Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any of the intellectual property associated with Harry Potter.

Hi all,

Here is the next chapter. Harry completes the first stage of his workshop, and he goes to the Delacour Mansion for dinner.

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Chapter 14

30th August

"She is beautiful," Harry said in reverence as he viewed the completed workshop. It just seemed appropriate that the building should be personified as a female.

"I am impressed that you finished before the school year started," Minerva said.

"Indeed. Let's just hope your workmanship is not substandard and it comes crashing down around you," Charlus joked.

"That's not going to happen. Hadrian Potter, the future Artisan, will be known not only for his innovation but for his quality as well," Harry boasted.

It was mid-afternoon and he was standing in front of the workshop with his grandparents, showing off the completed building. He would have access to two thousand four hundred square feet of space to work with, which would be more than sufficient for what he needed. There was a lean-to attached to the east side of the building, that he would use for a storage area. He had changed his mind about using it as a second bedroom and kitchen, as the second floor was going to be utilised for that purpose. It had less space than the first floor, due to the gabled roof, but it would be more than enough for his needs.

Harry still needed to paint the exterior, as it made the building look unfinished without it. He still hadn't decided on a colour, but it was a toss-up between red and white. The aesthetics were not part of the task, as far as he was aware, so he didn't need to decide now.

"Are you planning to use your real name to advertise your profession in the future?" Minerva asked.

"That's right," Harry confirmed. "Hadrian sounds a lot more majestic than Harry. No one will take me seriously with a common name like that.'

"It will be your products that convince others to buy them, not your name," Charlus retorted.

"Everything's about selling your brand these days," Harry mocked him. "Get with the times, old man."

That reminded him. He needed to create a symbol that represented him, which he could add to all of his products, like a signature. When people saw it, he wanted them to associate it with excellence. It was unlikely he would create his own Artifacts anytime soon, or sell them for that matter, but it always paid to think ahead.

"Why don't you take us on a tour inside?" Minerva suggested, forestalling an argument between the two males.

Harry nodded enthusiastically. He opened the double doors for his grandparents, and they stepped into the building. The interior of the building was completely open, with the only thing that broke up the uniformity being the stairs against the west wall, leading up to the second floor. The space would be broken up a bit once he started adding crafting stations. He was considering the idea of separating the different stations into different rooms for safety reasons and to avoid cross-contamination. For example, a smithy would get quite dirty, and he would have to install ventilation to prevent smoke from spreading across the workshop.

Harry led his grandparents to the door on the east side of the building, which gave access to the lean-to. The space was big enough to use as a storage area for any materials and tools he owned. He would need to move them over from the shed at some point. Eventually, he would need to add security measures to the workshop as well, but since it was empty at the moment, it wasn't a priority.

"I'm glad that you put the architecture plans I spent so long looking for to good use," Charlus said dryly.

"Was that a compliment?" Harry asked, pretending to clean out his ear. "It's not easy to tell with you. Just tell it to me straight. You are impressed, right?"

"You're such a brat," Charlus chuckled. "Fine, I am impressed with what you have accomplished here. If you put this level of dedication into other areas of your life, I am sure you can achieve anything you want to."

"That's right," Minerva hugged him. "I can't wait to see how well you do with your magical education."

Harry led them up to the second floor, but there wasn't much to see up there. The height of the second floor was inconsistent, as the gabled roof sloped down sharply. Having another bedroom here would be useful for when he was immersed in a project and was too tired to drag himself up to the house.

His grandparents left after the tour, and he was left alone in the building. Now was the perfect time to check out the messages waiting for him. He retrieved the Source and began reading. It was a lot of information to unpack.

The host has built a 2400-square-foot two-storey building.

General Experience + 2500

[Construction 2 Exp + 1250; Dexterity 2 Exp + 1250]

The host has completed a task!

Task #3 - Build a workshop.

Reward: 10000 general experience; 300 Shop Points.

Construction has levelled up to 3!

The host has levelled up twice and reached Level 8!

Level 7 unlocked - Skill: Steady Hands; Item(s): Basic Rune Sequences (Book).

