I don't own Harry Potter, and I'm doing this for fun, not profit. Please let that be a sufficient disclaimer!

...

It was the Easter holidays during Fleur's second year at Beauxbatons, and Fleur was currently nestled in Harry's arms, merrily catching up with her best friend.

"...and I made a new friend! And guess what? It's a boy!", shared Fleur excitedly.

Harry stiffened slightly. "A boy? I thought none of the boys at school could even talk to you?" Harry wasn't sure why, but his stomach felt a little funny all of a sudden.

Fleur turned to look into Harry's eyes – oh how she loved his eyes – and recognised the expression; she had worn a similar one a couple of years ago. Even if Harry didn't recognise his own emotions, Fleur did, and it caused her to chuckle. "Oh 'arry, my cherished, are you jealous?!"

Harry looked unsure. Was he jealous? Why would he be jealous of Fleur having another male friend?

Fleur chuckled again, this time at Harry's confused face, then put him out of his misery. "The reason he can talk to me, my jealous friend, is because he's gay. So my Allure doesn't affect him!"

"Oh", was Harry's immediate reply. Then, as the feeling in his stomach disappeared, he gave a small smile and continued. "Oh, I see. Well, tell me about your new friend, Fleur."

Fleur laughed lightly, then kissed Harry's cheek affectionately. "You're too cute, my cherished. Well, his name is Jean, and he needed some help with potions..."

...

Cheveu was looking forward to today. She didn't get to see her little brother and his 'definitely-not-girlfriend' often enough, especially since she started at Hogwarts. But after begging Uncle Siri to arrange something, the day had been planned, and now all she had to do was wait for him to turn up.

"Boo!" came a voice from just behind her.

"Aaaargh!" Cheveu jumped, tried to turn around, and managed to trip and fall over. "Uncle Siri! That's not funny!" she pouted.

Sirius looked very pleased with himself. "Depends on your perspective. From up here, it was very funny."

Cheveu got up off the floor and promptly whacked Sirius. 'Totally worth it', he thought.

"Are you going to bully your favourite uncle all day, or are we going to get going?" grinned Sirius.

Cheveu looked thoughtful. "Is 'both' an option?"

Sirius laughed, then grabbed Cheveu and apparated her to the Delacours.

Once inside, Cheveu called loudly, "hey lovebirds? Am I finally going to catch you two kissing?"

Sirius chuckled. Little Gabrielle must have been nearby, as she was the first to come running into the hallway. "Uncle Siri! Hair Lady!"

Sirius picked up Gabrielle, spun her around, then popped her back on the floor. But Gabrielle had an important question. "Uncle Siri, what did Hair Lady say?"

Sirius laughed, then decided to be nice – for now. Smiling fondly at Gabrielle, he replied, "She's just teasing Fleur and Harry, that's all"

At that moment, Fleur and Harry came downstairs; the timing was too perfect. "And what were you two doing, all alone in Fleur's room?", Cheveu half-shouted in mock outrage.

Fleur fought down a blush. "Just catching up, Cheveu; nothing you're hoping for". Fleur quickly changed the subject. "So, what did you choose for today, Gabrielle?"

Gabrielle gave a big, excited smile. "We're going to see 'arry's snake friends!"

...

"Harry!"

"Where?!"

"Right there, Barry, just like always!"

"Look! It's Harry! He's come to visit, Geoff!"

"Yes, I know, I just... oh, nevermind."

Harry chuckled at the snakes. "Hi Geoff, hi Barry. How are you?"

"If we said 'hungry' would that be getting to the point a bit quickly?", enquired Barry.

"Of course it would, you idiot! Besides, you ate two weeks ago, so you're probably more 'peckish' than 'hungry'."

Harry could almost see the confused look on Barry's face. "What's the difference, Geoff?"

"Barry, would you eat a rat if Idiot Simon came and gave you one?"

"Urgh, no. I bet he would as well, wouldn't he? Simon's the worst."

Geoff nodded in agreement, then made his point. "There you go. Hungry is when you're willing to eat rat for the fifth month in a row. Peckish is when you don't need to eat, but you would if it's something good."

"Like vole", Barry stated, Matter-of-factly.

"Speaking of which..." hinted Geoff.

