This chapter is "The other side of the coin," of chapter 78. In chapter 78 Molly and Ginny are called out for their treatment of and attitudes towards Fleur in HBP. In this chapter, Fleur gets called out for being a rude houseguest at Hogwarts when she is criticizing the food and Christmas idea for this chapter did receive a fair few votes in the poll it was an option in, although the idea for chapter 78 was actually what won that poll.
"Zis is nozing," said Fleur dismissively, "At ze Palace of Beauxbatons, we ave these massive ice sculptures all around ze dining camber at Cristmastime. Zey do not melt of course. Zey are like uge statues of diamond. And ze food is simply superb. All zis Ogwarts food is too eavy."
Harry Potter had just overheard Fleur Delacour make these comments.
This wasn't the first time Harry had overheard Fleur talking like this about Hogwarts food and now she was criticizing the Christmas decorations too.
Harry decided it was time to have a chat with Fleur. She was coming across as a rude houseguest and that needed to be brought to her attention.
Harry walked up to Fleur with the pacing of a snail and gently tapped her left shoulder with his left hand from behind.
Fleur turned around and saw Harry.
"Fleur?" asked Harry calmly, "May I have a word?"
"I don't see wy not, "replied Fleur calmly.
"Please follow me to Classroom Eleven, " requested, "That classroom is mostly unused, and people very rarely go into it. We won't be disturbed there. "
"Okay," said Fleur simply and she followed Harry to Classroom Eleven.
"Let's sit down at two desks so that are opposite each other and facing each other," suggested Harry and he and Fleur sat down at two of the desks so that they were opposite each other and facing each other.
"So," Fleur, " explained Harry, " Let's cut to the chase. I don't want to demean you or your character because I do think you are a good person at heart."
"I know I didn't get off to ze best start with you," acknowledged Fleur, "Calling you "little boy-"
"Don't worry, that's water under the bridge," Harry assured her, "However, I have made some concerning observations about your behavior. I don't want to embarrass you in front of everyone, but I do want to try to make your aware of said behavior and help you to understand why it is wrong."
"I'm listening," promised Fleur.
"Since you have been at Hogwarts," began Harry, "I have overheard you on multiple occasions complaining about the Hogwarts food. Today, I overheard you criticizing the Hogwarts Christmas decorations and comparing them unfavorably to those at Beauxbatons."
Fleur said nothing in response to this so Harry continued, "You are coming across at times as a rude houseguest. To put in perspective why you are in the wrong and how you are coming across as unlikable at times, I want you to imagine something."
"Wat is zat?' asked Fleur.
"Imagine that a guest came to Beauxbatons. Imagine that this guest started criticizing and complaining about the food. How would that make you feel? Now imagine that this guest came at Christmastime. Imagine that this guest started criticizing and complaining about the Christmas decorations. How would that make you feel? Finally, imagine how you would feel if this guest compared the food and decorations unfavorably to their own school's food and decorations?"
Fleur stood silently for a few minutes and a few nanoseconds. The look on her face was becoming more and more uncomfortable with each passing nanosecond.
Finally, Fleur spoke up, "I ave been a bitch at times, aven't I?"
"I wouldn't go as far as bitch," said Harry fairly, "But, you have been a brat at times."
"My sister would be asamed of ow I've beaved," said Fleur throatily.
"The whole point of this talk," said Harry calmly, "Is to make your aware of why your behavior has been wrong so that you can correct it. Sometimes the best option is just keeping your mouth shut. I know you can be a person that your sister can be proud of and know that I will welcome the opportunity to meet her if it ever presents itself. "
"Zank you, Arry, " said Fleur gratefully, "You just did me a big favor by bringing zis beavior to my attention and making me see wy I need to nip it in the bud before it becomes abitual. And zank you for not doing it in front of everyone and andling it in a private one on one meeting. I look forward to the day that you meet my sister."
"Nipping it in the bud is exactly the point," confirmed Harry, "I didn't want to embarrass you, but I just wanted to help you nip this issue in the bud and help you become a better person."
Fleur smiled at Harry, feeling an inexpressible sense of gratitude to Harry for bringing the issue to her attention and having the tact to do it in private so that she wouldn't be embarrassed in front of everyone.
"Zank you, Arry, you were rigt to call me out on my rudeness. I will try to cange my beavior and be a more respectful guest ze rest of the time I'm ere at Ogwarts."
Harry and Fleur just smiled at each other.
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