Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any of the intellectual property associated with Harry Potter.
Hi all,
Here's the next chapter. Harry continues to research the Veela and gives a speech at the ministry.
Chapter 53
Harry put down the book he had finished reading and picked up another from the stack of books on the table. He kept adding new ones to the stack, so it never seemed to shrink. It was almost evening, and he was beginning to feel hungry again. But he enjoyed learning more about the Veela race.
He spent the entire day at the library researching Veela history. He only took small breaks to feed himself. Gabrielle's stories about her family had already provided him with some understanding of their race, yet there was still so much more to learn. Their history was extensive and well-documented, with only their origins shrouded in mystery. It was as if they had lost a part of themselves after emerging from the sea.
He was surprised to discover Veelas and Selkies were distantly related, and he wondered how they came to be bitter adversaries. One could trace their animosity back to Veela's first appearance. Notably, the merfolk who lived in the Black Lake were Selkies, who were known for being the most unfriendly of all the merfolk.
The term "merfolk" referred to all magical humanoid species that lived in water, including Veela, before they transitioned to living on land. Veela were originally Sirens, and they share a few characteristics, such as their harpy form and the ability to enthral people.
The Sirens, the oldest race of merpeople, lived in warmer waters and first appeared in the Aegean Sea. Sirens used their voices to enthral unsuspecting individuals. They were frequently confused with mermaids, who were generally less dangerous and more friendly towards humans. This method of enticing people was similar to Veela's, though Veela's allure manifested differently and directly affected the mind rather than relying on sound.
Harry was fascinated by the Veela's evolution. While the exact details of their first appearance are unknown, it is thought to have occurred around 900–600 BC. There were several theories as to why they emerged from the sea, with one prevailing theory suggesting that they lost their Siren song, leading the other Sirens to shun them. Another popular theory suggests that a witch cursed them, forcing them out of their aquatic environment.
Due to the ambiguity surrounding the time period, it proved difficult to substantiate any of the claims. It's possible that a branch of the Sirens race underwent natural evolutionary divergence over a much longer time period. This transformation could have been much shorter, however, given the inclusion of magic. The precise cause of their change was secondary; the main focus was on how their physiology had changed. The most obvious difference is that sirens have long, fish-like tails, whereas Veela has evolved to have two legs to walk on land.
Harry closed the book he was reading and threw it on the table. He reached for another book, but a loud noise startled him. The empty chair across from him had shifted. He peered under the table and found Luna hiding there, holding the Crumple-Horned Snorkack in her arms. Luna waved at him when she realised she had been discovered.
The Snorkack stared at him, its little button nose twitching furiously. Harry smiled, taken with the cute but strange-looking creature. He likened its appearance to a cross between a hare and a demiguise, with large buck teeth and a round, fluffy body.
"How long have you been down there?" Harry asked. "More importantly, how did you get under there without me noticing?"
Luna cocked her head, and her companion copied the action. "You were so engrossed in your books that a herd of Hippogriffs could have stampeded through the library, and you wouldn't have known."
"You're exaggerating." Harry yawned and rubbed his eyes. "My next question is why you are under the table in the first place."
"They are trying to take Cuddles away from me," Luna said solemnly. "They don't seem to understand that he is my familiar. I'm not letting him go."
"This is going to be a problem," Harry grumbled. "Why don't you come out from beneath the table? You can't be comfortable down there."
Harry extended his hand, and she accepted it. He pulled her out from under the table, and she took the seat next to him, looking at the books with interest. "I'm supposed to learn more about Veela while I am here, but I have been too preoccupied with hiding from them."
"Well, I'm not going to give you away," Harry said. "Feel free to hang out here until Gabrielle comes and kicks me out."
Luna smiled and pointed to one of the books. "Can I read this one?"
He nodded, and she took the book. Luna started humming a tune as she read. Surprisingly, the noise wasn't distracting but rather added to the peaceful atmosphere of the library.
For the time being, Harry decided to put the dilemma of what to do about the Snorkack aside and return to his reading. He searched through the stack for a book on Sirens. He needed to learn more about them to better understand their differences from Veela.
