Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or any of its characters. And I'm not J.K. Rowling.
oOo
Please always read the Author's note below because I might announce something important or post answers to your questions :)
Arthur rushed inside the room, holding a vial containing a white liquid, he hurried to give it to his wife who took it as fast as she can and gestured Fred to raise Harry's up in a sitting position.
"Here darling, drink this. It will ease the pain." She said as she fed Harry the contents of the vial.
The raven-haired lad drank obediently, desperate to relieve himself of the searing pain.
Not long after drinking the potion, the pain disappeared and he submerged to a dreamless slumber.
oOo
Everyone went back to their beds as soon as Harry was tucked in his bed again. Though Molly and Arthur never went back to sleep for the night.
"This wasn't supposed to happen!" Molly exclaimed, pacing their room back and forth.
Arthur on the other hand, sat down on the bed and buried his face in his hands.
"This could only mean one thing. He had already met his mate."
"It's too late, Molly! We will have to let them be together." Said Arthur, his expression was grim. This wasn't a part of their plan! Things are going astray quickly and if nothing is done, then the whole 16 years of waiting will be wasted.
"No. Maybe there's another way. I've already sent a letter to Remus and Sirius by the use of wizard mail. It's probably reached them by now."
"We can only hope, Molly... We can only hope." He stated, feeling lost.
"His wings, they are emerging slowly. If my memory serves me right, that means that Harry and his mate had already managed to bond, but weakly."
"If this goes on, he will have his wings fully grown by his birthday." The man said wryly.
Mrs. Weasley walked towards her dresser, opened the drawer and took out a black pouch. She spilled the content on her hand and stared at the glistening oval green gem. "I guess we have no use for this anymore. Might as well return it to Harry. After all, it is his gem in the first place."
"Let's take it to town and have it turned into a necklace. We could give it to him as an apology gift and birthday gift at the same time." Said Mr. Weasley, his face apologetic.
"You're probably right. I will take it to town first thing tomorrow... or rather, later when the sun rises."
"Also, Molly, please go to Snape's apothecary and go get more of the potion we just gave Harry."
His wife looked at him worriedly before nodding. "Should I take the kids out with me? If Harry suffers an attack again and we're not with them... the poor boy would be in so much pain."
Mr. Weasley closed his eyes and sighed. "Yes, you better take them with you."
oOo
"Mummy! Mummy! Mummy!" Ginny exclaimed excitedly as she ran to the dinner table, still wearing her nightclothes.
"What is it sweetheart?" Mrs. Weasley beamed. Motioning for Ginny to come closer to her.
The young lass held out a silver envelope, grinning from excitement.
Molly took the envelope and turned it to see the seal of the Royal Family, Malfoy. She tried her best to restrain the frown that was threatening to show; instead she managed to maintain her motherly smile as she opened the envelope.
Now she understood her daughter's excitement. It was an invitation to the ball written in an elegant handwriting.
~o~
Greetings!
We are pleased to inform you that you have been officially invited to the Royal Masquerade tomorrow evening. A mask will be required to enter the palace.
Girls are allowed to bring their escorts if desired.
All the women in your family are required to attend. Failure to comply will result in losing your family crest.
We are looking forward to seeing you.
~o~
Mrs. Weasley almost snorted in irritation but restrained herself from doing so, seeing that her daughter was focused on her, wanting to see a good reaction. She cleared her throat, catching everyone's attention first before she said: "Well, apparently the royal family is having another ball tomorrow evening."
"And we're not going again." Ron interjected before swallowing a big piece of muffin.
"It's your choice. It doesn't say here that every family member must attend. It only asks for the women." She said.
Ginny was grinning from ear to ear and it was very obvious why. This time they are requiredto attend the ball so their mum absolutely cannot refuse. They rarely go to the royal family's ball because their parents refuse to. Actually, only Percy has been to a Royal ball before, their parent's won't allow them to come. And most of the time they were just forced to show up 'not to raise suspicion' she heard her mom say once when they thought nobody was listening.
"Mum, is Harry required to go as well?" George asked.
Molly turned pale. Of course Harry had to go... he was registered as a female after all. 'Not good.'
"Mum?" Fred called worriedly.
The woman shook her head gently, letting another smile form on her lips. "Yes darling, Harry is required to go."
"But what if he get's sick again." said Fred. It was more of a statement than a question.
"We'll manage."
Fred rolled his eyes and went back to eating his breakfast.
"By the way mum, where's Dad and Percy?" Ron asked, oblivious to his brother's irritation.
