Chapter 3: Just a Girl

"Evening, Apoline, I hope I'm not interrupting something?" Harry asked, hoping Apoline's obvious fury was not aimed at him.

"Not at all, 'Arry," Apoline stated, obviously trying to reign in her temper. "In fact maybe you can help me with talking to my foolish husband. He has the fool notion that we should buy a home in England. I tried to explain to him that short of building a home of our own there, there were not any suitable places available. I know, I've looked before."

Feeling the proverbial sword being lifted from his neck, Harry could not help but chuckle. "I might actually have a solution for you, Apoline."

"Really?" she asked as she led Harry towards the family parlor at the back of the house. "How do you think you can do that, 'Arry?"

"As it so happens, I own two castles in England, both in need of some repairs, but as I am only one man I can only really use one," explained Harry.

Apoline stopped dead in her tracks and stared at him for a moment before asking, "You're serious, aren't you?"

Harry nodded with a smile. "I just looked at the property details a today with my account manager. He suggested I sell one to pay for the renovations on the other. If you and Pierre buy one then I'll give you a discount on the price to help offset the cost of repairs."

"Have you even seen them, these TWO castles that you own?" asked Apoline as she started walking again.

"Nope," answered Harry. "I know one is about thirty minutes walk from Hogsmeade on the northern side of the lake and the other is about halfway between London and Hogwarts, but other than that I haven't a clue. Oh, their both under heavy enchantment to make them look like ruins of one sort or another, as are most of the magical castles in England and Scotland, but the Goblins say they are still in good enough condition to make it worth spending the money to renovate them."

"And what would be the names of these castles?" Apoline asked, eager to look into their histories.

"Ummm... I think the one near Hogsmeade is called Castle du Lac and it hidden behind several layers of wards to appear as nothing more than ruins to anyone not keyed into them," Harry explained. "The Goblins made it sound like it had been in the Black family for many generations, and was their traditional home and how the lake there was named after them."

Apoline was stunned, Castle du Lac was rumored to be the home of Lancelot du Lac after the fall of Camelot. No one had ever found the famed castle after his death as his friends and family had returned to his father's lands while leaving his castle abandoned. Further rumors among the magical community went on to state that he had a son, a wizard, that had taken possession of the castle and started a great family from there. If it was true, and the castle was the traditional home of their family, it would mean that they were possibly direct descendants of Lancelot himself. Amazing.

"The other castle is called Kamaaloth Castle, though from the sounds of it the thing is really more of a small city," continued Harry, never noticing as Apoline stumbled at the name of the castle. "The Goblins got all excited about that one saying it was originally built by my family and that so long as a Potter owned it that the British Isles were safe. Sounded a bit iffy to me, but they seemed to be pretty sure or it."

"Kamaaloth, you said?" asked Apoline.

Harry nodded and she just sighed. He didn't even know that Kamaaloth was one of the names of the lost castle of Camelot. Which probably meant his family was... No, best not to think of that lest she faint. Some things were just better left unsaid. One thing was for sure, Anne and Michael would never have to worry about Harry being affected by their titles considering it was looking like his was several hundred years older than theirs, maybe. Oh, this was just too funny.

"You haven't got a clue about what that means, do you?" asked Apoline, staring deep into his eyes to see if he was playing games with her.

Harry stopped walking, looking at Apoline closely and realizing she was actually stunned by what he had just told her, though he hadn't a clue why. "No, but I think we are going to sit down very soon and you are going to tell me exactly what you think it means."

The fact that he had forgotten to speak in French was a a good indication of how serious he was, which instantly convinced Apoline that he was being completely honest with her. With a nod of her head, she lead him into the family parlor where everyone was waiting for them. Of course Harry recognized the majority of the people there, save for the two adults that had to be Zoe and Aimee's parents. The man looked much like Pierre. He wasn't very tall, maybe a just slightly shorter than Harry, but where Pierre was slightly overweight, his brother was clearly a man in peak of physical condition. His dark, nearly black, hair was slightly messy, though it gave him a boyish look that reminded Harry of someone, he just could not remember who. Other than that, the man sat comfortably in a chair next to his amazingly beautiful wife with a smile that was both friendly and warm.

As for Zoe's mother, the Queen of the Veela, she was quite frankly the most amazingly beautiful woman Harry had ever seen, next to her daughter that is. Anne Poisson was both regal and dead sexy all in one package. She had long platinum blonde hair that was currently braided and hong down over her chest. Her eyes were the same as her daughters', a brilliant sapphire that seemed to glow. Let's not forget her body, which even when sitting Harry could tell would make a super-model weep with envy. Yes, she was the complete package, especially with the face of an angel and a smile that Da Vinci would have had a hard time replicating.