A few minutes later, he came across a particularly interesting entry.
Sirens and Veela both possess a secondary form known as the harpy, yet there are distinct differences between them. Unlike Veela, who embody the fire element and enthrall men with their seductive allure, sirens are more aligned with water and exert a more calculated allure. Instead of showing interest in humans, Sirens perceive them as threats that require swift and merciless elimination. One could aptly compare them to the sun and the moon, with one radiating fiery energy and the other emanating a cold presence.
"Interesting," Harry murmured.
This could explain why Sirens were able to use their allure beneath the water rather than just on the surface. Veela's allure didn't work in the water because they most likely lost that ability when their affinity changed to the fire element. How could he make use of this information? When Fleur mentioned that their powers didn't work as well in the water earlier this morning, he had a hunch that this was the right path to pursue.
He had to carry out a few experiments to gather more information.
30th June
The following day, Harry and his girlfriends went swimming in the lake. He was there for another reason than to stare at their beautiful bodies, shown off by their swimsuits. He wanted to see what Gabrielle could do with her powers underwater. Despite having plenty of information on the effects of water on Veela, he still wanted to test it for himself.
Harry and Gabrielle dove beneath the water once more, and she immediately tried to blast him with her allure. Even if her allure didn't affect him, he would still feel the attempt. But he felt nothing, despite the fact that they were only a few feet below the water.
Gabrielle tried summoning her Veela flames next, but she didn't want to transform into her harpy form. She didn't want to show him her transformation, even though he would get better results if she did. Harry didn't care what she looked like, but convincing her otherwise would be an uphill battle.
A small fireball appeared on her hand, then sputtered out a moment later. Water didn't affect her flames in the traditional sense; they weren't normal flames, but it still affected her ability to conjure and maintain them. Although he had attributed it to Veela having a fire affinity, he was certain there was a better explanation. He made a mental note to keep researching the topic.
They rose to the surface as they were running out of air.
"Do you have enough data yet?" Gabrielle asked, splashing him with water. "I have already tried to summon my allure a dozen times."
"I didn't really need you to do it that many times," Harry admitted. "I got distracted."
Gabrielle grinned. Gabrielle raised her arms above her shoulders, showing off her body encased in a skimpy white bikini. Harry's gaze moved over her body, focusing on her round breasts, where her nipples had hardened and pushed against the cloth. His gaze continued downward, following a bead of water until it dipped into her navel. He envied that bead of water so much.
"You're like a Siren, luring me to the depths of the sea," Harry murmured, drawing a giggle from Gabrielle.
Water drenched Harry from behind, and he turned to scowl at Daphne and Susan, who were laughing at him.
"You look like you need to cool off," Susan teased.
They also wore swimsuits, but theirs were modest in comparison to Gabrielle's. Daphne wore a turquoise one-piece suit that perfectly showed off her beautiful, svelte frame. Susan also wore a one-piece swimsuit; hers was a forest green colour and looked almost too small to contain her large chest.
"What are you doing?"
Harry turned to see Gabrielle's grandmother standing at the lake's edge. His eyes widened when he saw what she was wearing. Serpahine's bikini made Gabrielle's appear modest in comparison, leaving little to the imagination. He flushed and immediately averted his gaze.
"Why do you have to play with the boy?" An amused male voice spoke, and it was only then that Harry noticed the man standing beside Seraphine.
The man was a few inches shorter than Seraphine, with short grey hair and a goatee. Standing beside Seraphine, he should have appeared diminished because she outshone most people, but he had a commanding presence of his own.
"Harry, this is my grand-pere, Andre," Gabrielle introduced him.
"Hello, sir," Harry swallowed nervously as Andre scrutinised him.
"Now you are the one toying with him." Seraphine playfully scolded him.
"I was just getting a feel for him," Andre protested. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Harry. We didn't get a chance to meet earlier, but I am sure we will have plenty of opportunities to talk in the future."
Harry nodded, unsure what else to say. Why did that sound so foreboding?
"Harry, what are you trying to accomplish here?" Seraphine asked again.
"I'm trying to get a sense of how water affects your Veela powers," Harry explained.
