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Bold = Parseltongue
November 19, 1994
"That was an absolutely wonderful meal, Harry. Thank you for sharing with me," Alice said, one of her hands taking hold of his while Lucretia brushed past the pair of them.
When she was a couple of feet away and nearly outside of the building, she tossed a remark over her shoulder. "What Alice said. Thanks for paying too, you've got some good manners despite being so shy."
Alice tutted at the other girl and tightened her grip around his hand. "I have said this to you so many times," She prefaced as she leaned closer, her tone dropping to a whisper so the other girl couldn't hear what she said next. "Do not mind Lucretia's manners. She's ever so abrasive, but under that, I promise you she can be quite adorable."
Harry smiled and nodded, his gaze on the older girl's lips rather than his mind taking notice of what she said in any real sort of understanding. That bugged him too, for even as he felt his mind wandering whilst within her presence, there was nothing he could do to stop it from doing so. Still, he felt as if it wasn't as horrible as it could potentially be — he wasn't sure why that was, but there was just something about the effect she had on him that made him know it could be worse.
Well, that or he was going absolutely mental.
"Where to next, then?" Lucretia asked impatiently, an eyebrow raised when her eyes saw their connected hands.
Alice raised her nose at the look, then she turned her attention back to Harry, her visage morphing back into one of affection and happiness. "Did you have anywhere else that you would like to take us, Harry? We are yours to lead today," Alice's voice turned sweet with a hint of honey in it, "That's a wonderful thing for one as cute as you, no?"
"You're laying it on really thick now, aren't you?" Lucretia asked, her hands on her hips as she stared at her friend.
Alice winked at Harry, her fingers stroking the back of his hand so softly that such a simple action alone was enough to make him blush more than her words did. "I'm laying it on no thicker than I always do while he's with us. Would you rather I have him worried and anxious thanks to your egregious behaviour, Cretia?"
"He wouldn't be half as bothered by my 'abrasiveness' as you like to call it if it weren't for your smothering affection," Lucretia said petulantly, stepping closer to the pair of them and clasping one of her larger hands around each of theirs, pulling on them until they were moving with her. "See? He's not bothered by me half as much as you think he is. Really, Alice, It's like I said a few days ago. I like to talk a lot and he likes to listen."
Alice tutted again, and when next she spoke, it was in a sweeter tone of voice than earlier if such a thing was possible. "If I remember correctly whilst we're aboard the ship, it is you that presses him to try harder and I who aid him with more than words alone," Alice's voice, sweet as it was, sounded teasing and light-hearted; no hostility had ever been heard from her.
"Why wouldn't I encourage him to work towards his own success? It's all the sweeter when you have to work for something," Lucretia moved away from the pair then, nodding towards a shop. "I think I'd fancy a visit there. Come along, won't you two lovebirds?"
Harry recognised the shop as one that sold Hogwarts apparel, and with Lucretia being in a mood, he wasn't one to say no to her. Not while he had Alice's hand in his, nothing was worth risking while that was the case.
"Harry?"
Immediately, he went rigid. Alice's presence, the aura of comfort she gave off and Lucretia's annoyance; none of those were enough to stop him from doing so. Not when he heard Hermione's voice, and not when he saw the company she had with her.
"Are you well, Harry?" Alice asked him, leaning down and speaking in a tone that heavily reflected Miss Weasley's maternal one.
He nodded. Despite not wanting to speak with the people he'd called 'friends' for years on account of their immaturity and the ease with which they'd given up on him, he wouldn't be so petty as to avoid them. Not when they'd made to speak with him and not when he had two new friends beside him.
"Harry?" Hermione tried again, her tone slightly worried and at the same time, impatient on account of his lack of a reply.
"Yeah?" He said back to her, looking away from the beautiful girl who still had a hold of his hand and turning towards Hermione.
"We've… not seen you for a while. Any of us," Hermione glanced warily at the two older girls beside him, their Durmstrang clothing making her bushy hair seem bushier, like an angry cat. "Are these two the ones you've been spending your time with?"
Despite her tone not being laced with outright anger, the suspicion and hints of disappointment mixed within were more than enough to annoy him. As far as he was concerned, she lacked the right to judge either of them or even himself for the choices he'd made in her absence. Hermione had given up that right when she chose Ron and the other Gryffindor 'housemates' of his.