"They were summoned to the court. There's another trial for the poor Greengrass family."
"Oh." Was all he replied for taking another huge bite from his 4th muffin.
Ginny took the letter from her mother and sat down next to her. She looked at the empty seat on her left. "Mum, should I call Harry down for breakfast?"
Fred looked up from his plate and looked at his sister before flicking his eyes away to Harry's usual seat. "I'll go." He said as he stood up. George sensed his irritation and decided not to meddle in; his twin can sort out his emotions in no time, plus he knew that look well: it only shows up when he's really concerned for Harry and no one will be able to fix his mood until he decides that Harry's okay again.
Fred didn't wait for his mother's reply before leaving the dining area. The maid opened the door for him as he proceeded to the hallway.
Minutes later, Fred found himself standing in front of Harry's room. He knocked gently and when no response came, he let himself in.
His heart fluttered at the sight of Harry sleeping peacefully. He silently approached his bed. The red-haired lad crouched down and traced the outline of Harry's rosy pink lips; the sleeping lad flinch ever so lightly at his touch. Fred brought his finger to his lips and kissed it as though he was kissing the young lad's lips.
"Harry." He called. Harry's stirred a bit but didn't wake up, so Fred called his name again, but this time a little louder.
Slowly, Harry's eyes opened, revealing two emerald orbs that made Fred's stomach go through a tickling sensation. He raised his body in a sitting position before turning to face Fred. "Morning." He mumbled hoarsely, his voice strained from crying the night earlier.
Fred watched Harry yawn and stretch his arms with a smile on his face, though unbeknownst to the raven-haired lad.
"Let's go get breakfast." He said, turning to head for the door. Harry nodded behind him and followed, not bothering to fix his hair or change his sleeping clothes.
oOo
"How are you feeling, Harry dear?" Molly asked in her motherly tone. She clicked her fingers and pointed at the nearly empty muffin tray. A maid came rushing to get the tray and a second maid followed, carrying a new batch of freshly baked muffins.
"I'm fine now Mrs.—Aunt." He smiled.
Ginny filled Harry's plate with everything available on the table: Muffins, Eggs, Hams, Sausages, Toasts, and Strawberries. "Eat." She commanded as she placed the plate in front of Harry.
The young lad was about to complain but nodded anyways when he saw the stern look on Ginny's face, "Yes, mother." He replied in a teasing tone, earning a playful glare from the girl.
He graciously ate the food on his plate, forcing himself to finish it when he felt full. Seeing everyone's happy expressions gave him enough motivation to devour everything Ginny placed on his plate. They sat in silence for a while before their mother spoke, "Harry dear, there's a ball we have to attend tomorrow night."
Harry paused from drinking his milk, his expression bemused.
"It is required, so today, you, Ginny and I will go to town to go shopping for shoes, masks and gowns." And by town, she meant the district only accessed by nobles and rich people.
"Is anyone else coming?" the raven-haired lad asked a little too innocently.
"Ugh."
"No way."
"Ew."
Came the boys' replies at the same time.
Ginny laughed. "Boys."
Mrs. Weasley rolled her eyes in mock annoyance before chuckling.
oOo
"No, this suits you more, Lily! Come on! Try it!" insisted Ginny, shoving a shimmering aquamarine ball gown to Harry.
"I've already decided on this one, Ginny! Quit bugging me. You still haven't chosen yours yet so move along and let me mind my own business."
"Girls." Mrs. Weasley called. She still needed to swing by the apothecary and the jeweler before going home and her two daughters were taking forever to decide on a gown, and they haven't even got their shoes and masks yet.
"Mum, tell Lily that this," she let down the dress, revealing it's whole structure, "suits her more than that."
"No! I said this one goes with my eyes better." He argued.
"Are you blind? Peach doesn't go well with green!"
Well, Ginny's got a point. Molly thought.
"Now now, ladies. I still have a few more things to buy and you two are taking forever to buy your clothes. I will leave you here for not long but by the time I get back I want you finished with hunting for your dresses so we can move along with our day." She said quite strictly.
They were in a high-end dress shop where nobles buy their clothes and they were frequent customers so they were taken to a VIP lounge inside the shop so that they may be able to decide on their clothes in private. Several attendants watched in amusement as the beautiful black-haired girl, Lily, try different dresses and have everything suit her perfectly. Though Ginny, the red-haired one, was also beautiful, there were some dresses that didn't agree with her.
Before Molly left the store, she met with the owner and asked her to help the girls decide on a dress before she returns. The owner, who was an elegantly beautiful and serene lady called Madam Lovegood, smiled and nodded before joining the room with the arguing girls.
