Balance Act: The Beauty of Becoming an Equal

by Writers Paralysis

Harry’s exposure to the dementors has an unintended effect to the soul shard in him. As a result, his world is thrown upside down as old and new faces enter his life in ways he never expected. He is then thrusted into the magical world and must quickly realize his place in it. The Global Wizarding War hides many secrets; the Potter family have many. AU

9. Chapter 9: Picnic with a Dark Lady

AN: Double chapter posting. Let me know what you think. Of note. The story is NOT going to follow canon with the timeline. I will not be retreading every year outside of 4th and 5th year. 4th year will be different from canon and 5th year even more so. The best timeline I can give is that we are nearing the halfway point of the set up for plot points and character motivations. 4th year will go quick compared to the set up that are these chapters. At least i hope it does. Maybe half a mil total words by the end? I am currently half way through 4th year and have everything outlined until the final confrontation. Furthermore, either a sequel story will be posted following post war or the chapters will continue until we have a natural fitting conclusion. Please leave good constructive feedback. Please be patient for character motivations and actions. Everything has a reason. Thanks!

July 13th Wednesday

Harry's week following the Vienna trip had been the best mainly because of the company, Fleur. Sheda had taken to spending her days studying possible solutions to his problem. She would then join Fleur and her family with him for the actual dueling at night. His curfew of 9 was being held, but it seemed Sheda's point was right, the blonde American witch had vanished. The most curious thing was the lack of ICW agents at his door following the incident. He didn't inquire but he swore Sebestian knew something considering the man was busier than ever before. They had been able to get a formal contract signed between the two regarding his campaign funding, a house joint partner-ship(the loosest form of an alliance), and Fleur's clauses, but the man was busy to an extreme degree.

His nights were limited in turn but during the day there were not many hours he could think of where he didn't spend at least some time with Fleur. He didn't really understand her wanting to spend time with him. Although their time in Vienna had been okay for the most part. He was surprised she didn't hold resentment.

If anything she was more open he felt. She was great company to be around with and when she started wearing summer dresses; she was also great to look at. Although he liked her based on their positive interactions. Who wouldn't have? She was beautiful, confident of herself, veela, smart,and clearly had layers of personality. Yet, all of that had compounded in the week of spending every day together.

She wasn't just beautiful, she was cute. She wasn't just confident anymore, she was becoming humble. She was a Veela, but she wanted to be a normal teen. She was smart, but it came through hard work. Finally she was someone who wanted to trust and had slowly opened herself up to him. Much to his own surprise.

That is not to say she was perfect. She was still proud, arrogant, and jealous at times but he could tell she was trying. She told him about her school life, her aspirations outside of school and how she wanted a quiet life. He was surprised by that statement and teased her for it. The prideful Veela in the end wanted a simple life, how ironic. It saddened him when she told him that it was the fate she had accepted earlier in the year when she realized her time in the real world was coming. A quiet life seemed to be a good wish to have in order to avoid the world's prejudice.

She did tell him though that if she successfully worked out the mirrors and became his enchantress it would allow her some liberties. In his questioning he had been surprised to learn that a sponsorship by his Houses would require her to carry herself as if one of the family. She was to always be demonstrating her loyalty to the House that paid for her research. She wasn't bitter, or rather she didn't make it sound like she was, but she told him that both House Potter and Black were known for their secrecy and calculated control. House Potter was extremely Noble though and she felt she had some potential there, hopefully creating a scholarship program for Veela. He had happily agreed much to her surprise it seemed.

Her idea had also led him to realize that he was developing a large crush on this specific Fleur, the one he liked. He figured if he spent any more time with her he would become a mess of himself as his feelings got more complicated. The thought was taken from him as he walked out the door and saw Fleur seated at the cafe right next to his hotel.

Break break break

Fleur was relaxing at the cafe while she waited for Harry to wake up and come down. She had gotten used to waking up early, getting ready, waiting for him and then just spending time with him. She looked at her outfit. She was in a white summer dress with a small blue flower pattern and wedge heels. The dress reached her knees, but she felt the outfit really made her legs stick out. She had started wearing summer dresses after she realized that Harry was comfortable with them and, if the glances she caught, maybe liked them. Her confidence in her body, as she now liked to call, was still a big part of herself. Although he was younger she liked teasing him.