Looking at Aimee, Harry couldn't help saying, "Okay, that proves it, when you get older we are going to have to post guards to keep your admirers at bay."

This of course had the whole room laughing while Aimee blushed so deeply harry wondered if she had any blood left in the rest of her body. A moment later she was hugging him for all she was worth and that made everything alright again in Harry's world. A moment later and Gabrielle joined in the hug, causing even more laughter as Harry was knocked off his feet by the two young girls.

"See, it's as I told you, Michael, what do the girls need with their father's when they have a handsome chevalier as their big brother," Pierre said with a chuckle.

Michael laughed at this, nodding as the wives and Zoe joined in. "Too true. It seems we old men are no longer needed. Whatever shall we do now?"

"Make your wives happy?" asked Harry, earning another round of laughter.

"Yes, Apoline, you were right, he is a natural charmer," Anne finally said after she stopped giggling.

That's when it happened, the thing that would either make or break his relationship with these people. Aimee's allure suddenly flared so strong that everyone in the room felt it. Anne and Michael were instantly on their feet, worried that Harry would fall victim to the power of their daughter's allure and do something harmful to their little girl. Much to their shock, Harry just laughed and hugged their daughter again.

"Aimee, did you not tell anyone you were showing sings of an accidental burst?" he asked, using a finger to lift her chin so he could look her in the eyes. "What have I told you about that?"

"I'm sorry, Harry," Aimee apologized. "I was so happy to seem mother and father that I forgot to mention it. I know you told Gabrielle and I to always tell you if we weren't hungry, couldn't stop giggling, or started feeling tingly. I really am sorry."

Harry kissed her on the forehead and smiled. "It's okay, at least it was here where no one else could be affected by it, so no harm done. Now, I'm guessing you are ravenous now?"

Before the little girl could say a thing, her stomach let out a growl that could be heard in Monaco, causing her to blush even harder. "Just a little bit, big brother."

Harry smiled, hugging her again before standing and taking each of the girls' hands in his saying, "Well it seems we need to get these ravenous beasts fed now, so I hope the food is ready?"

"Oh," Apoline suddenly said with a wicked grin. "Did I forget to mention Harry is completely immune to the allure?"

"Yes," growled Anne. "You let that one slide."

"Whoops!"

Making their way into the dinning room, Harry was bombarded by questions from Michael and Anne. Had he always been immune? Was he aware how rare that was among non-Veela? Did he possibly have Veela ancestry? So on and so forth, of course he answered all their questions as honestly as possible. No, he had not always been immune, but he seemed to be now. He had no clue how rare that was, not that it really mattered considering how rarely he had ever encountered Veela prior to this summer. No, he had no Veela ancestry as far as he knew, but he would have to check the family records to be sure.

"And you are positive you are completely immune?" asked Anne as they were finishing up their meal and enjoying coffee.

"Well, Apoline tried to lay the whammy on me shortly after we met and all it did was make me blush," replied Harry. "I've been around both girls during multiple accidental bursts and it's never really affected me. Well, I've felt bad for them after it happened, but that was mostly because they looked so upset by it. So, yes, I would have to say I am completely immune to it."

"As a mother I worry about these things," Anne said after a moments contemplation. "So, if you would not mind, I would like to test this myself, if you will allow?"

"Of course," agreed Harry. "Who am I to deny you anything, ma'am."

His formal response had the adults, and Zoe, looking at him oddly for a moment. Then with a signal from Anne, three allures hit him at once. It was odd, but Harry could tell the source of each one of the sudden bursts of magic. Apoline's was warm and affectionate, much like the woman herself, but lacked any type of sexual urge at all. Anne on the other hand, well her's felt like a command to bow before her, yet also lacked anything even close to a sexual quality, though there was a demand for respect. Finally there was Zoe, and her's was the hardest to ignore because it was laced with so much sexual tension that Harry couldn't help but look at her. Still, that was the only reaction they got out of him, that one look directly at Zoe, but even that was with him still in full control of his senses.

"Wow," he said as the allure crashed upon his senses. "You weren't kidding when you said you wanted to test me. That's some serious magic you three are pumping out."

"Amazing," murmured Michael as he forced himself not to be affected by Apoline's allure, just as Pierre was doing the same to not be enthralled by Anne. "No blood relation to any of them, yet he throws it off as if it were barely a light summer breeze."

Suddenly the "attack" was over and the three women were looking at Harry with utter shock. Even Apoline had thought he might crack under the combined power of three adult Veela and yet the most anyone got out of him was Zoe, with his looking at her. Anne was stunned, no she was downright amazed and in awe. It was a well known fact that her allure was one of the most powerful among the Veela race, yet here sat a young man that had brushed it off with no problems at all. Only her daughter had gotten a reaction out of him and barely one at that. As for Zoe, she was currently blushing like never before. She had pushed everything into her allure and Harry had just looked at her as calmly as could be, but in his eyes she had seen a depth of emotion that seemed to fill her very soul. No, he had not been affected, but she surely had been.