"Yeah, yeah they are. They're brilliant," Harry looked between the two Durmstrang girls, picking Alice to introduce first. "This is Alice, and across from me is Lucretia."
Lucretia, despite being the latter that was introduced, scoffed and looked away from Hermione; Ron, lurking in the background with Ginny and somebody else with a hat on were paid no attention either.
Alice curtsied with a fluidity that was unparalleled so far as he'd seen. "I believe you are Hermione Granger, would I be correct?" Rather than her question being for Hermione, it was asked to Harry, the older girl using her free hand to tilt his chin in such a way that his vision was filled solely with her.
Had it not been, he had no doubt Hermione's reaction would've been a sight to see. He knew her long enough to know that she didn't like public intimacies like that… Harry didn't really like them either, but it was Alice. There wasn't any stopping the incredibly friendly, wonderfully soft-spoken, bea—
Alice's soft laughter reached his ears first, then her hand moving from his chin to tap on his lips registered next. "Are you tired still? Lucretia and I are wearing you down, I know my sweet, but surely you have the energy to speak with your friend before we take you away again, no?"
When he nodded, she laughed, and across from them, he could even see Lucretia smirking.
He had a feeling it was because of Alice's wording, for it sounded very purposefully vague even to his ears. Hermione wouldn't know what she meant though, nobody else would, really. In that way, he figured he was lucky since everybody would likely suspect him to fail all three tasks or show a horrible degree of ineptitude.
"Yes," Harry finally said, clearing his throat and speaking more firmly when he continued. "Yes, that's Hermione. She's the one I told you is wicked brilliant and helped me through my first few years here — Hermione, it's good to see you again, but… what do you want?"
When he saw her wince, he realised his tone had sounded a bit ruder or rather, disinterested, than he'd meant it to. As bad as it made him feel that he'd made Hermione wince, he couldn't be particularly bothered to apologise. In his mind, after so much time with the other two girls who showed him real friendship again in such a short amount of time, it wasn't his responsibility to make amends first.
"I, we," Hermione said, motioning to Ron and the others behind them. "We're all just a bit worried about you, Harry. Honestly, none of us have seen you around for meals, in the library, about for schoolwork…"
Hermione trailed off with another wary glance levelled at his friends, and it was that very look that made him decide to end the conversation before it devolved into anything worse. It was rude of him, he knew, but he couldn't be concerned with fixing anything right now, not with how close the first task was. If anything, with the days counting down as they were, any time spent working through drama would likely lead to him getting absolutely fu—
"Harry has been taking his meals with Lucretia and me," Alice said in that soft tone she often spoke in, even as her arm came to wrap halfway around his shoulders while her hand settled in his hair to play with it like they were in the ship's library again. "He eats with us, studies with us, progresses with us. Truly, have you met a kinder soul or as good a boy as him?"
"As good a boy?" Lucretia asked, snorting at the wording. "Alice is from Switzerland, Granger, so don't mind the awkwardness of how she speaks… or the forwardness. As I'm sure you can see, he's actually taking the pair of us on a little date around Hogsmeade too, so you won't mind all that much if I keep it moving, will you? There's much to see and more to study for."
Hermione blinked, looked between the three of them, then stepped closer. "I get you're busy, and I'm genuinely thankful you're helping him — I know you're playing with the 'date' too, but I, all of us really, would like to speak with him."
Lucretia raised her eyebrows at Hermione's stubbornness and turned her body completely towards the younger, smaller girl. "It'll have to wait. We were just returning to our ship to continue our studies for his first task, and if you don't know, it's rather dangerous. If you'd like your friend back from it in one piece, It'd be very kind of you to let us make our way."
Alice stopped playing with his hair and cooed inaudibly into his ear. Next, with the gentle, lovely noise gone, she turned her attention to Hermione. "I've heard from Harry that you are smart, determined and brilliant. He speaks ever so highly of you," Her tone was incredibly sweet, and Hermione's cheeks blushed in a way that Harry seldom saw. "My friend Lucretia tells the truth. You'll have to forgive the affection I give so readily to him, but who can look at such a cute boy without wanting to smother him in hugs? We are helping him too, I promise you that we work nearly as good as you do. Be a sweet girl and let us leave with him, no? Then I promise once the task is completed that he'll speak with you."
