Balance Act: The Beauty of Becoming an Equal

by Writers Paralysis

Harry, after being almost kissed by the dementors, is a changed individual. A friend of his mother fills in a place in his heart. Together they will face not only there trauma but their legacy. A legacy both cannot run from and a legacy they will live up to. War comes and in the shadow of the Global Wizarding War many secrets lie. AU

8. Chapter 8: Vienna and a Blonde

July 6

Harry was spinning and he swore once again that he would come up with a way to travel via anything, a pursuit of a good magical travel was a worthwhile dream in his head. He almost crashed onto the floor if it wasn't for Fleur who grabbed as she somehow landed gracefully. "How! Like how! How did you land like that?"

Fleur was giggling for the first time in a while seeing him fail at a simple portkey. "I truly did not believe it was that bad for you." She helped him back onto his feet and he collected himself. He looked in a window and sighed. His hair had messed up and he tried to charm it but it did not work.

Fleur came up behind and quickly charmed it but did much more complicated movements. "Your hair reacts to magic. I read all Potters had this issue. It's a characteristic. I found it interesting since I looked up how to fix Veela hair which also reacts to magic. Imagine my surprise that a Noble and Most Ancient House of England is noteworthy enough to be mentioned in a book about the history of hair. Your family made a potion that fixed people's hair but not their own ironically. This is the best charm I know that works." Harry beamed his hair looking like it did before and the small history of his family.

Fleur smiled at his smile. It was clear he liked the history of his family. She wondered how it was for him to grow up without them. She could never imagine a world without her parents or sisters. "It should now hold unless you do powerful magic."

Fleur caught her dad come behind her and she knew what was coming. She stepped aside and went over to her mom and sister.

Gabi was looking nervous and had been nervous ever since she had gotten a talking to and confirmed to her dad what had happened. Of course in the privacy of her area in the tent before they left. Her father had given her stares since pointing that she would get a further talking to after the night was over.

"Lord Potter-Black I wish to talk to you about a grave mistake my daughter has made. I only ask you to listen to me first and then we can talk about solutions and possible payment."

Harry was expecting this based on what Fleur told him. The man clearly wanted to clear the air before the night started and maybe even give him an opportunity to leave if need be. "Yes ." Sebastian pointed to a bench nearby and they both sat down.

Sebastian leaned forward with his elbows on his knees. A quiver in his voice. "I want to say that I raised my daughters to not only understand their heritage, but know they would face challenges because of who they are. I never expected in all my years that one of my daughters would use their abilities in such a way. Especially the youngest that did so." Harry raised an eyebrow at that. Was Fleur that much of a trouble? To be spoken about in such a way?

Sheda mentioned that conversations like this only included the people directly involved. She had warned him not to bring anyone else in the conversation besides Gabi, the head of house, and himself. If you did so it was considered improper etiquette. Harry continued to listen to Sebastian letting the point be put away. "I have done a lot in my career and I had hoped to be a successful example of not only a loving family, but an example of a Veela family to the rest of the Magical World. I had aspirations of more, but I now can understand that my family's life can be ruined if it leaks what happened at the shop. As a Lord do you understand what my daughter did?"

Harry had never seen a father act so broken. No, not broken, afraid. He wanted to step in, but he knew it would be insulting. The man had reasons to speak on the issue. An issue that clearly troubled him and made him defensive of his family. No. A crass rejection of his feelings or a deliberate attempt to not take the issue seriously would see the man not think highly of him. He could tell that it was serious to him regardless of how he saw it. "Although I did not know at the time. I have since educated myself that what your daughter did would be considered a form of line theft."

Sebastian nodded. His voice once again showed his fear. "I once again would like to formally apologize. I never expected my youngest to do so."

Harry once again caught the last point. And decided to ask. "Mr. Delacour. Pardon my intrusion, but you insist on mentioning your eldest daughter, Fleur Delacour. I must ask why? This is about your youngest daughter. Although Fleur has had issues with me I do not believe it is necessary to continually mention her in this conversation." Harry didn't realize that Fleur, Apolline and Gabi were close enough to hear and looked shocked.

Sebastian was surprised and a tad flustered at his slip up. The young lord was right. It was improper etiquette what he was doing bringing in Fleur. It made it sound like his eldest daughter was a part of the problem. In truth he felt Fleur was. Not only had he been feeling overwhelmed the past few months. The new job, the politics, his aspirations, everything had been getting to him. The stress of being a father was a major problem. Apolline kept mentioning that Fleur's pride was getting troublesome. He knew that, he had originally supported it as a prideful man as well. He was proud his daughter hadn't got hurt by the treatment of the girls in school, but now he realized it went the other way.

The incident in January had effects far outside the school but he hadn't even mentioned it to his wife or Fleur. He lost a major donor because of what happened. Her uncontrolled Allure had hurt a future lord's pride and the father pulled financial support. With the major financial donor gone, he had lost his ability to run for the minister position like he had wanted. He had decided to carry the burden and had told everyone it was part of the plan.

Yet, now he had begun to realize that Fleur was getting out of hand. His worry on what would happen at Hogwarts became a major point. He had decided to tell her about the tournament in hopes she would control her issues. Unfortunately it had done the opposite. If she did become the champion it would boost his reputation, but at the cost of making his daughter too prideful. Now his youngest daughter may be following a similar path and it started to break the man. His daughters were precious to him, but maybe he had failed them.

He had started to think long before but it now stuck in his brain more than ever after he spoke with Apolline. She had told him about what Fleur had said and what Gabi had done. Fleur being extremely bitter at the life to come after school and that Gabi had focused her Allure. Two things that affected today for better or worse. A daughter who believed she could do no wrong and a younger daughter who followed that same sister.

It was clear now that Gabi truly wanted to be like her sister. Responding to his questioning of why she did it truthfully. "Fleur always uses her Allure on boys. Why can't I? I just wanted to impress my classmates by having him talk to me. Fleur does it to everyone and you never complain. " His response was that Fleur never used her allure to focus on someone. The allure that charmed individuals was just her allowing it to flow freely.

Sebastian though understood what happened. Gabi had misunderstood what Fleur did in relation to the allure but also knew why Fleur did it; pride and jealousy. Yet, what could he do about it? Maybe Fleur got humbled, lived a quiet life, maybe realizing that in the folly of youth she was wrong. Married a good wizard who appreciated her, but what would have to happen for her to finally accept that life? Life and death situations? What kind of people would she have to deal with? Discrimination of the highest degree? All things a father would never want to see his daughter go through. He wanted her to dream, and chase the goals she had in life. To not settle for the next best thing in life.

He had been desperately looking for a sponsor for her enchantment interests but it was clear no one in the mostly tolerant France would take a Veela. The rest of Europe was in turn no longer on the table. He quickly realized sitting in that chair that the nagging thought he had in the past few months was right. He could never get his daughters accepted into this world. The powerful world. He would never be able to give them what they wanted, true respect. He needed to come back home. He needed to be ready when they came back and be there for his daughters. No one else would be. He needed them to understand that the world would never be kind to them regardless of what he did.

He had been planning it somewhat? He would leave work and retire early. It made the most sense. Especially with his political opponents already working in the background. He had thought about mounting a defense but for what? He had more than enough money. He could become a jovial father. Looking out for his daughters. Support them where he could and hopefully make them realize the errors of his ways. Make them humble by force in some ways. Not an easy choice, but no opportunity was left. This issue now was now an unknown lord possibly being the final nail in the coffin.

"Pardon Lord Potter-Black I realize now you are correct. If you insist, my eldest has continued to cause issues and it seems, according to her younger sister, that she only modeled what she did because of Fleur. Although Fleur has had some issues with her Allure and House etiquette, it was never to this degree. Regardless, Gabi misunderstood her sister and what she was doing with her allure." Sebastian sighed, not really sure what more to say.

He summarized it was right to tell the young lord a little bit more. At least to get a full picture. "Fleur has issues that I had hoped she would be able to learn and outgrow from. Her issue caused me to lose a large doner and I believe it has ruined my aspirations for France. I may have to take some drastic measures now in hopes of planning for the future. I do not think you will understand but as a parent I only want what's best for my children. It's clear that I have ignored my children for too long in pursuit of a life I do not think is right for us and them as Veela. Furthermore, I have exposed and allowed my children too much of this life in such a short amount of time. Some people, as I think you will relate, are not made for this." Sebastian smiled sadly.

Harry smiled. Although most of what the man said went over his head. He did understand that a lot of parents did what they believed would be best for their children. He also certainly knew he would hate the life he was going to be forced to have. He looked at Fleur and Gabi and saw them looking down in sadness. Maybe dinner is over now. Their father had been laid bare by what both had done in some ways.

Yet, here he was. A young outsider realizing just what people at "his" level wanted from others. It was a tall order and he hated it. Although Fleur was not fully innocent and clearly had issues herself, his world had its own problems. He knew people would tell him tradition or some other reason and that he needed to defend it. These Veela needed to be put in their place and it's why the rules existed in the first place. He hated it and he was never vindictive. They were not creatures and they were not lower because they didn't have prestige of titles. The world shouldn't work like that. It shouldn't be families realizing that they will have to forgo goals or life choices just so the family didn't need to experience how "his" people acted. He sat there thinking.

Sebastian spoke up. "And although it is not right to ask so directly, I feel we have strayed far from our original conversation. So I ask if there is anything that can be done to not only protect this secret but also guarantee nothing comes to harm my family."

Harry looked at the man. Here was another thing like Sheda said. He had an actual reason to hurt his family because of what happened.

Harry kept thinking and sighed, not really sure what he was doing. Sheda told him to do what he wanted. But what did that even mean? "What aspirations did you have in France?"

Sebastian was cut off guard but looked to understand that maybe the boy expected his career as forfeit for the secrets. "I had planned to run for the minister position in France before losing the funding. Now? I have nothing more really, I suppose the Head Auror position could be a stepping stone as I look to gather more funding? It's unlikely though, there are no more families in France and the family that felt insulted has reportedly begun to manipulate others to remove me from the head Auror position. I have no real defense."

Harry looked serious, he felt like he was in the chamber last year his brain turning. He was trying to channel what he had learned in one month. From Sheda and Daphne, to even the reevaluation of what he had experienced in his life. He even referred to what he had learned about Grindelwald and Dumbledore in the books he purchased on the men. Anything. He just needed to figure out something. "Fleur, can you come over here?"

Sebastian was very confused and even more so when Fleur actually came over and stood next to him. He knew they had talked but for what? Harry responded. "I have four requests. The first is that Fleur has told me she is gifted in enchanting and reverse engineering. Can you confirm the abilities? Not as a father but as an outsider?"

Sebastian nodded without hesitation or a second thought; much to the surprise of Fleur who did not believe her Father paid attention at all. Good grades were good grades.

"Of course. Fleur is considered the best in her class. She is also on the shortlist to go to the Triwizard tournament. I have been asked to allow her to go as she is underage currently. She is an excellent student and enchantress." Sebastian finished with pride. Fleur may have issues but she was gifted.