She also liked teasing because she knew it wasn't the Allure capturing him, but her actions. A first for the witch and something she felt boosted her confidence more than just using natural her Allure on people. She never could wear the dresses at school or when she went out by herself. Too many stares or glares, the amount of skin being shown in some ways amplifying her Allure. With Harry that didn't matter and she couldn't care when people did glare. She was always next to him and people knew who he was. A slight at her was a slight at him, and her pride self came back. Although it was under a new umbrella in some ways. Being with a friend.

People ignored them or were afraid. Mainly because his comments against the Shop owner had come true. The shop owner had closed his shop after town outcry on what happened. Mainly because the more tourists came; the more he dealt with angry individuals. It felt vindicating yet she quickly squashed those feelings after she had noticed that Harry was disappointed in the actions of the people.

Although Harry understood why he did it and stated he would do it again. He told her he felt it was stupid that people followed the word of someone just because they had titles. It was then she had to remember why she was even at his side. The ability to influence and maybe allow others to not have to follow those same titles and privileges. In turn she had come to admire his sensibilities and felt herself to be immature; a fact she had cried about the night of the Vienna trip, but now was reminded almost daily. Her prideful self being something she was beginning to hate.

How could he, who had everything from power to wealth, be more humble than her? There time together dismantling the wall of pride she had built and was building. She now realized that if he had not entered her life she was and would have become a witch with hubris of the highest degree. Believing everyone was beneath her. She wondered how it would have gone when she met him later in the year. Would she have even talked to him? She grimaced at the fact that she maybe would have vocally called him a 'Little lord' or something similar. The bitterness fueling a part of her that would have seen her be too full of herself as she compensated for how she felt.

Now a part of her worried about the new feeling she was having. The bitterness was not gone. Yet, her whole pride was being dismantled. With her wall of pride being taken down by Harry, the bitterness now kept pushing her down. Drilling at her self confidence. If she was wrong to be prideful, what else was she wrong about. Maybe Harry didn't want to be equals? Maybe this was just summer fun and when he was at Hogwarts his true self would show. The British were all known to hate her kind and anyone that wasn't pure blooded. She realized the problem this morning when she questioned if she even looked good in the summer dresses and if Harry cared.

Why would he? He had his real friend coming in today and he told her he was excited to introduce her. Daphne Greengrass. He had sent her a letter just for an update and confirming if she was still coming. The girl responded quickly to an international letter. Fleur had tried to ignore the feeling regarding Greengrass.

Yet, now seated here, sipping her morning tea, the thoughts came back. Daphne Greengrass. Although not a mainline member of the family her last name was still known to the people of Europe. A premier herbology and trade family, there company handled a lot of the trade between mainland Europe to the British isles. How was she supposed to compare to that? "Compare? Why do I want to compare?" She whispered to herself. She let the thoughts go away as she saw her Harry arrive.

She would not realize what she had stated until some time later.

Break break break

Harry and Fleur spent some time at the cafe chit chatting and planning the day together. They had decided to have a relaxing day as most activities were now being filled by people arriving for the semi finals. Daphne was supposed to arrive at 3pm so Harry was willing to do anything before then. Afterwards they planned to walk around the village, shop, and get ready for the semi finals. MACUSA, Magical Germany, Magical Britain and, to the surprise of many, Magical Uganda would face off. Magical Uganda was considered the underdog and currently a bracket upset. The witch had used wandless magic in her duel with the Russian duelist, while simultaneously casting with her wand. The Russian duelist was overpowered by the onslaught of spells.

After strolling around in the fields enjoying their time together. Harry had agreed to a picnic much to Fleur's surprise. They went back to her tent to get her blanket and made their way back to the village to get items

Break break break

"Arry you can't keep spending money like this on me. I already told you. I have my own money."

Fleur chastised him as they bought picnic stuff like a basket and blanket to put under them.

Harry responded. "Fleur, I came up with the idea of eating out in the fields."

Fleur looked at him with a side eye. Harry sighed as he rubbed his knee. "Fine. You can get the food." She beamed at him knowing he always folded when she gave him a glare or a side eye.

