Not for the first time in his short life, Harry Potter couldn't help but wonder what sort of sins he had committed in his past life that had led him to find himself once again in such a horrible situation.
Earlier today, Harry woke up with a terrifying realization that he could very well meet his demise in the second task of the Triwizard Tournament. Since discovering the clue within the dragon egg, Harry and his best friends had scoured every nook and cranny of the library, trying to find a solution that would grant him the ability to breathe underwater for a full hour. Unfortunately, despite all of their best efforts, they couldn't find anything. Harry had almost lost all hope when an unlikely savior emerged from the shadows. Dobby, the free house elf, arrived on the scene with a twinkle in his eye and a bundle of Gillyweed in his tiny hands. It was a moment of sheer astonishment for Harry as he struggled to recall a time when he had experienced such overwhelming gratitude towards another being since Hagrid had introduced him to magic.
Forty-five minutes later and well over halfway through the second task, Harry thought that things had gone surprisingly well for him. By a simple stroke of luck, he had been the first among the champions to reach the Merpeople village where the hostages were being held in an enchanted sleep. Right then and there, Harry could have left with Ron if he wanted to win the task, but he couldn't abandon Hermione and Cho while they were so vulnerable underwater, not to mention the small girl who he was certain was Fleur's younger sister Gabrielle. In the end, Harry decided to wait there until the rest of the champions arrived and left with their "hostages."
When Harry first arrived at the Merpeople's village, there were over a dozen warriors standing guard beside the hostages. However, as time passed and Cedric and Krum arrived and left with their hostages, most of them grew bored by the lack of any action and returned to their homes. After the guards' departure, Harry was left to his own devices until a few curious Merpeople children arrived to keep him company. Unperturbed by the presence of humans in their midst, the kids chased each other in the water, playfully hitting each other with their small tridents. Harry watched all of this with amusement as he waited for Fleur to come and rescue her sister. Unfortunately, things suddenly took a turn for the worse. Unnoticed by Harry, one of the Merpeople children approached Fleur's miniature clone and playfully poked her hand with his trident.
Unlike the merpeople, Gabrielle didn't have hardened skin. As a result, the prongs of the trident stabbed into her skin, causing her to start bleeding. Sensing she was in danger, her accidental magic exploded out of her body in a wave of red-hot fire and blasted the person who had harmed her. The small merpeople child let out a painful scream and collapsed on the lake floor, badly burned. The rest of the Merpeople children shouted in alarm as their friend was hurt, attracting the attention of the village. Harry watched nervously as more and more merpeople started coming out of their homes, heading towards the sound of their children's cries with urgency. A few seconds later, they arrived at the scene of the incident, and their grips on their weapons tightened in anger as they took one look at their fallen child, and started hissing and pointing accusingly at Harry.
As he gazed at their angry faces, Harry realized, with a slight shiver, that it wasn't safe for him to remain there any longer. Clutching his wand tightly in his hand, he cast a powerful Shield Charm, creating a protective bubble around Ron and Fleur's sister. Filled with renewed determination, Harry grabbed hold of the two hostages and propelled himself upward, exerting all his strength by kicking off from the lake floor. The Merpeople observed his actions and launched themselves at him, their movements graceful and swift.
As the first merperson lunged at him with a trident, Harry sidestepped, narrowly avoiding the lethal strike. He retaliated with a stunning spell, causing the merperson to convulse and sink beneath the murky depths. However, there was no time to celebrate this small victory.
Two more merpeople closed in, their eyes burning with fury. Harry twirled his wand, conjuring a powerful Impediment Jinx that sent one merperson hurtling backward, momentarily stunned. Seizing the opportunity, he ducked beneath the other merperson's attack, narrowly escaping the razor-sharp trident that sailed through the water where his head had just been.
Harry's heart pounded in his ears as he continued his desperate swim to the surface, with Ron and Gabrielle alongside him. Meanwhile, the merpeople regrouped, their rage fueling their pursuit. The water around him churned with their vicious attacks, their tridents slicing through the liquid like deadly serpents. Harry deflected their strikes as best he could, but unfortunately, he also suffered occasional hits. Harry grimaced at the impact, but luckily, Ron and Gabrielle remained unharmed due to his Shield Charm.