Harry felt like she may be able to do it. "I would like her to reverse engineer two items for me. You can hold on to it for the duration of this meeting."

He pulled out one of the marauders' mirrors and handed it to a surprised Fleur. Who's eyes began to marvel at the item as she felt the magic. She pulled out her wand and started whispering to herself.

Harry smiled at her curiosity. "She will have all of one year to return to me with the knowledge of how to make this item. If she is successful I am willing to pay for her mastery and the Houses of Potter-Black will sponsor her in the further creation of the items and anything else she researches. My second request is a simple one. I want to fund your minister position. It could be however you like, but just know I expect what you told me right now. I want you to run not as a politician but the father of these two girls. I want change in France. You will get all the money you want. At least by what I understood you looked to do change. I don't like all this House stuff in the short time I have been around it, maybe a future Lord Potter-Black and his family will make his permanent home in France if you change it enough." Harry stated, out of breath. It was alot but he did want to add something just for himself.

Clearly Sebastian was surprised, but he continued. "Thirdly, I want you to stop using my titles unless it's official stuff. Only Harry. Especially if Fleur and you agree to the terms then we may be seeing each other more often. If anyone asks, tell them to bring it to me or say you are under my protection. I don't know how to stop it, but you let me know and we do it. Lastly, I want Fleur to make me one of the blankets she created. Anything you need just tell me and I will buy it. I genuinely liked it." Harry smiled as he finished.

Sebastian was still stunned but so was Fleur. Fleur spoke up first. "I agree to the terms you gave me. I find this mirror fascinating. When can I start working on it?"

Harry was glad she agreed. He wanted to make more of them and maybe sell them. The legacy of the marauders and who they were. "I will have to get the pair but we can meet sometime again in the summer and I can give you both. I will say they are family heirlooms so treat them with great care. I will provide you with a box to put them in." She nodded a part of her wanted to hug him but she knew this was official talk and furthermore she felt she did not know him enough for that. She would talk to him when they were alone. Harry continued. "As for the blanket we can talk about it in more detail of what you will need."Fleur nodded.

Sebastian looked conflicted but not because of what the boy had asked but how he had done it. A little rough around the edges that could use some work, but he asked a lot. The way he carried himself also surprised him. Like a leader. "You are a cunning wizard Harry, at least by what I can tell." Sebastian stated, Harry realizing he used his name and knew he accepted his parts. "Do you see what he just did Fleur? He single handedly bought himself a potential future minister and poached France's possible best enchantress in years for his own House's personal need. Furthermore, you know what this means Fleur correct?" Fleur nodded and Sebesation looked seriously at her. "You best not let your pride get in the way of the opportunity okay? This is your last chance before you enter into the real world. I know your mom spoke about this." Fleur hesitated and nodded again.

A serious look adorning her face, but one Harry understood as desperation. A look he had when he looked in the mirror of erised. Harry was confused; he didn't know what he did that could affect her pride? He really just wanted to pay her back for the possible decoding of the mirror with the sponsorship.

Sebastian continued. "All the while acting and asking for everything in a positive manner. I fear for your enemies Harry. I agree to the terms and I thank you for being so lenient."

Harry's smile turned into a gloomy expression. "I do have many. We can talk later about details and a written contract for some of the stuff." Sebastian was unsure of the comment, but stood up. Harry stood up and they shook hands. Fleur gave him back the mirror before they went back to Gabi and Apolline.

Break break break.

"I see you're dying to talk about what I just did. Go ahead. I think we are out of ear shot distance." Harry commented.

Fleur nodded as she walked next to him. "Do you truly know what you did?"

Harry looked at her. "Honestly? Or do you want me to act like I am all knowing. I am only going to be 14. Honestly, half of what was said by your father made no sense to me."

Fleur smirked. "The luxury of being so rich, powerful, famous and yet you truly don't know."

Harry looked at her quizzically. "Are you really jealous of what I have?" Fleur looked at him. A blunt venomous response of 'Yes' going to be thrown at him yet she held back. Her fathers words to her head. Your last shot. If she was successful in reverse engineering in the mirrors he could give her everything. A 14 year old. A little lord would be her savior. It was hard to admit and swallow. She bit her lip.

Harry saw she was struggling and he remembered her fathers words. 'Don't let your pride get in the way.' He didn't fully understand what he meant by the last part, but he didn't want her to follow some House rules. "Say it. Say what you mean. I know what your dad told you. I don't want that. Say what you really mean."

Fleur looked perplexed. He wanted her to admit it? She looked at him in confusion, but then began to stare him down. With a neutral tone she responded. "Yes. I am jealous." She didn't know what to expect, maybe a smirk or anger.

She didn't expect a small sad smile as Harry responded to her."I would too, I suppose, if I had the life most people thought I have. A magical world where I am the most famous person, maybe have some titles, have a lot of money. It would be perfect. You think so, no? What do I really have after you take that away? Dead parents, a few scars? Pfft From my point of view you have everything I want."

Fleur had the decency to look away. Harry kept walking and looking at the plaza. Fleur caught up. "I can talk to my father and see about removing your offer."

Harry replied a tad angrily. "No. Don't. Don't even mention this to him."

Fleur looked even more confused. "Why? Why do you care?"

Harry looked at her controlling his emotions and shrugged. "I was told by Sheda I had a saving people thing. I don't know. I have saved a few people over the years. Saved technically the school last year. I don't know. I just don't like all that house bullshit and the further I can get away from it the better."

Harry looked to walk away but was surprised by Fleur grabbing him a tad angry in her eyes. "So you're saving me? What am I some damsel in distress for you to get your fantasy off on?"

Harry smirked and with a defeated smile shook his head at her. "Fleur, honestly you do what you want. It's clear your father was maybe right. Maybe your pride or whatever is too much. I honestly don't know what more I can do to show you that I just want to be equals. Honestly, becoming insufferable."

Fleur had never been rebuffed in such a way. To be dismissed by a boy, a younger one, and clearly one who at least wanted to help her. She felt more conflicted and bit her lip. How do you interact with someone like this? How do you trust? A horrific thought in her head as he walked away. She had heard her father. He lost funding because of her actions regarding not wanting to control her allure. He had lost his dream and now it seemed he had resigned himself to not living his dream and hoped to help his daughters live at least a better life.

Harry had stopped; she could see that. Her vision became cloudy as he ran over. She then felt him grab her and walk her to a bench. She heard him sigh and walk away. Thinking he abandoned her she never felt more alone. She had always been alone but why was this different? Why did she feel this way? She was a Veela. She was Fleur. The most beautiful girl at beauxbatons. Top of her class. The boys threw themselves at her feet. The boys she did give her time too begged for more and they would never get it. No boy was worth that much, much less ever interested her to such a degree. The girls as a result looked with envy that she could have any boy, but never did more. She was also confident. She was sexy. The whole package.

She felt someone walk up to her and crouch down. She was ready to stun them or hex them, as she realized her Allure was not being held in. She sighed. Another public incident. "Here. Chocolate. Helps with dementors. Should help with whatever you are feeling."

She looked up and saw green eyes. Vivid ones. "Arry?" Arry smiled. How could he be smiling right now? She had insulted him. He sat down next to her on the right as she looked at the chocolate in her hands.

She smiled sadly. "You know you just gave me my first gift from someone who wasn't captured by my Allure or my family."

Harry looked at the chocolate. "Pretty good gift. Mine was better though. It was my owl, Hedwig, you will probably meet her. She is like you, very prideful. She nips my ears when I do stupid things. She was given to me by a good friend of mine. A half giant named hagrid."

Fleur raised her head and took a bite of the chocolate. "Did you just compare me, a Veela, to an owl, Arry?"

Arry looked at her with a mischievous smile. "Eh. If it fits, no? Egotistical, prideful, and maybe a tad over reactive?"

Fleur looked at him with a playful glare. "You watch it. Chocolate only gets you so far."

Harry beamed. "Well? Glad you liked it."

Fleur nodded as she munched on it. She sighed. "I am jealous but it's because I really do wish I didn't need to worry like you can; not really about what you have."

Harry chuckled. "What do you worry about if you don't mind me asking?"

Fleur sighed and looked over. Merde. She couldn't believe an almost 14 year old could be immune to her allure. And of course he was probably the most famous boy in all of Europe and maybe the world.

She decided to humor him. "I have a cushy life right now. I won't bother you with the details, but I do not need to worry in school. I have fun and am respected because of school rules. I am worried about what comes after. I was excited to make this my last year of fun and just being protected by expectations of youth." Fleur was not stupid. She knew she had privileges because of school. She was taking advantage of them and clearly bending them to an extreme degree.

Yet, it felt like it was her only time she could. Everything after school pointed to a life of prejudice, hatred, and bigotry. Why couldn't she have fun at least now? "After, though, the real world comes. I am just a Veela. I have no title. I have no money to a degree like you. I will have to work. I will have to fall in line like the rest of everyone, but also deal with the prejudice of others. I won't be able to escape it anymore."

Harry didn't fully relate but at least understanding the emotion of uncertainty. He knew Voldemort was out there. The only question was when and how he would come back. That put every dream on hold at least by what Sheda told him. If Tom is out there it's clear Tom wanted him.

He responded. "I understand at least somewhat. I have uncertainty in my life as well."

Fleur scoffed although not with venom. "What is so uncertain about your life Arry? Again you are rich, famous,a lord, you could probably have do anything you wanted."

Harry looked away in thought and rolled his sleeves up forgetting something. "If you are around me long enough. It will probably come. As for all the rest it's not important if you are dead."

Fleur looked at him with a slight surprise at his comment. Why did he say that? She then saw his right arm a long gash going from the hand to his elbow. A deep cut with a sickly green look to it. It had to be magical venom in his arm as it looked to move in his veins. The sleeve then rolled down on its own. She decided not to comment on it, unsure how to really.

Harry spoke up. "You know for someone so prideful you do become silent often."

Fleur huffed and glared at him. "You do know your comments don't help. You're just looking to goad me."

Harry relaxed and stayed seated. "I like the colors of your dress by the way. Reminds me of the Potter House colors of course."

Fleur looked down and realized they both really did match. Maybe that's why no one came to her when her Allure was blasting; they assumed she was with him and didn't want to make a scene. It was clear he was wealthy. There it came again the sense of pride and jealousy. She really did have a problem, she realized. It was eating at her. Almost coming at her throat and then it subsided just slightly. "Thank you for the compliment." She squeaked out.

Harry looked at her with a neutral expression. "Fleur I really don't want to spend the night like this and although I really technically just met you what could I do to make it easier for you?"

Fleur looked down and for the first time ever felt small. A deep part of her hating what she felt. She then realized maybe he was just trying to be equals. Was that so bad? Was it so bad to actually trust someone at the same level? She felt her pride come up. He had everything she wanted and he said she had everything he wanted. She sighed maybe starting over would be best. "I am Fleur Delacour. I go to beauxbatons. I am a Veela. I am going into my 7th year. I like enchanting and hope to get a sponsor from a family friend."

Harry shrugged and smiled at the family friend part. "I guess I will take it. I am Harry Potter. I recently found out I am good at runes. I am going to take my Owl next year and I am going into my 4th year."