"Lovely afternoon, ladies." She greeted sweetly.
The two paused and turned to face her before bowing gracefully and flashing a bright smile. "Good afternoon to you as well, Madam Lovegood." They said in unison.
"I see that you are having a hard time deciding on your dresses."
They both nodded.
Madam Lovegood held out her hand to Ginny, asking for the aquamarine dress on her hand. The red-haired girl handed it to her.
"This," she said, eyeing the dress. "Suits you more, Ms. Ginny."
Harry shot her a glare that says 'Told you so." The silent message came across Ginny clearly and gave out a huff in annoyance. Of course it was more on the playful side.
"And that, Ms. Lily," the blonde continued, "really doesn't go well with the color of your eyes."
Now it was Ginny's turn to give Harry the "I told you so" look.
Harry rolled his eyes in fake sass.
Madam Lovegood caught their short exchanged and shook her head, smiling.
"I presume you are going to the Royal Masquerade as well?"
"Yes." They both replied in unison again.
Madam Lovegood turned to one of her assistants and said, "Please go get the dress."
The assistant looked confused for a moment, "That one?"
"Yes, now if you please."
"Right away milady." The assistant bowed, running along to fetch the dress.
"Madam Lovegood, where is Luna?" asked Ginny as the woman handed her the aquamarine dress.
"She is out with her friend Mr. Longbottom." She replied.
"Where to?"
"I believe she mentioned something about creating a mask. Maybe they are at the park gathering flowers."
"Has she picked a dress yet?" Harry suddenly asked and then immediately felt stupid. Of course she already has, for heaven's sake they own a bloody dress emporium!
"She made her own." Madam Lovegood replied, chuckling.
Madam Lovegood asked Ginny to change into the aquamarine dress then turned to one of her assistants to assist Ginny. As Ginny was directed to the dressing room by the assistant, Lily and her was left alone in the white room full of colorful dresses.
"Ms. Lily, if you may please sit down for a moment while waiting for your dress."
Lily nodded wordlessly and sat down on the midnight blue long seat.
The blonde hummed to herself and browsed through the dresses on the rack. "You have become more beautiful than the last time I saw you." She said dreamily.
Harry felt his face flush from the compliment. "You have too." He replied awkwardly.
"Thank you, darling." She continued, facing Lily. "Something changed in you. As you know, my family comes from the magical heritage. We creatures with magic can sense the growing power inside you. Your inner form is changing."
Harry looked at her incredulously, searching for an indication that she's joking, but she looked as serious as her tone.
"I don't understand." He caught himself saying.
"You posses magic. But not an ordinary one, I can sense it. You are no ordinary person, my dear."
"But—"
"Ah! It's here. Come look Ms. Lily." Madam Lovegood exclaimed excitedly, cutting off what Harry was saying
She approached her assistant who was carrying a light blue dress. Harry couldn't see the design because it hung over the assistant's arm. Madam Lovegood seemed to glow in mixed happiness and excitement. Their eyes met for a fraction of a second before Madam Lovegood examined his profile. She seemed very ecstatic about Harry fitting her dress.
The blonde took the dress from the assistant and shooed her away nicely. The assistant bowed and disappeared to the front of the shop where other guests are looking at the dresses.
"Now, let us go to my office and you can change there." Madam Lovegood stated. If Harry were paying close attention to the woman, he would've seen her sly grin.
Mrs. Weasley left the high district for the town where regular citizens shop. She headed straight for the jewel shop first.
The jewel maker named William welcomed her with his usual elderly smile.
"Ah, Lady Weasley, how nice to see you again." He bowed.
"Oh Willy, no need for that stiffness." She laughed.
"Force of habit." He laughed wryly. "How may I help you today?"
Molly reached for her purse and took out a small black pouch. She handed over to William to let him examine it.
William's eyes widened in surprise the moment the green gem fell on his hand. His breath was taken away by the sheer beauty of the object but more over, from where it came from.
"This is a—"
"Yes it is."
"I can't believe it..." The old man stared at the gem, bewildered by it. "How in the world did you get your hands on this precious item?"
Mrs. Weasley just smiled at him.
"An Oriel's birth gem. As rare as seeing it's owner." Suddenly, William furrowed his eyebrows, as he looked at Molly Weasley eye to eye. "Molly, you must know that killing an Oriel will bring forth a catastrophe that lasts a full decade."