After what felt like hours, Harry finally broke through the surface, gasping for air desperately. From the corner of his eye, he saw Ron and Gabrielle emerge right beside him, coughing and spluttering. Harry sighed in relief, realizing they were all safe now. However, their respite was short-lived. The merpeople, enraged by their escape, launched themselves out of the water, their bodies arching gracefully through the air as they hurtled toward Harry.
Fueled by a surge of adrenaline, Harry pushed Ron and Gabrielle away from him as he turned to face the bloodthirsty merpeople. But fortunately for him, he didn't have to fight any longer as Professor Dumbledore summoned him straight from the water to the champions' deck. Harry sighed in relief, realizing he was safe now. Lying on the ground, he could see Professor Dumbledore saying something to him, but he couldn't catch what it was as he passed out from exhaustion.
Harry woke up a few hours later, his body feeling sore everywhere. He slowly opened his eyes, squinting against the bright white lights that flooded his vision. He blinked a few times, trying to make sense of his surroundings. As his vision cleared, he realized he was lying in a comfortable hospital bed. The sterile smell of antiseptic filled his nostrils, and the low hum of magical diagnostic spells echoed in his ears.
"Where am I?" Harry muttered, his voice hoarse.
A soft, soothing voice responded from beside him, "You're in the hospital wing, Potter. You gave us quite a scare."
Harry turned his head and saw Madam Pomfrey, the school nurse, standing next to him, wearing her usual stern expression softened by concern.
"Madam Pomfrey?" Harry croaked, his throat parched.
The nurse quickly poured a glass of water and handed it to him. Harry took a grateful sip, feeling the cool liquid soothe his dry throat.
"What happened?" Harry asked, his memory slowly returning. "The merpeople... they attacked me."
Harry's mind raced as he tried to recall the events that had led to his current predicament. He remembered diving into the icy waters of the Black Lake, the swirling depths, and the looming shadows of the merpeople. Then, a sudden flash of memory hit him like a tidal wave – the merpeople attacking him mercilessly, their sharp tridents slicing into his body as he desperately tried to return to the surface with Ron and Gabrielle.
Harry sat up straight in bed with a start as he recollected everything. "Madam Pomfrey, where are Ron and Gabrielle? Are they alright? Did they get hurt?" he asked her in desperation.
Madam Pomfrey gently pushed Harry on the chest, urging him to lie back down. "Both of them are fine, Potter. I have already examined them. Now, lie down so I could finish treating you."
Her words finally allowed Harry to relax and with a tired sigh, he lay back down in the hospital bed. "Good. That's good," he said softly.
Madam Pomfrey sighed in relief as she could finally resume her examination. While poking and prodding Harry's body for any signs of internal injuries, she decided to ask him a question, "What happened in the lake, Potter? Why were the Merpeople attacking you with so much fury?"
Harry rubbed his temple as he was reminded of that fiasco. For a moment, he could still not believe how the situation had gotten out of hand so quickly. One moment everything was fine, and the next, all hell had broken loose.
"Well, what was it, Potter? What did you do?" prompted Madam Pomfrey when Harry didn't answer her question.
Harry released a weary sigh and told the matron everything that went down in the lake. As he finished his story, he waited for her to sympathize with him but instead, she started to chuckle. "Only you, Potter. Only you can have such bad luck," she said, shaking her head in amusement.
Harry scowled as the medi-witch laughed at his expense. "You're not being nice, Madam Pomfrey," he complained to her, his voice filled with hurt.
In response to Harry's words, Madam Pomfrey quickly stopped laughing and composed herself, returning to her usual stern demeanor. "You're right, Potter," she apologized softly. "That was wrong of me. I promise it won't happen again."
Harry nodded, grateful for once to receive an apology from someone. Normally, people didn't seem to care whether their actions hurt his feelings or not. However, he wasn't truly upset with Madam Pomfrey. He knew she was only joking after all. "It's alright, ma'am. You weren't exactly wrong either. I do have the worst sort of luck," he said with a small chuckle, reassuring her to make sure she didn't feel too bad.