Fleur noted he didn't mention anything else, not even that he went to Hogwarts. "Are you not proud to go to Hogwarts? It's the best wizarding school in the world."

Harry sighed in joking frustration. "Really? Fleur. Even my school is worthy of you being jealous of?"

Fleur actually started to stutter and very slightly blush.

Harry started to laugh. "I am kidding. I am kidding. Don't take it personally."

Fleur then started to laugh at the absurdity. Harry chuckled as he got up and reached out. "Equals?"

Fleur felt some frustration at him for saying it, but she decided to leave it be and just try to spend time with him. "Qui. I will try." Harry nodded.

Break break break

They had started walking around when Harry responded to her question before he joked. "You asked about Hogwarts. I don't really like it anymore. I recently realized it's been 3 years of hell."

Fleur noted the way he spoke. Such seriousness. It was clear he was not exaggerating. "Do you mind me asking why? I do not like the cold so I can understand that."

Harry smirked. "The cold is brutal. The dementors made it worse this year. I would probably say that the last part is the reason. I have been unlucky that every year something happens to me. I would rather not speak on that though." Fleur nodded.

She had heard of the situation at Hogwarts in the past few years. A troll escaped and it was bested by Harry Potter, the mythical chamber of secrets was supposedly opened and their equally mythical headmaster was removed in a scandalous paper close to the end of the year, and then suddenly the headmaster was reinstated with no issues, and finally this last year. Sirius Black had escaped from Azkaban and the dementor ran around the grounds. If the last newspaper was to be believed the man escaped again from Hogwarts after a few students almost caught him. In her thinking she realized something. "Black. You have the title. How did you come to get the title? You're not related to Sirius Black are you?"

Harry looked at her and noted that his eyes looked like a sickly dark green. "He would be my cousin. I was passed the title by my Great Uncle Arcturus Black before he passed in 1984." Fleur nodded her head and decided to finish the touchy subject.

After a while of looking at random stuff Fleur began to loosen up but she realized Arry was holding back from her. Not fully laughing nor fully being critical. She had begun to get frustrated but made a concerted effort to control herself. She decided to bring up the mirror he had shown her.

"Can you tell me more about the mirror you have?"

Harry nodded and led them to a bench looking into the plaza. "No notes exist and 4 people had a hand in creating a total of two of them. 1 is dead and the other 3 are hard to contact. They are mirrors that communicate with each other. You can actually see the face of other individuals. Currently the other one is away, but once I have both you can review them."

Fleur was marveled. Two mirrors that allowed you to communicate via what was essentially face to face. Amazing. "By the way. I can try to make the Blanket better. Maybe add runes and not make it so girly. Red would be nice and gold. Maybe green and black?" Fleur kept going on questions and ideas she had for hoping to make it perfect for him. She was also excited to have the resources to make a blanket without any issues. "Fleur." She stopped. Hearing her name. Worried she had something again. The worry then turned to pride and anger at making her feel such an emotion. It stopped at what she heard from him.

Harry smiled. He liked her like this. A curious witch wanting to use her talents and assert them on the world. Not the jealous witch. Not the overly prideful one. No, this witch. The one excited about her craft and confident in it. "Fleur. Just make it like you think it's best, it's no problem to me. As long as it's made by you okay?"

Fleur caught herself but she hid it. The boy was something. She couldn't figure out what but something. He got up again and they walked around more. As they walked around the square for a while, Harry realized it was rather large with pop up shops in the middle creating a maze of magical vendors. He was also surprised to see the varying dress of people. From how Harry and Fleur dressed to somehow more extravagant and even basic muggle clothing. They talked about random things. He saw Fleur struggling with her allure as she had pulled it in. He figured it was due to how many people that were in the plaza and just her wanting to not embarrass them.

He leaned over and whispered to her "You can let it go, no? I know you are gonna hate what I say next but you are with me. Just relax. No one will say anything and I won't either. Of course, unless someone tries something." Fleur looked at him. Again, the pride came up but the fact he acknowledged it. She sighed and knew he was right. She released her Allure. People quickly started to get charmed, but she stayed close to him. A tad closer than she wanted but she needed to make sure people knew she was with him. He extended his arm to her when he stopped at a vendor that glared at her and then stopped when she hooked her arm. A vindictive smile coming over her face.

Harry caught it. "Watch it. Don't let it get to your head. Don't want to get the ego of a Lady now do you? Pretty sure many of them have bigger egos than you."

She snorted in her chuckle. "Qui they do. The French Lestrange Lord came to my home and his wife actually looked like a horse, but I swear she wrinkled her nose at me as if I smelled."

Harry chuckled. "You smell like lavender. Hard to believe she had any real reason." She silently gasped. He smelled her magical scent. Only strong adult wizards could do such a thing. She leaned in and attempted to catch his scent. Cinnamon and pine? Christmas. She liked the scent. Liked? Since when did she like a magical scent?

She caught another glare from another vendor. And sighed, biting her lip. Her mother and father had always reminded her of what was to come and it is still here even on the arm of Harry Potter. Although many did not know that, It was clear he was still very wealthy, maybe they figured she was a plaything. She decided to reel in her Allure and be done with it.

Harry grabbed her arm. "Honey. What is that you wanted?" Fleur began to get angry at the pet name. How dare he think he could have a pet name for her? No one could. She hated them. She pulled to let her go, but then stopped herself at his grin. Seeing him pull out his money pouch she realized what he was doing as she looked around catching many glares.

She decided to play along with a wicked smile on her face. "Ohhh honey. Let's just go, there is no place to spend money on, much less anything worthwhile."

Harry held his laugh and made it clear he had thousands of galleons by casually pulling out 100. "You know what? Your right sweetie. Let's go somewhere more refined." The vendors now where all angrily flustered at the comments and also their own actions clearly costing them a possible large sale.

Harry grabbed Fleur by the hand and walked her out of the vendor area. She giggled the whole way. "Don't tell my Father we just did that." Fleur said as she stopped giggling.

Harry smiled at the giggle. "I saw them glaring much earlier. Not one shop vendor tried selling to me even before we sat down the first time. They tolerated you but they clearly tried not selling to me. I got frustrated. So little prank." He shrugged slightly and chuckled.

Fleur realized how he was acting before. He was being aware as she was loosening up. In some ways he was looking out for her in case someone came at her. It's not until she was on his arm did he relax knowing he could act quicker. She didn't ponder her feelings further. "Sorry no one wanted to sell because you were with me. You can go back. If you want I can wait."

Harry shook his head. "I wanted to shop with you, not just shop. It's different. I liked hearing your opinions on the items."

Fleur beamed and then remembered him wanting to go to a book shop. Not realizing her negative emotions had faded "I saw a book shop didn't you want to go?"

Harry nodded. "Good call. Let's go." Harry once again extended his arm for her and she looped her arm in without hesitation.

Break Break break

Seeing the book shop after a bit Fleur guided them both to the book shop. "So a book for a friend?"

Harry nodded. "I am unsure if this is the book shop or if it even exists anymore. But she has helped me and she had an unfortunate death so kinda trying to boost her morale up."

Fleur raised an eyebrow as he held the door for her. "Death?" Is your friend a ghost?"

Harry smiled as he followed behind her. "Yup. A ghost. Moaning Myrtle. Haunts the Bathroom at the bottom of the grand staircase at Hogwarts. I believe we are hosting the Triwizard tournament, whatever that is, but it sounds like you may go. So I can introduce you if you go."

Fleur chuckled. Again there goes Harry being something else. Rune affinity, runes on his dress robes, a knife at his belt, titles, a sickly scar on his arm and now a ghost friend who he wanted to get a book for.

As they walked around the shop they noticed the shopkeeper helping a few customers so they waited for their turn. "So you know about the tournament? It was supposed to be announced at the Quidditch World Cup."

Harry was surprised but gestured that he knew something about it. "Know about it, but don't know what it is. I learned about it right before the school year ended in an off hand mention. Mainly when I was told that I would be able to take my Owls next year. That it could be a distraction." Harry shrugged but stopped when saw some school supplies and noticed some small ward stones were sold here.

He decided to make Fleur the ward he had made. A small gift for the night and for trying to bury her pride. Sheda had told him it was extremely stable and had no issue being carried or stored. If anything Professor Vector had been extremely impressed and had sent it to Paris to be reviewed by some academics. He grabbed a stone and kept walking with Fleur.

Fleur was intrigued by the school ward stone, but continued. "It's a competition between the 3 major wizarding schools in Europe. Drumstang, Beauxbatons, and Hogwarts. You submit your name and are chosen at random to represent the school, via the Triwizard cup. A magical artifact that has a cold flame. You have to be 17 years old and it hasn't happened since 1792. It was stopped because there were too many deaths."

Harry looked intrigued. "Why bring it back? Almost 200 years without care and a high death toll?"

Fleur shrugged. "Your department head of International Magical Cooperation, Barty Crouch Sr. pushed for it at random in the beginning of June he was supported by Ludo Bagman, the Department head of Magical games and sport. Barty Crouch Sr. actually pushed for it because he argued that the magical world did not have many ways for individuals to get fame and glory; like it used to via war, exploration, and magical feats etc. Kind of barbaric and narrow minded to what other regions have accomplished, but I hope to join. The prize money, although not a lot, would give me a good starting point in life. The general fame gives my family and I a leg to further stand up in the—." She stopped.

She realized she would have all the money she wanted for her experiments because of the House of Potter and Black. If things continued and Arry helped father win the ministry she could see her father look for an alliance. Harry really had set himself up to be tied to her family. An allyship to possibly the man who would control the French nation. She would be sponsored by the House of Potter-Black and expected to act like one of their own. Had Arry known what he had done in regards to the sponsorship? He did say he really didn't understand half of it. Maybe it no longer made sense to do the tournament?

She should focus on the mirror. The mirror guaranteed her the life she wanted. Yet, a part of her, her prideful self, wanted to show the world. It wasn't just the money and fame, it was the glory. She bit her lip. The glory of being a champion. But what does it matter now? Nothing could compare to being the daughter of the French minister and the enchanter to House Potter-Black. She may not get respected to the degree of a Lady but it was probably the most she would ever get.

Her complicated thoughts were cut off by Harry who was looking at a House etiquette book and grabbed it. "Do it." Fleur looked confused. Harry smiled as he looked at her. "Do it. Do the tournament. We can extend the mirror deadline. It's clear you want to do it for yourself. Kinda hard to miss as you bite your lip in thinking. Do the tournament Fleur. I can wait for you. It's not like the mirrors are going anywhere"

Fleur beamed at his comment and felt her heart slightly flutter at the 'I can wait for you.' Heart flutters? What was that feeling? She didn't understand why he said that. How was he understanding her to an extreme degree? Was she that easy to read or did he just understand her feelings? "Arry. Can I ask you a question?"

Harry looked confused. "Sure Fleur within reason of course." He smiled.

She hesitated unsure if he would understand the question as he was young. "Am I that easy to read?"