Seraphine nodded. "Did you come up with the idea of dampening our allure with water? That is a logical conclusion to come to, but you're not the first person to try this method."
Harry shrugged. "They're not me."
"I admire your confidence." Seraphine laughed. "How about I help you with your research? Gabrielle is still young, so she won't be able to give you any valuable data."
"Grand-mere!" Gabrielle poked out her tongue at the woman.
Seraphine dove into the lake, and Harry followed her beneath the surface. He was a little nervous because the woman was on a completely different level than Gabrielle.
She summoned two large fireballs in each hand, showing no signs of transforming into her harpy form. Each fireball was approximately the size of a football. Unlike Gabrielle's flames, Seraphine's seemed unaffected by the water. The water temperature increased noticeably, indicating that the fireballs were generating a significant amount of heat to affect the water around him. He knew all too well that Veela flames were more deadly than ordinary flames. He remembered Fleur unleashing the flames on the intruder who invaded her home, which quickly consumed him alive.
He swam back to the surface when the water became too unbearable for him. Seraphine appeared a moment later.
"Did you learn anything?" Seraphine asked.
Harry nodded. "Never piss off Gabrielle in the future."
Everyone laughed, but he was only half-joking. One should not underestimate the power of those flames. If a group of Veelas were to wield their flames together, they would be akin to a natural disaster. Seraphine was the most powerful Veela in the conclave, so her demonstration was extreme, but it was still terrifying.
"Are the flames sentient?" Harry asked. "I recall Fleur's exceptional control over the flames, when she used them to burn the intruder alive. They didn't spread to burn the surroundings."
Seraphine smiled. "I still haven't expressed my gratitude for saving my babies. To answer your question, no, they aren't sentient. The flames are volatile, though, because they respond to our emotions, and it takes a lot of practice to have complete control over them."
"What about your allure? Given your power, why can't you unleash it underwater?"
Seraphine shook her head. "It has nothing to do with power. Water completely dampens our allure. We don't know why, but others have been trying to replicate it ever since."
Harry thought he was onto something, but it turned out that others had the same idea. He wasn't about to give up, as he was just getting started, and he didn't expect the problem to be solved overnight. Besides, just because his idea had previously been researched didn't mean it was a dead end. He needed to do a thorough investigation to see if he could find a solution.
Harry spent the remainder of the day in the library to do further research. He didn't find any helpful information, but he was already thinking about how he could experiment with runes to arrive at the desired result. He needed to expand his area of expertise to include elemental arrays, which would require a new runic language that was more adept at harnessing the elements. He wanted to learn Majikkurun, a Japanese runic language that was created specifically for enchantments. Majikkurun was simply a condensed version of kanji, modified by wizards to make it more efficient and compatible with other runic languages.
He remembered the water prison array that the founders built to imprison Merlin. It was likely that if they had access to Majikkurun, they wouldn't have needed to make it so elaborate. The elements, for some reason, responded better to it than other runic languages.
1st July
His grandparents were waiting for him at home when he returned from the conclave the following day. They had been busy at Hogwarts, assisting the headmaster to make the school safer. Susan and Daphne said their goodbyes, with the latter promising to return the next day to help him write his speech.
After spending the last two days immersed in research, he decided to take a break and dedicate his time to crafting for the majority of the day. He honed his whittling skills by making small figurines for his girlfriends and experimenting with some of the book's crafting recipes to gain more experience and resources. He had spent a lot of shop points on the skill upgrade, so he wanted to replenish them so that he always had a healthy amount in reserve. There was also the fae communication stone to consider, which would cost a lot to purchase.
The mundane activity gave him time to reflect on some of the projects that required his attention. Aside from the new artifact, he still needed to improve the two-way mirrors, but he hadn't spent much time on the project. There was also the vanishing cabinet, which he couldn't fix until he returned to Hogwarts. He could have removed the cabinet from the school because the club claimed everything in the Room of Hidden Things as their property, but he had plenty of work to do to keep him busy over the summer.
Later in the afternoon, Remus visited him to discuss some business. Harry put down his work and invited the man upstairs for a cup of tea.