She swore Harry would be taller than her. He had been complaining that his knees hurt. It was a sign of a growth spurt happening. She wouldn't be surprised that by the time she saw him at Hogwarts he would be taller than her 5 '8 height or at least the same height. "Arry, what do you want to eat?"

Harry shrugged. "Whatever you like. I am not picky. As you have clearly put it, English Cuisine is nothing compared to French cuisine."

Fleur laughed. "Well we can just get some small stuff. It's not like German cuisine has a major appeal also." Fleur stated as she looked at the hanging bratwurst in the store. Harry smirked and nodded as they got a lot of smaller things to munch on from greens, fruits, to some cold cuts to bread and butter. He also got a few cans of butterbeer. Finished with the food, Harry got some sweets knowing Fleur liked her chocolates. They made their way to a secluded part of the field opposite of the ICW post.

Harry figured Fleur could let go of her Allure and relax. They set up and Harry sat down with a grimace.

"Knees hurt that bad?" Fleur asked.

Harry nodded. "You mentioned a growth spurt. Did it hurt?"

Fleur shuddered. "Worse, I was bedridden. One day looking like Gabi, 3 months later looking like this. Lots of growing." She was to the left of him laid out on her side with her wedge heels off as she was munching on some grapes. Her parted hair faintly glowing in the bright day, the Allure being allowed to flow freely. She caught Harry's wandering eyes and wondered again if this was just him having fun. She was caught off guard by a question from him. "Fleur, why did you spend almost this entire vacation of yours with me? I am not complaining, I just want to know."

He seemed sincere so she decided to take it seriously as she finished the grape she was eating. "Personally it's because I never get to spend time with anyone who isn't my family. You never complained so I figured you were okay with it. I am sorry if you had plans for other days-" she was cut off by Harry.

"Fleur. I said I am not complaining. I was just curious. I. I never made friends easily even in Hogwarts. I found two and kept to it. Yet, now I sometimes wonder if I missed something. I think of a boy in my class named Neville. He never did anything; he was shy and had some problems with magic. I never talked to him in a meaningful way in my 3 years at Hogwarts. I kind of ignored him. The same goes for a lot of other people in my year. I know you experienced something different. I just find it strange that I am making more friends. It feels weird. I don't know."

Fleur beamed at him. It had been difficult to get any information from him about his past besides what he told her in Vienna. This was a definite show of trust. "I would say that at a young age there is a sense of getting stuck. I thought the same way and then all of it changed. So quickly. I thought my friends would never leave me and they promised they wouldn't, but the jealousy got to them." Fleur hesitated but felt if he was vulnerable she should be too. "I actually was wondering about my pride earlier. It was getting bad when I met you. You saw the bitterness and was at the receiving end. I was truly getting worse. I even wondered what would have happened if I met you at Hogwarts this year. I probably would have not talked to you and maybe even tried to belittle you to make myself feel special."

Harry smirked. "Little lord, like you called me the other day when you got frustrated." She blushed at the memory. He had been annoying her regarding her inability to carve a rune when she tried to show him something. To her shock he had been silently summoning her rune knife to mess her up. She had gotten so angry that she wanted to punch him, but went against it as her mother was in the tent with them. She decided to call him a little lord via whisper much to his surprise. "Qui. Like that but not in play or simple frustration."

Harry smiled. "Well, that's not happening. I am looking forward to you becoming a Triwizard champion and winning it all. You're lucky I am not in it. You would lose." Harry said knowing it would get a rise out of her.

She looked shocked but smiled knowing he was messing with her. "Well. I do hope you are a good host. Maybe one day you will come to France?"

Harry smiled and nodded. "I will. I can see about doing a long weekend this summer. If you will have me of course?"

Fleur was surprised,at not only the confirmation, but that it would happen this summer. "I can ask papa but he has been busy recently like I told you. It's very unfortunate. He was hoping to start spending more time with us. He is at least joining us for the dueling." Fleur realized her father was busy now more than ever it seemed, but they did see him more also. Her mother was also happier, a lot happier, maybe a tad too happy.

She shuddered at the thought. "Either way. I finally heard him whisper to my mother last night about why he is being pulled in so many different directions. Apparently 6 ICW agents were attacked the night we came back from Vienna. 5 were French Aurors who were on loan to the ICW. They do not remember anything. Papa had to do a lot of paperwork and go back to France to report the attack. Whatever happened has the ICW in a panic mode."