Harry was about to respond but he heard the bookkeeper coming over as he finished with the other customers. Catching that they had been speaking English he greeted them with a heavy accent. He saw Fleur's slight disappointment at not getting her question answered in the moment. "We will talk about it after. We will find a cafe. my treat?" Fleur smiled and nodded and left to the entrance to wait for him.

Harry looked at the bookkeeper "Hello I am here to pick up a book. A friend of mine ordered it over 40 years ago now and I was hoping you still had it."

The bookkeeper smiled. "Of course. We never sell books that are purchased. Who knows when the family comes looking for it. Name of the shopper."

Harry responded. "Myrtle? She was a young 3rd year student at Hogwarts."

The bookkeeper smiled as he looked through his shelf of purchased books. "Ahhh here it is On the nature of Fairies rare book, but a book so rare that it seems no one cares for it. It is fully paid for." Harry smiled and handed the man 25 galleons.

The bookkeeper was shocked at the amount. "Sir this is too much. The book was not even worth half that."

Harry shrugged. "Take it as a hold fee. I appreciate you keeping it so long. And for these two items." He showed him the book on etiquette and the ward stone. The bookkeeper nodded happily. Grabbing the book he felt runes on it and decided to look at them later and placed it in his bottomless bag with the other book. Keeping the stone in his robe pockets. He walked back to Fleur. "Did they have the book Arry?"

He nodded. "Luckily they did, Myrtle will be happy. So cafe any good ones that we can just drink some tea or I am guessing coffee here." Fleur smiled as they left and led them to a shop she remembered when she came at age 10. They sat down and ordered some tea, Fleur looking at her pocket watch seeing it was 5:30pm. It had been an exhausting 1 hour and 30min. And now only an hour and 30 until dinner.

She looked up as she heard Arry start to talk. "So you asked if it's easy to read you. May I ask why you want to know?"

Fleur felt shy but her pride quickly took over pushing it away. "I wanted to know because it seems you are so easily able to talk to me and even communicate with me. You are younger but it's kinda frustrating being read by a younger individual while I barely can see what you are thinking." Fleur said with a slight more venom than she wanted, her pride getting to her.

Harry understood the frustration. It was the same thing he felt with Sheda at first. "I actually can't read you. Everyone has ticks and I learned that from Sheda when she helped me discuss my emotions. In many ways the skills and tricks were meant to help me. They are coping skills she had to learn as an orphan. A sense of how to control, understand and move on from your emotions and traumatic past. So ticks are easy to notice, like how you bite your lip. You do it when you are thinking and are conflicted." Fleur looked down, realizing he was right. Maybe she had obvious ticks and many people didn't get to learn them. The Allure being too strong or people not caring.

She looked up at him as their tea arrived and Arry continued." I just assume what you are thinking and are conflicted on. Not hard to make the leaps. Like in the book store. You clearly stopped yourself after realizing that the tournament was not needed. Your future is kinda secured based on what I said in my understanding. You just have to execute your part. I also see how your pride eats at you, I know Veela are very prideful humans and I assumed your conflict was about wanting to do it for glory."

Harry balanced his tea cup on its side. It teetered barely staying up. "I understand that, I won't lie. If I was in the tournament I would do it for glory. It's clear I have the fame and money part. No. I would do it for the glory of achieving and doing something that I would be remembered for not as the boy who lived or the dark lord behind it all. It's a shadow I hate." Harry finished. He realized in his conversations with Sheda how much he hated living as the boy who lived. Not because of the fame but the assumption that he should have amazing abilities. It frustrated him.

A frustration that he could understand someone else could have for something similar. "So I know it may be something different for you, maybe you could also show the rest of the wizarding world how great Veela are or maybe it's wanting to forge your own path."

Harry shrugged and took a sip of his tea seeing that Fleur was looking at him quizzically. "You're much too mature for your age."

Harry smiled sadly. "You know what Fleur. In my three years at Hogwarts I have had three major adventures. Each one of those years, I could have died. This is not a joke, all three I came close to dying. Maybe I tell you more, but just one month ago I was getting kissed by a Dementor and if it wasn't for some magical artifacts. I would not be alive."

Fleur looked shocked, but also touched by the display of trust. "What do you mean kissed by a dementor? I heard they were placed at Hogwarts and then removed once Sirius Black escaped again."

Harry looked gloomy. "According to Sheda I was being kissed. I saw what's under the hood and felt myself being released."

Fleur paled at that. He was kissed but something stopped it. She listened as he finished. "My patronus saved me."

Fleur once again looked surprised. "You can do a patronus?"

Harry looked at his cup as it stopped teetering. "If you want I can show you but I would rather show you in a more private place."

Fleur nodded but stopped him from getting up. She had appreciated his show of trust; it was clear the boy was more than just a little lord. It was also clear he understood her to a degree. Taking everything she knew was to come, she knew she had to at least try with him to control her pride, jealousy and ego. Especially if she was to work with him possibly for a good portion of her life. "I want to tell you that it's okay if you can read me. I enjoy talking to someone who understands me at least somewhat and doesn't get mad at my bluntness, pride, and other issues. You nailed it on the dot what I was feeling. I just never had anyone be able to talk to me outside of my family, especially a male. " Harry smiled at her and got up and offered his hand to help her stand. Fleur took it and let go after standing.

They decided to leave the square and go to a nearby park that was part of the magical community for a stroll. The setting sun made it breathless in his opinion as he saw kids on their brooms flying around. She continued once they began to stroll. "So can you read your own friends so well?"

Harry's smile faltered. "Funny enough. I think I missed a lot of things when I came into the magical world. Feeling a tad like Gabi. I wanted to fit in. I ignored a lot of stuff from my friends. I actually would say as of right now I have only one non tense friendship. Daphne Greengrass. She became a recent friend rather quickly to me anyway. In the past month as well actually. If you want you can meet her. She will be coming to see the semi-final and finals next week." Fleur wasn't surprised and realized his statement matched her own experiences. She had done the same thing and around the same time as him she had lost all her friends due to jealousy issues.

Giving in to his continued show of trust she responded with a similar story "I understand the feeling. It was around the same time when I lost all my friends. I actually was going through my maturity as a Veela. It happens at 13 the physical aspects. At 11 you get the Allure. The allure was manageable but all my friends got jealous that in one summer I went from looking like a 10 year old to a 20 year old muggle supermodel in their eyes." Harry felt kinship at the statement, the jealousy and bitterness aspect of hers making sense. He wondered if with time he could have become the same as Fleur. Prideful? No probably not. Bitter? maybe. He could see himself becoming bitter at the world.

They sat down in the park on a picnic table seeing they had 45 min left. Harry looked around and saw no one. They may be in a magical park but he didn't want anyone to see. "You said you wanted to see my patronus, no?" Pulling out his wand which Fleur eyed. It was a beautiful art piece in her mind. He whispered the incantation and much to her surprise she heard the melodic whispers of the charm filling her heart with joy and suppressing her issues of self doubt, pride, and jealousy. She was then surprised as it took shape and became corporal into a winged horse. She heard Harry whisper in surprise. "A thestral." He continued the charm until it seemed to drain him.

She was in awe seeing it go away. "Wow Arry. You can do a corporeal patronus. Not even I can make a mist. You seemed shocked at the form it took. A thestral. A magical animal that you can only see if you have experienced death Non?"

Harry looked at his wand. "It used to be a stag. My dads Animagus form. I guess a lot has changed in a month." Harry's thoughts ran away from him as he wondered why or what could have caused it to change. He then remembered the wand lore, someone who had accepted death as part of life and someone who was very defensive of his family. All things he was growing to have.

Fleur looked at Harry who was clearly lost in thought and she could finally read the boy. He was emotional. Clearly the change in his patronus affected him. A bad or good thing she could not tell, but she could tell he was hurt.

Harry put his wand on the table and was looking in his robe and under the table. In his distraction the wand began to roll and Fleur grabbed it for him so it did not fall off the table. Feeling it glow and warm up she put it down gently. The wand had responded to her. As if accepting her. Did it bond? No, it was not a bond. It's almost as if it got excited, it reminded her of when she had seen her wand created. When the wood glowed as it melded to the core, her grandmother's hair.

She kept looking at the wand as he stood back up finding what he was searching for in his pockets. "Ohhhh you can look at it, just don't touch it. The wand crafter who made it for me told me it was notoriously dangerous for individuals to touch it. Do you mind if I work on something for you?"

Fleur smiled, interested, but was confused. So he had a temperamental wand? She had one as well if anyone else used it. Yet, it was clear the wand was more than that for the wand maker to tell him such a warning. No, it violently rejected others and hurt others. But why not her? Her thoughts were pulled away as she watched him pull out a ward stone. "Something for me? With a class ward stone. Wait, are you going to make what you did for your final?" Harry nodded. He placed the ward stone on the table and unhooked his knife. Much to the surprise of Fleur and what it was.

She quickly made her away around the picnic table to be next to him. "Is that a Veela made knife? How do you have one? The one you have is given during a wedding between spouses."

Harry looked at the knife and figured it made sense. It was beautiful. "I was given it by the same ghost I got the book for."

He laid it out on his palm for her to look at it. "Don't touch it though. It was accidentally infused with a magical substance that makes it deadly."

Fleur looked at and caught the Veela runes. "Real Veela runes. Mother spoke about them but I didn't care to look into it more. It's in one of our languages. Basque. I don't know it and my mother doesn't either. My grandma spoke it as she lived in that region of Spain."

Harry was disappointed. "Unfortunate. I heard you make your runes via sentences and not symbolism. Much more complicated and to such a degree even my rune ability doesn't allow me to fully understand it." He finished as he pulled it away and began working on the ward.

Fleur looked at him doing a basic ward on the face and she found it not that interesting besides how easily he did it and of course his age. Yet, once he finished and the ward glowed he looked to flip it over. She then felt he was a mad man. Over 48 little runes on such a small ward and one big rune. It then clicked in her head what he was doing and gasped. "You want to make it pull magic. Does it actually work? Of course you know. You did it before. How did you come up with it?" Harry smiled and continued working. He finished after a bit and looked at the center rune.

Wanting to do it later so she could take it with her. "Trade secret. I will finish it when we head back to the village later tonight." He put away his knife and got up all the while Fleur looked at the ward in fascination and began to theorize how it would work and look. He then pocketed the ward and held his hand out to her. Realizing the time, they headed to meet her parents and go to dinner.

Fleur walked by him and stared at him from behind. As a Veela, with a closer relation to magic, she was more sensitive to the effects of the patronus and she felt light now. The negative emotions of pride, bitterness, and jealousy out of her system and just an internal peace. The spell truly was a spell of the soul. The melodic power of it feeding you and recharging you. For him to know the spell and be able to cast it made her know he was a good person, if not a good person at least a person that tried to do the right thing.

She began to think as they made it to the plaza. He was an oddity and if anything she wondered what he would be to her. It was clear he would be a part of her family's foreseeable future, yet would that be it? A business arrangement and technically her fathers political donor to be seen once or twice a year. She would then be his enchantress getting to experiment and make items until he either considered her services lacking or if she went on her own.

