He gasped and his eyes snapped open.
Bright light filled his vision as he sat up, clutching at his chest wildly, attempting to grab onto the knife. He found nothing. He breathed in deeply several times, checking again and again for any sign of the object that had, most assuredly, been lodged into him. The bright light slowly receded and his surroundings came into focus. He looked around frantically.
"Kings Crossing?" he asked aloud.
It was the station he was familiar with, and yet, not. Small details were out of place. The architecture was off. Incorrect colour stone. Benches ever-so-slightly out of place. He recognized it as Kings Crossing, but also as something that might be from a description of the station that wasn't wholly correct. As his breathing slowed and he focused, he finally noticed a woman sitting on the bench ahead of him. Her silver-blonde locks flowed down to her waist and he stood.
"Fleur?"
The woman laughed.
"She wishes she was as cute as me," she replied with a smile.
He walked towards her and noticed that she had on muggle clothes, a simple pair of jeans and a form-fitting shirt, covered by a deep purple jacket. Her blue eyes looked up at him as he approached and she smiled, patting the spot next to her. He sat down and stared at her.
"I know my sister has told you it's rude to stare," she said humorously.
Sister?
"Gabby?" he asked. "Gabrielle Delacour?"
She nodded and hugged his arm.
"Second try isn't bad, though I think Gabrielle Bennet has a better ring to it, don't you?"
A million questions raced through his mind, but he took a deep breath and pushed them away. He steadied himself and brought his thoughts under control. He didn't know where he was, but he got the sense that would be answered in time. He didn't know what had happened to him, but that too would have its answer, he knew it. How he knew it, he hadn't the slightest clue.
"What are you doing here?" he settled on.
She giggled.
"Waiting for the train."
He raised an eyebrow.
"Just…waiting for the train?"
"Yep," said Gabby, popping the P at the end. She looked around. "How'd I do? On a scale of terrible to an exact replica, how's the place look?"
He took another look around and his brow furrowed. He rubbed the back of his neck.
"There was an attempt," he deadpanned.
She swatted his arm playfully.
"Arsehole," she pouted, "I've never seen your train station before but Luc told me about it once. I think I did pretty damn good."
She looked over and saw that one of the benches had horns.
"With one or two exceptions," she admitted.
"Where are we?" asked Harry.
"That's, ah, difficult to explain," she said with a nervous laugh. "You've been through quite the ordeal, mister."
"Am I dead?" he asked seriously.
She moved her head back and forth.
"Dead as in, your heart stopped between one and three times dead? Or like, dead as in, corpse dead?" she asked.
"Corpse dead?" he tried.
She smiled.
"Then no, you aren't dead. At least you weren't the last time I checked." Her eyes widened. "Oh, it would be so embarrassing if you kicked the bucket while I was getting everything ready. It would be awkward for like, ever."
Harry pinched the bridge of his nose.
"I still don't even understand what this," he gestured around them, "is."
She smiled and sent him a warm, understanding look that made him think of Fleur. The way she would glance at him with eyes that said far more than words.
"You were stabbed with a ritual knife," Gabby explained, looking down, almost as if in embarrassment. "A Veela ritual knife. It did things to your body and magic."
"Like?"
"Well it nearly pierced your heart, but they fixed that right away," she said, adding the last bit quickly as his panic rose. "The magic in the knife though, it had an effect on the magic within you."
He scratched his head and contemplated her words.
"It must have been some knife to bring me here," he mused.
"Oh no, I did that," she said with a smirk.
He raised an eyebrow.
"Why?"
She shrugged.
"Because I wanted to meet the guy my sister's been shagging." She looked him up and down, biting her bottom lip. "Honey, let me just say, that woman has taste."
He blushed and looked away, causing her to laugh. A smile played across his own face before he chuckled as well.
"Your sister was right," he said, "you're incredibly funny."
"And witty. Don't forget witty!"
"Fishing for compliments are we?" he asked teasingly.
"Damn straight Mister!" she replied smugly.
He rolled his eyes.
"Are you ever serious?"
She shook her head.
"I'm Gabby. Your godfather is Sirius. Perhaps you hit your head when you fell."