"I know that, William. I didn't kill any Oriels do not worry." She said, changing her tone to a calmer one. "That gem belongs to the white flower.
"The white flower? You mean Potter's son—"
"We do not speak his name William."
"Oh. It's going to bloom soon isn't it?"
Mrs. Weasley nodded, her eyes twinkling.
"17 years of waiting."
The red-haired woman nodded again. "Yes, William. It's almost time."
She cleared her throat before continuing, "Anyways, let's get down to business. I need you to turn that thing into the most beautiful necklace you have ever made." She beamed.
The old man chuckled in response. "It will look like it's made for an Oriel once I'm done!"
oOo
"How did you know!" Harry exclaimed as he tried his best to cover up his body. Madam Lovegood stripped him off his dress and wig the moment they entered her office. Of course, it caught him off guard and rendered him defenseless from the woman's attack.
Right now, the blonde was grinning proudly at her job well done. In front of her was a very naked boy, flushed and shocked.
"Harry, you cannot fool a pure-blooded Veela with simple disguises." She guffawed.
"A Veela?" Harry screeched. Veelas are rare magical creatures that entice everyone who sees them. His Uncle Remus taught him about the basic information regarding Veelas and there was one thing that stuck to his mind: When Veelas are angry, they turn into bird heads with scaly wings and they can throw fire balls with their hands.
His face paled at the thought of the lovely Madam Lovegood turning into some kind of monster bird.
"Do not worry young one, Veelas are not as vicious as the books claim." She chuckled, amused at the scared look on Harry's beautiful face.
"B-b-b-but you are... why are you not.. why am I not down on my knees begging you to keep me or saying that I invented something that enables humans to fly? Or something impossible like that!" he babbled loudly, causing the blonde to laugh harder.
"Because this is not my true form. I am currently using several charms to hide my true appearance." She said cheerfully. "I could bring them down for you."
Before Harry could even react, a bright white light engulfed Madam Lovegood, momentarily blinding Harry. The light disappeared, leaving behind a woman with white blonde hair, blue eyes and with talons as nails. She was breathtakingly beautiful. If her human form was lovely, her true form was a thousand times more gorgeous than the other.
"So?" she spoke in a different voice; her voice was unexplainably enticing. "How do I look?"
"Beautiful." Was all Harry was able to reply.
The Veela started dancing gracefully in front of Harry as though she was trying to see if the boy was going to fall for her charms. Usually it only took her one spin to have all the men drooling and begging for her attention, but it seemed as though in Harry's case, it would take a year of dancing to finally have him fall for her charm.
Harry appeared to have realized that nothing was his uncle said was happening to him. He gave the Veela a questioning look and then it stopped dancing. "Why am I not affected by your allure?" he asked, completely forgetting that he's naked.
Madam Lovegood approached Harry, stopping a few feet in front of the young lad. She was at least 3 feet taller than him so she had to look down in order to stare at the boy's eyes.
Unknown to Harry, his eyes were shining like a million stars were captured inside it. The Veela gasped softly before breaking away their eye contact. "It seems that I am more attracted to your allure that you are attracted to mine." She purred. "You are not affected by my powers because you are far superior than a Veela. It means Veela powers cannot affect you for you are much more powerful than we are." She said as though it was the most natural thing to say to a confused boy.
"What do you mean?"
"You are special. I have met your mother before, and her powers overwhelmed me. It was hard to stand in her presence."
"I still don't understand."
"You are not human, or at least half of you isn't, and I must say that I am glad for that because if you were a pureblood like your mother, I wouldn't have been able to stand looking at your bare body."
Harry grew even more confused and Madam Lovegood had taken notice. She decided to stop pressing on the subject and transformed back into her human form in a blink of an eye. She took several steps back, widening the space between her and the boy.
"I will keep your secret, Harry. Yes, I have known, even though it was hard to be with your mother without turning submissive, I was her friend and I knew both of you well. Lady Weasley had not known my ties with the Potter family nor my being a Veela so it's no wonder she has never mentioned me to you and vise versa. Only now that I sense your full powers awakening am I convinced that it is time for me to reveal myself to you and offer you my friendship." She beamed. "Now, enough with the chit-chat your mother might be back sooner so let's hurry up and try this lovely dress!"
Harry could only gape at her nonchalant-ness.
oOo
"How's the brat?" was the way Severus Snape greeted her when she entered their apothecary. She smiled gently and replied,
"He's doing fine. Also getting lovelier by the minute."
Molly could've sworn that she saw a hint of smile on Severus' face for a brief moment before it turned into his usual frown again.