She then remembered she never said sorry for what she said earlier. "Arry?" Harry stopped to look at her. "I just wanted to say I am sorry for my jealousy earlier. I want you to know that I agree with you. My family means the world to me. Gabi, Mother, and Father. All of them are very important to me. And I was wrong to assume you had a good life because of the superficial things." Fleur finished. Never having felt such peace with a statement. Her heart felt light. Is this what it felt to trust someone? Is this what it felt to not be bitter?

Arry looked at her and sadly smiled. "Apology accepted. Come on, we are gonna be late and I don't want your mum to worry." Fleur walked up to him and stopped. Another question. She pulled all her courage forward before her pride came back and stopped her. "Arry, I had a question. Do you really mean what he said earlier? About being Equals?"

Harry looked in thought and came up with an answer. "What would you like to hear?" Fleur looked confused. Harry smiled. "I could say that I see you as an equal; as a human, witch, and as someone around my age that deserves my respect. Or."

Harry caught his breath and pulled whatever courage he had. "An equal in friends." Harry felt it was stupid. Yet the radiant smile she gave him and her Allure blasting because of her emotions made him happy. "Qui. Friends."

Harry smiled at that and got in close to her and whispered. Much to her surprise of the closeness "Then as a friend control your allure. I don't want to start a blood feud defending you." She gasped at her Allure flaring and saw some people looking confused and looking around. She quickly got it under control to how she had it during the night. "Thank you." She said as she smiled at him. Harry nodded and for a brief second he was captured by how beautiful she truly was. He really did like her when she acted like this but he stopped his thoughts. She was older and clearly had an idea on life, furthermore who knew if she would continue to have these issues of pride. Issues that truly made her insufferable.

Fleur saw that he looked like he was captured in her Allure. He quickly turned around which told her it was something else. He offered her his arm and she took it, looping her arm. She decided to ignore what she saw and looked at him. "Dinner then?"

Break Break Break

Dinner was a simple affair that took them through the whole night, with after dinner conversations being a major part. They had a private room so that the ladies wouldn't have to hold their Allure back. The restaurant served both magical and muggle and was extremely high end. In some ways Harry felt underdressed and somewhat outclassed when he walked through the restaurant.

In the private room he felt better as he joked around with Gabi and Fleur and was asked multiple questions about school and rumors about him that made it to the mainland. The most annoying being Daily Prophet front pages about his 2nd year at the end of the year and of course the 1st year 6 month blitz regarding where he had been for over 11 years. His third year had been quieter with the revelations of Sirius Black's escape from Azkaban. A point that made Sebastian worry about Grindelwald's prison since Azkaban was supposed to be a tighter prison then Nurmengard castle. The conversation then turned into some light talking about Sheda.

Everyone was surprised to learn that she was not his magical guardian and he just went along with it to make it easier and not have to explain it. He talked about how she had helped him with some issues and that turned into discovering his abilities in runes. He then trailed off on how she had taken him under her wing and that he was very grateful to have met her.

Apolline and Fleur had caught on to some other points, mainly the way Harry spoke of her with fondness and respect. Although he did not say it, it was clear the woman was more than a professor to him. Noticing it was getting late they looked to leave at around 9pm. Everyone agreed it had been a long day and headed to the portkey area to head to the village.

"Another Portkey." Harry grumbled.

Fleur teased him. "I will catch you again."

Harry glared at her. "Believe me. If I can't figure it out. I will make you figure out a new method of magical travel. Each travel method is stupid." She laughed at him as they took hold of the portkey. The world began to spin and then stopped as he looked to fall on the ground where the tent portkey area had been established for people coming in directly as tourists. He was caught by Fleur once again.

He grumbled as he saw Apolline and Sebastian slightly smile while Gabi giggled. Fleur of course was laughing fully. She helped him up and he saw the valley. Harry once again could not believe how beautiful it looked seeing the galaxy cut across the valley. The laugh from Fleur was somehow even more beautiful in his mind.

Fleur and Harry lagged behind, yet enjoyed the silent company under the stars and moon. Harry then realized about the ward and pulled out the stone seeing that they were crossing a small field he felt would be best here. "Fleur, wait. Let me finish the ward in this clearing so there are no issues."

Fleur looked excited and waved to her parents that they would catch up. "So you said you had to finish it. Is there anything in particular that you have to do?"

Harry smiled at her curiosity. "I have to add a slash to finish the large battery rune and just add a little bit of magic. Once you do the whole sequence goes into a runaway effect of overloading, destruction, attraction, and self healing. Sheda said it converts the stone into an enchanted item as its properties change and the item is overloaded with magic. There will be a bright light and I would recommend you shield yourself."

Fleur nodded. "What about yourself?"

Harry smiled back as he pulled the knife out. "I will cast a quick shield charm with my knife." Fleur was surprised he could cast with it. A part of her thought she was missing the dots, but in her excitement she let it go. She casted a protego. A spell she was proud of that she could cast semi perfectly.

Harry breathed in and did the slash and poured his magic in. Like before the stone shook and then a bright flash that extended outwards and then pulled into the ward stone. In his hand was the pulsar ward slowly moving in his hand and pulsating.

Fleur quickly ran over with her wand and started exploring it. "It is enchanted now. It's almost like a heart. What do you call it? Or have you not named it?"

Harry smiled at her. "A pulsar ward. For a type of star that I learned about in my muggle schooling."

Fleur looked at. "Pulsar ward. I like it. It does look like something from space." She continued to look at it and waved her wand over it. Much to his surprise he saw the same runic circle come over her finger tips that Sheda had briefly used. Fleur's wand seemingly moved it around.

Harry decided to ask. "Is that telling you what the ward is?"

Fleur nodded. "It's a runic circle, a type of spell in ward breaking and cursebreaking. If you are in a ward field or close to a cursed item it pulls that magic/information and presents it to you in this form. From here you can try to decipher and break the ward or curse by looking for a weakness. If a rune symbol is not done correctly, already weakened runes, or something is interfering with the ward or curse; all that information you can see with this mathematically."

Fleur got quiet as she looked at the pulsar. She was studying the pulsar ward. Her mind turning at the possibilities. She continued. It was clear Harry liked learning about runes and his new abilities. "You can also try to detangle the magic from the keyed hosts' magic and pull them towards yourself. It would allow you to flip who controls the ward allowing you to escape if you're in a problematic situation. The spell is pretty easy, Runaostentus. It's a tedious process and requires you to slowly break the connection of the host and then you wrestle control. Of course you can use this for dark arts like collapsing a ward but I just wanted to see how it looked."

Fleur was quiet again for a bit. "It's reactive. I can't really break it, at least not like I usually would with such a small stone. Any magic I throw at the ward it will absorb and get stronger and it's constantly scrambling itself. You have a small window to try to understand what you did, before it re scrambles. That doesn't even include the sheer amount of runes you gave it. Fascinating. You may have created a low cost ward that could see wizards and witches have pretty amazing security Arry. Have you linked more than one?"

Harry shook his head. "You are seeing one of two." He reached for her hand feeling the delicate fingers and allowed the pulsar ward to float in her palm. They began walking to her tent. "It's yours. Have this as your first proper gift from a friend. Have fun with it. Let me know what you do with it."

Fleur's eyes were on the ward. A small part of her throat caught at his comment of being a friend and his first gift. "Arry, are you sure?"

"Yes I am. Keep it and study it. Maybe I add you to the paper as a credit to what you discover. How does that sound? I have no way to study the actual effects. I just learned that spell you showed me. Although I could have Sheda help me I know the academic world would just see it as her taking the credit." Harry said matter of factly.

Fleur smiled. "Qui. I will look at it." She kept it floating in her hand as they made it to her tent. "Goodnight Arry. It was a great time today. I am happy I got to meet you."

Harry beamed at the last part. "I am happy to have met you as well. Have a goodnight."

Break Break Break

Fleur entered the tent into what was clearly going to be a family meeting. She sighed ready for the verbal scolding she was gonna get. Her mother, seeing the Pulsar ward, spoke first. "What is that Fleur? Did Arry make that for you?"

Fleur nodded. "It's a pulsar ward. A custom ward Arry created. '' She sat down with the rest of her family in the seating area and continued her comment. "He told me to have this as a first proper gift as a friend?" Gabi and Apolline both breathed in.

Her father looked curiously at the ward wondering how it worked. Apolline spoke up as she looked at the ward as well. "It's oddly beautiful. He did not know the meaning of those words, correct?"

Fleur shook her head. "Non. He did not know that it is common to use them in Veela wedding vows. Nor the fact that he made this ward with a Veela wedding knife."

Apolline looked even more confused. "A Veela wedding knife? He must have Veela ancestors in an off-line branch?"

Fleur shook her head. "A ghost gave it to him. He uses it as his rune knife which is how he made this."

Apolline snorted. "The boy uses one of our most treasured items as a rune knife."

Fleur smiled at the absurdity and technically the disrespect. "It has basque Veela runes. I know Grandma would have loved to study it. And she would have laughed at its usage. She used hers as a common kitchen knife."

Apolline smiled at the comment and nodded. Fleur had been pretty tight lipped about her grandma ever since she passed. Almost 4 years ago, right as Fleur started her maturity, Fleur had become bedridden. Unfortunately it seemed her Grandma was called by death just overnight. She had fallen into eternal sleep the day before she was supposed to arrive to help Fleur as per tradition. To say Fleur was devastated would be an understatement. Her daughter had been in pain and emotional turmoil for close to 3 months. Nothing could be done to help her.

Her thoughts were cut by her Husband speaking. "So Fleur did the night go well? It seems you were able to calm the night. We even enjoyed dinner to our surprise and you relaxed and laughed with him."

Fleur snorted. "I did no such thing. He did. 3 times throughout the night I let my pride and jealousy get to me. Not even 1 min after you told me to control myself, I got jealous of him. I realized I don't know how to trust someone."

Fleur looked down and she felt a torrent of emotions hit her all at once. The emotion she had bottled up throughout the night being finally released. The same emotions that Arry had been able to temper with the chocolate he gave her. Two gifts she had given him tonight. She began to cry. Through the sobs she spoke. "I am sorry papa. I.I. Didn't know you lost a donor because of my actions. I didn't think. I don't think. I just do. I should have listened. I tried to listen tonight and I think it worked but Arry. Arry was the one that kept it all from going bad." Apolline stepped over and threw her arms around her daughter hugging her. Gabi went running to Fleur's tent area and came back with the blanket and handed it to her. Fleur put the ward on the table and grabbed the blanket, putting it in her lap.

Relishing in its comfort. It may have been simple in her eyes but she made it in honor of her grandma. A way to remember her. A single Veela hair of hers had been placed in it just to remember her. "I threw my jealousy at him. That he had everything I wanted. And do you know what he said to me? He told me that in his eyes I had everything he could ever want. Can you imagine how stupid and immature I felt? A boy, and barely going to be 14 years old at that, throws back at you the fact that you have a family as your response to your jealousy of his wealth, power and fame. I at least had the decency to look ashamed. I even offered to remove his offer to me. Yet, all he does, in anger, is tell me not to tell you papa. God I am stupid."