Madam Pomfrey gave him a fond smile in return. Embarrassed, Harry coughed into his fist and decided to quickly change the subject. "So, what happened after I lost consciousness, Madam Pomfrey?" he asked her curiously. "I remember someone pulling me out of the water, but I don't know what happened afterward."
Madam Pomfrey's expression turned grim as she answered his question. "Well, that was Professor Dumbledore, Potter," she replied. "He pulled you out of harm's way while the rest of us were still reeling from the Merpeople's attack. He quickly ensured you were safe and not in any danger and then had a conversation with Merchieftainess Murcus. Fortunately, he managed to calm him down and convinced him that the incident was an accident."
Harry sighed with relief as he realized the Headmaster had everything under control. For a moment, he had worried that he might have started a war with the Merpeople, but luckily nothing of the sort had happened. Feeling pleased with this good news, he looked down at himself and winced upon seeing the numerous injuries he had acquired during today's adventure.
Madam Pomfrey paused her checkup, following Harry's gaze, and looked down at him sympathetically. "Don't worry, Potter, I'll make sure you're back to normal in no time at all," she said gruffly.
Harry groaned slightly as the matron then forced a large vial of potion into his hand.
"Do I really have to drink this, Madam Pomfrey?" he asked the matron in a whiny voice.
"Yes, unless you want to expose yourself to an infection, Potter," Madam Pomfrey answered firmly. "Some of the Merpeople are known to coat their weapons with poison, so we must ensure that you don't have anything dangerous in your system," she explained absentmindedly, waving her wand over his injuries to clean them of dirt or anything else unhygienic that could hinder his recovery. Once she was certain that his wounds were properly cleaned, she unscrewed the lid of a small bottle and replaced it with a stopper. She then used it to apply a few drops of the healing potion to his wounds and observed as it began to take effect.
Harry stared in astonishment as his skin started to knit together, leaving barely any scars or signs of injury. Once again, he felt his mind blown away by the power of magical medicine.
Madam Pomfrey nodded in satisfaction as Harry's wounds sealed up perfectly. She then looked down at him with a raised eyebrow and gestured toward the potion in his hand.
Harry groaned, realizing there was no getting out of this. He knew without a doubt that Madam Pomfrey would force him to drink this potion whether he wanted to or not. Resigned, he unstoppered the vial and downed the lime green liquid in one go.
Harry grimaced and made gagging noises as he tasted rotten eggs on his tongue. For the life of him, he couldn't understand why all potions had to taste so bad. Shuddering in disgust, he handed the vial back to the matron.
"Good job, Potter," Madam Pomfrey nodded, satisfied, as she inspected the potion vial to ensure it was completely empty. Once she was certain that Harry had fully drunk the potion, she pocketed it and then used her wand to dim the lights in the hospital wing. "Now, try to get some sleep. Your body still needs a good night's rest to heal properly."
Having delivered her instructions, she turned on her heels and left the hospital wing.
Harry tried to follow Madam Pomfrey's advice and closed his eyes to go to sleep. But unfortunately for some reason, sleep eluded him for the next couple of hours as he tossed and turned in his bed. Eventually, he decided to give it up as a bad job and sat up straight in bed, propping his back against the pillows. Harry briefly considered sneaking back to his dormitory in the Gryffindor tower but swiftly abandoned the idea upon noticing the pain coursing through his body. It felt like tiny pins and needles were stabbing into his body.
Fortunately, Harry's attention was diverted from the pain when he heard the door creak open. Glancing at the small clock on his bedside table, he noticed that it was almost two o'clock in the morning. For a moment, excitement surged through Harry's body as he speculated that Ron must be visiting him to provide him company. However, to his disappointment, it wasn't his redheaded best friend.
Harry's eyebrows shot up in surprise when an unknown woman entered the hospital wing. Although he had never met her before, she appeared strangely familiar to him. Intrigued, he carefully studied her face and came to the conclusion that she bore a striking resemblance to Fleur. There was no doubt that she possessed the same facial structure and stunning deep blue eyes that he had come to associate with his fellow Triwizard champion. Not to mention her strikingly similar silvery-blonde hair, which seemed to be radiating with an inner glow just like Fleur's. Overall, if Harry had to wager, he would say she was most likely Fleur's mom.
