Harry had a great sense of relief as he got into bed the night after the second task. With the third task months away, he felt he finally didn't have to worry about anything for a while. He could catch up on some schoolwork, relax with Ron and Hermione, and maybe even go flying.
He was just getting out of his last class of the day on Monday when he saw McGonagall heading towards him in the hall. He wasn't sure at first if she was coming for him, but by the time he was thirty meters away, he was. She was looking right at him. It was a piercing look, but not devoid of empathy.
"Mr. Potter," she said. "Please come with me."
"O-ok," he said. "I'll catch up with you all later," he said with a brief nod to Ron and Hermione.
McGonagall did not say anything further and began walking. Harry was too nervous to ask where they were going. He figured it was her office but it took some time before he realized that they were going to Dumbledore's office.
When they climbed the staircase and entered the office, they found Dumbledore standing at his full height in regal purple dress robes. It was an imposing sight.
"Harry," he said. "Please sit."
Harry sat down in the chair that Dumbledore had magically drawn for him. McGonagall sat in a bench along the back wall of the office. Dumbledore stepped behind his desk.
"Harry," he said, and then sighed. "I am afraid this is rather a delicate conversation. Can I offer you anything to drink?"
"I'm fine."
"Well then. I must be clear about the situation. Your performance in the second task was quite unexpected. And it has had some unexpected results. I had several long conversations with Madame Maxime this morning. And I had one with Mr. and Mrs. Delacour. And then I investigated further myself."
"Investigated what, sir?" Harry said. He was feeling uneasy. What did all this have to do with him?
"I am coming to that, Harry. Now, it seems that what has happened is this. You recall Gabrielle Delacour, I presume?"
"Yes? What's happened to her?"
"Well, that is the issue," Dumbledore said. He spoke calmly but with a slight hint of reluctance. "It seems that young Gabrielle had developed, well, a crush on you before she met you. Veelas, and even part veelas, mature early and are particularly sensitive to longing at her age. And, in the foolishness of youth, she performed a bonding charm on herself to you. I know you have not yet covered bonding charms in your classes. We generally don't introduce them until the end of sixth year. But bonding charms are charms that wizards and witches that are in love perform to permanently bond themselves to one another more closely than usual. They become more sensitive to each other's feelings and gain a heightened perception of the other's senses. It generally intensifies the bonds of love by giving each partner greater insights into the other's thoughts and feelings, so greater empathy develops. But, not everyone casts it, even if they are in love. The Ministry regulates the charm, dictating that it only be used by married couples, either at the point of marriage or afterwards. There are of course instances of its use outside of marriage. But it is a very serious charm. It is permanent. There is no countercharm to a fully executed bonding charm. Now, ordinarily, a young girl performing a bonding charm on herself to a rather famous wizard would be no great problem, even if she is part veela. The bond must be consensual. Its full effects do not generally come into force until a joint charm with a consenting partner has been enacted, and there are methods of reversing it, if the decision is made to do so at that stage. But with you rescuing Gabrielle, it seems that a life debt was created. Of course, we were never really going to let the participants die in the task. But the experience of the feeling of mortal peril is what forms the life debt, not the objective reality of what constitutes a life being actually saved, or not. And it seems that despite our reassurances, Gabrielle experienced mortal peril until you rescued her. Now—"
"Ah, sir?" Harry asked
"Yes, Harry?"
"Sorry sir, but um what's a life debt?"
"Oh a life debt is when one magical person is saved from perceived mortal peril by another magical person. There are some complexities to it, but mostly it means that the person that was saved is obliged to protect and assist the person that saved them in ways that collectively add up to the saving of an entire life. Now that can usually be dismissed by the person that saved them. But it seems as though what happened here was much more than a regular life debt. It seems as though it interacted with the bonding charm in a way that has not been seen in well over a century."
Dumbledore paused here. He looked to be in concentrated thought. Finally, Harry felt compelled to speak.
"Sir?"
"Yes Harry?"
"Well, what's the way the charm interacted with the life debt? What happened to Gabrielle?"
"Oh, yes, excuse me. Well, it seems as though the obligations that the life debt entails have enacted the bonding charm, but without a partner. Clearly. There are only a few recorded instances of such things happening in history. But the 1879 case is quite clear, and there are clear accounts of it - without a reciprocating partner, the bond charm slowly yet relentlessly drives the subject mad. In that most recent case, at least, the patient eventually stopped eating and passed away. A terrible fate." He trailed off and seemed ensconced in thought again.
"Albus…" McGonagall said, drawing Dumbledore's attention and then directing it back to Harry.
"So, I am afraid this is a very fraught situation. Miss Delacour is in genuine danger."
"But-but surely," Harry blurted out, "there must be something you all can do to counteract it. A spell or a potion or something. You're the best wizards in the world!"
"Harry, I'm sure you'll find as you continue to grow that while we are not without our talents, there are some problems that even the greatest magic cannot solve."
"So what are we supposed to do? We can't just let her go mad! She's just a girl! She's got her whole life in front of her."
"Well, of course we would like to avoid that. And there are some things that we can do to slow the most negative effects of the charm. But without a partner, the worst effects of the charm will proceed. The charm, including her casting of it, which I found on my investigation to be prodigious, is that strong."
Dumbledore paused again and then continued.
"Now, no one blames you for this situation Harry. While your behavior in the lake was outside of the typical strictures on the tournament, no one believes there was any intent on your part to create this situation. And as such you are under no obligation to make any attempt to resolve it. Further, you are not yet of age. But, it is a simple fact that, as of this moment, there is no one else that can do anything to mitigate the situation, other than the potions we might be able to use to slow some of the worst effects of the charm from taking hold."
"You mean you want me to marry her now?!" Harry asked incredulously.
"Well, no, not exactly. At least not for now," Dumbledore said. "No one could reasonably expect that. And, as I said, you are under no obligation to do anything. You did not create this situation. But if you were to spend some time with her, it would likely slow the ravages of the charm. Bonded partners crave to be in each other's presence. Ultimately anything that developed from that, or not, would be your choice. You certainly shouldn't choose a partner or marry on the basis of a foolish charm by another person. But it is something that may be worth exploring. It is, however, your choice."
"God…" Harry said and sighed. "When do I have to decide by."
"Oh you may decide or not decide when you wish. As I said, Harry, no one blames you for this or expects anything of you. Any actions you take are your choice. But I can certainly tell you that, having seen her today, she is quite eager to see you."
Harry got up. His head felt like it was floating. He began walking towards the door.
"How do I tell you of my decision when I make it?" he asked, turning back.
"Oh just let myself or Professor McGonagall know. I'm sure you'll see us around. And I would appreciate it if you didn't tell anyone for now, Harry.
"I-I'll think about," Harry said.
"Do." said Dumbledore.
About a half a mile away, in the second largest apartment in the great carriage, a young girl was talking to her family. She had slightly peachy blonde hair. She was not wearing robes but a dress. It was cream colored and tight across her body. It only came halfway down her thighs. Her legs were slim and eye-catching. She was tall for her age but still shorter than her family members.
"But maman!" She exclaimed. "Why can't you just let me go and see him? I'll come back, you know I will."
"Darling, you're not allowed inside Hogwarts. You aren't a student. And you've caused this problem, darling. We always told you not to play around with those charms!"
"But Fleur at least gets to go up and have meals there," she whined, her hand on the door.