"The woman I employed found a second vanishing cabinet," Remus said after they sat down.
"Already?" Harry asked in surprise. "Where did she find it?"
"Borgin and Burkes in Knockturn Alley."
"That explains why she found it so fast. How much did it set me back?"
Remus handed Harry a folder, which contained a Gringotts accounting statement showing his current finances, including expenditures and profits. After making his first real profit with the appraisal scrolls, he opened a separate account from his trust vault. The goblins waived the vault fees because they were purchasing his appraisal scrolls in bulk, and he gave them a discount.
"The cabinet was expensive," Remus explained, "but Theresa was able to haggle the price down by a few thousand galleons. I gave her a bonus since she did a great job."
"She deserves it," Harry said. "Is the cabinet up at the house? Is it in working order?"
"Yes to both questions."
That certainly made his job easier. He now had a functioning vanishing cabinet, which would make it easier to copy the array schematic so he could repair the other one.
"Speaking of Theresa, how come I haven't met her yet?"
Remus paused, his brow furrowing slightly. "Theresa is an old friend I used to know before I left for America, and she's perfect for the job. She's also a werewolf."
He appeared to brace himself, as if he were expecting Harry to be disappointed with his chosen employee.
Harry snorted. "There was no need to add to that last sentence. I don't care if she is a werewolf. All that matters is that she does a good job. Is this why you didn't tell me about her earlier?"
"That's not the primary reason," Remus clarified. "Theresa contacted me because she was in a difficult situation and I wasn't going to refuse her. But she is an independent woman and doesn't want handouts, so the job came at the perfect time."
"Well, I believe she has already demonstrated her ability to do the job. What about the situation she was in? Was she involved in any criminal activity?"
"No," Remus replied. However, she found herself entangled in a werewolf pack under Greyback's command. She quickly realised her mistake and ran away."
"Well, that is a little concerning. Is Greyback going to come after her?"
"Maybe," Remus replied, shrugging. "I have taken some precautions. I made arrangements for her to stay in a house that is untraceable. Because her job requires her to travel frequently, she will be relatively safe. "It's also why I didn't bring her to meet you; I didn't want her to endanger you or your grandparents."
"Alright. "As long as you have it under control."
He wasn't going to get involved if it wasn't necessary, because Remus was an adult who could take care of himself.
Harry kept browsing through the statement. The appraisal scrolls provided a steady income for him, and since they were consumable items, they would remain profitable for a long time. Furthermore, he profited from his share of the items sold in the Room of Hidden Things. Remus was in charge of selling them to the club, but it would take a while. He also sold unicorn ingredients to Daniel Greengrass, which was all profit, since the unicorns gave them to him for free. The final item on the list perplexed him, as it originated from the DMLE.
"What's this for?" Harry pointed out the entry.
They had deposited twenty thousand galleons into his account. It wasn't a small sum, and they shouldn't owe him anything because the proceeds from the basilisk had already been settled.
"This is for the items they discovered in Voldemort's lair," Remus explained. "Even after getting rid of the more questionable items, it still resulted in a huge profit for them. Since you played a big role in discovering them, they felt it was only fair that you received a share."
Harry closed the folder and handed it back to Remus. The man reached into his pocket and pulled out a folded-up piece of parchment.
"Is that what I think it is?" Harry asked, excited.
Remus nodded. "The Aurors found it in the treasure room. Peter must have left it there."
Harry took the Marauders Map with a smile. He didn't think that he would ever get it back again. He summoned his wand and activated the map to check that it was still working properly. He could see the headmaster in his office, as well as a few other professors scattered throughout the castle.
Harry handed Remus another list of items he needed to purchase before he left. He didn't know where he could find a book on learning Majikkurun, so he would delegate the task to Theresa.
After finishing his work for the day, he headed back up to the house. As he entered the kitchen, he found his grandmother there, adding the final touches to dinner. Harry couldn't resist grabbing a piece of chicken from the bowl. His grandmother swatted his hand away.
"Make yourself useful and set the table," Minerva said.
Harry followed her instructions and sat down at the table to wait for dinner.