He laughed again. Fleur had told him that Gabby was the life of every party and had never met a person who wasn't her best friend. He understood what she meant completely as he looked down at the short woman. There was something in the way she put him at ease that made him want to protect her, like the younger sister he never had. The way she laughed at her own jokes without a care in the world nearly made him forget where they were.
"In any case," he said, letting the smile drop off his face, "what happened with the knife?"
She nodded and looked past him at the endless row of columns that lined the infinite hallway.
"It was used in a blood magic ritual and was still teeming with everything that entailed," she revealed. "Blood magic can be dark and nasty, but it can also be beautiful and full of life. In either case, it's powerful stuff. How that awful beast of a man didn't die instantly is a mystery. When it cut into your heart and mixed with your magic, it sent you into a kind of…magical shock is the best way to describe it."
"Magical…shock?" he asked, cocking his head to the side.
She nodded.
"Yeah, it's like regular shock, but with magic," she said, smirking and letting him know she was aware of how unhelpful that was.
"So I'm alive?" he asked.
She nodded.
"Will I wake up?"
She nodded again.
"Very soon, I suspect," she said, her voice filling with sadness. "The healers did a great job with your physical injuries, but the soul needs time to heal when it's damaged."
"How long have I been asleep?" he asked.
"Long enough for the people who care about you to worry," she whispered.
"Is there anything you want me to tell Fleur?" he asked. "Or Luc?"
She shook her head.
"You won't remember this when you wake up," she said. "I'm actually going to be in a lot of trouble for doing this, but it was worth it."
"Why do you think that it was worth it?"
She looked up at him and smiled.
"Because I can see that you're a good person. That you're going to be good for my sister." A tear fell from her eye. "She's blamed herself for what happened, and some of it was justified, but not the amount she put on her own shoulders. I can see that, with you by her side, she might finally begin the long journey to forgiving herself."
She wiped the tear away and smiled at him.
"Luc needs people in his life too. A sister and a brother is as good a start as any. He's hurting, but with you two I know he can get through anything."
He felt the air shift and his eyes began to feel heavy. He sighed and put an arm around her, comforting her as she rested her head on him. They sat in a short comfortable silence and both looked forward to the other side of the train tracks.
"Tell me a story about you and Fleur," he said, stifling a yawn.
"You won't remember," she said again.
"I may not remember up here," he replied, tapping his head, "but I have a feeling I'll remember in here." He tapped his heart.
His eyes began to droop as Gabby launched into a story about two sisters who depended on each other for all things big and small. How the younger sister voiced her confusion about a man whom she'd just met, but already felt deeply for. About the older sister who told her to follow her heart, as it had never let her down. The fight they'd had when the younger sister pointed out that she couldn't be the only one who opened their heart to someone.
Her voice faded and his head dropped slowly. His breathing slowed and he let the darkness take him once more, its warm embrace a stark contrast to the coldness he'd felt the last time.
Gabby looked up at him and smiled.
"Be well, Harry," she whispered. "You deserve happiness too."
.
.
The first thing he noticed was the weight on his hand. It was warm, squeezing his palm tightly. His eyes fluttered open and he blinked rapidly, adjusting to the dim light of the room. His bed had been propped up and he looked down at the hand gripping his in his lap.
He smiled at the sleeping form of Fleur, her back rising and falling as she rested on her other arm. He looked up and saw the lamp across the room, his mother sitting in the chair next to it reading a book.
"Mum," he tried, but it came out hoarse and raspy.
Lily looked up at him and her eyes widened. She closed the book and placed it on the table before making her way over to him. She conjured a glass of water with a straw, handing it to him gently.
"Small sips," she whispered.
He placed the straw in his mouth and sipped the water, resisting the urge to quip about not being a child. The cool liquid hit his throat and relaxed him. He kept drinking, only now realizing how parched he'd been. He finished the glass and handed it back to Lily with a nod.
"Merlin, I needed that," he whispered.
She leaned over and kissed his cheek. As she leaned back he saw tears in her eyes.
"Don't cry, mum."
She shook her head.
"Happy tears," she said as she wiped her eyes. "The healers guessed you'd wake up either today or tomorrow."
"How long have I been out?"
"A week," Lily said.
His eyes widened at the news. The last thing he'd remembered was the knife going into his chest, falling, and then waking up. He felt the stiffness in his back and neck, confirming that he'd been off his feet for some time.
"Was it that bad?" he asked.