"If you will excuse me for a moment," she said, needing to get out of the room for a moment. "I need to freshen up after so much effort."

"Girls, why don't you go with her," suggested Harry, thought the adults could tell there was a hint of command in his voice. "When you get back maybe we can all go sit out on the veranda and enjoy the nice weather?"

"Okay!" chorused the girls as they got up and pulled Zoe from the room.

Harry waited a moment, just until he was sure the girls were out of earshot, then he palmed his wand and cast a Mufuliato over the entire room. "Did I pass your test, Your Majesty? Because if I didn't, I need to know now so I can leave before the girls return. Oh, next time, check my history and you'll see I don't do well with people that try to manipulate me."

Harry's voice was deadly quiet and bitterly cold, almost making the adults in the room shiver with its intensity. The fact he had not even bothered to speak French was a clear indication that he was not in a good mood. Of course that could be backed up as the entire room started to thrum with the power that was pouring off of him. Apoline was completely ashamed of herself as she had been fully aware, having been informed by Fleur, that Harry HATED to be manipulated, yet she had done it anyway. Pierre also looked ashamed that he had not said anything to stop Anne's test, but she was a Queen, even if she was a guest in his hose just as Harry was. Michael on the other hand was impressed beyond measure. Not only had Harry stood up the power of three adult Veela having fully released their allure, he was now practically glowing with power as he stared down his wife. Which in his eyes was a good thing since he felt she needed to be knocked down a peg or two from time to time.

Now Anne for her part was a little afraid. She had instantly had her staff do a full background check on Harry when she learned he was associating with her daughters. All the reports had pointed to a young man that was wealthy beyond measure, related in some way to a very old royal family, the heir to another royal bloodline, and powerful enough to take down the Dark Wizard Voldemort with one spell. Of course they also mentioned how he was an extremely kind, honorable, and humble young man who would do anything to protect the people he cared about. Oh, let's not forget the five different sources that warned her that he did not react well to lies or manipulation. And she had just pissed him off if the fact that her hair was standing on end was any indication. There was no humble attitude present now, no, there was just righteous indignation and fury, all aimed at her.

"Merde," she whispered. "Ive just made a proper mess of this, haven't I?"

"Yes, dear, you have," answered Michael. "And if you are very polite and ask him nicely, he may not turn you into a smoking pile of ash."

"Harry James Potter," Anne said, her tone becoming firm and regal. "I, Queen Anne Marie Poisson do humbly ask your forgiveness for my rash actions against you? Can you forgive a mother for worrying about her daughters?"

Harry took a deep breath, then let it out with a long sigh as he let his magic calm. Everyone noticed the drop in pressure as Harry's magic receded. His wand instantly vanished from sight and he stood, heading towards the door. Apoline feared she had just lost the trust of a young man she now thought of as a son. Pierre felt much the same, with his shame growing even greater. As for Michael and Anne, they were concerned they had just made an enemy that the Veela Nation might not be able to defend against.

"I forgive you," Harry said, his voice quiet and gentle now. "I just wont' forget."

They watched him walk out, hearing his footsteps growing fainter until they eventually heard the front door open and close softly. Apoline actually started to cry, turning to Pierre and burying her face in his shoulder as he wrapped his arms around her. Michael was slightly relieved that Harry had not stormed out and said he would forgive his wife's indiscretion, but part of him worried for the boy his daughters both seemed to care about. Anne for her part felt completely ashamed of herself. By all accounts gaining Harry Potter's friendship was a very special thing and yet she had just lost it before she had ever even gotten a chance to truly enjoy it.

"What have you done, mother?" demanded Zoe as she stormed back into the room. "Gabrielle says she just saw Harry leaving. She and Aimee are in tears thinking it's something they have done, but I know better. He was fine when I left, so I can only assume you've done something foolish."

"Pierre," Apoline said instantly, worrying about her daughter and Aimee. "Go tell the girls that it was nothing they did."

"I'll help," added Michael as he and Pierre rushed from the room, not wanting to be anywhere near an angry Veela, possibly three angry Veela, if this argument got out of hand.

"Harry knows who I am, who we all are," began Anne. "I also knew who he was before tonight. I had him investigated when I heard he was spending time with you girls. I respected your desire not to tell him of my position, or yours, but he already knew. Whether that is something new or not, I cannot say."

"Harry took the girls with him to see his account manager at Gringotts today," supplied Apoline. "I can only assume they informed him of the situation when they saw Aimee was with him."