Level 8 unlocked - Feature: New items added to the Magic Emporium; Items (s): Obscuring Sequence schematic.

**Steady Hands [xxxx] - It works alongside Dexterity to provide the host with unparalleled skill when working with his hands. Allows for a greater degree of control when inscribing runes on harder surfaces such as stone or metal. Additionally, it eliminates the risk of developing conditions like tendinitis and reduces the pain caused by prolonged use.

Progress to level 9: 1014/19200

Level 9 Unlocks

Feature: The Host's Workshop

Item(s): Blood Binding Sequence schematic

The host has received some new tasks.

Task #8 - Build crafting stations for the workshop.

Objective: The building has been built, but is not a functioning workshop. Add crafting stations and turn it into a real Artisan Workshop.

Rewards: 1000 general experience; a piece of equipment or tool that is specific to the crafting station - for every station built.

Task #9 - Workshop Decor.

Objective: Decorate and furnish the entire workshop so it looks and feels comfortable to work in. The host may declare it complete at any time but the reward will change depending on the final outcome.

Reward: Variable.

Harry read through the message a few times, amazed at how much he had received for finishing the building. Steady Hands was exactly what he expected. It would help him immensely, synergising well with the Dexterity skill. He will no longer have to suffer so much when inscribing runes for long periods of time.

Turning the page to his inventory, he looked at the new items he received from the level-ups. He flipped through the Basic Rune Sequences book and noticed that there were a lot of sequences that he had already seen. However, there were some new ones that looked interesting. The best thing about this book coming from the Source was that it guaranteed that the Rune Sequences were completely accurate. This meant that they may have an advantage over similar sequences out there, in terms of efficiency and power.

Harry looked at the schematic for the Obscuring Sequence next, which he found a lot more exciting. It was a sequence that could be added to any array to hide its composition from those looking to steal his secrets. If anyone attempted to break through it, it would self-destruct, destroying the entire array in the process. Every Enchanter or Artisan of note had their own type of Obscuring Sequence. Now he had his own, and it came from the Source, so it had to be unique, and couldn't be found elsewhere.

Harry accessed the Magic Emporium to look at the new items added to the store. He now had more Shop Points than he knew what to do with, so hopefully there was something worthwhile to buy.

There were dozens of new items in the store, most of which consisted of magical beast blood, plants and crystals of various types. There was no mistaking its intentions. The Source wanted him to create his own magical ink to inscribe runes. He hadn't given it much thought before because there were already several available to purchase. It made sense, however, that an Artisan must have expertise in this area as well. Maybe the inks found in the store were only average and not the highest quality he could be using.

His attention was drawn to another item he missed on the first browse-through. It was parchment but sized like a playing card. Was this specifically designed for Cards? Did the Source understand his intentions to create something that replicated Gambit's power? Excited, he spent ten shop points to buy a set of one hundred and retrieved them from his inventory.

Taking one of them, he noticed it wasn't parchment, but closer in composition to an actual playing card, but more rigid. He tested the edge with his thumb and found it to be sharper as well. Grinning, he turned to face the wall and held a card between his index and middle fingers. Using this grip was the most comfortable way to throw it. The understanding came naturally, and not from years of practice throwing playing cards to emulate Gambit. Wouldn't that be embarrassing?

He flicked his hand forward, in a backhand motion. The card soared through the air, striking the wall with its face and not the edge, so it didn't stick. There was no doubt that the card was sharp enough to pierce a little way through the wall, he just needed to practice more. Because the card was more rigid, it was also quicker through the air and less likely to lose momentum and flop to the floor.

Harry looked at the set of cards with a pondering expression. If he was planning to emulate Gambit and be an expert at throwing cards, he needed to be an expert at card tricks in general. Thankfully, his Dexterity skill would be helpful in that regard, so all he needed to do was practice. Perhaps he could draw a pattern on the back of them to resemble actual playing cards. He would need to keep the face blank though, so he inscribe the array onto it.

Harry's thoughts were interrupted by another message, so he flipped back to the front of the book, to see that he had received a new task.

Task #10 - Create a Spell Card.