"Nymphadora will be joining us for dinner," Minerva informed him. "She said you sent her an invitation."
Harry nodded. "I wanted to pick her brain about gem-crafting before I built a crafting station for it. I'll need it for my next project."
"That's a relief." Minerva smiled. "I thought you were adding another girl to your collection."
"She's seven years older than me," Harry protested. He grinned slyly as he remembered something Daphne had mentioned to him. "Besides, you can't blame me for having more than one girlfriend. It's the demiguise part of me that's pushing me to find multiple mates."
Minerva raised an eyebrow at him, not looking impressed. "Are you saying that your inner animal controls your base instincts? Perhaps you haven't mastered your form as thoroughly as I believed."
"That's not true," Harry replied. "You cannot reject my theory out of hand, as there is no information out there on the effects of being a magical animagus. You're only a cat, but you have instincts that you sometimes can't control. Remember the incident at Yuletide with the catnip?"
Minerva's cheeks reddened. "I said never to bring that incident up again."
"Sure. So long as you don't continue to pester me about having three girlfriends. You should be more relaxed and cool, like Grandad."
"Charlus is a walloper."
Harry snapped his fingers. "That means idiot, right?"
"Who are you calling an idiot?" Charlus entered the kitchen with Tonks following behind him.
Tonks messed up his hair. "Hi, squirt. How is my little genius?"
Harry patted his hair, attempting to straighten it. "I'm fine. What have you been doing?"
"I'm working on a secret project." Tonks grinned. "Aside from that, I have been researching my new artifact and completing commissions. I'd like to advance to journeyman as soon as possible in order to take advantage of the additional benefits."
"Your rank allows you to get a greater discount on materials, right?"
When you reached Journeyman, you received a discount on materials purchased from the guild. That was one of the primary benefits of joining the Artisan's Guild, aside from all the business connections. Tonks needed to find cheaper materials for her craft. She created enchanted jewellery, and the gemstones weren't cheap.
It was a massive expense, especially if you made a mistake and damaged them. Unlike most items, gems couldn't be repaired with a simple mending charm.
Tonks sat down next to him. "That's right. The first artifact I made that corrected my balance has limited commercial value because my kind are rare."
"Why don't you ask Sirius to reinstate you into the Black family? I'm sure it will include a tidy allowance."
"My mother and I have no interest in being reinstated," Tonks declared. "The Tonks are a new magical family that one day will be as famous as the Blacks."
"Or infamous. Maybe it's better if you don't have kids."
"Do you want a beating, brat?"
After dinner, Harry took Tonks to his workshop. When she saw his setup, she exclaimed with admiration.
"I wish I had something like this," Tonks said. "I have to use the guild's crafting stations, and it can get awfully crowded."
"Well, you are always welcome to use my workshop," Harry said. "I'm going to be adding a gem crafting station. Why don't you help me set one up in exchange for using it?"
Tonks grabbed his hand and gave it an enthusiastic shake. "You got yourself a deal, partner."
Harry spent the rest of the evening picking her brain about gem-grafting. She taught him the process of etching arrays into gemstones, and showed him some tips to avoid some pitfalls. They agreed to set up the station a few days later, when she had some free time.
3rd July
Harry fidgeted as he waited in the chambers adjacent to the Wizengamot courtroom. It felt like dozens of butterflies were fluttering in his stomach. He could hear voices outside the door, indicating that those attending the ceremony were beginning to arrive. It wouldn't be long before he had to stand in front of them and give his acceptance speech.
"Stop fidgeting." Minerva adjusted his tie and smoothed down his hair. "You will be just fine. Everyone is here today to celebrate your accomplishment."
"Even the Malfoys?" Harry asked.
"I don't know how they managed to get an invitation," Susan said from beside him. "The Malfoys don't have a seat on the Wizengamot."
"There are more than just Wizengamot members here," Daphne told her.
"Ignore the crowd," Gabrielle suggested. "Or, better yet, imagine them in their underwear. That should calm you down."
Harry shuddered. "Do you know how old the Wizengamot members are on average? What if I imagined Umbridge in her underwear?"
"Eww!" Susan wrinkled her nose in disgust.
