parking lot where people park for short periods of time.

"We're going to drive to Marseilles!" I announced to Bella and proceeded to survey the parking lot.

"What!" Bella asked incredulously. "You know how to operate these muggle tin cans?"

I nodded pretty sure with myself. I've seen Uncle Vernon drive many times and it didn't seem hard at all. All he did was press a few pedals with his foot, move a stick to different places, and turn the big wheel. Driving on the ground can't be any harder than driving with Ron's flying car in second year. Hopefully looks aren't deceiving and there isn't a hidden ritual needed to drive one of these automobiles.

"We need a key to start it so we have to wait for someone to get in their car first." I explained while keeping my eye out for an unsuspecting victim. In a stroke of luck, a man looking very much like a muggle Lucius Malfoy stepped out of the elevator and approached his car. I waited for him to walk to his car and when he did my mouth dropped. No way! A Mercedes-Benz SL55 AMG! I only knew it because Uncle Vernon had posters of this car all over the house and complained everyday that he couldn't afford one on his salary. I initially shrugged it off as a Vernon thing but now I understood. Damn, this car is beautiful!

I signaled to Bella to begin our plan of me distracting and her stunning. I approached the man and tapped him on the shoulder just before he entered his car.

"Excuse me sir, do you mind if we borrow your car?" I asked earnestly. Of course I didn't expect him to hand over the keys but it was worth a shot.

"Que?" He asked not understanding what I said. I sighed and repeated myself this time pointing to him, me, and then the car in that order. I think he understood as a scowl appeared on his face.

"Sortir d'ici!" he yelled and attempted to close the door on my hand. Luckily for me, I had the leverage of preventing the door from crushing my fingers and pulled it back open.

"Hey! I'm not done speaking to you yet!" I said and punched the rich bastard right in the nose. He stumbled back into the gearshift before regaining his senses and tried to kick me out of the car. I managed to dodge all his kicks except one and it hurt like hell. I would probably have some sore ribs tomorrow.

"Oh hell no..." I growled after recovering from the kick and grabbed the muggle Malfoy look-a-like's foot and dragged him out of the car.

"Fuck you and your dark lord!" I yelled getting caught up in the moment while kicking the prone Malfoy doppelganger with as much pent up rage as I could muster against the aristocratic death eating family. I continued my assault until a red light hit the prone ponce, and Malfoy passed out cold. I turned around and saw Bella looking at me with an amused expression.

"Feel better now?" she smirked at me and then at the unconscious Malfoy twin.

"I guess..." I replied feeling a little sheepish. The stunned man might not have done anything but even looking like a Malfoy pissed me off. Oh well maybe he's a distant muggle cousin or something. "Come on lets get out of here."

Bella nodded and followed me into the car. Huh this was weird. I hadn't noticed it before but for some reason the driver sat on the left in this car. Uncle Vernon's cars always had the driver on the right side. I shrugged off the difference and proceeded to start the car.

Wow, everything about this car screamed power! It felt as if I had unleashed the power of a Firebolt Mk II. I put the stick of the car to 'R' like I had seen Uncle Vernon and the car started to back up. Yes! I would get the hang of this in no time. I maneuvered the car out of the parking space like an expert and then switched it over to 'D'. Lo and behold, the car started going forward. Am I a good driver or what?

While I was admiring my driving skills, Bella was busy experimenting with the countless buttons in the car. One even caused the windows to roll up and down. In Uncle Vernon's car he had to roll it down himself.

"Ok Marseilles is south of here so I guess we'll head that way." I announced as we pulled out of the parking lot. I eased the car onto the main highway when the light was green. Wow I didn't know watching Uncle Vernon drive the car home from Platform 93/4 would have been so helpful. I guess I could give this car to him later as thanks for teaching me how to drive.

"Harry look out!" Bella suddenly screamed as a huge SUV swerved at the last minute to avoid a collision with me. What the hell was that? Crazy driver. No sooner had I said that then another sedan appeared out of nowhere and also swerved dangerously close to my car. Goddamnit! French people were all crazy! It was then that I noticed all the honks I was receiving and cars frantically getting out of my way.

"Move your ass you crazy gits!" I shouted and waved my fists at the next car who passed me in the opposite direction. It was an elderly couple and they stared wide eyed at me like I was insane. "Why are all you people in my lane?"

"Potter! I thought you said you could drive!" Bella screamed and clung on hard to the armrest. Another car whirled by me and proceeded to crash into a convertible sending both of them careening off the road.