Objective: Inscribe a Spell Array onto a card that activates on touch and can be thrown at a target.

Reward: 500 General Experience.

It was official. The Source approved of his plans and was actively encouraging his efforts by creating tasks centred around them. Harry was amazed by that notion. Although the Source didn't react to outside events, it did respond to his thoughts and intent. Coolest system ever, Harry praised within his mind. Maybe if he did some boot-licking, he would get additional rewards. He waited a few minutes but didn't receive anything.

It was worth a try.

Fawkes flamed into the building and flew in a circle before landing on his shoulder. The Phoenix sent him an image, and there was no way Harry could misinterpret his request.

"I will build you a perch here as well," Harry sighed. Perhaps keeping Fawkes around wasn't worth the trouble.

Later that evening, Harry flooed over to the Delacour Mansion, anxious about meeting Gabrielle's parents for the first time after becoming her boyfriend. Apolline was still recovering from the debilitating effects of the Cruciatus Curse and was convalescing at home with her family. Because she transformed into her harpy form in the midst of being cursed, the side effects had been more severe, so it was taking longer for her to recover.

Harry wasn't sure what they would think of him dating their daughter, or the fact that he had another girlfriend as well. It was not difficult to envision Apolline launching fireballs at him while he fled for his life.

Since his heroics in rescuing Apolline and Fleur, he was granted unlimited access to their Floo address. Considering how security conscious they were at the moment, it was a huge honour. It saved him from trekking through the property in the dark.

Harry emerged from the fireplace in the parlour, to find the two Delacour girls waiting for him. His girlfriend looked amazing, dressed in a white sheath dress that hugged her body delightfully. He was glad that he had dressed up himself in a suit to attend the dinner.

Gabrielle ran forward and hugged him, giving him a brief peck on the cheek. Fleur hugged him as well, although it was more restrained. He had earned her trust wholeheartedly after saving her from the intruders, so they got on well.

"Harry, come on," Gabrielle said, grabbing his hand. "Papa and Maman are already in the dining room. Papa had to help her down the stairs."

"Is she doing better?" Harry asked.

"She is recovering well. It will be another week before she is back to her old self."

"That's great to hear. Did they tell you who was responsible for the attack?"

"Non," Fleur replied, looking upset. "They refuse to say anything. There is something major unfolding behind the scenes, but we don't know what it is."

At the entrance to the dining room, Harry stopped, feeling his stomach churn. Turning around and returning home looked really appealing at this moment.

"What's the matter, Mon beau?" Gabrielle asked, seeing his expression.

"Do they know we are dating?" He asked with trepidation. The answer should be obvious, but there was always hope she hadn't told them.

"I wouldn't hide it from them," Gabrielle replied in amusement.

"Well?"

"Sorry?"

The minx smiled impishly. She knew what he was asking, but she was stringing him along for her entertainment.

"What do they think of us dating?" Harry growled.

Both of the girls laughed, amused by the boy's anxiety about meeting their parents, Well, technically, he had already met Pierre briefly, but Apolline had been incoherent at the time.

"You have nothing to worry about," Gabrielle assured him. "They already like you because of what you did for our family."

"Do they know about Daphne as well?"

"Yes," Fleur said. "Their reaction was…interesting."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Harry questioned, his anxiety rising again.

"Fleur, don't tease him," Gabrielle shook her finger at her sister. "I am the only one who gets to do that."

"You're a riot," Harry grumbled. He took a deep breath and stood up straighter. "All right, let's get this over with."

Upon entering the dining room, they saw the Delacour parents seated at one end of the dining table. Their mother called out a greeting. Apolline's face was slightly pale, but she was still very beautiful, looking just like her daughters. As he approached her, she smiled at him, and he tried not to show how nervous he was feeling.

"Harry, I have heard much about you from Gabrielle," Apolline said. "It feels like I know you already. Would you mind sitting next to me so that we can chat?"

"Hello, Mrs. Delacour," Harry replied. "I would love to sit next to you. I am glad that you are doing better."

"Thank you. Call me, Apolline, please."

