Summary: Taylor gets tired of listening to a ghost talk about goblins, and seeks the council of a veela regarding a centaur.

Teacher's Pet 03

As I knocked on the half-open door to Fleur's office, I heard a resonating chime echo back out into the halfway. I chuckled, the corners of my lips lifting at the casual use of magic. Why put up a doorbell when you can just magic the whole door into being a doorbell? Wizards.

Not that it wasn't cool. It was awesome. I was totally going to steal that trick if I was here long enough to own my own house.

Did I want to be here long enough to own my own house?

Lisette ran from one shoulder to the other, patting my neck as she stopped roving, her quiet coos completely unintelligible. I didn't bother reminding her to try speaking English though, there wasn't much point. She wasn't actually talking, she was just trying to reassure me. How the girls constantly knew my mood I still hadn't figured out, even weeks later. The link I had with them was supposed to be one-way. They could call my attention if they pulled on my control hard enough, but they shouldn't be able to sense my emotions or thoughts like I could with theirs.

Ah well, more magic. Maybe if Hagrid was ever free I could talk to him about it. He seemed like the person most likely to at least have a theory, considering he was the resident acromantula expert and all.

"Come in!"

At Fleur's invite, I strode inside, pushing the door closed behind me and dropping into the chair in front of her desk. Fleur raised her eyebrows at me, folding her arms and leaning forward to rest on the desk. "Taylor! Welcome to my office 'ours!" She gestured around the empty room, rolling her eyes. "As you can see, zere is no one else interested in seeking 'elp, so my time is all yours! As is only right for such a pretty young woman."

I felt my cheeks heat up and Lisette cooed again, twirling in place. "I really wish you wouldn't do that so much."

"What? Compliment you?"

"Yeah."

Fleur frowned, her eyes narrowing as she breathed out. "Taylor, do you actually want me to stop teasing you, or are you just complaining because you are not used to zese sorts of comments? It is very 'ard to tell wiz you and I don't want to cross lines you are not comfortable with."

"I can't believe I need a safeword for casual conversation," I groaned. "Is this what my life has turned into? Am I really that insecure?"

"I can just stop if it makes you zat uncomfortable," Fleur said. "But you are very attractive, and considering you don't believe it yourself, ze more you 'ear it, ze more likely you are to per'aps believe it one day."

I shook my head. "No, it's fine. Emma just got into my head more than I had realized. How about this, if I ever say 'Fleur, apples,' then just knock it off at that point."

"You are so very strange," Fleur said, though there wasn't any rebuke in the statement and she was smiling again. "Very well. I will abide by your safe word convention. You deviant."

I groaned. "Low blow, Fleur."

She shrugged. "Maybe. So, why are you invading my office 'ours? Considering zere has been gossiping in my recent classes, I'm guessing you have not spoken with Daphne yet?"

Lisette pushed herself up to her full height. That the girls hadn't grown much beyond the size of small dinner plates was a bit strange, but not something I was concerned with. Another thing to ask Hagrid about. "Mother has been looking for 'The Right Time'!"

Fleur nodded. "I see. We will 'ave to engineer zis time for her zen. Can I trust you and your sisters for 'elp?"

"Yes!"

I put my hand in front of Lisette. "Thank you so much for conspiring with my daughters against me. It's very much appreciated."

"You are most welcome." I just glared at her. She completely ignored me. She would learn. "Seriously zough, what did you want to talk about, Taylor?"

I sighed, leaning back in the chair and staring at the ceiling as I idly twisted my ring. "I'm bored so I figured I would come get your advice while you were free."

Fleur's eyebrows rose again and she stared at me quietly for several seconds. "Bored?"

"Yeah."

"You are raising acromantulas, I am all but certain ze doxies and pixies somehow see you as zeir leader, and now zat ze toad 'as left, you can audit classes wizout fear of prejudice. You 'ave no magical background, 'ow are you bored?"

I just stared at her. "I really want to know that too. You would think a class entirely devoted to wars with goblins, taught by a literal ghost, would be entertaining, but nope. It is almost impossible to stay awake if I try to audit that course. I can't even sit in on Astoria's class while Daphne's there; she has a free period and I don't want to bother her while she's doing homework."

Fleur stared back, barely blinking. "I wasn't aware 'ogwarts 'ad a Goblin 'istory course." She grabbed a large planner and dragged it in front of her, flipping it open, and glanced up to meet my eyes. "Daphne is in Slytherin, no?"

"That's right."

"… 'istory of Magic. Zis should be a general 'istory class."

I shook my head, Lisette following along, but wiggling her whole body in imitation. "I don't know what to tell you, Fleur. It's been over two months and Binns hasn't taught anything except goblin revolutions, or revolts, or wars."

Fleur snapped her planner closed, her eyes slitted. "I will sit in on one of zese classes myself and speak with Dumbledore. I am sure ze 'istory 'ere is different zan France, but certainly zere are not enough Goblin Wars to encompass two months of instruction."

Lisette pushed herself as tall as she could, trilling, "The Hermione stated that is all the course work! For all years!"

I chuckled as I reached up to poke at one of her legs. "Not 'the Hermione', just 'Hermione,' Lisette. You don't need articles when talking about a person."

"Yes, Mother!"