She sat down in the chair next to the bed.
"They fixed the physical damage and removed the foreign magic. They didn't know what to do when you didn't wake up the next day." She brushed a stray lock of hair out of his face. "The healers said your magic must have been damaged worse than expected. That you'd wake up at some point within the week."
She pointed down at Fleur.
"She's been here almost around the clock. That nice, good looking man named Luc made her go home a couple times but the healers say she was back a few hours later."
He smiled and looked at Fleur. She seemed troubled, her brow knitted, and he could feel the tension in her body as she slept restlessly. He placed his other hand on top of hers and she stirred. She blinked and looked at him, eyes going wide.
"Harry!" she exclaimed before launching herself at him, enveloping him in a tight hug. He groaned as his body protested and she jumped back.
"Oh, I'm so sorry," she said, bringing her hands up to her mouth.
He chuckled.
"It's fine. That's a nice way to be greeted."
Fleur noticed that Lily was standing there and smiled sheepishly.
"Mrs. Potter, I didn't see you. When did you get here?"
"About an hour ago," replied Lily as she moved towards the door. "You two can talk for a few minutes while I fetch the healer. They'll want to give Harry a check and potions to help him get back on his feet."
The door closed behind her and silence settled in the room. Fleur sat back down and grabbed his hand once more, gently stroking his thumb with hers. He leaned back and closed his eyes.
"I'm so sorry, Harry," he heard her say.
He opened his eyes and saw her looking down, as if ashamed. He took his other hand and placed it under her chin, lifting her head to look at him.
"There's nothing for you to be sorry about. This was not your fault."
She shook her head.
"It was my knife. My ritual that put you into a coma," she argued.
"Fleur, you saved countless lives," he reminded her with a small, warm smile. "You're a hero."
A laugh escaped her lips.
"What?" he wondered.
"Your father said the same thing," she replied with a smile. "Said if he could give me an award he would."
"He does, at times, have his moments."
What seemed like an army of healers entered through the door, followed closely by Lily. They pushed Fleur away from the bed and began running a series of diagnostic spells on him. One after another, on and on, until finally they had decided he was in good health.
That's when the potions started.
One for strength. One for his back. One to get rid of the soreness in his legs. Each one shoved into his face in rapid succession. He wondered to himself how they managed to make so many potions that didn't conflict with one another, an important concept drilled into new recruits when they became Aurors.
All throughout the process he could see Fleur in the corner with her arms folded across her chest, glaring daggers at the healers. She was concerned for him, he knew that, but the look in her eyes made it clear she would happily cause the group bodily harm if they didn't finish soon. His mum looked on the verge of losing her composure as she watched the blonde fume at being made to stand aside and watch.
As he downed the last potion he swore there was smoke beginning to rise from her, as if a fire had been started and was about to turn into an inferno.
The healers exited after telling him he would get a final check before being discharged in the morning. After the door shut he heard a huff.
"They sure took their sweet time," Fleur pouted, dropping back into her seat next to the bed.
It would be the first time of many that Harry was taken, completely and without effort, by the woman's pouting face. The way her lower lip poked out just far enough to be cute, but not far enough to be silly. In that moment he knew he was powerless against it.
The door opened and Fleur growled.
"What now-oh, James," Fleur said, her face shifting from annoyance to a smile in an instant.
James walked in and hugged Lily, nodding to Fleur in appreciation. He looked at Harry with a smile.
"Sure took your time waking up," he said. "Must you always be so dramatic?"
Harry smirked.
"You're the one who's always going on about how you taught me everything I know," Harry said. "Guess I learned it from you."
James smiled widely as he leaned over and hugged Harry. The two held each other for a moment, both conveying without words the same message. That they were glad the other was okay. That they had been worried.
"What happened to Riddle after I passed out?" Harry asked as James stood up.
"Tonks blasted him out of the window," he said. "Though that only happened because Luc missed and my own spell arrived too late."
Harry breathed a sigh of relief. It was never a good thing when lives were lost on a raid, from either side, but this one was different. The world was safer without Tom Riddle in it. Even locked in Azkaban the man would have been a potential threat, his goals and values potentially passing to someone else. With him dead that chance was lessened.
"How's Tonks holding up?" he asked, knowing the cheerful woman had never killed anyone before.
James waved his hand dismissively.