Sebastian with a neutral face. "Yes. You are." Fleur was shocked by his admission but further shocked by his hug and him pulling in Gabi. The 4 hugged each other. A first for the family. Her father pulled away and saw tears flowing down his face, another first. She had never seen him cry. Not even when his own mother had died. "It's not your fault. It's my fault. I bear the responsibility for raising you this way. I am sorry. I have been away from home too much and honestly I am unsure how I am going to do it now. I will probably be away from home more than ever. I failed both of you. I attempted to give you girls everything but lost sight that what you needed was your family. The fact that this is the first family vacation in over 5 years and it goes like this? No. It is my fault. From now on there are new rules. If you girls ask for time with me. I will find it. Come to my work. Anything. If you want to talk, my door is alway open at any time. I have neglected my duties."

Fleur tried to cut him off. "you have given us so much-"

A raised hand stopped her. Sebastian continued, cleaning his eyes. "It is clear in my conversation and thinking with Harry that I failed both of you. The life I was trying to give you was impossible with the tools I had. I had planned to tell you tonight, much earlier than I wanted, that I would be planning to retire and come home. To be a stay at home father and prepare myself for the eventual arrival of life for both of you. A candle light in the dark world that I had so inadequately prepared you for. You must promise me. both of you"

He looked at Gabi and grabbed their hands."That you will take care of each other. That you will look out for each other. That you will call each other out if one of you is out of line. Family is sacred. It's the one place you can find peace and I have ruined that in my selfish desire for a dream that was never compatible with who we are as a family."

Apolline looked with pride at her husband and desire. She had always told him that his dream, although noble, to change and push France as the banner of rights and progress, was not for them. He had no title and although he had been able to work his way up the ladder and had been so close; he was neglecting his family. A family that had no father. A family that didn't think he cared.

He did care, but she told him that it didn't matter how much care he showed behind closed doors. That her having to tell him their daughter's interests or their success stories would never amount to him actually being there and hearing it from them. Apolline, holding both her daughters, realized this was a pivotal moment in their life. Maybe it would have come later. Maybe it would have come when Fleur truly messed up or maybe it would come during a mundane time when Sebestian knew it was over. The man always liked announcing major life changes during New Years. It would have been later this year then.

Fleur looked down at a wreck of emotions that she was. Her thoughts of failure as a daughter and sister made her ego fall apart around her. She had failed as a daughter. Selfish and only caring about herself. Family had been thrown to the wayside in her own bitterness.

Fleur had also failed as a sister. The one thing she felt she always did correctly. In reality she was a bad influence and promoted an attitude that could see Gabi get hurt. Gabi, due to her age, misunderstood that Fleur never focused her Allure on an individual. It was also clear that Fleur gave the impression of a harpy lifestyle. Yes, she had people falling over her because of the Allure and yes she liked it, but she only ever had a few boyfriends. With those few she never had done anything more than making out and petting. It was now clear to her that she was influencing Gabi to be an egotistical witch and maybe in time, a harpy. It was clear she was a disappointment.

Her papa had all but admitted he had raised a disappointment, but he took blame for it. Her heart felt in shambles; she wondered if this would have been the same without Arry. Would she have had to realize this later in the year? Would she have buried her family even more? What would it have taken? A slip up? An insult? If she became a champion? An accident? Charming multiple boys? Maybe even focusing her allure on someone? Her thoughts began to race as she bit her lip. They stopped when her father finished talking to Gabi and sent her off to bed.

Fleur had not caught what he told her in her self loathing, but seeing her mother leave she figured the conversation was ending.

"Fleur." She looked at her papa. "Conflicted?"

Fleur smiled much to the surprise of her Papa. "Arry told me I bit my lip when I was conflicted."

Sebastian was surprised Harry had caught it. A very astute eye the wizard had it seemed. "Yes you do. I want to tell you that I am proud of you. I know you heard it when I talked to Harry but I am really proud of you. I see this blanket and I know you have a talent. I heard you and Gabi talking about it as I left for work the other day. I am so proud I have a daughter who has become so good at magic that she is able to enchant. I know you will make a great enchantress. I hope you know I was looking for a sponsor before tonight. I tried so much, but no one wanted to." Fleur was shocked again at the praise.

She never realized how much it would mean. "Veela." She said bitterly, responding to the issue of not finding a sponsor.

He sighed. "Yes. Many didn't believe a Veela enchantress was worth anything of note or prestige. I know how you feel-"

Fleur cut him off and with an over exaggerated and haughty tone proclaimed. "Well I shall now be the most famous enchantress ever under House Potter-Black." The out of character joke of Fleur poking fun at herself made her papa laugh.

Fleur sighed and looked at her papa. "It is okay. I knew it was coming and I had resigned myself to that fate. I even started looking at cursebreaking internships and ward making positions around Europe."

Sebastian was surprised that his daughter had done so. "So is that why you have been so bitter the last few weeks?"

Fleur moved her hand across the blanket. Knowing he was right."I felt more like I was being torn. My pride was being eaten by my jealousy and vice and versa. I felt like nothing I did was right or could be right. I decided to just enjoy my last year to the fullest extent, but even then I grew bitter of what was to come. I guess I realized that it would never change regardless of how powerful you became. The rich and historically powerful would never care and that became a hard pill to swallow and one I was choking on."

Sebastian smiled sadly. "These lords and ladies have larger egos then I think we both considered no?"

Fleur giggled. "Arry told me to watch myself. He pulled a prank on the vendors when they wouldn't sell to him with me around. He pulled out his money pouch showing he had a lot of money and he wanted me to act like a spoiled lady not finding the vendors up to my taste."

Sebastian was shocked. "Fleur! You shouldn't have done that."

Fleur finished her giggle and shrugged with a sigh. He was right. "He wanted me to relax and not hold my Allure back. It was the easiest way. He laughed with me at the expense of the French Lestranges when I told him about how Lady Lestrange acted with me."

Sebastian chuckled with a sad tone. "She was one for the books wasn't she? I swear she acted as if she never used the bathroom when I excused myself to do so."

Fleur giggled again and Sebastian smiled as well. "So how was Arry? Outside all the issues. He was calm and joked through dinner. He seemed quite taken with you."

Fleur understood the statement as Arry wanting to be her friend but her heart fluttered at the statement. She ignored it. Too many emotions currently. "It was good. He was a gentleman, more so than anyone I have met outside our family. He is very mature, almost too much. It almost sounded like he never had any fun. Almost everything had a tinge of sadness. He smiled a lot though."

Sebastian agreed, picking it up himself during the dinner. Fleur looked in thought remembering the night. "We did introductions to start fresh and he didn't sound proud of anything. He hates his fame of course, being tied to the sacrifice of his parents. He mentioned how much he has grown to dislike Hogwarts also. Apparently every year being in mortal peril. He mentioned that just a month ago he was getting kissed by a dementor. He also has a nasty scar on his right arm that has to be magically created or influenced. It looks like venom is eating at it, but also not."

Sebastian was stunned. "Kissed by dementors? Are you certain he didn't just mean the effects? They were at Hogwarts. Stupid to put such creatures by children. I heard they pulled back after Sirius Black was apprehended by some Stu-" Fleur also made the connection now.

Fleur continued "He was one of the students. He had to be. Why would he? To get revenge? He knows the patronus and can make a corporal one. Revenge wouldn't make sense for his character, but maybe he did it in a bout of anger? Maybe he has grown since then? Or maybe he learned something?" Sebastian sat down finally and raised an eyebrow.

Fleur nodded, thinking and gasping, making some connections. "He told me he has the title Black because his Great Uncle gave it to him. But in order to do so it would mean it jumped Sirius's place in line. No matter what anyone does, magic still recognizes heirships. Sirius accepted his Grandfather's final wish, meaning he went to Gringotts bank and confirmed the transition. Why? Why allow the child of the people you betrayed to take your mantle and a powerful one at that? Insanity? No. He escaped Azkaban and can successfully hide in the magical world he is mentally still there. The Dark Lord's plan? No, the House Black was reportedly the richest House in Magical Britain."

Fleur was stuck trying to come up with something. Sebastian filled it for her. "An injustice has occurred."

Fleur gasped. It made sense. "It's why he didn't get mad at the name but rather depressed. Maybe something had happened."

Her papa beamed at her. "Brilliant Fleur. Maybe you should be an Auror like your me. I shall look into it. Maybe a way to repay Harry." Fleur nodded, excited to be able to start to repay him back. She then realized it could never be enough.

She looked down in thought and somehow lost. Sebastian saw it. "Do you feel indebted to him?"

Fleur sighed and folded her legs up and put her head on her knees. "Is it bad that I feel small now?"

Sebastian smiled sadly and pulled his daughter in. "No. It means you realize how bad things were becoming and realize how much he may have done for us. People like him only come once in a generation. A combination of so many unfortunate circumstances, but comes out the other end clearly with a head held high. If he truly helps us like he stated then our family and our ancestors will be forever indebted to the Potter and Black family for elevating us to such a degree."

Fleur realized her Papa was right. "Is it going to be that impactful?"

Sebastian nodded. "It will. Do not feel indebted to him, Fleur. We both know he clearly doesn't like it. Ignore what he is doing for our family and what it will do. Work on yourself and be his friend Fleur. Work on the mirrors once he gives you them. Work on them as a friend, not as an obligation or payment. In time you will be the enchantress of the great Houses of Potter and Black. There, in those proud moments of finally reaching a position where you must and will be respected, use it to be a banner for your people. So that other Veela know it is possible to not just be a plaything for the rich. Okay? Don't let it fuel your arrogance and don't let your pride stop you from being a good friend. Learn from me that following your dreams requires sacrifices. I was paying a high price unknowingly. You have the ability to choose. Sacrifice all that you know of yourself to be toxic. Stay true to the loyal, beautiful, smart, and loving daughter I know I have."

Fleur looked at her papa with happy tears. For the first time feeling like she was seen by him. His comments went deep into her heart. She hugged him, feeling the magic of love heal her guilt. She also realized he was telling the truth. It's the only thing she could do. She would have to trust and swallow her pride but in time it would be easier. She would be a friend. She will learn. She would do it. Maybe be an equal.

Break break break (Harry just said bye to Fleur: Massive tone change)

As he saw Fleur turn away he couldn't help but have his eyes wander to her backside. God he knew he was hormonal, but could it really be that bad to look. "She is like a goddess." Harry then realized what he had thought and said out loud. He groaned. "4 years of these hormones? I am done for."

Harry grumbled at the frustration he was feeling. He walked away from the tent looking to get to his hotel. Deciding to avoid the main streets where he could tell people where having a good time. He weaved between the thousands of tents and the fields until he was closer to where his hotel was. The night sky distracted him as he looked at it. Unbeknownst to him some individuals had started following him once he left the Delacours tents.

As Harry walked he noticed how tired he was and a deep sense of exhaustion. Suddenly dark thoughts and a headache slammed into him. Thoughts of self doubt and thoughts that the night had not gone well. He was trying to fight them, but this attack felt stronger than ever before. He had to stop himself from falling over by leaning against a pole. Suddenly the emotional pain was worse as his legs then buckled. As if all the strength was sapped from them he landed on the floor and rolled onto his back.