"I assume that you are here for another one of that potion?" he said.
"Yes, Severus and also, I am here to remind you that—"
"It's almost the brat's 17th birthday and I have to go to your Mansion and introduce myself to the brat as his mother's good friend." Severus continued for the woman.
"And his father's childhood friend." Mrs. Weasley added.
Severus snorted as a reply. "Wait here, I'll go get the brat's potion."
"Please do."
Several minutes later, Severus appeared from the door behind the counter with four vials containing the same white liquid that was given to Harry the night earlier. He placed it on top of the counter and conjured a paper bag without the use of his wand.
"Here, take it. You must keep in mind that you can only let him drink that when he's in pain, if not, he will suffer gruesome consequences."
"I'll keep that in mind. How much?"
"None." He said sternly. "Now, run along to the brat."
Molly smiled, "Thank you, Severus."
oOo
Harry looked at himself on the mirror inside Madam Lovegood's office and saw himself wearing an off-shoulder light blue dress with an asymmetrical-cut skirt. The back reached his ankles, gradually going up until the front just reaches four inches above his knee. He wears a partially buttoned white, button down dress over it with blue lining. (check the link below for the photo)
He looked astonishing, he decided. Madam Lovegood tied his wig—or rather—hair into a high ponytail using pearls as a decoration. The dress was beautiful beyond belief and he couldn't help but to stare longer at his reflection.
Madam Lovegood made him discard his corset because she claimed that it gets in the way of the dress and also she had him wear panties instead of the usual undergarment he wore. His face turned brick red when Madam Lovegood revealed the pink underwear, it was so.. small and shamelessly bare, and though hard to admit, he found the ruffles a little bit cute.
"This dress was made for an angel." Madam Lovegood claimed with a serene smile on her face as she stared at Harry's form from behind. She heard Harry gasp softly as though he couldn't help but agree.
"I have never seen anything as magnificent as this, Madam Lovegood."
"Of course you haven't" The blonde smiled smugly. "Now, you have found the perfect dress to wear to the ball. But Lily, you have to promise me something."
"Whatever it is, Madam."
The blonde's gaze fell to his shoes. "You shall not wear those hideous pair of shoes with my magnificent creation."
Harry blinked a couple of times before laughing along with the Elder woman.
...
Moments later, Harry and Madam Lovegood emerged from the office and went back to the VIP lounge to find Ginny in the aquamarine dress waiting for their return.
Ginny gaped at the sight of Harry wearing his light blue dress. She wanted to compliment her best friend but no words came out of her gaping mouth.
The assistant had the same reaction, but her mouth was covered with both her hands unlike Ginny who gaped openly.
The other assistant who brought in the dress appeared to be in shock as well. They knew the dress was mind-blowing but they never imagined that it would be mind-blowing beyond comprehension.
"..Stunning.." Ginny muttered.
"Doesn't she look angelic?" The blonde beamed, freeing her assistants from their trance.
"Yes!" They both said in unison as they paced to the raven-haired lass. "Stunning!" "Beautiful!" "Amazing!" "Breathtaking!" they both said excitedly as they circled Lily in awe.
"Now now, Ladies."
One assistant lifted her hands to touch Harry's shoulder, but when her skin came in contact with the younger one, a jolt of electricity washed over her hand and traveled to her body causing her to flinch away from the girl.
"What's wrong?" The other assistant asked.
"Nothing." She replied whilst cradling her hand.
Madam Lovegood clearly saw what happened and eyed Harry cautiously. 'He has found his mate. No one of the opposite sex may be able to touch him without feeling pain.' She noted.
"You look beautiful Ginny." Said Harry, grinning widely at his best friend.
"You too Lily." She replied with a blush on her face.
Madam Lovegood walked beside Harry and bent down so that her lips were in the same level as Harry's ears and whispered to him: "I am your ally, Harry. Do not forget."
...
Not long after, Mrs. Weasley came back for them and was amazed when she saw her two lovely girls dressed in stunning dresses. They changed into their original dresses, paid for the clothes they bought and left to buy the rest of the accessories they needed for the ball.
Mrs. Weasley took them to the usual shoe store they visit often. Ginny and Harry showed the owner their dresses and she immediately knew which shoe suited their dress. She gave Ginny a pair of beautiful light blue 2-inches shoes adorned on the center with an elegantly fanned-cream white satin cloth that had a miniature red rose in the middle.