"She became a legend in the Ministry overnight, so she'll be fine. Alice retired after she was treated here, but I can't say I blame her." He rubbed the back of his neck. "The Minister wasn't particularly thrilled with our plan."
Harry raised an eyebrow.
"Did you get into trouble?"
"No, just a bit of a verbal reprimand," James assured him. "Nothing I haven't withstood before. Once we explained to everyone what we stopped, and the Unspeakables got to examine the scene themselves, most of the naysayers kept their mouths shut."
"Most?"
"Draco was still complaining," James laughed. "Hermione says it's because we made a bunch of paperwork for them and he's being grumpy about it."
"Have you tried punching him?" asked Harry. "I find that's both effective and incredibly therapeutic."
James looked over at Fleur and raised an eyebrow.
"I assume that the mysterious Shadow that helped us won't be making any public appearances between now and forever?"
Fleur nodded.
"I have it on good authority that she's retired for good."
"Splendid!" James said with a smile. He gripped Harry's shoulder before he and Lily turned to leave. "We're glad you're awake again, son. When you're released we'll need to get you over to the Ministry. Everyone wants to talk to you. After that, we have a party."
"We could not," suggested Harry.
A look of shock passed over Lily's face.
"I guess I'll just have to tell Elphias we need his help with our garden then," she said with a dramatic sigh.
"I am her only son, yet she forsakes me with such ease! The pain of this betrayal shall never fade," Harry said with mock hurt.
His parents laughed and left the room, leaving Fleur and Harry alone. He looked over at her and moved to the side of the bed, making room for her to crawl in next to him. She looked tired, despite the fact that she'd been sleeping when he awoke, and he could tell she'd had very little recently. His heart fluttered as she snuggled into him.
"Thank you for watching over me while I recovered," he whispered into her hair.
"It was all I could think about," she whispered back. "Do you…do you remember anything from while you were asleep? Any dreams?"
He gave her words some thought and, for a brief instant, he felt like he was about to recall something. Just as quickly as it came it slipped away, past the reach of his mind and disappearing into nothing. A feeling settled in his chest.
"I don't, but I feel like I should," he tried to explain. "Something slips away each time I think about it, but I have this feeling in my chest. A good feeling."
"Really?"
He nodded.
"Yeah, it's a good feeling. It's warm and hopeful. I don't know why I feel it, or where it came from, but that's what I have." He scratched his head. "Alternatively, the knife made my heart warmer than it was before. Magic is weird."
She swatted him playfully and gripped him tighter.
"We should go somewhere, after you get out," she said.
He nodded.
"That sounds lovely."
They laid there for some time, neither wanting to sleep, just enjoying the company. At some point the door creaked open and they looked over to see Luc sneaking into the room. Harry rolled his eyes as the man quietly shut the door with care.
"If you were trying to be unassuming then you've failed," Harry called. "Sneaking around a hospital is pretty high up there on the creepy meter."
Luc shook his head as he approached the bed, smiling down at Fleur as she glared at him.
"We're trying to sleep," she said.
"Is that what you kids call it these days?" he asked with a smile.
Harry lifted his arm and held out his hand, gripping Luc's forearm when the man returned the gesture. The two locked eyes and nodded, a silent understanding passing between them. Luc had likely saved Fleur's life, and Harry would forever be grateful to him for that. Harry had helped Luc stop the man who had killed the love of his life. Bonds forged in battle were difficult to break, and Harry knew he'd made a brother for life.
"Lily owled me and said you weren't leaving the hospital again," Luc said as he stepped back from the bed. "She asked me to come and retrieve you…again."
"I don't need retrieving," Fleur scoffed.
"The bags under your eyes beg to differ," he shot back. "I thought I'd drag you back home for a bit but it seems the man of the hour has returned to the living. Feeling better?"
Harry nodded.
"Yes, much, though I think one of the healers slipped me a sleeping potion, so forgive me if I fall asleep."
Luc shrugged.
"No worries, mate. Just glad you're awake. They're going to want to see you at the Ministry."
"Yeah, my dad said as much," Harry said with a grimace. "He didn't tell me if they've lifted my suspension or not."
"I wouldn't worry too much about that," Luc said with a smirk. "Your team will probably murder anyone who tries to say you need to get fired. In any case, it's good to have you back. I'll leave you lovebirds to it. Don't forget the contraceptives, Fleur."