Harry, to his mistake, started thinking. It seemed the ICW may have had a hint of what happened. The witch had wiped their memories though. It would explain why they hadn't come to his door.

He was brought out of his musing by Fleur."Arry you don't seem so surprised to hear 6 agents got attacked the night we came back. Got anything to say?"

Harry was surprised at his physical admission that he knew something. He quickly tried to come up with a reason. "A lot of things happen to me Fleur. 6 agents being stunned in the fields is not in the hierarchy of the crazy stuff that has happened to me. " Fleur smiled, a coy smile. A smile that he had never seen on her but made him melt. He knew his crush on her was reaching an unfortunate level. That smile just did something to him. She then pulled her legs under her to sit on them. An action that grabbed his attention. She reached for a butterbeer.

She then got closer to him and was inches from his face and whispered. "I never said they were stunned or where they were found, Arry." She pulled away and opened the can with a small smirk as she put another grape in her mouth and sipped on the drink.

Harry looked stunned. Fleur simply smiled going back to laying down next to him. "I won't tell papa if you tell me what you know?" Fleur said as she put another grape into her mouth with an evil smirk.

Harry quickly became aware of many things. One. She looked amazing, that was a given. Two. She was laid out next to him. Not even caring how she looked. He clearly could steal glances and she either trusted him, wanted him to, or did not know. The trust aspect made him feel more things surprisingly. Three. Anyone who saw them would think they were on a date. Lastly, he was getting hot. Very hot. A hot that cooling charms couldn't help with.

He decided to take off his robe not really thinking as he felt things and had thoughts. The infamous TALK coming to his mind. The next day he could barely look at Fleur. Today, right now, he could barely look away.

"Hmmm I finally see you without the robe." Fleur smiled. Her gaze was captured by the scar on his right arm again.

Harry sighed trying to suppress his hormonal thoughts. He looked at the valley wall. Trying to think of anything but Fleur. "Yes I saw them stunned. After I left your tent I walked for a while in this same field but closer to the village. I had some issues, but was able to figure something out. I collected myself and saw their bodies. I was then cornered by someone who knew my name and knew something about me. She was an American blonde witch and knew legilimency. The worst part was that she could do it wandlessly by looking into my eyes. I escaped her. We theorized leaving but figured she would be a fool to stay after what happened to the 6 ICW agents." Harry finished the story and sighed. "I personally have a lot of enemies and I have some issues currently, so it's best to not get people involved nor show my hand." He stated it as he realized he took his robe off.

He tried putting it back on but was stopped by Fleur who was now up sitting next to him. She pushed his robe away and looked at his right arm. "What happened here? I saw it briefly when we were in Vienna."

Harry felt in some way surprised she cared. Hell. It seemed she didn't listen at all to his story. As she was more distracted by the scar. Her scent of lavender became intoxicating to him. "I have a lot of stories. I told you I was in mortal peril every year Fleur. I wasn't joking. I think it's best for you if you don't know some of them.-''

He was cut off and to his surprise Fleur grabbed his robe and pulled it onto her lap. "Tell me. I…I care about you."

Fleur barely registered what she said or why. She knew that she meant it. Hearing no response and remembering him say that some stories are best not told to her.

She looked to get up. A part of her panicking and angry, her bitterness getting to her again. Maybe it was a summer thing. Maybe it's why he never told her anything about his past. Friends with a relative nobody French Veela for the summer and then brag about it to his friends. Tell them that he made a Veela have self confidence issues.

She got up and looked for her heels. Why did she care? She was a Veela. What was she feeling? She felt a hand grab her arm. "A Basilisk bit me."

Fleur stopped dead in her tracks and looked at him. "No. A Basilisk!?"

Harry grabbed his robe and handed it back to her. "Feel the robe. What does it feel like?"

Fleur grabbed his robe and marveled at its magic. So much of it, she also felt runes, but couldn't see them. She then felt the scales and gasped. Harry had gotten up. "Equals no?" Fleur was caught by his statement still holding the robe. "Well. If you want to be my friend and care, I guess you should know what has happened to me. At least what I feel comfortable with." Harry said with a small smile.