Fleur shook her head. "I don't zink I will ever get used to zat. Zey are razer adorable despite knowing how titanic zey will become." Fleur trailed off, biting a finger as she stared at Lisette. "Isn't she a bit small now zough?"

"And tingly!" Lisette chirped.

I shrugged at Fleur's arched eyebrows. "Yeah I haven't figured out what they mean by that either yet. The growth thing is a part of why I have a meeting with Hagrid. The books I've found do say they should be larger, but the books are all focused on males, so I have no idea. I'm hoping Hagrid might have more information. Subject matter expert and all, right?"

"I would assume so, I have not spoken to ze man much. It is… awkward." She winced, casting her eyes to the side as her gaze unfocused. "You were not 'ere last year. 'agrid and my old 'eadmistress became… involved."

"Ah."

"I stumbled across zem during one of zeir trysts."

I blinked, trying not to imagine that scene. "I really hope there were potions or spells or something involved. He seems nice enough, but yikes."

Fleur shook herself. "Oh, no, Madame Maxime is also part giant. Zere is minimal size difference. It was more, hmm, what is ze English phrase… like seeing your parents slapping the bed?"

I frowned, trying to work that one out. "I have no idea what expression you're reaching for, Fleur, but I get the idea. Metaphor is not needed."

"English. Such a useless language," she muttered. "Ze point is, it was not a pleasant experience."

"Says the woman who has not stopped flirting with me since she saw me," I replied, crossing my arms. Lisette settled down, doing her best to cross her front forelegs and loom. It was adorable.

"You have not said apples yet!" Fleur crowed, her usual spunk back even as I rolled my eyes. "But we digress. What did you want my advice on? Certainly it was not ze 'istory course. And considering you 'ave still not spoken with your charge…" She trailed off and I grimaced.

"Yeah, I'm working on it." Any excuse I could give would be incredibly lame, and we both knew that. I also knew it was only a matter of time before I had to sort myself out and actually confront myself. Confront Daphne.

"I really want advice on how to talk to the centaurs. Hermione said that there was bad blood between them and the acromantulas, so I want to introduce the girls to the locals. But I could use some tips on a good approach."

Fleur leaned back, her gaze settling on Lisette. "One magical creature to another?"

"Pretty much."

"Don't insult their intelligence. Don't insult their personhood. Don't imply zeir magic is less zan 'uman magic. Lean on whatever you are pretending to be." She held up a hand, cutting off my protest. "I am not a fool. Parahumans certainly exist, you're obviously not lying about zat, but you are not a magical creature. What you are do is something… different. Intriguing. Magical, but not magic."

I leaned forward, resting my elbows on the table, allowing myself a small smirk. "I think I figured out why I like you and don't mind talking to you at all. You really are a lot like my friend back home."

"Oh?"

"You're a gadfly, Fleur. You needle for reactions but, unlike her, know when to back off. You're also far more intelligent and observant than most people would assume from your looks. The main difference between the two of you is that she constantly has to remind everyone she's the smartest one in the room, whereas you strategically lash out like a whip when people least expect it."

"One cannot be beautiful and intelligent?" Fleur asked, dramatically tossing her blonde hair over her shoulder and thrusting her chin up in the air.

"My mom would have said: men certainly don't think so."

We both stared at each other for a long moment before bursting out laughing.

Lisette ran from one shoulder to the other, patting my neck with one of her legs. "Mother, I do not understand."

"I'll explain it when you're older. It's just a joke."

Fleur for her part shook her head, her laughter petering off. "Do not feel you need to explain your origins to me, Taylor. We are friends. Tell me when you feel comfortable doing so. Or don't. I will not deny being curious, but I 'ave far too few friends to lose one over a foolish matter like zat."

"I'll keep that in mind."

"Good," she said. Then she shook her finger at me. "But! Most importantly! Do not lie to ze centaurs. Zey are mean. Nearly all 'erds of centaurs are mean, and if you lie to zem, you will lose any credibility you 'ave. You need not say everything, but do not lie. And do not belittle their divinations. Zeir magic is strange, but it tends towards ze accurate. Wizards and witches are stupid. Zey forget zat just because a centaur likes flowery language, zey do know what zey are talking about and zeir predictions tend to come true more often zan not."

"Okay. That helps a lot." I stood, pushing the chair in and started towards the door. As I grasped the knob, I twisted enough to meet her gaze again. "Oh, I almost forgot, if you're interested in stopping by, Harry and Daphne have managed to get their Defense club set up finally. The first meeting is —"

"Tonight, yes." Fleur smirked, chuckling. "You are out of ze know! I am zeir faculty advisor. Myself and Flitwick."

"Oh. Well, that works."

"I zink Dumbledore is going to be stopping by as well. Perhaps we can have a bit of a mock battle, no? It would be fun!"

She probably meant it as a joke, but she wasn't wrong. And I really did need to test my skills against a real wizard. I needed to know where I stood against the more competent people in this world and I needed to know before I was thrown into the middle of a real fight for my life. A duel could be the perfect opportunity.

"I think I might just take you up on that, Fleur. See you tonight." I stepped into the hall, Lisette's small cries of encouragement buoying me on.

I needed to gather my swarm. I had a headmaster to prepare for.