While he gave Harry an unusual opened white shoes that had lots of interconnecting strings to keep it in place on his feet. There were two long thin strings on each side and the owner showed them exactly how it's worn. It took a little while for her to finish lacing it upwards around Harry's slender legs in a crisscross pattern. It looked beautiful and it really went along with his dress they decided to buy the two shoes they were shown, left the shop and moved on to their next itinerary.
It only took them a couple of minutes to pick out their masks; Harry's was a white masks that is held by a stick and only covered the upper half of his face. The upper edge of the mask was lined with a night blue lining with mini crystals that made it sparkle, on the right corner was a long pure white feather sticking up. The mask was simple yet elegant. Ginny's matched the color of her dress, it was like his, only covering the upper half of the face and it glittered like Ginny's dress as well.
After a long day of shopping, they returned to their mansion in a very tired state.
Draco smiled to himself as he soaked his body in a berry-scented water. Tonight was the ball he asked his father to arrange and for some reason he was very sure that Lily will come.
But there was something that bothered him so much. His dream the night before haunted him day and night. He couldn't help but feel empty inside whenever he thought of the crying young lad. He was certain that it wasn't just a dream because, well, communicating through dreams wasn't a rare occurrence.
The main question was, who is it and why did he need Draco to find him? Was he supposed to help some celestial being trapped in the world of humans?
oOo
"It's getting worse." Arthur murmured as he fell on their bed, tired from sedating Harry. "2 more days before his powers fully awaken, by the time that happens and his mate is nowhere near him, he'll perish... or worse, die."
"I still don't know when and where he met his mate... do you reckon it's one of our children?" Molly asked hesitantly.
"I don't think so, Molly. If they are then Harry wouldn't be in constant pain."
Molly nodded in acknowledgement.
They both sighed in exhaustion.
Earlier...
"Hurts... help!" Harry whimpered. Fred was the first one to find him crumpled on the bathroom floor after taking a bath. His heart dropped to his stomach when he heard Harry's cries.
The red-haired lad immediately lifted Harry up and carried him to his bed, not caring if the younger lad in his arms were slightly wet and completely naked.
"Please tell me what's wrong with you." Fred pleaded, his eyes brimming with hot tears in worry as he kneeled on the floor beside Harry's bed and held his little brother's hand to his cheeks.
Harry was unresponsive, instead he continued to wail from the pain he was feeling. Fred felt extremely helpless and just cried along with the boy.
Meanwhile,
George was looking for his twin who was missing from their room. He investigated the kitchen for any sign of his twin but got no results, so he went to the next place he knew Fred liked to visit; Harry's room.
George stood in front of Harry's slightly ajar door, frozen in place, as he peeked inside the room. Fred was holding Harry's hand and whispering words to him. His twin looked sorrowful and helpless in front Harry, who was writhing in pain—writhing in pain! He was having another attack again! George stammered back and ran as fast as he could to their mother.
...
Molly had Harry swallow the potion again to stop the pain. She asked her sons to leave her alone with Harry for a while. Fred was reluctant to comply with her order but after a lot of reassuring that Harry will be fine, Fred finally left the room.
Molly pursed her lips at the state of her adopted son. He was covered in sweat and his eyebrows were furrowed as though he was still in pain.
She didn't know if this everyday pain was normal for an Oriel since she doesn't have any real experience with a celestial being before. All Molly knew that if an Oriel is to be separated from his mate after meeting, he wouldn't be able to stand it for long. What made her angry was the fact that Harry met his mate without her knowing whom, when or where it happened. She lifted Harry's limp body in a sitting position and then examined his back.
Her eyes widened at the sight of Harry's back. It was glowing right where his wings would sprout. The realization that the young lad was about to have his wings slightly frightened her even though she had known this was coming; it scared her not to know how she's going to explain this to her family. Also, she had no idea how to hide Harry's wings. Lily could do it but she claimed that an Oriel has to be thought by an elder to know basic things they had to do to fit in.
oOo
"You gave us quite a fright there, Harry. Are you sure you can go to the ball tonight?" asked Fred as he playfully slung an arm around Harry's shoulder.
George positioned himself on the other side of Harry and poked the raven-haired lad's cheeks playfully. "Yeah lad, shouldn't you stay? You know, to keep you safe and all. If you have another attack tonight then it would be hard for mum and Ginny."
Harry, who was sandwiched between the twins, was silently fuming at the position he was in. They were currently standing in the middle of a hallway to the dining room. The twins caught him walking and suddenly ambushed him, leading to his current state.
"Nothing will happen! If you're so worried then you should come too!" he answered, struggling to get out of the twin's grasp.
"You need to do"
"More than that"
"If you want to escape from us."