As Harry observed her, the unknown woman glanced around the empty hospital wing and froze in place when she noticed him sitting up in bed. However, she quickly composed herself and started walking towards him until she stood before his bed.
"Monsieur Potter, my name is Apolline Delacour. I am Fleur's maman," she said, introducing herself. "I was wondering if I could have a few moments of your time?" she asked politely.
Harry smiled happily as his guess turned out to be correct. This woman was indeed Fleur's mother, just as he had thought. However, soon his happiness turned to confusion as he wondered what she was doing here in the middle of the night.
"It's nice to meet you, ma'am. I'm Harry. Please, have a seat," Harry told her, gesturing to the visitor's chair beside his hospital bed.
Mrs. Delacour gave him a grateful nod and sat down in the empty chair. She then folded her hands over her lap and took a deep breath. In the meanwhile, Harry kept quiet and allowed her the opportunity to collect her thoughts before she was ready to speak.
Finally, Fleur's mother opened her mouth and looked Harry in the eyes, "I know you must be wondering why I'm 'ere, Monsieur Potter," she started softly. "Well, the answer is, I'm 'ere to thank you. You saved my daughter from danger by putting yourself at risk, and I'll always be grateful to you for that."
Harry felt his cheeks grow hot at her words, and he ducked his head down. "It's alright, ma'am. I'm sure anybody else would've done the same in my place," he protested feebly.
Mrs. Delacour, however, shook her head in response. "No, that's not true, Monsieur Potter. After all, there were two more champions in the lake who left with their own hostages, no? But, it was only you who stayed behind to ensure my little Gaby was perfectly safe."
Harry felt uncomfortably warm under the collar as Fleur's mum looked at him as if he was a hero. "I-It was nothing, ma'am. I just did what was right," he stammered in reply.
Mrs. Delacour gazed at Harry with admiration in her eyes. "That just proves you're a very good person, 'Monsieur Potter," she told him seriously. However, suddenly her demeanor changed, and she became anxious all of a sudden. Harry watched as she nervously bit her lips while shooting him furtive glances. "Is something the matter, Mrs. Delacour?"
Fleur's mother drew in a shuddering breath as she hesitantly answered him, "I've already said that I'm very grateful for what you did, Monsieur Potter. And, I am. But unfortunately, there was an unintended consequence of your actions."
Harry waited for her to elaborate further, but she remained silent. Frustrated, he looked at her with a raised eyebrow and asked, "What is it, Mrs. Delacour?"
Mrs. Delacour released a tired sigh as she explained to Harry, "Magic works in mysterious ways, Monsieur Potter," she began. "But one thing everyone knows is that it keeps track of whenever a person provides great service to another individual. Magic ensures that the individual repays 'is debt somehow. And since you saved my Gaby's life, she now owes you a life debt. 'er magic would compel 'er to repay 'er debt in some manner."
Harry was aghast as he listened to Fleur's mum's explanation. "M-Mrs. Delacour, believe me, I had no idea this would happen," he desperately said, hoping against hope that she would believe him.
Mrs. Delacour raised her hands to him in a pacifying manner. "I know you didn't intend for it to 'appen, Monsieur Potter," she quickly reassured Harry. "In fact, it's nobody's fault actually. It's just 'ow magic works."
Harry relaxed a little as he realized Fleur's mum didn't blame him for this. However, his focus quickly shifted to far more important matters as he considered his next step. "Isn't there any way to release Gabrielle from her debt?" he asked Mrs. Delacour. "Surely there must be something."
Upon hearing Harry's words, Mrs. Delacour lost all her anxiety, and a wide smile appeared on her beautiful face. "There is, Monsieur Potter. There is," she informed him with an energetic nod of her head. "If you say that you forgive Gaby's life debt and really mean it, then 'er magic would consider it as sufficient payment."