Fleur, who was at her rightful place - holding Harry's left hand in her right – interrupted. "'arry, you need to translate! We want to know what you're smiling about!"

Gabrielle, who was holding Fleur's left hand, nodded her agreement. Cheveu just assumed Fleur had said what was on everyone's mind, and nodded too.

Harry did so, but before the girls could begin any conversation – and before Barry and Geoff could start getting too impatient – the man of the hour, Sebastian Delacour, appeared.

"Vole Wizard!"

"Our culinary saviour has arrived!

"What does 'culinary' mean, Geoff?"

"Oh, for Pete's sake..."

"Is that what Vole Wizard is actually called, Harry? Is he called Pete?"

Harry was largely successful in holding in his laughter. "No, his real name is definitely Vole Wizard. Anyway, what shall I ask for you?"

"VOOOOOOOOOLE!"

Geoff shook his snake head in disappointment. "Every time. Erm... Can Vole Wizard do one of those burrowing things in the enclosure behind us?"

Harry looked a little confused. "The... Aardvarks? How come?"

Geoff, somehow, giggled. "Can you imagine the look of horror on Idiot Simon's face when he sees me throw up aardvark remains in our cage?"

Harry barely managed to translate to the others before he succumbed to laughter... along with most of the group.

...

Later, whilst Harry was reading Gabrielle her bedtime stories, Cheveu and Fleur were catching up.

"So you're still waiting, huh?" Cheveu asked sympathetically.

Fleur nodded. "I think I may be waiting a while. 'e's clueless about it all."

Cheveu gave a mischievous smile. "Despite all your efforts?"

Fleur blushed, though couldn't deny it. "Per'aps. At least I 'aven't just grabbed 'arry and kissed 'im."

Cheveu giggled at that. Fleur, however, continued on a more serious note. "'onestly, Cheveu? I think I'll be waiting a long while, and not just for 'arry to notice girls"

Cheveu's giggled ended and she gave Fleur a curious look. "What do you mean?"

Fleur gave a heavy sigh. "'aving a relationship when we are in different schools will be very 'ard. Per'aps it would be better to wait."

Cheveu looked shocked. "But... but... you love him!"

Fleur nodded, sadly. "'e may not even like me that way. And if 'e does, I want our relationship to work."

Cheveu looked suspiciously. "That's not something a twelve year old comes up with herself."

Fleur gave a small, sad smile. "Something Mama said a few years ago. I didn't want to believe it at first, but... at Beauxbatons, there are some that tried dating from another school, but the distance... it was always too much."

Cheveu just hugged Fleur. Maybe, when Harry joined Hogwarts, she could try to make sure the girls all knew he was best friends with a pretty French Veela who adored him?

...

A few days later, after the Harry weekend was over, Fleur had an important question. "Mama, Papa? Can I ask you something?"

"Of course, my angel", came Appoline's reply.

"I had a custom-made wand when I started school, no?", began Fleur.

"That's right, my angel. Why do you ask?", countered Sebastian... though he had a sneaking suspicion of where this conversation was going.

Fleur blushed. What she was about to suggest was very personal. "I was wondering – could 'arry have a custom made wand when he starts school?"

Sebastian, to check it wasn't what Fleur meant, replied, "Your grandmother barely knows 'arry, my angel, that would be unlikely to work."

Fleur shook her head, blushing deeper. "No, Papa, I wasn't thinking about Grandmother's hair. I thinking about mine."

Appoline and Sebastian shared a knowing look. What Fleur was suggesting heavily implied her feelings for Harry. Oh, it would be reasonable for a family member to suggest such a thing. Even for Appoline, as Harry's Godmother. But for just a friend, even a best friend?

Nonetheless, Appoline knew Fleur's hair was likely too weak to work. Unless... "Angel, your Veela magic would not be strong enough. Which means your hair, alone, wouldn't be a strong enough core."

Fleur's face fell. She had thought that might be a possibility, but she loved Harry and wanted to at least try! "Are you sure, Mama? Couldn't we at least try? Even if it turned out..." A pause, and then, "...wait, what did you mean, 'my hair alone'?"