When Alice finished, Harry swore he could hear faint hints of music in the wind itself. Not only that, but he had a similar feeling as to when Fleur would walk by him, only with more wonder and less desire. It was like she really was an angel that the Muggles portrayed so often… maybe she was a part-Veela.
Hermione swallowed and looked solely at Alice. "That was awfully rude of you, whatever it was."
With those few words, Hermione made to leave. Alice watched her go with curiosity, and Lucretia snickered to herself across from them before she gripped Harry's shirt and tugged; the message to leave within her action was very clear.
"You should've sung something," Lucretia commented while the three were making their way back to their carriage.
Alice looked at her friend over the top of Harry's head. "You would want me to spoil my secret so early on?"
Harry couldn't help but butt in then. "You're a part-Veela… right?"
Lucretia looked at him with a wide smile before she promptly burst into laughter. Alice, on the other hand, winced. That wasn't all she did either, for she soon turned his face towards hers with a bit more force than was usual of her. "I am not like Fleur," Alice said, a smile on her face that seemed forced, but her soft tone still present as her free hand came over to fix the front of his shirt. "I will tell you of my ancestry when we return to the ship and in return, you'll give me a promise."
"What promise?" Harry asked, worried that her angle was finally making itself known.
"Don't worry, she's not going to steal your first ki— stop hitting me when I try to lighten the mood," Lucretia had started off teasingly, but after a firm flick of the nose from Alice, she'd switched to a serious, pouty voice.
Alice stuck her tongue out at the other girl. She turned to Harry next, her gaze more serious than usual, but still beautiful and welcoming as it always was. "You will promise me that you will see me no differently. You're a sweet boy, Harry, and I know there is no reason for me to worry," One hand of hers came up to gently stroke his cheek then, her smile growing when he leaned into that very soft, warm hand.
"I won't see you any different because of your ancestry," Harry promised. "You two helped me when I just wanted to be alone and when I'd practically given up on winning this year."
Lucretia took a step away before she opened her mouth. "We'll continue to help you. You've shown that you're polite, a good listener, strong, and magically talented. I may be hard on you, and Alice may be incredibly gentle, but I like to think we're effective as a team."
Alice made an 'aww' at Lucretia's words, and Harry swore he could hear music in the air again until Lucretia swiped at the other girl. "Knock it off, you oversized salmon."
"Oversized Salmon?" Alice repeated, looking between Harry and Lucretia with an expression that said she was pondering something. Evidently, whatever it was resolved itself quickly when she smiled serenely. "Should that be the case, Harry seems to like fish more than those wort-ridden witches, no?"
He was sure he was missing something, but when Alice pulled him into her side closer and kissed the top of his head while Lucretia tried getting at her — resulting in her hands tickling Harry's sides — nothing could be further from his mind.
That the music came back and he felt more relaxed than usual which only made him feel… happier.
Harry was in Lucretia's room, tucked up on a couch and reclining against Alice's front while a blanket covered them. In other words, more comfort was impossible to find. Lucretia, for her part, was staring at the two with a book in her lap — one that was meant for him once Alice discussed what she'd promised; her heritage.
"So…" Lucretia said, tapping her nails on the cover of the book.
It was a grating noise, one that made Harry turn his head in such a way that allowed him to see Alice's face. He hoped his doing so in addition to her friend's obnoxious tapping would be enough to make her speak after such a long silence from the usually talkative girl.
When she opened her mouth and made to speak, his hopes were realised.
"My ancestry I promised, and I'll deliver. I always have, no?" Alice said fondly, one of her hands diving into the mess that he called hair. "We will have to style that before you're seen again. Such a look is cute, but intimidation and cleanliness would be good to present when the champ- ah, that isn't what we're here for. You asked earlier if I was part Veela?"
Harry nodded, leaning into her gentle scalp massage in the process. "I did."