"You let one of the heirs to my throne leave the country with a single boy to protect her?" demanded Anne, her temper starting to flare. "Are you mad?"

"Oh relax, Anne," countered Apoline, not even batting an eye at her friends rising temper. "Take a look at the pendant your daughter is wearing, a gift from Harry. That thing has enough protective magic imbedded in it that she could walk into the middle of a war zone wearing bright orange, screaming 'kill me' and there isn't a damned thing they could do to harm her. She was safer with Harry today than she probably ever has been in her entire life. The funny thing is, even if she hadn't been wearing that pendant, I still would have let her go because I trust Harry and he would have destroyed anyone that even dared to think about harming her."

"He's just one boy!" screamed Anne.

"No, mother, he's Harry Potter," countered Zoe, "and if I know anything about him from the short time I've known him and the stories I've heard from Fleur and Gabrielle, it's that Harry does not give up, he does not lose, and he can do anything he sets his mind to. So, don't you call him a boy, because he's the best MAN I've ever met."

With that she stormed out of the room, leaving Anne and Apoline staring were she had just been standing. "You really messed this one up, Anne."

"I know," agreed Anne. "I didn't mean to, I just wanted to make sure my daughters were safe."

"The fact that I had already tested him and that I trust him with my daughter did not tell you what you needed to know?" asked Apoline after a moments silence.

"Obviously I'm not as smart as I think I am," groaned Anne. "Now I've made one daughter cry, made the other angry, and I've pissed off the one man my eldest seems to think is worthy of her time. Oh, did I forget to mention he's got the power and money to buy my throne out from under me and the fact that he doesn't know it yet is probably the only reason I will still have a crown on my head tomorrow? Did I miss anything?"

"Yes, you forgot that he owns Camelot and the ancestral home of Lancelot du Lac," supplied Apoline, wanting to drive the point in a little deeper.

"Oh merde," groaned Anne, dropping her head into her hands. "This just keeps getting better and better."

While Apoline was enjoying her friend realize just how big a mess she had made, Zoe was making her way over to Harry's chateau. A knock on the door was instantly answered by Mrs. Babcock who merely pointed towards the back of the house and the pool. Zoe rushed through the house until she burst through the back door. The sight that met her was both extremely scary and a little erotic. Harry was sitting cross legged on the surface of the water without a stitch of clothing on. His back was to her, but she could see the water rippling around him as his magic pushed down upon it to keep him on the surface. It was a meditation technique she had seen him reading about the other day, but it required more power than she thought anyone had these days. Obviously, she was wrong.

Now, faced with this situation, a naked and floating Harry Potter looking sexier than he had a right to, Zoe could only think of one thing to do, so she instantly stripped off her dress and undergarments, kicked her sandals off and dove into the water. It took her only a moment to reach him and as she surfaced she felt his magic wash over her skin with such a feeling of tenderness that she was rather grateful she was already in the water or her arousal would have been a little evident.

"'Arry," she whispered, causing his eyes to pop open. "Are you alright?"

She could feel his magic as it was pulled back inside him, leaving her feeling cold once it was gone. Slowly he lowered down into the water until he was dog paddling right in front of her. It was only once he was looking her directly in the eyes that she saw the look of hurt in his eyes. Without even thinking she was hugging him, feeling his magic pushing against the water to keep them both afloat as she wrapped him in her arms, propriety be damned.

"I always hope that the adults around me will treat me with a bit of respect," he whispered in her ear, causing her to shudder as his hot breath caressed her skin. "Thing is, they always disappoint me."

"Are you mad at me for not telling you that I'm a Princess?"

"No, of course not," Harry reassured her. "I get that part. You wanted to just be you for a while. That part makes sense. I'm not really even upset at your mother anymore. It's just a reoccurring theme in my life that I keep hoping will stop happening, adults doubting me, but it just keeps happening and I hate it. What do I have to do to get them to trust me?"

"Forget about my mother for right now, 'Arry," Zoe said with a smile. "In case you haven't noticed, I trust you, or else I wouldn't be here. I just ask one thing from you."

"What one thing would that be?" Harry asked, his guard going up a little.

Much to his surprise, Zoe suddenly leaned forward and kissed him. It was not a chaste kiss as you might give a friend or a family member. No, this was a KISS and he found himself kissing her back with all h was worth. How long they remained like that was a mystery as time had stopped for the two as they shared that eternal moment. When the finally did break apart, they locked eyes and smiled at each other, the goofy smile of two young people who were trying to fall in love.

"All I ask is that you let me be just a girl," Zoe whisprered. "More importantly, let me be just your girl, that's all I ask."

"That I can do," he replied before kissing her again.

AN: Formatting issue corrected on 10/4/12.