Appoline smiled knowingly. "I had considered offering one of my own hairs, though I didn't know if that would be enough. You know your Grandmother is more magically powerful than even I am. But perhaps a wand with a hair from each of us?"

Fleur threw her arms around Appoline in joyous hope. "Oh, Mama, can we really?!"

Appoline nodded, while Sebastian qualified. "We can give it a try, though not until 'arry visits in August"

Fleur looked a bit out out. "Why wait that long? Why not try now?"

Sebastian and Appoline shared a look of... could that be amusement? Fleur knew it had to be, when Sebastian replied. "For a great practical joke. And, as a lesser reason, a benefit to 'arry."

...

Three months later, and Harry was having an exciting day out with two of his uncles.

"What's next on the list? Which shop are we going into?" Harry asked eagerly.

"Madam Malkin's, for your wizarding robes", replied Remus.

"Robes? Like the things everyone in the alley seem to be wearing?" Harry checked.

"Sort of. You're thinking about cloaks, which are a part of it. Think of robes as your new school uniform", Remus answered.

"Oh, I see. Thanks, Uncle Remus!", replied Harry.

"And then, we'll be finished with the boring things!" declared Sirius.

Remus just shook his head and smiled, whilst Harry sniggered. Sirius defended his comment. "What? After this, we've just got the exciting stuff left – your familiar, your wand, your broom, and spending money!"

Remus shook his head again. "A broom? Really, Padfoot?"

Sirius nodded emphatically. "He's a natural on a broom, and that's after criminally few flying lessons this last year! Why, I reckon he could've been seeker without any lessons at all!"

Remus smiled and shook his head, again. He knew he couldn't argue with his best (and least mature?) friend when Sirius was like this, so decided not to even bother. "Well, if you want to buy him a broom, then it's your money, Padfoot."

...

After robes ("Yeah, Fleur's going to love those" "shut up Uncle Sirius"), a broom ("A Nimbus 2000? Really, Padfoot?"), a wand ("Well, that was ominous") and a familiar ("Are you sure you didn't want that cat?" "It does eat rats" "No Uncle Remus, Uncle Sirius; I wanted the snowy owl!"), the three had entered the bank. And after a long, wild ride through the bank, they arrived at Harry's vault.

Once the goblin – Griphook – had opened the vault, Sirius started laughing. "Wow, I guess you really could afford those school supplies yourself!"

Remus, chuckling, nodded. "You've almost got as much money saved as I do, and I have a job!"

Harry, once he was over his initial shock, turned to Griphook and smiled hopefully. "Can I transfer half of this to a vault I have with your French branch?"

This time, Remus burst out laughing along with Sirius. The boy hadn't even started noticing girls yet, and he had it bad!

...

A week later, Harry was out shopping again, this time with the Delacours. Though he wasn't entirely sure why. He was even more confused when Appoline led him towards a wand maker's.

"Aunt Appoline? But I already have a wand. Do I need two?", Harry asked.

Appoline grinned. "No, you don't need two, though don't mention you already have one. It's unlikely, but it might just spoil things."

Harry just gave his Godmother a bewildered look, and followed her, Sebastian, Fleur and Gabrielle inside.

"Ah, good afternoon Mr and Mrs Delacour, Miss Delacour, and... Mr and Miss Delacour the younger?" enquired the wandmaker.

Appoline smiled her reply. "Almost. The youngest is indeed ours, but this fine gentleman is our Godson, Harry. He lives with his Muggle relatives, so we volunteered to help him today." Not quite a lie, but deceit by omission.

"Ah, how very good of you. You will want to see our stock, then?" asked the wandmaker.

"Actually, we were hoping for another custom order", replied Appoline.

The wandmaker smiled knowingly. "I see! Who's hair am I using this time? Your mother's again, Mrs. Delacour?"

Appoline shook her head with a grin. "Actually, we were wondering if you could try something a little different".

...

A few hours later, Harry held his new wand – his new new wand, really, as the other was still new – in his hand. 11 inches, Redwood, with three entwined Veela hairs as the core. Because, once Gabrielle had heard what Fleur and Appoline had planned, she was determined to add a hair of her own. Whilst her hair didn't carry much magic, the French wandmaker said there was some magic there, and it wouldn't hurt.