"I can tell you with full certainty that there is no Veela blood in me. Unfortunately, this bird can not sprout wings or throw fire like how the French one can," Alice giggled at her own joke, the soft, melodic sound making a tingle run through Harry and Lucretia alike. "There is another heritage that I do claim. One that comes from the sea thanks to my mother's side of the family. Can you guess it, Harry? I'll be very proud if you can, my sweet one."
Lucretia mouthed something to him, but the purr-like sound that emanated from Alice in addition to her soft touches and that ever so soft touch of an air current against him made it impossible to decipher.
"Mermaid?" He asked, his eyes fluttering closed as the tenseness from the day — Hermione's interaction more specifically — was drawn from him like poison from a wound.
Alice laughed lightly, her movement making his body mimic it. "You were close," she said, her other hand now running down the back of his neck one finger at a time, "Not quite, though. We are prettier and better at keeping others calm. We're better out of water too."
"You might as well tell him," Lucretia said as she reclined in her seat and brought one foot up to rest on Harry's knees.
"Why would I spoil my fun?" Alice asked with a grin before she looked back down at Harry. "More importantly, I know he can name it. We went over it recently and Harry is a smart, wonderful boy as I've said previously."
Lucretia scoffed again, her eyes rolling and landing on Harry's. "Call me abrasive or think of me as such, but at least you know what you're getting from me. Alice's soft touches and gentle words are go—"
"You only say that because I occasionally find myself bothered by something foolish. We need not worry about Harry. He's smart, friendly, helpful and most importantly, possesses an iron will," Alice's smile grew as she continued staring at him. "Without any more interruptions, I am a Siren."
"Quarter-Siren," Lucretia quickly corrected with a smug look as she crossed her arms. "Don't give me that look either, Salmon. We both know your mother would say the same thing."
Harry swallowed, raking his brain and coming up near-empty on information in relation to Sirens. That wasn't surprising though, not to him, it wasn't like Hogwarts went much into other 'species' of people. He didn't care for that either, especially when people like Alice, Hagrid or Professor Flitwick treated him better than a majority of full-blooded Magicals.
"Uh, Alice?" He eventually asked, his anger from his thinking quickly dissipating when she looked back down at him and away from her friend.
"Ask whatever you'd like, my sweet," Alice all but cooed, sensing that he had questions as her earlier ministrations atop his head resumed.
Lucretia tapped his lap with her foot that was still atop his knee too. "If she doesn't have an answer, I will. I've spent enough time with her family, her mother especially, to know far too much about Sirens for any one lifetime."
With a thankful smile and passing glance at Lucretia, he returned his attention to Alice. "Could you, uh… I don't know much about Sirens?"
Alice laughed and kissed the top of his head. "That's no problem. I can start by telling you they're not all like me, for as Lucretia said, I am only Quarter Siren. Much of my inherent magic is reduced if even it remained with me."
Lucretia grunted, then she made a note from the book.
"As you have felt, I can make those near me more at ease, relaxed, and happy. It's not full of falsehoods either, for the feelings within are simply brought to the surface rather than manfe-manaf," Alice paused, a look of concentration on her face as she tried and failed to pronounce a word.
"Manifested?" Harry tried, smiling when she grinned and kissed the top of his head again.
"Thank you," Alice said, continuing from that point. "We bring those positive emotions to the top and make you feel nothing negative while with us. It is how my ancestors would breed, just like the singing you hear tales of and the music on the wind that they can master. The Greek tales are not wrong in most regards save for the wings — it was the Veela, our cousins, they saw."
Harry nodded, his eyes filled with wonder as he was given the chance to speak with a woman, one that'd quickly become a close friend, about something almost completely unknown to him. It was wicked, and it explained why being in her presence was brilliant. The music, the sense of calm, her way with words despite her weird speaking… all of it made complete sense now.
"Is there anything else I should know?" He asked when he saw that she was still staring at him.
Alice glanced at Lucretia and back at him, a shy look coming across her for the first time he could remember. "You know how the Veela have an avian form that lets them throw fire, yes?"
Harry nodded again. "Yeah. Saw it at the Quidditch world cup."
"Sirens have the ability to do something similar. We may grow gills and tails," Alice looked at her legs, the two appendages on either side of Harry. "I can not make my legs into a tale like my mother and grandmother, but I can still grow gills and swim faster than any witch or wizard."