The thoughts then turned to Sheda and how she would never love him. How she was doing all this as an experiment and the moment he was okay it was over. He tried to fight it, but he felt a darkness taking hold as the memory of his mum pleading for his life played in his head again and again. Slamming him.

He then faintly realized he was actually being slammed as if someone was lifting him about a foot off the ground and back down. He was vaguely aware of the ground cracking. Briefly, the memory of his mother made him remember the dementor attack and he summoned his wand. The patronus spell came out non verbally.

The thestral glowed as he was able to sit up finally, and catch his breath with sweat on his brow. The magic of the thestral pushed away whatever was happening to him as he realized he was alone in the field. Thinking about what could have happened he looked at the dress robes and realized that the runes had failed at some point. In turn, his magic was becoming unstable and caused the exhaustion and emotional attack. But why did it take so long and when did it happen? He had tried to control his emotions all night so what happened?

Deciding to worry about that later. With one hand he fished the basilisk robe out of his bag and quickly put it on as he let his patronus fade. As he stood up to fix the robe he saw something briefly with the dying glow of his patronus, something he did not suspect.

He casted a large lumus and saw 6 incapacitated ICW agents behind him. Walking up to them. He noticed that they were still alive but clearly stunned. Harry whispered in the dark "Did my magic do this? Why were they following me?" He checked all 6 of them and saw they had all been stunned and all of them had their wands still in their pockets. "They didn't or couldn't put up a fight but did I do this?" Harry spoke out loud and looked to use an eniverate.

"I wouldn't do that Harry." Harry quickly turned around at the dreamy American accented voice and saw the same older blond woman from earlier in the day standing by the pole. "Can I help you?" She walked slowly to him. As if making a judgment call on him as she looked at him. He took in her appearance.

She was a thin witch but not overtly thin. She was around his current height with his boots. 5'7, with fair skin and had traditionally yellow blonde hair that was slightly faded; possibly with age. She was wearing a long black dress with some heels and a white shaw. Again he wondered how old she was because she did not look a year over 60.

The dreamy voice spoke once again as she looked him in the eyes. "It's not right to ask a woman her age, Harry. Did anyone not teach you that? I am 91. But we witches always have to maintain ourselves don't you think? Hmmm. Not all of us can look like that Veela does. Neither will she when she gets to my age. Although she will still be more beautiful, unfortunately." She pouted much to his surprise. "I look rather great for my age don't you think?" the blond witch stated as she stopped in front of him and did a slow twist.

Harry looked at her light green eyes confused when she stopped. He captured the scent of a bakery, her magical scent? Did he smell this before? How did she know what he was thinking? "Legilimency Harry." The blond witch told him. As she began to circle him the dreamy voice captured him again. "Interesting, don't you think? How people like that shop owner or certain unsavory people from your part of the world like to think they are better than us Half Bloods. Yet, here you are casting a corporeal patronus silently and here I am a wandless Legilimens. Ironic no?"

She smiled as came back around to face him. Harry had a stray thought she would have been considered a bombshell when she was younger. "Aw, you flatter me, honey. Most guys had the same observation the first time they saw me. My husband did. My classmates at Ilvermorny especially, so you aren't wrong. I was a very good looking witch back in my prime."

Harry grabbed onto the mention of ilvermorny "So you are American? MACUSA?"

She stared at him. Harry felt a cold intelligence, no emotion being given. She then smiled at him. "Enough about me. Can you tell me what was happening to you? Seems like a worrisome issue you have there?"

Harry had a sense of panic in him. He hated how she could invade his mind or whatever she was doing. Catching the glow from his hood he realized he would not be able to control his emotions knowing his mind was getting invaded. He also realized he didn't have a way to hide anything regarding the robe in his thoughts. He needed a way out. He figured she was good with her wand if she had taken out 6 ICW agents without a proper fight.

He just acted and casted a whispered depulso at the ground by her feet hoping to knock on her feet or surprise her. She shielded herself wandlessly much to his surprise but he ran. As he continued to pelt the ground around her, he could tell she was just thinking. He noted that his spells had now changed. Screeching and pulling debris into them. Has his magic become even more unstable?

He noticed she was shielding the ICW agents. He figured she couldn't kill them or didn't want to. Maybe that was his way out. He would try to avoid hurting them but it was necessary. A final overpowered screeching bombarda on the ground by the ICW agents brought her wand out to shield both the agents and herself. The dust that was knocked up gave him good cover as he ran.

The witch, through the dust, tried to summon him. He looked back as his robe rebounded the spell at a blistering speed. He saw her slight surprise as she dodged the spell, a look of curiosity on her face. The blonde witch spoke out loud. "Bye Harry. It was nice meeting you." She yelled. She continued to look at the bodies of the ICW agents and stepped over one. All Harry saw in the end was her whispering over one of the bodies.

Break break break.

Harry stopped every so often at different places and took a long way around. He wasn't sure if he was tracked but he couldn't risk it. He ran to the hotel and made his way upstairs running. It was clear she didn't want to hurt him, but he knew too much and it was clear she could read his mind. Once he made it into his room he tried to catch his breath. Sheda had heard Harry run and made herself over. Clearly having finished a shower with her hair still wet. "Hello to you. Why all the noise?"

Harry with baited breath. "I had an episode. Unsure when the runes on the dress robes failed. At some point. I don't know when. All I know is that when I left the Delacours at their tent, my body began to fail me. Almost exactly what happened the day you found me in the classroom. I collapsed and was probably convulsing. I then felt myself magically get lifted and slammed repeatedly on the ground about a foot or so. I started to hear a voice tell me things about you. It. I. I had a hard time believing it. I" Harry at this point had his hands on his head.

The robes runes were glowing. Sheda tried to calm him. "Harry, stop. We are fine. We are here. I am here, it's okay."

Harry took time to gather himself and breathed in as he calmed down. "I started to hear the voice of mum as she pleads and dies for me. I panicked and quickly used my patronus and it pushed whatever was happening to me away. I quickly fished for my Basilisk robe and got up. Through the glow of my corporeal patronus I saw six ICW agents on the ground. They had been stunned and then a blonde older witch in a black dress, with a white shaw and heels, who smelled like a bakery, came out of the shadows and started reading my mind. She went to Ilvermorny. She saw what happened to me and I think she is the one who attacked the ICW agents. She protected the ICW agents and I ran from her in the distraction." Sheda looked at the room and looked at his items and quickly grabbed all of it and brought him to her room. She began to charm the door with everything possible and closed all the windows, she then stored all his stuff in her chests.

She then used what charms and spells she knew to check him. "I don't know anyone who matches her description. It could be nothing or it could be something. Are you sure the ICW agents were only stunned and she was protecting them?"

Harry nodded. "Yes, stunned and she was protecting them. They still had their wands pocketed, so they didn't put up a fight. I was about to evenirate them when she appeared. Telling me not too. She walked up to me and started reading my mind, something about legilimency. I started to panic about someone reading my mind and I knew I needed to get out before I started thinking about the robe or what has been happening to me. She saw what happened and asked me about it."

Sheda looked deep in thought. "She wasn't Narcissa Malfoy, have you met her? No wait, you said American."

Harry sighed trying to stop his racings thoughts. "Yes she specifically said she went to Ilvermorny. The boys there called her a bombshell as well when she was younger also. "

Sheda raised an eyebrow. "Hormones just started and already that bad Harry? That you are looking in that way at a possible attacker who downed 6 ICW agents?"

Harry blushed. "I didn't do it like that. I was implying that she looked very good for 91 and would have easily been a bombshell when younger. Easily she looked only 60 with that American 40s Hollywood style. I remember my aunt watching a movie from that time. Breakfast with Tiffany I think. She dressed like her but just with faded blonde hair and maybe a tad taller and dress that was longer."

Sheda nodded. " Not some agent of Voldemort with a vendetta then. The only foreign wizards he had were Grayback allegedly from Bulgaria or Central Europe, Karkorov from Bulgaria and Dolohov from Ukraine."

Sheda sat down. "You said legilimency? So she walked up to you with her wand and casted Legilimus at you?"

Harry looked up confused. "Casted? She was just looking at me."

Sheda bristled at that. "Wandless Legilimency. Interesting. Powerful witch then. More powerful than any witch I have met." Harry looked confused.

Sheda explained as she got up to look at her letters." Legilimency is a powerful branch of magic. It allows you to attack and read the minds of others. The reverse magic discipline is occlumency and I believe Daphne knows it. So does Snape and Dumbledore. If you know one, you know the other due to the training you have to do in order to learn how to defend your mind. In all cases the verbal wand casting leads to the person being attacked in a frozen state as the attacker looks through their mind. Occlumency is the art of defending your mind against the attacker by ejecting them and having 'mental shields' as people put it. It's so you can withstand an attack easier. In reality there are no physical shields, it's actually just having a clear mind free of anything but your magic and not allowing your emotions to get the best of you. I was actually looking into you learning it for the issue of your magic ."

Sheda was looking through her letters and reading them with some frustration as she saw nothing. Academics around the world had shown no interest in having her explain what she was studying. Mainly because she had studied the same thing years before. Many actually wrote back excited she was fully returning to publishing and hoping to see what she would create or show off. Others congratulated her on getting the position at Hogwarts and some hinted they were jealous of having the resources and connections she now had. Many worked in MACUSA and South America with great connections themselves so she didn't expect foul play, just an acknowledgement of how the old institution was.

Sheda caught her mind as she continued searching, noting the letter from the colleague in the MACUSA as a possible lead and explaining to Harry. "Wandless legilimency means the witch you met is extremely powerful with a powerful mind. They in many ways feel and see magic and are able to intercept your thoughts. To what degree? Not much is known. I have never met anyone with the ability."

Sheda tried to remember anyone she knew or anything from her time in MACUSA. Nothing made sense though. "I have a feeling she has to be working for a government, mainly the MACUSA government. As I mentioned earlier, the colleague there was curious, but to be so curious? Unless someone else has seen you then I don't know who could know and not be surprised by your magic issue. Yet, to attack ICW agents and not care, MACUSA agents are bold but to be so bold? It complicates it further the fact she protected them. No, it has to be something else. "

Sheda looked lost in thought as she reread letters. Looking for a clue about anything. "She didn't attack you right?"

Harry stopped as if trying to remember everything that happened. "No. She did a summoning charm on my robe and it failed. The spell went back at her. I think she was surprised. She dodged it and just yelled that she was happy to meet me. I did see she stayed and looked to be speaking to the downed agents."

Sheda stopped shuffling her letters and had a neutral expression ignoring his comments. She remembered and focused on what he said earlier. Protected them. She then realized he attacked the downed ICW agents in order to escape. "So you decided to use the downed bodies of ICW agents as your escape plan? Explain that."

Harry looked uncertain how she would react; it was clear that she finally caught on to the implication. "I felt it was necessary for my escape. I felt I had no other option. I didn't want to hurt them. I just needed to escape."