Harry sat down on Apolline's right side, wiping his sweaty palms on his knees under the table.

"I would like to thank you for saving both my daughter and myself," Apolline said with a gentle smile. "I can't imagine how devastating it would be if I lost her."

"I was in the right place at the right time," Harry shrugged. "Anyone else would have done the same in my situation."

"Non, I don't think so," Apolline shook her head. "But I will not talk about it anymore since it makes you uncomfortable. Tell me about your Animagus form. I find it incredible that you are a Demiguise."

Apolline led the conversation, touching on several different subjects, and Harry slowly relaxed, which was probably her intention. Pierre chimed in on occasion, but it was apparent that Apolline was the social glue that led most of the conversations at the dinner table.

Harry was served coq au vin stew, a dish of braised chicken in a red wine gravy infused with herbs. It looked fantastic and tasted even better. He tried not to appear uncouth by scoffing it down. His grandmother had been teaching him table etiquette because she thought he was lacking in that department. He used the bread rolls to wipe up every last bit of sauce on his plate, as it was too good to leave any behind. The main course was followed by a refreshing dessert of mango sorbet, which was the perfect ending to the meal.

"That was delicious," Harry said. "Thank you for inviting me."

"You're welcome," Apollione said. "I will tell Marie that you approve of her cooking."

"I guess it's obvious that you don't have house elves," Harry said, looking around as if one might appear. "Since they didn't intervene when the intruders appeared. May I ask why you don't employ them?"

"Because it is akin to slavery," Gabrielle said heatedly, her face twisted in disgust.

"Uh oh, you discovered Gabrielle's sore point," Fleur laughed.

"So you think house elves should be freed?" Harry asked his girlfriend.

"If only it was that easy," Gabrielle frowned. "House elves are so indoctrinated to their way of life, that it will be difficult to convince even one that it is better to be free."

"I met some at the Greengrass Manor," Harry said. "They seemed to be part of the family, and well taken care of."

Gabrielle looked conflicted. "I can understand that not all house-elves are treated badly, but it is still legalised slavery."

"Gabrielle, I need you to take a look at Thibault," Pierre told his daughter. "He has been restless the entire day."

"Thibault?" Harry asked.

"My Bicorn," Gabrielle explained. "He has a pen at the back of the mansion."

Harry suddenly recalled seeing the cow-like creature with huge horns when he performed his rescue. It looked like someone had put it to sleep, but he was too preoccupied at the time to have a closer look.

"Do you want to meet him?" Gabrielle asked with a wicked grin.

"What are you planning?"

"Nothing," she replied innocently.

They excused themselves from the table and headed outside. Once Thibault spotted Gabrielle, he mooed and charged towards the fence. Harry was surprised by how fast the beast could move. Despite his fear that the huge bovine was about to run through the fence, the beast managed to stop himself in time.

Gabrielle hugged the massive Bicorn around her neck, and from over the girl's shoulder, the thing glared at Harry. He had not noticed it before, but the beast had a very human-like face, which was unnerving when it looked like it wanted to devour him. Harry backed up a couple of steps, feeling that he was standing a little too close.

"Harry, why don't you come forward and say hello to Thibault?" Gabrielle released the beast and turned to look at Harry with a mischievous expression.

"I can talk to him just fine from back here," Harry retorted. "Hello, Thibault. It's nice to meet you."

The beast leered at him, and Harry took another step back.

Gabrielle let out pealing laughter. The girl obviously had a screw loose if she derived some pleasure from Harry being threatened like that.

"Thibault is a big softy,' Gabrielle said affectionately. "Papa is not so impressed with him, but he is quite valuable to keep around. He sheds his horns annually, which is one of the ingredients in the Polyjuice Potion. One horn would probably be enough for dozens of potions, so they are in high demand."

"How is it that you came to own a Bicorn?" Harry asked.

"I was exploring the hills behind our estate with my sister a few years ago," Gabrielle said, coming over and stepping into his arms. "We found him alone, hiding inside a bush, terrified. He was only a baby calf at the time, and his mother was nowhere to be seen. I fed him some of my lunch and he followed me home. It was hard to convince my Papa to let me keep him."