The twins chuckled and shifted their bodies so that George was behind Harry and Fred was pressed in front of him, completely capturing the youngster between them. Fred encircled his arms around Harry's waist and closed their distance to the point that he could almost feel all of Harry's being. George wrapped his arms around Harry's shoulder and captured him in a tight squeeze.
"We can't go." Fred purred on Harry's ear.
"Only women are allowed." George continued, mimicking what his brother did.
Harry was blushing madly. He was used to the twins sexual harassments (as he liked to call it) but still, doing it like this is very.. well, sexy in a completely twisted way. "N-no! it says on the invitation that we can have escorts." He stammered as he tried to push Fred away.
The twins chuckled in unison. Harry gave them a questioning look.
"We didn't prepare." They said together.
"Okay! Okay! I get it! Now let me go! I want to eat!" Harry screeched, as he tried to wiggle his way out. He was getting desperate as Fred's hand travel dangerously close to his bum.
George felt his twin's hand traveling downwards. His lips curved into a smirk as he playfully nipped Harry's earlobe causing the younger lad to moan lightly in surprise. "Play with us tonight, Harry." Fred purred on his other ear as George continued to tease the other.
Harry's face was now brick red. His legs were turning into jelly, getting closer to giving in as seconds pass by.
"L-Let me go." He said again, his voice a little bit husky; he prayed that the perverted twins didn't catch it.
"Let go of Harry, you perverts!" Ginny exclaimed, running down the hall to the three.
"Woah, calm down little sister." Fred said, peeking over Harry's head.
George turned his body slightly to see his little sister. "We're just expressing our love to him."
"Right Harry?" they asked in unison.
"No! Ginny, get them off me!" Harry cried.
The twins grinned and parted from Harry before Ginny could reach them. They swiftly ran past the young girl and dashed off to where Ginny came from. "See yah Harry!" They both called out before completely vanishing behind the door.
"Perverts!" Ginny yelled before turning to Harry who was still as red as a rose. "Are you ok?" she asked worriedly.
"Y-yes. I just feel a little bit violated." He said, giggling.
Ginny let out an exasperated sigh and shook her head. "You shouldn't let them do that to you."
"Even if I didn't want to they'd still do it you know. Such kinky bastards those two are."
"Harry!"
"What?"
"Where did you learn such a vulgar word? If mum hears you saying things like that God knows what will happen."
Harry laughed. "I don't live in a cave, Ginny and I happen to venture off to town once in a while enough to hear words like that."
"Hmph. Anyways, it is an hour past lunch, you should eat before getting ready for the ball."
"I was on my way to do that when the twins caught me. Thanks for saving me by the way."
"Now what are you waiting for! Go on, hurry up and eat." Said Ginny, giving him a light push.
"Alright." She does sound a bit like Mrs. Weasley. He chuckled as he made his way to the dining room. Ginny went back to the direction where she came from and where the twins ran off.
...
Harry was eating his delicious bowl of fruits for breakfast when one of the maids interrupted him to present a letter, which was on a silver tray with a red cushion. He had always thought that the way their letters were delivered was too extravagant for just a letter. He took the letter and thanked the maid before turning the letter to see who it came from:
Mrs. Lovegood
He hurriedly opened the letter and read the contents,
Lily dear,
It would be such a wonderful honor for me to prepare you for the Royal Ball tonight. I want to see first hand how beautiful you would look on such a stunning dress with your hair all properly arranged and your face enhanced.
If you would only give me the permission to come in your home and let me do my magic for you, I will be eternally grateful for it.
Sincerely, Gabrielle
P.S. Please send me back a letter of your response as soon as you can. The envelope has been enchanted to deliver the letter you put inside directly to me.
The content made Harry smile brightly. He felt excited at the idea of Mrs. Lovegood, one of the most beautiful and stylish women in the kingdom offered to help him look pretty for the ball. Though the 'magic' bit made him a little nervous, he didn't exactly know what Veelas were capable of but he was sure that Mrs. Lovegood would do no harm to him.
He stood up and took off with the letter, leaving behind his half-eaten breakfast.
...
"So... would you let her?" Harry asked awkwardly, fidgeting.
Mrs. Weasley smiled warmly at him, "Of course darling. We cannot possibly reject Madam Lovegood! But Harry dear, do not forget to change into a dress and put on your wig alright? You may only wear male clothes when there are no visitors at home."
Harry brightened up. He couldn't wait to tell the Veela so he hurriedly gave Mrs. Weasley a peck on the cheek and dashed off to his room with the letter to send his reply.