Harry couldn't believe it was so simple. For a moment, he struggled to understand why Fleur's mum had been so worried. However, his eyes narrowed in anger as he quickly realized the reason. "You thought I wouldn't forgive Gabrielle's life debt?" he asked her, his tone accusing.
Mrs. Delacour blushed and looked down at her feet. "I'm sorry, Monsieur Potter. But I 'ad no idea what you were truly like."
Harry grumbled to himself, not fully satisfied with her apology. "I'm not the person the Daily Prophet makes me out to be, Mrs. Delacour. I'm not selfish and neither do I seek glory," he informed her curtly. However, to further prove just how wrong she was about him, he closed his eyes and concentrated hard. 'I forgive Gabrielle Delacour's life debt to me.' he repeated that thought to himself over and over again until a snapping noise resonated inside his head.
Harry opened his eyes and noticed Fleur's mother smiling happily at him. "You did it, Monsieur Potter. You really did it. Oh, 'ow can I ever repay you?"
In response, Harry shook his head. "I don't need anything, ma'am. As I said before, it was the right to do."
Mrs. Delacour scrutinized Harry closely, her gaze searching his face for any signs of deception. "Hmmm. You're telling the truth," Her voice was filled with surprise as she finished studying his face after a few moments. "You truly don't want anything in return."
Harry wondered if he should feel insulted by her surprised tone. Even after everything that had happened, she still doubted him. Not for the first time, Harry cursed Rita Skeeter and her poisoned quill for writing that blasted article about him, wondering just how many people had she influenced against him with her words.
Suddenly, a wave of fatigue washed over Harry. He glanced at Fleur's mum and noticed a regretful expression on her face, suggesting that she too had realized her words could be seen as insulting. "Mrs. Delacour, I believe I would appreciate some rest now," he politely informed her.
Harry's words spurred Fleur's mum into action, and she quickly jumped to her feet. "Of course, Monsieur Potter," she said hurriedly, not meeting his eyes. "And once again, thank you for everything."
As Harry nodded back absentmindedly, another wave of pain hit him. He hissed in discomfort and clutched his side.
Fleur's mum didn't miss his reaction and she leaned down towards him in concern. "Are you in pain, 'Arry?" she asked, her eyebrows creased together in worry.
For a moment, Harry considered lying, but he ultimately chose to tell her the truth. "Yeah, I believe it's the potion that Madam Pomfrey gave me to heal my injuries. I was supposed to be sleeping so that my body could heal, but I simply couldn't fall asleep."
Mrs. Delacour cooed and patted him on the head. "Oh, you poor thing," she said in sympathy. "And you've been in pain this entire time?"
Harry couldn't help but feel weird as she ran her fingers through his hair. However, a part of him was also really enjoying it and didn't want her to stop. "I-It wasn't much for me to handle, Mrs. Delacour," he told her in a slightly shaking voice, putting up a strong front.
"Oh, you're such a strong boy," Fleur's mom praised Harry while continuing to while his soft, raven hair. "But still, you need to go to sleep in order to 'elp your body recover." She then gazed into the distance, deep in thought. After almost a minute, she returned her gaze to Harry and asked hesitantly, "I have an idea to 'elp you relax, 'Arry. Would you like to 'ear it?"
Harry couldn't help but notice the blush on Mrs. Delacour's face as she asked her question. "Okay. What is it?" he asked slowly.
Instead of answering his question, Fleur's mum climbed onto his bed and sat down beside him, leaning back against the propped-up pillows. Harry remained still as a statue, shocked beyond words as she placed her hand on his crotch and gently squeezed his soft cock over his pajamas.
When Harry finally recovered from his shock, he opened his mouth to say something, but Mrs. Delacour stopped him, placing a finger on his lips. "Shhh!" she whispered softly. "Let me do this, 'Arry, darling. It's the least I can do after everything you've done for my daughter. Plus, it will 'elp you relax so that you could go to sleep."
Harry had no clue what he was supposed to say in response to that, so he shut his mouth with a loud click. Mrs. Delacour beamed and affectionately patted him on the cheek. "Good boy," she told him happily.
A.N.
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