"I can!" I yelled defending myself. We were driving down the left side of a major highway at 140 kilometers per hour and weaving through oncoming traffic. "Tell these idiots to drive in the right direction!"

Oh...SHIT! A huge oil tanker was approaching and I turned the steering wheel hard to the left. The behemoth 18 wheeler clipped the side of my beautiful car and took the right mirror with it. Time froze for a second as the car tried to spin out of control before the tires regripped the asphalt. There was a huge explosion behind me and in my rear view mirror I saw the tanker jackknife and explode taking five other cars with it. Damn that was close. Bella stared at me wide eyed and continued her death grip on the arm bar.

By now I had realized my mistake. Damn French people had to drive on the other side of the road! Who the hell drives on the right side? I quickly cut across the median and into the right lanes but immediately regretted my decision. 15 police cars were waiting on the other side and started their pursuit. Goddamnit! Can't I just get a break for at least one day?

"Don't look now but it's the muggle police!" I shouted over the road noise and Bella turned around. They were obviously after me but isn't 15 cops after me a little overkill? After all, the only wrongdoing I've done was being ignorant of French driving etiquette. I guess I shouldn't have yelled obscenities at that elderly couple. Perhaps they called the police after my rude gestures?

"Reducto!" I turned to my right only to see Bella fling obscene amounts of magic at the pursuing police cruisers. Her aim was deadly and one by one, the cruisers exploded behind us.

"Stupefy!" A stunner hit the driver of the nearest car and it crashed into the one beside it causing a pileup of eight cruisers. Only 3 more police cars to go! My relief quickly dwindled, however, as I heard the telltale sounds of helicopters joining the pursuit. They didn't even signal for us to stop before opening fire. Bullets smashed into the glass and imbedded themselves into the car's interior.

"Get down!" I yelled at Bella but she paid no heed. In an instant, she had disappeared with a small pop. I looked around frantically but didn't see her anywhere. It was when one of the helicopters stopped firing did I realize where she had apparated to. One by one, every single chopper stopped spraying my poor car with bullets and plummeted to the ground. After the last one went down, Bella appeared beside me with a satisfied smirk on her face.

"That was fun! The looks on those muggles' faces were priceless!" Bella exclaimed. I could only snort with wonderment at how well that went. While Bella was busy dealing with the flying muggles, I had managed to lose the entourage of cheap cars. How could those wimpy automobiles keep up with my AMG? I pulled out the French map that was conveniently in the glove box, shrugged, and went on my merry way.

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

"Here we are." I said waking Bella up from her nap on the bullet ridden seat. Marseilles was just as I thought it would be; a small and quaint community with architectural wonders and huge chateaus. Now how do I find Beauxbatons? I'd probably have to look for the most noticeable building in town that muggles seemed to ignore.

"I think that's it." Bella said after we drove around town for a bit. There just outside the town was a building that resembled Buckingham Palace. I stared in awe for a minute before driving my bullet ridden car up to the front door. It seemed highly unusual that such a prestigious academy would have no magical or muggle security besides the notice-me-not charms to keep it hidden. It was a far cry from Hogwarts which looked like it was built for surviving a siege. I just hope this is the right building and not the French Ministry.

"Well, here we are. Let's go." Bella and I didn't get ten meters away from the car before we were knocked forward a few steps by a tremendous explosion. What was that? I had a sinking feeling in my heart as I turned around. My precious car was now scrap metal engulfed in flames and black smoke.

"My…car!" I lamented before approaching the remaining wreckage and dropping to my knees. Bella just rolled her eyes and smacked me on the head. I glared at her for interrupting my mourning for the loss of a loved one. Bah she would never understand. I got to my feet and slowly approached the front door when I noticed a small girl staring at us with wide eyes. She must be a first year.

"Hello." I greeted. "Aren't you going to welcome us to your school?" I must have been a sight with my shirt torn from the scuffle and face black from smoke. She stuttered incoherently before falling forward in a dead faint. Great. So much for being presentable.

A/N: Haha that chapter was fun to write. I had to get them to Beauxbatons somehow so I might as well do it in style. Hopefully the next installment will be out in a few days.

French translations according to an online source. Let me know if it is wrong.

Vous l'écume suce le cochon! translates loosely to "You scum-sucking pig!"

Que? - What?

Sortir d'ici! – Get lost!