Fleur was surprised. "Of course. I am sorry. I didn't know it was something so serious. It just felt that I always talked about my past and you never did. I thought." Fleur struggled. "I have been thinking about some bad things. You are my friend Arry and I didn't think I had issues with having friends. Until now."

Harry smiled at her. "I have issues as well. I actually haven't told anything to Daphne. I think I should start trusting my new friends."

Fleur smiled though a small part of her was jealous. She decided to ignore it.

Harry continued. "So you want to leave or do you want to stay andlay down?" Fleur smiled and threw her heels to the side and checked her pocket watch to see it was 1pm. More than enough time to spend alone with him she thought as she laid down. Holding his robes in her hand she tucked it under her head. She caught the scent of cinnamon and pine. The faraway scent of Lillie's made her wonder what it was but thinking nothing of it and focused on the holiday scent.

Harry laid next to her and began to recount his 2nd year. He had prefaced that he would be leaving certain information out.

He was not comfortable revealing information about Tom, but he would tell her almost all of it.

Fleur was surprised by the story and didn't look to pry on what was missing. Maybe he would tell her with time. She felt a nap coming with the sun warming her. Content and happy that he had trusted her. She gave him her blanket so he could have a pillow.

Harry then pulled his Invisibility Cloak out and used it to cover them both. The shadow it casted gave them a relaxing effect while its silky cool water material surprisingly kept them cool.

The whispers started again but Harry didn't care he never felt so relieved. His magic felt normal, he felt calm. He looked at her with her eyes closed, her allure pulling at him, but he only felt relief. He closed his eyes as a nap took them both over.

Unbeknownst to the teens, the high summer sun was blocked and the heat quickly began to rise. The Cloak's outworldly abilities kept them both just hidden enough of what was coming. 1 hour turned to 2. The screams and roars of fire rising and then slowly going away.

Break break break

Daphne was excited about going to the dueling tournament. She had been looking forward to letter from Harry. Apparently he had made a friend in a french Veela. Of course Lord Potter would find a Veela to beautify his arm, she joked. She personally could care less who he dated though. If he even was dating, she actually was glad he had the confidence. She was excited to relax and spend time with the two.

Hell. Even her mum had been excited at the prospect of Daphne spending time with people rather than reading a book. She had once again been reminded to enjoy her youth. She had talked about Harry with her mother and although she was told to allow any form of love to happen, to remember not all love ended with children and marriage. Daphne had been surprised at the casual acceptance of Harry Potter.

Break break break (small flashback)

Daphne had looked to question it, but her mother shrugged. "Daphne. The curse of your family is not one that will allow you to choose or think. Your uncle will probably argue some form of political lines or something. Yet, even he knows his time is coming near or is here. So who cares what the disappointment of a man thinks? It's not like he can disown you or anything."

Her mother had stopped at that sentence and clearly was lost in thought. She continued though. " The family curse is a family curse, one that you know the consequences of. If people were to know he disowned a family member over a family curse? It would not only ruin the house, but forever damage its ability to continue. On the side of how to feel about Harry Potter. If it is a crush that you are feeling, allow it. Do not focus on what will happen. Enjoy the life you can. Not saying act like Astoria and believe yourself to be immortal throwing it all away. Do study and look for a solution like your family before you. Just try to find some time to actually enjoy life. It is also okay if you are growing a care that makes you proud of him and you look up to him. That form of care, familial care, is one that is also coveted by many, especially an orphan like him. It's a care and love that he would probably cherish as if you were his true actual blood."

End of flashback

She had thought about what her mum said every night leading up to the dueling tournament. A deep sense of acceptance had washed over her. She wouldn't hide like the end of year where she made sure not to be seen with him. She would stand by his side and see where it went.

Daphne landed in the German Ministry with grace, but there was panic in the building. People were shoving each other and she could hear English and German being screamed throughout the building. She then heard that Numengard Village was under attack. Her mum quickly grabbed her and she used an emergency portkey back to France where their summer Home was.

Break break break.

