Chapter 32 – The Champions are chosen
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Fleur was the Beauxbatons Academy champion and Krum came in as the Durmstang champion. Diggory was chosen for Hogwarts and at the last minute my name came out.
I would collect my kissing bet with the girls later in the carriage. At this moment I was being dragged to the Headmasters office. I thought it was funny how nobody believed that I didn't put my name in the Goblet. That was how the kissing bet got started. I had laid it all out in general terms like previous tournaments had done i.e. a dangerous beast for the first task. When Hermione looked up the last tournament and found that all the champions were killed in the first task she went ballistic. I told her jokingly that she should not worry as Gabi and she would end up being hostages for the second task. Hermione was back in the carriages library faster than a lightning strike. Unbeknownst to me Gabi had told Fleur and Fleur had called her parents. The Delacours were arriving via the carriage 'floe' as I entered Dumbldore's office. Henri was not unimportant in France and 'floed' for information and was told about Dragons being moved to England.
"Now Harry I must insist that you tell me how you put your name in the Goblet."
"Sorry Captain Hook no can do since I didn't do it."
"What is this Captain Hook you keep talking about Mr. Potter?" McGonagall never showed a sense of humor.
"Peter Pan follows Tinkerbelle to Never-Never land where children never grow up. Captain Hook is an evil pirate who is chasing Peter while a crocodile that had tasted the hand of the Captain is chasing him for a better bite." When I referred to the crocodile I sent my gaze to Snape which few missed." I think I got a little snicker from McGonagall.
I was contemplating blasting the phony MadEye to hell when Henri Delecour head appeared in the fireplace demanding entrance immediately.
"Dumbledore you old idiot what are you doing having my daughter facing a dragon? You had better ensure she is safe and you had best not plan to have my other daughter involved in anyway in this stupid tournament." Anyone in the room could see that Dumbledore was not happy. Whether it was being confronted in this manner or a loss of his plan you could only guess.
"And you Romeo will come with me as you have some explaining to do." I had no doubt he meant me.
I kept up with his hurried pace but upon entry to Gabi's room Henri was confronted with three females who did not appear to be very happy with him.
"Henri, sit!" Apolline stated as she pointed to a chair. Gabi and Hermione were seated on the bed. Apolline then said "Well don't just stand around looking stupid Harry join the girls as we all need to talk."
I sat on the bed, Gabi and Hermione grabbed an arm and moved as close as possible.
"Henri its too late Gabriella has bonded. It also appears that first touch was done with Hermione also in contact with Harry. They have a three way bond, rare but not unheard of, now comes the problem. Harry are you ready to marry them both, you are not required to do so."
"Not a problem but won't a betrothal contract satisfy the bond? That gives us some time for school and what ever rather than getting married next week."
"Perfect, Henri make up the appropriate contract for the three of them." Apolline directed.
I turned to look at Hermione and saw that Gabi was also, I knew it was typical Hermione to open up with a thousand questions or run to someone in authority. Rather to accept or make up her own mind she started, "My parents wouldn't allow such a thing. I also have much research to do to fully understand this bond and then explaining it to my parents."
"Hermione you have…"
Hermione cut me off, "No Harry this is something that I must do."
I had been around Hermione for too many years and enough was enough with her way or the highway. The Beauxbaton healer had stated that the bonds exasperation date had been established and it was a doozy. "Ah yes! Little miss know-it-all, must find the answer in a book or run to someone in authority, by the way who is that at Beauxbatons? Oh! Never mind, come back in a week with your research and you can deliver it at our funerals. I then got up and left the room and stomped off to find Ron or Draco to use as a punching bag.
They must have clued her in that I could walk away but since the bond was active they would probably die in a week. Her not joining the bond would cause the same effect. It was a Veela bond after all. The bond would be satisfied with marriage, a binding contract or completion of the Veela bond through sex.
It didn't take long before Hermione was crying on my shoulder. I figured it would take a long time to break her authority and book habit. Gabi was to be Lady Potter while Hermione was to be Lady Black. The contract would be done the next day and a trip to the Granger residency was planed after the first task.
/Scene Break/
Now if told you that facing a dragon was easy you would call me a nutter. I had more trouble with all the people who had suggestions how I could do the task. The phony MadEye Moody wanted me to fly my broom; another suggested a spell to the eyes which Krum ended up using. Somebody suggested a permanent Aguamenti charm while another thought a Disillusionment Charm was the answer. The wacky one that would work if I could stop it from burning down the school was the Fiendfyre Curse. I reverted to one of the spells that that 'the thing' gave me.