Harry, however, was still confused. "But why did I get my other wand if I was just going to get this one?"

Sebastian grinned. "Because ministries of magic are idiots, and we want you to have fun."

"And be able to protect yourself without worry", Appoline interjected.

Harry was now really confused. "Huh?"

Sebastian smiled and explained. "'arry, most wizards only have one wand. The English and the French ministries of magic monitor the magic cast by each wand, but only in their respective countries. So the French will monitor that wand – for any magic cast in France. And the English will monitor magic cast by your other wand... In England. But if you use your Veela wand in England or your Phoenix wand in France..."

Harry blinked. "They couldn't monitor it? But why does that matter?"

Appoline answered the question. "Because you aren't meant to use your wand outside of school until you turn seventeen. Though your home with the Dursleys will be monitored separately, as with all homes where a magical child loves with muggles, so don't use either wand there."

Harry looked surprised for a few moments, then his smile grew.

...

Later, after the shopping trip was over, Sirius dropped by the Delacours for a surprise.

"Uncle Woof!" called Gabrielle, before leaping into Sirius' arms. She had learned the nickname from Harry, primarily as Harry felt too old to continue using it but didn't want to see the nickname completely disappear.

"Hello Gabrielle! Just the person I came to see!", Sirius replied.

Gabrielle's eyes opened in wonder. Uncle Woof came just to see her?!

"Go and get everyone, I have a present you'll like." Sirius instructed, putting Gabrielle down.

Gabrielle eagerly ran to get the rest of her family – Harry included – and after several hugs everyone was sat down in the living room.

Gabrielle, as the youngest and therefore most impatient, spoke first. "What is it, Uncle Woof?"

Sirius pulled a bag out of his pocket, unshrink it, then pulled out six mirrors. "Tada!"

Gabrielle looked excited those looked just like... "Magic mirrors, Sirius?", asked Sebastian.

Sirius nodded. "But better than the last ones. These have loads more charms on them – anti-theft, privacy, indestructible to name a few. And, best of all – they're all linked together. Including to the ones that Remus and Cheveu have."

Gabrielle looked a bit uncertain. "So can I talk to 'arry and Fleur with these?"

Sirius smiled and nodded, handing Gabrielle her mirror before handing the others around. "One each, including to Harry and Fleur. Then, just ask for the person you want to speak to, like this: Oi! Moony! Remus Lupin"

Sirius turned his mirror around, and everyone could Remus appear. "Hello everyone! I see Sirius brought your presents! Don't trust what he says, I did the hardest parts."

The room filled with light laughter, as Sirius pouted. "Hey, no fair! I did some of the difficult charms!"

In the meantime, Gabrielle ran and threw her arms around Sirius. "Now I can talk to my big sister and brother when they're away! Thank you, Uncle Woof! Thank you Uncle Remus!"

Sirius was then positively bombarded with thankful hugs.

...

A couple of weeks later, and the summer had ended. Thirteen year old Fleur was ready to start her third year at Beauxbatons. Fifteen year old Cheveu was ready to start her fifth year at Hogwarts. And Harry? Eleven year old Harry was ready to start his first year at Hogwarts.

...

Author notes:

There's a popular theory, appearing in a few Harry/Fleur fics, where there's no such thing as ½ or ¼ Veela – that all daughters of Veela are full Veela. This chapter intends to leave that open for interpretation: maybe Harry needed three hairs because Appoline, Fleur and Gabrielle are only part Veela, or maybe he needed them because Appoline, Fleur and Gabrielle aren't as magically strong as Appoline's mother.

The trace in the books appears inconsistent, and the explanation in this chapter appears the closest I can find that would fit the most book scenarios. In saying that, it comes with loopholes that are easy to exploit – like having two wands.

Thank you to the hundreds of people who have followed or favourited this story – it means so much to me, and is a huge motivator. Special thanks to those who give me extra motivation by reviewing: to IKage7, agnar, HPfanfictioner66, HughJasz, Denkaas1997, Nekomatron and Lost; and to the wonderful ones who have re-reviewed since last time: Spider of Dreams, Arnie1701, Cleddyf, Urgazhi, SKFF and BradyC.

Nekomatron – don't worry, the summary shouldn't lie: I intend this story to remain no bashing.