He blinked at her in silence, his mind trying to picture her in the water with the few changes she mentioned; despite how little they were, he couldn't help but picture her as something completely alien. Blue skin, gills, long hair, a tail, all of it was in his mind's eye.
"Great," Lucretia said, clapping her hands together to draw the room's attention to her. "With that done, why don't we get to teaching him a spell that'll cause insects to attack one's face? I know, I know, it's dark, but it'll help him with anything he has to face going forward."
Alice shrugged, her attention still fully devoted to him as her hands went to rubbing his shoulders like they'd previously done numerous times before. "You do not mind the darker spells from time to time, is that right, Harry?"
"I… it depends on how dark they are. Before you two, we've only had Defence Against the Dark Arts and not a proper Dark Arts class, so I never knew much about them. Everything's banned really, and you could get in trouble for teaching me, probably," He finished with a conflicted look about him as he switched his attention between the two girls; weeks ago, he would've never considered learning one dark spell, and here he was with a few already under his belt with more to come.
He wasn't sure if the girls were corrupting him in some way, or if they were finally showing him magic that he should've been taught in the first place. If Durmstrang, a school filled with students from all over Europe, was taught about the Dark Arts, shouldn't he receive that same education?
Really, Hogwarts and Britain seemed wrong in that regard. It wasn't surprising either, not with how ancient their rules were and bigoted their society was to people that didn't fall in line with the likes of Lucius Malfoy — great big ponce that he is.
Lucretia shook her head. "We won't get in trouble for teaching you magic while you're aboard our ship. It's Durmstrang property, as are all the books that you're using and so far as I've read, there's no ban on people helping the champions even if they're from different schools. As for the spells that I've seen banned here in the UK, all we need to do is keep you from using the few on that list. If they want to ban something after you use it or cause a problem on account of you casting something that isn't technically illegal, I'm sure my family and our friends could help you out."
Alice picked up where the other girl left off. "We will continue to help you as we have, Cretia is right. Dark Arts is a fundamental point of magic, and only knowledge to defend one's self is not good enough should the person know all manners of magic you have never seen before. Don't worry about trouble, we'll look after you as friends should."
"You're using that magic of yours again, aren't you? I can feel it over here," Lucretia said, wrinkling her nose as she gave a narrow-eyed gaze at Alice above him; it was weird, he didn't feel anything.
With an innocent, angelic look, Alice shook her head as she bit her bottom lip. "I'm doing nothing but cuddling my sweet and waiting for you to tell him which spell he'll learn next. I think before you do that though, we should take a quarter-hour to simply relax and enjoy the company we provide for each other," Alice ran a finger up his neck until her thumb joined it in taking hold of his earlobe. "Squishy. What do you say, Harry, would you like to nap with me before we delve into books again?"
He nodded, the earlier meal, minor confrontation and long conversation mixing together to form the perfect recipe for sleep.
Lucretia threw her hands in the air and slid down her chair, her feet now fully in his lap as she looked petulantly at the pair. "You two are so into one another, it's unreal. Go on, take your nap, I'll watch the two of you sleep and focus on doing the work that needs doing. Don't worry about little old me."
"She pouts so badly, doesn't she?" Alice whispered to him, a small giggle making its way out when one of Lucretia's feet tried to come up and swipe at her.
Harry chuckled, the reverberation and his face positioning making the pair of them shake slightly. "Lucretia's fun."
Alice nodded and kissed his forehead. "Especially when she's jealous — I strive to make her blush in front of you, the annoyance she gets from it is wonderful."
With those being the last words he heard, Harry was taken into the land of sleep; he had his head against her chest, Alice's hands massaging his shoulders, Lucretia's feet in his lap and a warm blanket to top it all off. Life was better than he imagined it would've been had the two left him well enough alone, and really, for the first time since his name was called, he reckoned he may just stand a chance at surviving the stupid tournament he'd been forced into.
November 24, 1994
"You're sure you remember the plan? Did you put the shirt I made you on? How about the potion Lucretia made, did you drink it already?" Alice bombarded him with questions while she busied herself with fixing up his shirt, the few minor wrinkles in it from walking alone enough to set the older girl off.