So while everyone was biting their nails or wishing me to become English burnt toast I just casually walked in and hit the Hungarian Horntail with a special freezing charm that would last about five minutes. I grabbed the egg and made haste. I of course did a lot of fancy wand waving to confuse everyone and to show I was a proper wizard.
/Scene Break/
To say the Grangers were shocked would be putting it mildly but then the Delacour's added that Hermione would have to learn proper behavior when out in public. Then the real screaming started. A true pure-blood wife always dressed perfectly in public, never contradicted her husband in public and kept her mouth shut unless asked a direct question while in public and after deferring to her husband. This was something that would fit Hermione perfectly I was sure.
Sweet fanny adams did they think I made all this happen? I had enough and went to sit by the pool. I was seriously thinking about drowning myself when minutes later Gabi joined me, "I'm sorry Harry I should have waited till we were alone before I committed myself." She placed her cute body in my lap.
"Don't worry about it Gabi, I'm sure it will all work out fine in the end. I have never heard of a Veela bond taking effect this quick or this seriously."
"They don't, that's what's so crazy about this whole thing a rejected Veela is the only one that normally has the problem." Gabi just shook her lowered head. I lifted her head with a finger under her chin and gave her a kiss. The kiss was progressing at a very enjoyable pace when it was interrupted by a 'WHAT!" from inside the house.
"Think they got to the punishment phase for not complying with your wishes?" Gabi giggled.
"No Gabi I could never hurt either of you like that I…"
"Harry Potter this is all your fault…you had better never ever try…punish your wives…barbaric…ten lashes…"
"Apolline would you say that with your family here along with the Grangers would be considered in public?"
"Yes Harry punishment is appropriate."
I stood up and gave Gabi a half bow. She returned a curtsey.
"Now where were we? Ah yes punishment for a wife. Are you ready for your punishment Hermione?" I made a move towards her and she took off and headed back into the house at a run screaming things like, "You better not…Harry you wouldn't." I let her get away by running into the house. I then returned to my chair. Gabi returned to my lap and the Delecours started laughing. The Grangers just seemed confused.
/Scene Break/
I now had a room in the Beauxbatons carriage. For whatever reason I realized that it contributed to my safety, Captain Hook announced the Yule Ball. I of course asked both Hermione and Gabi to accompany me to the ball on the walk back to the carriage, they both accepted. The next morning the fun started. "Hay Scar head which slut are you taking to the…SMACK! Draco was scurrying to the hospital wing with a busted nose.
"Harry Potter why in Merlin's name did you do that?" While Gabi grabbed Hermione's arm and whispered something about punishment and I was thinking an AK curses for Draco, Ron Weasley opened his mouth.
"Harry Mate, answer Hermione's question!"
My stare should have turned anyone to stone or running in the opposite direction, Ron was expecting an answer while trying to impress Hermione and oblivious to my anger until… SMACK!
Later Ron approached Hermione and asked her to the Yule ball.
"Ron I have already accepted Harry's invitation to the ball but thanks for asking."
"You're just like all the rest. Mr. Super hero flashes his scar and all you bitches…SMACK! Hermione had decked Ron.
/Scene Break/
The ball was anti-climax the real action was deciding the color of dresses vs. my dress robes vs. hair color. Then there was jewelry and corsages. The biggest complaint from anyone at the ball was the stepping on toes.
/Scene Break/
Henri was the head of the DMLE in France with a possible run for Minister of Magic so a port-key was not a problem. They also decided that Harry and his two new betrothed needed some time alone to become more acquainted.
At first I was confused as to why the Delecour's and then the Grangers agreed that we three needed an un-chaperoned vacation. I found out the first day at the Desert Ranch House. I might be in charge by magical law in public but in private I became an arbitrator in the middle at best. The rental was nice with a pool and the weather was great. England was in winter with foul weather. While it was winter here the weather was like a warm English summer. Now the get acquainted honeymoon in America turned into a honeymoon from hell.
"Harry! Why in Merlin's name are you taking her side?" or "Didn't we decide we would stay here tonight and not go out?" and I ended up outside by the pool or in the pool with thoughts of drowning myself. Originally I had dreams of ripping the clothes off of two gorgeous girls as we romped around the huge master bed. Well I got to keep the dreams and the master bed but totally alone. I figured they both thought I was their individual property and sharing hadn't sunk in yet. I would have thought that one would sneak into my room in the middle of the night and have their way with me. What I didn't know was they both had alarms on my bedroom door to prevent just that.