The young lad immediately sat on the chair in front of his desk and hurriedly wrote his reply:
Madam Lovegood,
Yes! That would be absolutely perfect! You may come by anytime, I will inform the guards about your arrival.
Love, Lily
oOo
Not much later after Harry sent his reply, the blonde appeared on their doorstep. The maids announced her arrival and were baffled when they didn't see a carriage. No one from town could've walked all the way here that fast.
Harry heard their muttering as he made his way to the main entrance of the mansion and noticed it. He mentally took a note to ask Madam Lovegood about it.
The young lad greeted Madam Lovegood and led her to his room so they could get started. They both sat down on the couch inside Harry's room; in front was a low coffee table, which already had tea and biscuits, prepared even before they got there.
The Veela kept silent as she took in Harry's room. It reminded her of the Potter Mansion and she couldn't help but feel a bit nostalgic and sad. She used to visit their house a lot.
"Madam Lovegood, may I ask you something?" Harry inquired, snapping the blonde out of her daze.
"Sure, Harry. And no need to be formal when we're alone, please by all means, call me Gabrielle. " She replied.
Harry nodded and asked the question he's been itching to ask since she appeared right in front of their doorstep—without being noticed by the guards manning the gate as he heard from the chattering maids. "How did you get here?"
"Oh, I flew here of course." She replied as though it was the most natural thing to answer.
The young lad openly gaped at her. Flew? He repeated in his mind.
"Didn't your—Uncle Remus, was it? Taught you that Veelas could sprout wings and fly?"
"He did, but I didn't expect you to... I mean, the maids were talking about it.. that they didn't any carriages around so they were baffled about it."
Gabrielle looked thoughtful for a moment. "Their confusion didn't occur to me as I made my way here. I was just so exited to see you again." She giggled.
Harry mentally sighed and then smiled at the older woman. "Please don't raise suspicions about your real identity."
"Okay, I'll keep that in mind." She continued; eyeing Harry as she spoke, "Has your back been hurting?"
"Yes, a bit... how did you know?" Harry asked warily.
Gabrielle only hummed. Okay so she didn't come here to just merely dress up Harry, she had an agenda coming here. She wanted to know about how the young lad was coping with his powers. Gabrielle knew that Oriels needed their elders to teach them basic knowledge about their powers and the changes that will occur. It's the same, as with the Veelas, they need the guidance of an elder to survive. Harry was all alone and unaware of what he is. She knew that she was the closest to an elder Harry could get so she decided to take on that role as best as she can and now's the time to start helping the young Oriel; though she couldn't reveal to him the he's an Oriel, no, not right now.
"So tell me Harry, are you in love with someone?" she teased. Looking as though she never asked the boy that weird question.
Harry wanted to smack his face with his palm but he suppressed the urge to do so as his mind drifted to the blonde he met at the flower festival. His cheeks flushed and his lips curved into a shy smile, though he was unaware of it. This was all the proof Gabrielle Lovegood needed to confirm her suspicions about Harry's mate. She was really relieved that he already had met his mate before his 17th birthday.
"I'll take that as a yes!" she squealed, causing Harry to wake up from his daydream. "Who is it? I insist you tell me!"
Harry's face grew hotter. He cleared his throat before replying, "I don't really know..."
"You don't know what?"
"His name."
"Why?"
"I forgot to ask him.."
Apparently, Gabrielle found it very amusing seeing as she was already laughing her head off. Harry covered his face with his hands in embarrassment as the blonde continued to laugh.
"Gods Harry, I bet you 100 galleons you forgot to ask him since you were very busy staring at him and dreaming about having him as a lover who would shag you every night." She stated as she laughed.
Harry's eyes widened and his hands fell to his lap at the woman's bold statement; his face couldn't get any redder at the moment. "No.." he muttered, "That's not it!"
He never expected that the Madam Lovegood could openly say such—such embarrassing things out loud whilst laughing oh so ungracefully. Really, the woman was full of bloody surprises.
"No need to be shy around me, dear! All of us go through that." She teased, still laughing.
Harry shook his head and sighed in defeat.
Question #1: Lucius killed Harry's parents, but why? Why isn't Harry being raised by Sirius?
Answer: All your questions will be answered in the future chapters, please bear with me here. So far, there are only 5 chapters published so it's safe to say that we're still not even half way through the story. Do not worry, I will explain everything in the future chapters.
Please don't forget to leave a lovely review or a constructive criticism because they really get me going :)
Thank you very much.
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