Before she could respond, Luc retreated from the room, winking at them as he closed the door. Fleur huffed and snuggled back into Harry.
"Wanker," she whispered, causing Harry to chuckle.
"What was that about?" he asked with a yawn.
Fleur huffed.
"The blood magic ritual I used to break the circle was a…veela fertility ritual."
"Like, for making babies?" he asked.
"Yes, Harry, like for making babies," she said with a roll of her eyes. "Jokes on Luc though, because the ritual effects both participants."
Harry laughed.
"So he's…?"
She nodded.
"Luc Bennet is currently walking around with a very loaded wand," she confirmed.
He laughed again before pressing a kiss into her hair. He closed his eyes and leaned back into the mattress.
"I'll have to give him hell for that."
.
.
Harry stepped into the conference room and let out a low sigh. He'd been discharged by the hospital staff, who all made him promise to come back for regular checkups for at least a month. He had no intention of keeping that promise, but it allowed him to escape their poking and prodding, so he'd just smiled and nodded. Now he was wondering if he shouldn't have remained.
"Thank you for coming, Mr. Potter."
He smiled and nodded.
"Thank you for making room in your schedule, Madam Bones. It's not often I get called to the department head's conference room."
She shook his hand and indicated for him to take a seat. He glanced at the other three, noticing James, Hermione, and even Draco were giving him apologetic looks.
"We felt it best if you could clear up a few minor details for us as soon as possible," she explained.
Harry raised an eyebrow.
"Madam Bones, I have the utmost respect for you and your position, but let's not beat around the bush. You're here to decide if you'll give me my job back or not."
"What makes you think that?" the older woman asked.
He saw what appeared to be a hint of respect in her eyes before she schooled her features into an unreadable mask. He gestured towards Hermione and Draco.
"If you wanted to clean up some minor details then you wouldn't have brought two lawyers with you." He narrowed his eyes. "You also addressed me as Mr. Potter, which makes me think that I'm about to be let down easily after a bad date."
"Harry," James said warningly, but Bones held up a hand.
"It's alright James, I appreciate his honesty," she said with a smile. "You're right, Harry, this isn't really about what happened. It's about your involvement."
He resisted the urge to sigh, settling for nodding his head.
"You have to understand," she continued, "there's a lot of pressure on our department right now. From basically everywhere, the Minister being at the top of that list. A week ago the Unspeakables had to undertake the largest muggle obliviation job in history."
His eyes went wide.
"That's…actually kind of impressive. That many, huh?" he asked.
Hermione snorted before catching herself, smoothing out her robes and coughing into her hands. Bones, for her part, looked supremely unimpressed.
"Yes, though Saul said it was good practice, so he thinks you should do it again." She rubbed her forehead. "Let's start with you investigating a case while you were suspended."
Harry shook his head. He wanted to have a nice, home cooked meal, work in his parents garden for a bit, and then go home to a real bed. He didn't want to be wasting time answering questions that didn't matter.
"No, that's not what you want to ask about."
"Excuse me?" she asked. "I didn't realize you were a legilimens."
"I thought you appreciated my honesty?" he asked with a smile.
She pursed her lips.
"Very well. Why is it you were working with an internationally wanted criminal?"
He smiled.
"I was, at the time, for all intents and purposes, not an Auror." His reply was casual, almost nonchalant.
"Really, Potter?" Draco said. "You aided a criminal your own office was investigating and the answer you're going with is that you were suspended?"
Harry nodded.
"Can you at least tell us why?" Bones asked, attempting to steer the conversation forward.
Harry shrugged.
"She had grievances with Tom Riddle that I wasn't made aware of until after the French Ministry gave us information on her."
"What kind of grievances?" she asked.
"Personal ones," he replied, looking her directly in the eyes, letting her know he would say no more. After a long moment she nodded.
"I'll give this to you, Madame Bones," he offered, "our goals and those of the Shadow aligned. When it became clear that the situation was far beyond what had been anticipated I went straight to Head Auror Potter."
Bones sighed and nodded her head before closing her eyes. She sat there for a few moments composing herself before looking back at him.
"Personally, I have no issues with anything that the team has reported," she said with a smile. "I'd put you back into the field today if it were up to me, but there's been a call for an inquiry by multiple department heads."