"You're too kind," Harry smiled down at her.

What he really wanted to say was that she should have left the beast up in the hills. He had a feeling that the ornery beast was not going to be friends with him anytime soon.

Gabrielle smiled, tilting her head up and kissing him on the lips, surprising him, but in the best way. He responded, returning the kiss tentatively, and she wrapped her arms around his neck, pressing her body against his own. They explored each other's lips for well over a minute. It was awkward at first, as it was obvious that neither of them had any experience, but they improved quickly. He couldn't get over the sensation of her soft lips sliding against his. Then she slipped her tongue into his mouth, and Harry groaned in pleasure.

He was about to respond in kind, but the hairs on the back of his neck stood up on end. Harry quickly let go of Gabrielle and stepped back, feeling an overwhelming sense of danger. Two faces were looking at him with hostility; Thibault and her father. Harry gulped, feeling like he would be eviscerated on the spot.

"Hi Papa," Gabrielle said brightly as if she hadn't just been caught kissing her boyfriend.

"Hi, indeed," Pierre said dryly. "It's getting late. You should go back inside. Harry, can I speak with you in my office?"

Harry followed the man, feeling like he was heading for the gallows. From behind him, Thibault let out a long and drawn-out moo, sounding like he was mocking him. If he never saw the beast again, it would still be too soon.

31st August

The next morning, Harry stepped into the dining room with a grumpy expression on his face. He had just awoken half an hour ago to the bloody menace of a dog sitting on his chest and licking his face. On its own, that was annoying, but his godfather took it to the next level. He stepped into the bathroom to take a shower and found the mirror plastered with photos. They showed numerous angles of the mongrel licking himself. It was disgusting and juvenile, and he wanted so badly to get revenge.

"Hello, godson," Sirius said from the breakfast table. "Top of the morning to you. Isn't it a beautiful day?"

"Go and die," Harry grumbled.

"What did he do?" His grandmother asked in exasperation.

"I don't want to talk about it," Harry replied.

Harry sat down and poured himself a glass of orange juice. It was only as he was about to take a sip that he noticed that there was another guest sitting at the table.

"Hello," the woman said awkwardly.

Harry sent a questioning look at his grandparents, but it was Sirius who answered.

"Harry, this is a friend of mine, Lauren. She is a witch from New York."

"Pleasure," Harry dipped his head. "Why are you hanging out with this mongrel? Did you know he licks himself?"

"I'm well aware," Lauren laughed. "I find it easy to keep him in line when I threaten him with a certain procedure that will ensure he never has kids."

"That's probably a good thing," Harry muttered. "The unfortunate woman pregnant with his offspring would probably pop out a hellhound."

The adults laughed at that, with the exception of his grandmother.

"Harry, that's enough of that kind of talk at the table," Minerva said firmly.

"It's not my fault you invited him to breakfast," Harry protested. "You brought this on yourself."

"Are you looking forward to Hogwarts tomorrow?" Lauren asked smoothly before they could get into an argument.

"I would rather stay at home and work in my workshop," Harry said.

"Harry is a budding Artisan," Charlus explained with a proud expression. "He is very good with his hands. Did you see that building out in the backyard? He built the thing all by himself."

"That's impressive," Lauren smiled at him.

"Sirius and Remus helped," Harry said.

"Please, we only helped a bit while you were grounded," Sirius grinned. "But why are we not talking about your greatest accomplishment?

"Please shut up," Harry groaned.

Sirius ignored him, telling Lauren in great detail about his two girlfriends. Harry wanted to hide under the table, feeling totally embarrassed. He was so going to disown his godfather for sure.

Thankfully, Lauren only laughed it off again, not caring about his love life in the least, and Harry breathed a sigh of relief. He ate his breakfast and watched as she interacted with his grandparents. Judging from his godfather's expression, it looked like he had brought her around to see if they approved of her. It struck Harry at that moment how much his grandparents meant to him. Sirius probably saw them as his adoptive parents, considering that his own family had been awful. Why had he stayed away from his grandmother for so long?