Harry woke up to some faint screams as he pulled the cloak off of him. His glasses had come off and he put them back on and he realized how dark the valley was. He then caught sight fires from the center of the village, his eyes then saw all the tent sections also ablaze. The most worrisome part was the amount of clouds blocking the sun casting a deep shadow in the valley, almost as if in twilight. "A planned attack or something more." He whispered to himself.

He turned to Fleur and removed the cloak off of her. He saw she was still asleep. He quickly reached over her and pulled her pocket watch out of her purse. "3pm. Did Daphne ever arrive?"

He doubted it as he spoke to himself. Everything seemed to have been burning for a while. No, they had missed what had happened or this was the tail end. Looking at the castle of Nurmengard at the other side of the valley, he saw it was unscathed and figured the best thing to do was to go to the ICW station below it.

"Sheda." A cold sensation went through his body. She had to be fine, she had to. He tried to stop thinking about the negative ideas and to his surprise it came easily. "Fuck" Harry didn't tell Sheda where he would be. "Fleur. Fleur. wake up." He said as he got up.

Fleur was groggy but she quickly got her bearings seeing how dark it was. "Merde" she then saw the fires and got up. She quickly reached for her heels and transfigured them into flats. She caught sight of the tent area and realized with horror. "The tents are all gone." She said with a worried whisper.

She felt a cold chill go through her veins at the idea of what happened to her family. She transfigured her outfit changing it from the dress to a pair of sweats and a purple t-shirt. She handed Harry his robe and her blanket, figuring the robe was needed. " Can you put my blanket in your bottomless bag? Do you have an idea what happened?" She asked with worry.

Harry quickly grabbed his robe and put it on and then stuffed the blanket into his bag. "I don't know, I just woke up. Looks like an attack already ended or we are at the tail end. I need to get to my hotel and find Sheda. Did your mom and sister tell you where they were going for the afternoon? Here take this. Keep it safe." He handed her the invisibility cloak.

Fleur fixed her hair into a ponytail and took the cloak. She figured it could be helpful and hung it off her purse. "They were going to see the ICW station. Gabi wanted to see what papa did."

Harry nodded. "Good at least we hope they were at the station when the attack happened. And of course that the station hasn't fallen to whatever happened. The castle seems fine. Let's head into the village."

As they began walking in the field Harry caught sight of a cloak moving under the brush. Stopping them both he called out. "Hey are you okay?" Harry then wondered what made him uneasy about the cloak. A sense of fear took hold of him, he felt like he had cold sweats from a nightmare and then he realized how humid it was. When did it get so humid in the valley? He then saw more cloaks laid around the field.

Nothing about magic could do this. Disappearing people and leaving a cloak. They were black cloaks though and many people didn't wear them in the summer heat and humidity. He then began to piece the information together. The clouds, blocking the sun to create an artificial night. The Fear. The humidity "Fleur. Something is wrong. Those cloaks aren't cloaks."

Fleur looked at him in surprise and saw when he pointed to multiple cloaks around them seemingly doing the same as the others. 5 total. Fleur then realized the oppressive humidity making you feel the air itself was thick with water and the overwhelming fear she had; nightmarish cold sweats accompanied it. It all pointed to the cousin of the Dementor. The humidity replacing the cold ice, the fear and cold sweats replacing the depression and sadness. Both realized it at the same time "Lethifolds" they whispered in horror.

Harry crouched in place. He whispered to Fleur. "Did your father say anything about Lethifolds before you guys came here? I thought they only existed in tropical climates."

Fleur nodded. "Papa said that the summer has been unusually hot. A heat wave. One of the strongest in over 200 years for Europe. Muggle's are damaging the environment or something else he said. Lethifolds migrated here from southern Italy, the heat helping them. Papa said they had been driven back."

Harry caught the comment of muggles and was surprised. Maybe not all of Europe ignored what they did. "They clearly came back. They must have attacked and people panicked, not many know how to fight them or can't. They probably tried to set them on fire. It doesn't work, it would explain why everything is burning. They are docile right now. At least the ones around us, unfortunately it means they just finished eating people. If they are thicker than 2 inches they have eaten a lot of people. The sun being blocked points to it being planned, someone wanted them to go into a hunting frenzy. They only hunt at night."

Fleur was surprised with his deductions and knowledge of magical beasts. A sense of panic was coming over her. The amount of adrenaline that was pumping in her system was not something she was used to. Much less ever experienced.