Harry scratched the back of his head.
"That makes…wait, someone leaked something to the press, didn't they?"
She nodded.
"The Prophet ran a story yesterday saying there were Inferi in muggle London." She sighed again. "You've got to look at it from my point of view. Three purebloods die, one by the hand of one of our own. We suspend that Auror, who then proceeds to go rogue. Throw in a madman who wanted to kill all muggleborns, had a plan that seemed like it might have succeeded, and you can see how I'm in a difficult spot."
He nodded. He understood her position quite clearly and he'd been prepared for this to happen. The moment he didn't turn Fleur in, the moment he decided to help her take Riddle down, he knew there would be consequences. He couldn't just operate outside of official channels, run back to the team for help when things became too much for him to handle, and expect to suffer no ill effects. They may have saved the day, but the way they'd gone about it had been, at best, a gray area.
"Then keep my suspension in place for a while longer," he suggested. "The public will forget about this eventually. They'll find the next thing to move on to, especially if you all leak that the team stopped a dangerous dark wizard from hurting a lot of muggleborns."
"You think that will help?" Hermione asked.
Harry nodded.
"Yeah, I do. Purebloods like Lucius Malfoy probably already know Riddle is dead," he explained. "Hell, I wouldn't be surprised if Malfoy stands to lose a lot of money with the man's death. If the public knows he was going to harm muggleborns then that will keep Malfoy and his lot from pushing this any further."
He looked over at James.
"Internally, keeping my suspension in place shuts everyone up. The Ministry isn't paying me while I'm suspended, and I know you guys want me back but if I've got to stay away for a bit then it's a small price to pay. Some budget catastrophe will come along eventually and suddenly nobody will care when I'm brought back."
James nodded and smiled.
"Always so practical," he quipped.
"Everything I learned, I learned from my mother," Harry shot back.
Madam Bones laughed and stood, causing everyone else to follow. She walked over to Harry and shook his hand firmly. He saw pride in her eyes. Pride and appreciation, though he didn't know if he'd earned either, he smiled at her nonetheless.
"We'll work on leaking some information carefully," she said. "Consider this an extended vacation, Mr…Auror Potter. If you find yourself bored, send an owl. I have a friend in Ireland who's always looking for tutors for his students."
Bones, Hermione, and Draco made a hasty exit from the room, leaving Harry and James alone. The two shrugged and followed after.
"So, what are you going to do with your time off?" asked James as they made it to the lift.
Harry waved at Tonks and sent her a thumbs up as he entered before looking back at James.
"I'm going to meet my girlfriend, get something to eat, and then…I don't know." He smiled. "For the first time in quite some time, I have no idea. That's kinda fun, right?"
James nodded and smiled at him.
"We're back on for regular dinners. You and Fleur."
Harry nodded as the lift closed. He realized then that a weight had lifted from his shoulders. All the tension of the last several weeks had been building in him, all culminating in the meeting today. He didn't have a job, and wouldn't for a time, but for some reason that thought was freeing. He didn't have to worry about chasing down bad guys or checking in with shady informants. At least not for a while.
As he stepped out of the Ministry he knew in a week or so he'd get restless, but for now he was content. Just as he walked to the nearest street Fleur slid up beside him, a wide smile on her face.
"How'd it go?"
He shrugged and draped an arm around her shoulder.
"I'm currently jobless, but otherwise unharmed." He smiled. "I'm good though. It's odd, I thought I'd be upset, but for now I think it might give me perspective. Distance may be a blessing."
She hugged him with one arm.
"So, what shall we get up to, Mr. Potter?"
His eyes sparkled with humour.
"How do you feel about gardening, Ms. Delacour?"
.
.
.
AN: Just the epilogue left, so I figured I'd pop in to thank everyone for reading my little AU tale. I had a lot of fun writing something that was a bit outside my normal wheelhouse. Some things worked better than others but I hope you enjoyed the ride.
Thanks to DJKopper, x102reddragon, Foreal the Chronicler, Proc, and Dr. Wish. This story would have been a mess without you. An even bigger internet hug to DJKopper for all the help forming this story into something resembling coherent.
If you would like more Harry/Fleur content please consider joining the Discord server. You'll find plenty more there, so stop on by.
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