"Relax, Alice," Lucretia said from Harry's other side. She was far more relaxed than Alice, her walk, speech and general mannerisms hadn't changed since the trio had made their exit from the Durmstrang ship that morning. "We saw him put the shirt on and drink the potion after breakfast. There's no need to worry, we've helped him as best we could and he's not an idiot in the first place. Don't you remember everything he told us prior to this year?"
"Just because he's beaten other obstacles does not mean the ones in front of him are so easily dealt with," Alice said with no harshness in her tone, rather, it sounded strangely worried for a girl who'd only known him for a couple of weeks.
Merlin, he was still confused with how quickly the two took a liking to him. There had to be ulterior motives, his mind told him. Two women, beautiful and smart as they were with resources that seemed endless in comparison to his own, wouldn't help him without a reason to do so… yet here they were, still with him regardless of who saw it.
"I remember the plan, and Lucretia's right, I did everything you told me to," Harry said as he smiled at Alice and winked at Lucretia. "I'll make you both proud."
He meant every word and as for the wink? Well, spending so much time with the two had already raised his confidence higher than he thought was possible. Alice's flirting and Lucretia's general demeanour with her occasional glance that showed similar interest to that of Alice would've given him a horrible time if he didn't adapt.
"Don't make us proud," Alice said quickly, her hold of him tightening. "Do nothing flashy, risk yourself in no way if it's not necessary. Win your task, survive, and come back to us for assistance with the second task. That is all I need you to do, my sweet."
Lucretia looked at Alice weirdly, but she shook her head and leaned towards Harry until she was close enough to flick his nose, which is what she did. "I'd give you a similar speech, but Salmon has it right. Really, I suppose what it boils down to is: don't be an idiot. I think you can manage based on what we've seen from you already."
Harry smiled at Alice and Lucretia, his eyes flickering between them. "I'll go for its eyes and summon creatures to do the same. Everything I can do that you taught me, I'll do, just like we planned. Its eyes, its nose, my sound — I won't even get scratched."
The rest of the walk to the Champions tent was done in silence following his brave statement, for no further words were needed.
Harry was ready.
COMMENT REPLIES
Marksbay: Thank you very much!
30KEWNE: Thank you, that means a lot!
FaraamKnight: I'm glad you like it, this won't be as long but I'll definitely make the pace faster since there's far less in terms of OC numbers. Thank you!
Monkiepawn: Good catch, I definitely was! It was clear too, and thank you very much! I agree with you too, I hate when he learns so many spells or rituals or what have you super fast, it doesn't make sense to me - you're good too, thank you!
Ravage21133: I intend for this story to go as long as the person supporting it wants it to go, so I can't really tell you - I'm thinking 20-30 Chapters or more! Thank you very much too!
Shiroe2103: Thank you!
Diagonalpumpkin: I hope you like this chapter too, and thank you, Lucretia was a name I really liked! Thank you again, I hope you like this new chapter!
x-kid11: I'm glad you like the OCs, that means a lot! I hope you enjoy as we continue and thank you very much!
Hank1967: Thank you, the person who thought of this was very awesome! The Durmstrang girls are very fun to work with and I hope you enjoy as we get to understand them! You're right too, they picked him at a time where he really needed friends. Siren, Veela, we'll see haha and who knows what Dumbledore/Ron or the others think? Harry's been doing good in terms of avoiding them, well, at least thus far he has. Thank you!
SvenTheDecoy: I don't know what to tell you, everybody else ditched him already, so any new friend would likely be welcome.
PurpleArrowhead: We'll find out soon! Thank you!
Hadashi Shoujo: You're all good haha, and thank you!
stevem1: Oh definitely, he's been learning a lot of magic, now we have to hope they're not too horrible. Thank you!
Matt99117: Responded on Ao3, but thank you again!
Guest: Thank you!
Yaw6113: Here we are, sorry for the lateness haha.
Brockster550: Definitely rare for Durmstrang and I'm glad you picked up on her last name - Lucretia will prove just as helpful as Alice, as for the interacting, they've been doing it almost entirely in private. I loved the co-ed part too, I hated how the movies got rid of that. Thank you very much!