Sheda studied him. It was clear in moments of stress he focused on survival and did everything he could to make it out. "Necessary? So it was necessary to possibly injure innocents to escape."

Harry twiddled with his wand in his right hand. He hadn't put it back into his holster. He was unsure if she was mad. "It's kind of how I am rationalizing everything. It's how Dumbledore does what he does and even what I have learned about Grindelwald points to it as well. They both acted with what information they had or the limits of their magic. It's true they have more options magically but I am not them and I was limited. I tried to not hurt them"

Sheda was staring at him. She walked up to him and looked him in the eyes. She noticed his free hand trembling. She grabbed it and held it; clearly to his surprise. "Be careful with a mentality like that. It can quickly run from you. You did what you had to do. I would have done the same, but I am older and can live with my choices. You are young." Sheda sighed, feeling his hand trembling in her hand.

She figured he didn't even know about it.

"You aren't wrong that you didn't have too many options. Remember to think outside of the box. All other options must be exhausted before you get to that point. Not saying you're wrong but it always should be the last resort even when there is a harder choice. Necessary will be your final choice okay. I want you to promise me every other possible choice is done before you get there. Just know a mentality like that does eat at you. It will get easier to justify things. So be prepared for the consequences both in how you think but also in the repercussions of what you feel is necessary"

Harry was surprised she grabbed his hand and was holding it. Maybe she did care a lot. He listened to her talk and realized he had made a hasty choice. What if his bombarda hit one of them in the head. What if she didn't shield? Could he live with killing 6 individuals? "I promise Sheda. Necessary only for extreme choices or living with consequences."

Sheda squeezed his hand and pulled away with a small smile and sat at her desk again. "Well. What do you want to do? We can cancel our trip early or we set a curfew for you. It's doubtful she will try anything in broad daylight."

Harry nodded and made his way to sit on her trunk at the foot of the bed. Putting his wand in his holster he remembered. "She was at the wandcrafter in the morning. She didn't attack me, much less look at me. Maybe she did spy on me."

Sheda's look became gloomy. "So maybe she was spying on you from the start. You haven't seen her before have you?"

Harry shook his head and sighed with frustration. "Any way we can stay? I have been really enjoying my time and I really don't want to go."

Sheda sighed sadly. She knew the boy hated having such a big target on his head. Seemingly 3 days into a vacation and he couldn't live with his head down. She wouldn't be surprised if after all this was over everything was done and dealt with. Harry would find a wife, a secluded, heavily warded place in the world and almost never be seen. "It's your choice. I am willing to stay. I will worry when you are out, but I want you to feel comfortable knowing that I am not gonna force my hand on you unless I think it's really bad."

Harry smirked. "So getting semi attacked by a crazy 91 year old blond woman who stunned 6 ICW agents is not bad enough?"

Sheda laughed at his comment. "Well. You clearly have a thing for blondes. Maybe you liked it? So why should I be worried? Maybe it's just a crazy fan of the boy who lived looking to get her claws into you."

Harry blushed at the comment realizing how many blondes he had now in his life circling him. "Not funny. I don't think of Daphne that way."

Sheda smirked sarcastically . "But Fleur. I bet we think about her in so many ways, no?" Harry blushed again. Sheda stopped her teasing. "Harry, whatever you want to do. I would agree it's risky but you have faced worse and I personally want to know who the witch is because she now saw one of your episodes. Whatever she thinks or knows is now a priority. If she assumes you have an obscurial like I did, it can start rumors."

Harry, with a blush going away, looked in thought. "Maybe we can bait her? I don't know. See if she reappears and try to play into her hand to figure out who she is?"

Sheda shrugged. "I don't think she will reappear. I think you and I are gonna have ICW agents at the door tomorrow. It's going to get too noisy for her if she is connected to a magical government. She is gonna need to lay low. At least for a bit."

Harry saw merit in the idea and groaned. "How am I gonna explain the agents?"

Sheda looked in thought. "I guess go with the idea that you felt you were being followed. And seeing 1 against 6 you striked first and ran. None of them were hurt thankfully; hopefully you didn't injure them and she didn't kill them. In the best case scenario their egos will be. Can't wait to see the headline. Boy who lived takes on 6 ICW agents and wins before they even pull out their wands."

Harry further groaned and buried his face in his hands. "Maybe I can have Sebestian clear my name?"

Sheda raised an eyebrow at that. "Sebestian Delacour? He did start out in the ICW I believe and rose through its ranks. He then went into his current position. Why do you think you can do that? Dinner go that well?"

Harry nodded as he pulled back and sat with his back against the bed. "I think it went well. I will now have Fleur reverse engineering the mirrors. If she is successful I will have her be the in-House, Potter-Black enchantress with our sponsorship after paying for her Masteries. Apparently she is really good at enchanting, just the sponsorship world is too rich and by the sounds of it, bigoted."

Sheda was surprised but saw merit in the idea. "If she can reverse engineer the mirrors then she is really good, more so then a mastery would give her. I looked at them briefly and knew it could be a challenge for anyone. What the marauders did is truly inspiring. My counterpart at Beauxbatons has explained Fleur is pretty good and was reaching out to schools to see if anyone else wanted/looked to give her a mastery. It's why I know of her family and her. Better funding and stipends of course. I did not consider it because I didn't want her to deal with the stigma of Veela she would get at Hogwarts. It would probably be the worst she could experience outside of Russia."

Harry was surprised by the fact. "Don't let me influence that decision. She is extremely proud and would hate to have been given a mastery based on my recommendation. I think the fact the sponsorship wasn't given immediately is the reason she didn't go mad and burn away everything. She did get jealous of me. The night was tense until we talked. I think she finally relaxed. She was proud of her smarts and confident in what she could do. Not the arrogance or bitterness that came with whatever she is dealing with. Maybe jealousy, hatred at being a Veela along with hatred towards the rich? I can sympathize but I hate myself for a lot of things so nothing special."

Sheda acknowledged his point of view. "I can see her frustrations. Not easy ones to overcome."

Harry shrugged. "It seemed she did or maybe it's the fear of letting her family down. A fear I can at least understand and have myself now and understand it's changing me."

Sheda smiled sadly. Harry was growing a lot. He still had a lot to learn but it was clear he had taken value in who his family was. Complicated people no doubt. Wizards and witches with horrible backgrounds and ones with amazing standards to reach. He was also balancing that by learning about the two most important figures of the century. Dumbledore and Grindelwald. It was clear he took what he learned seriously. Melding the ideas and beliefs; all the while trying to grasp the nuances of everything. An important step in becoming the very thing he was hating. A Lord. Lord Potter-Black to be specific.

She leaned back. "Noted. I will not give her mastery based on your recommendation. I am guessing this is not all what you asked for from the family as payment for what Gabi did. So Mr. Delacour?"

Harry smiled thinking what he did was ingenious. "I listened to him explain his thoughts about what happened and honestly I understood maybe some of it. I am no father. I could tell the man was terrified and if anything he had resigned himself to not accomplish his goals. Mainly because he made mistakes in raising Fleur and Gabi? I think."

Harry tried understanding further. It was clear Fleur did impact everything. "The main goal being ruined by Fleur and some action she did that led to him losing a major donor. Losing the donor cost him the minister position of France. I told him that I will make up the difference if he ran to change France and get rid of all these stupid houselaws. He agreed."

Sheda looked semi stunned, but very impressed. "You thought of what I said. Good job Harry. Should I be worried about what I am creating?"

Harry smiled at the congratulatory praise. "No. I won't lie, I came up with it on the spot so it's not impressive, probably impulsive. Like I don't understand why giving a sponsorship was a big deal? Overall, I really thought of what you have teached me and just really everything that's happened in the past month. Thank you."

Sheda beamed at the comment and even had her eyes water a tad bit. She controlled herself by pushing the feelings down. "Well. You just bought yourself a possible minister. He has to win but if he thinks he had it before with the money it means he knows he has it in the bag. I see what you mean by getting him to clear your name. Well we shall see what happens. So we stay then Harry? And just be cautious? Curfew around 9 and always be in a public space?"

Harry looked to be thinking and nodded. "I will carry my invisibility cloak from now on also. Could help." Sheda nodded but she was extremely happy internally.

A part of her wanted to hug him and tell him how proud she was, but she worried how he would react to the physical touch coming from her rather than from him. He was growing tremendously. Her previous observations where correct. His confidence and past being the only thing holding him back she felt. It did help that he now had her pushing him and even Daphne. She looked back at him as he also looked lost in thought. She got up and walked over to him and crouched down.

Noticing his hair being a mess, probably from the emotional outburst and magical energy in his escape. She wanted to fix it; mainly to touch him and be close to him. "Your hair is gonna be the death of me Harry." She began to style it with her hand and some charms.

Harry had gotten used to it at this point. Almost every day she would do it. He blushed remembering Fleur fixing it and the thoughts he had of her when he left. "Fleur said it was due to magic. Apparently a Potter Trait one that one of my ancestors tried fixing with a potion but it didn't work for him. It worked for everyone else ironically."

Sheda hummed and smiled realizing that Harry's crush on the girl had grown. His blushing deeper than before. Maybe the night had gone better then he hinted. It was clear he wanted to stay hoping to spend time with her. Who wouldn't? He was a boy and she was a virtual model.

She then had a realization. He didn't know anything about women. He could be vulnerable to her manipulation especially regarding sex. Maybe she could take this opportunity to have the TALK with him. Would it be wrong? No. What would be wrong is letting an older girl manipulate him in a way or force him to do stuff he wasn't ready for. The Lord of two Houses, famous, and a growing teen was a prime target for any witch.

Harry looked up as Sheda fixed his hair and to his surprise, Sheda looked serious, extremely serious. "She was scratching your scalp? I sent you with fixed hair. Already snogging Harry? I thought you said she was too old? Do we need to have the talk?" She sighed seriously.

If Harry was surprised by her statement and already blushing from the thoughts he had about Fleur. Her comment only made it worse and trapped his response in his throat. In those emotions he would have picked up on the fact that the sigh was really exaggerated.

Sheda continued to his horror. "I was hoping to plan it with Sirius, but he may honestly be the worst person for it. Let me get some parchment to explain details for women, love potions, aphrodisiac spells, and just general male information. Sirius can answer any questions about yourself that I don't go over. I will mention it to him. Overall, I want to make sure you're not taken advantage of. No question to stupid understand? You're a growing Lord and many women are opportunistic. A bastard is still an heir and we don't want a woman to fool you with simple pleasure." Sheda stood up and made her way to the desk grabbing a large amount of parchment and colored pencils.

Harry saw what she was doing. Nervously laughing; his face beat red. He was beyond embarrassed at her comments. "Good joke Sheda. Good one." She pulled her chair in front of him and conjured a small desk putting what she grabbed in front of him.

To his horror, she began and did actually start explaining. Explanation on potions; fertility, birth control, stimulants. What certain spells did. Their colors, wand movements, and how to fight them. He felt himself petrified when she made detailed sketches. Maybe the Basilisk venom wasn't the most painful thing he had experienced.