Lauren excused herself to use the bathroom, and Sirus turned to look at Charlus and Minerva with an anxious expression.

"So, what do you think of her?" Sirius asked.

"Sirius, this is not the first time meeting her," Minerva said. "We have already said that we like her, but you don't need our approval. We are allowing her on the secret that Charlus is alive, which should tell you something."

"It's not like you would listen to us if you really liked her," Charlus chuckled. "But from what I have seen of her, she seems like a fine lass. The only mark against her is that she is a reporter. Never did like them."

"That's because you live in England," Sirius said. "The Daily Prophet does not have the best reputation. It is no better than a gossip rag. You don't know any better."

"And I suppose America is better?"

"Well, it depends on the state," Sirius laughed. He turned to his godson. "I wanted to come here and spend some time before you leave for Hogwarts. I am going to take you outside and show you the joy of flying. I can't have you biased when it's time to have your first flying lesson."

"An old man flying on a broom," Harry mused. "There is a possibility that you may fall off and suffer an injury as a result. The temptation is too great to resist."

"Were the photo's too much?" Sirius asked innocently.

"Go to hell. I don't want to even know who took them for you. They are as depraved as you are."

After breakfast, his grandmother stood up, preparing to leave.

"Harry, I will be moving into my quarters at Hogwarts today," Minerva informed him. "So, you won't be seeing me tonight. I have to prepare for tomorrow. I will see you at the Welcoming Feast."

"Okay."

"Have you packed your trunk?"

"Not yet."

"Don't leave it to the last moment, please," Minerva sighed, leaving the dining room.

Sirius led Harry and Lauren outside after breakfast. Harry carried his broom, but he wasn't sure if he would try to fly himself. He stood next to Lauren as his godfather mounted his broom and soared into the air. Sirius flew around the yard, gradually increasing his speed.

Harry took out the runic cards that he had decorated with the help of his grandmother. They now looked like an ordinary deck of playing cards. He started moving a card around on his hand, learning some basic movements. As he became more proficient, he would gradually increase the difficulty.

"Are you a card hustler now?" Lauren teased.

"As if," Harry grinned. "It helps train my dexterity, which helps a lot when it comes to inscribing runes."

"That's a great idea," Lauren agreed. "Someone so young who is already so dedicated to their path is quite rare to see."

"Harry, look at this!" Sirius shouted. He flipped over and flew the broom upside down.

"He is going to start pouting if you don't pay attention to him."

"I'm still watching him."

Fawkes and Hedwig appeared and flew around Sirius as he started doing some more elaborate stunts, trying to impress his godson. Harry suddenly had an idea to get back at his godfather, and he called out to Fawkes, who came flying down and landed on his shoulder.

"I have a bag of fruit candy with your name on it if you do something for me," Harry said to Fawkes.

Fawkes trilled, nodding in agreement. Harry whispered his plan to the Phoenix, who let out another trill that conveyed amusement. He approved the plan. Fawkes flew off Harry's shoulder and stayed close to Sirius, waiting for the right moment.

"What are you planning?" Lauren asked.

"Just some revenge for this morning," Harry smirked.

Sirius flew down and hovered a few metres above the ground. grinning from ear to ear. "Did you see that? After that stunt, let's see if you call me old again."

Fawkes made his move. His talons landed on Sirius's shoulders and gripped them tightly, before flaming the two of them away. Sirius didn't even have time to react.

"Where did you send him?" Lauren asked, looking amused.

"Somewhere very cold," Harry replied.

"How long are you going to punish him for?"

"Until he learns his lesson."

"So, never?"

"Probably," Harry laughed. Let's see if Sirius tried to prank him again when he had a Phoenix that could flame travel hundreds of kilometres away in an instant. A bag of candy was a small price to pay in return for some peace of mind.

He returned to his house to ask his grandfather for permission to travel to Diagon Alley. He needed to get some last-minute items before leaving tomorrow for Hogwarts. He was a little excited to go to school, even though he would prefer to stay home and work on his skills. At least he would have Daphne with him.

So, what do you think? It's all aboard the Hogwarts Express in the next chapter.

Thanks for reading.