The doors opened, and his grandfather strode into the chamber with Minister Fudge at his side.
"Are you ready?" Charlus asked.
"As much as I will ever be?" Harry replied.
"Don't be nervous, Harry," Fudge said, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Public speaking can be intimidating at first, but there is a simple trick that will help you. Imagine everyone in the crowd in their underwear."
The girls grimaced, no longer finding it amusing, especially when the minister punctuated his remark with a wink. Minerva frowned but didn't comment on his rude behaviour.
Harry walked out of the chamber and into the courtroom. He had been here once before, when his grandfather revealed himself to the world. The Wizengamot members occupied the elevated seats, but they were not the only ones there. Witches and wizards crowded the visiting gallery and the centre of the courtroom. Usually, normal citizens wouldn't be allowed entry, with a few exceptions, and the Order of Merlin ceremony was one of those exceptions.
As he made his way up to the stage, he spotted a familiar family of redheads in the crowd. He noticed that their number had increased by two—two young men, whom he assumed to be the eldest sons. Ginny waved at him, seemingly over her shyness. The twins opened their mouths to speak, but their mother silenced them. Harry smiled. Even at such an important event, they were the same.
Minister Fudge raised his hands, and the crowd gradually quieted down.
"We are here to honour Harry Potter for his bravery in preventing a madman from harming our children. I am sure you don't want to think about what would have happened if the man had gotten his way. As Minister of Magic, I am proud to have such an amazing wizard among the British magical community. He is the youngest wizard in Europe to ever be awarded the Order of Merlin, First Class. He truly lives up to the title of "The Boy-Who-Lived." Give him a round of applause."
The audience erupted in thunderous applause. Harry was overwhelmed by all of the attention and wished he could sink into the floor. Flashes from numerous cameras taking pictures of him nearly blinded him. He felt a reassuring grip on his arm and turned to see his grandfather smiling at him. That gave him confidence, and he straightened his back.
A wizard appeared on stage, holding a cushion containing the Order of Merlin medal. Fudge lifted the Order of Merlin medal from the cushion and presented it to Harry, who lowered his head to fit it over his head. The medal consisted of a gleaming gold medallion on a chain, with the symbol of a wizard's hat and two crossed wands.
Fudge motioned for Harry to step forward so he could deliver his speech. Harry took a moment to compose himself before starting to speak.
"I feel privileged to be standing here today, accepting this prestigious award. The Order of Merlin has a special place in our culture because it honours those who go above and beyond to help others. Although I am the recipient, this honour belongs to the many people at Hogwarts who did their own bit to stop the madman from harming the students. I couldn't have accomplished what I have without their invaluable contributions.
"I appreciate everyone coming to the ceremony today. Aside from having to listen to a speech, there will be food and refreshments served afterwards, which I am sure is the real reason you are here."
The twins yelled from the audience. "Get the speech over with already. We're hungry."
The crowd responded to the twin's words with applause and laughter.
Harry smiled and continued. "There was an evil man at Hogwarts who wanted to subjugate the inhabitants in order to gain power. We must not allow these selfish people to exist, because they endanger our very way of life. The key to dealing with such people is quite simple. It takes extraordinary acts of courage. Courage can manifest itself in a variety of ways. It doesn't have to come from being in physical danger. Perhaps it is as simple as standing up for your beliefs or refusing to turn the other cheek when you witness an injustice."
He could almost feel his face cramping from all the nonsense he was spewing, but he persisted, determined to finish the speech. Half an hour later, he escaped into the chamber and collapsed into the chair. He was relieved that it was over. Others followed him inside, congratulating him on such an excellent speech.
Harry waved them off. "It's thanks to Daphne. She was the one who wrote it. All I had to do was stand there and deliver it."
Daphne bowed. "It was nothing."
Harry stood up and walked over to the fireplace. "I'm getting out of here. I have had enough of the ministry today."
"Hold on, Harry," Charlus said. "We need to pay a visit to the Department of Mysteries before we leave."
So, what do you think? In the next chapter, the Weasleys visit the Potters because someone has an unhealthy interest in one of their family members. Who could it be?
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