We had agreed that the three of us would return to the Delecours for two day and then the Grangers for two before we returned to Hogwarts. We were into our fourteenth day of bliss when we receive a few callers. The Order of the Phoenix appeared to take charge of a wayward Harry Potter that was either to be at Hogwarts or his relative's house during the Christmas break. The three of us were barricaded in the Master Bedroom when Voldemort's Deatheaters arrived.
We snuck out the bedroom window and were going to make a run for it over the open sand when the American Aurors arrived to add to the party. We finally got moving and out from under the anti-port-key wards and departed to France. I thought as the port-key activated that they all could fight it out …I'm a lover not a fighter. Just before I crashed landed at Delecour manor I thought that at least I am not a fighter. Some honeymoon, I didn't even get a good snogging session with either girl.
I wish I had a camera when Gabi informed her parents that three separate bedrooms would be required. Henri soon latched on to me and dragged me to his den and asked what was going on.
"You tell me and we will both know" was my only answer although he pushed further into the problems, to both of our frustration.
Apolline had grabbed Gabi and rushed off for a chat.
Fleur grabbed Hermione and did the same.
By the end of the first night I was looking forward to my bed and those dreams, it had been a long day. Henri got a bit graphic on what I was supposed to do with girls and I think the girls got the same lecture. The next morning I showered and headed down to breakfast as I entered the dining room I saw the Delecours at the table eating. When Henri saw me he smiled and shook his head while uttering words I will never forget, "Better you than me".
The day was set aside to update wardrobes and not too long into it I turned to Henri, "I see what you ment by your words at breakfast."
Henri shook his head, "I have always found that teenagers your age were hard to keep from acting like uncontrolled bunny rabbits. I can't believe you three.
I had been wondering the same thing when the newspaper people caught up with Henri and of course recognized me when Henri introduced me. I had done a quick hand wave and my glamour of scar and glasses was ready for the photographers. They asked how I was going to defeat he-who-must-not-be-named this time. Many of my replies were in the French press the next day but got to England about the time we returned to the Grangers.
That evening I was sure a long night sleep would do me a world of good. My dreams were of Hermione was in a skimpy baby-doll lingerie outfit. I dreamed I had put my wards up and headed to the shower. I was quickly joined by Hermione who wanted to touch and kiss with abandon. I think I toweled off but was too interested in Hermione's sexy towel drying scene. It set the mood for the evening in my dreams. I decided that books were a great thing as Hermione showed me a few things she learned from books. I again was awaken early in the morning requiring a cold showered and still alone. I dressed and dragged my bones to breakfast. This time all the Delecours were at the table as I collapsed in my chair. Henri again just shook his head.
/Scene Break/
The port-key delivered us to Hermione's parent's house and her bedroom. Gabi was assigned the guest bedroom and I the couch down stairs. I got the impression they felt we were in the holding hands phase of our relationship which I wished we were. I wasn't going to tell them otherwise. The arrival of the Dailey Profit set the tone for the day.
Harry Potter says "I am a Lover not a fighter, nobody has ever given me training to fight more that normal classes a sixth year at Hogwarts sleeps through."
Harry Potter says "Me fight V-(He-who-must-be-named) are you kidding? Him and Dumbledore are like two peas in the pod, both think their right. One loves killing by his own hands, while the other uses others to kill and lose their lives. No both of them are all yours; don't look me for me to face down your problem."
Harry Potter was asked if he supported the pure-blood doctrine that He-who-must-not-be-named and the descendent of Lord Slytherin idealizes? When Harry Potter quit laughing he had the following words. These are his words folks and not the Dailey Profits.
"I am Lord Harry James Potter Black a direct heir of Lord Gryffindor. Is that pure-blood enough for your readers? Now let's take V-. His father was a muggle called Tom Riddle, his mother was the last female Gaunt and a half squib. What an illustrious heir to your revered Lord Slytherin, Tommy was raised in a muggle orphanage and trained right here in our Hogwarts where his tuition was paid by the school. Let me say that same school where he slipped off to kill his father and grandparents. Also the same school that he killed a girl who now haunts the second floor bathroom of Hogwarts. That doctrine is for morons and loosers."