Harry looked at her and maybe he saw that she was beginning to panic so he grabbed her hands. His green eyes staring at her light blue. "Look at me. We are gonna be fine. We are gonna find Sheda and get out to the station on the other side of the valley. Your family will be there. Trust me okay?" Fleur nodded. "Fleur, I need you to tell me."

Harry looked at her with a serious expression. His personality all but changed. He was a leader now and for the first time she saw an aged Harry. He was much older than her, it was clear. He had faced magical creatures of this degree and won. The basilisk. He now wore its skin in a magical artifact that she knew was more than a fashion statement or a trophy. His Veela ritual knife had the venom of the snake infused into it. His eyes had been exposed to the possibility of death. He was unpaused with the way he talked about the victims of the Lethifolds.

She then remembered what he said. 'Fleur. I have been in mortal peril every year since being at Hogwarts.' She knew he would do anything for her and if anything he was her best shot to get out of here alive. She threw herself at him. "I trust you." She whispered. Something within her accepted that statement further than expected.

Harry nodded, not phased by the hug showing his mental fortitude in situations like this. "Your Allure. Blast it when I cast. I don't know if it will do anything but it may make them recoil. Your allure is a positive emotion while they radiate fear."

Fleur nodded and ready for his signal. "You said most people can't fight them. You can?"

Harry smiled as he pulled his wand. "Only known method is a patronus." Harry was about to cast but he wanted to warn her. "Fleur I want you to promise if I tell you to run, you run. If I tell you to hide you-"

Harry was cut off by a finger to his lip. "Arry I am not some damsel. I said I trust you and accept the same. Remember Equals?" Harry realized she was right and looked to argue. "Arry. Do not tell me anything right now related to listening to you in such a manner. I will listen but I am not leaving you. We are going to get out of this together. Non?"

Harry sadly smiled remembering how Herminoe acted. "Fine. Quick training session then. The patronus spell works off you thinking of a loving memory. Not just a happy memory. You have to really think of it and let it fill you and then you cast. Hopefully the Allure works well enough temporarily. "

Fleur was surprised how quick he accepted it. She truly thought he was going to fight it, but realized he never did, always taking her opinions and weighing them. She had been right in this sense. Fleur was brought back from her thinking by Harry.

"Ready?" Harry asked, seeing Fleur nod. He casted the patronus.

With the melodic song. All five docile Lethifolds quickly scattered away in panic, but they were no longer docile and clearly wanted to attack.

Harry and Fleur started running towards the village. His robe glowing brightly in the twilight. He had his thestral run at the Lethifolds in a circular pattern especially as the Lethifolds started to fly around him. He felt Fleur blast her Allure. To his surprise the theory worked as the Allure pushed them away or at least made them hesitate. As they ran they saw a green spell fly into the sky and explode. A skull with a snake exiting the mouth.

Fleur looked at it in horror "The Dark Mark." Harry raised an eyebrow as they ran, reaching the fencing of the village that separated it from the fields. He leaned against it and held his arm up for the patronus. "Dark Mark?" He yelled. The melodic song of the patronus was deafening.

Fleur looked at him in surprise and panic and yelled as well. "It's your dark lord's symbol. He used it after he completed an attack. It was his way of gloating that an attack had been successful."

Harry then got extremely worried. "Voldemort never attacked outside of Britain, right?"

Fleur was surprised at the fact that he did not find it crazy that Voldemort may be back but rather at the history of the Dark lord. "Qui he never did." Harry looked in thought.

His magic straining holding the patronus. He now realized he was attracting the horde, he quickly summarized there were 30 lethifolds now floating around them. He made a call as he looked at the mark, one eye flashing red very briefly. "It's not me. He would never consider an attack successful if I was around and not captured. Someone is using the mark as a cover."

Fleur didn't hear the first part, but she was shocked by the last part. Did that imply he was alive? Harry looked at the dark mark again. "Come on. We have to make a break for it. One last patronus and we run until we make it to the hotel. I will use the patronus sporadically. I can't hold it anymore." Channeling his magic the robe glowed brightly as he unleashed it. A magical torrent much like when his stag had defended him and Sirius.

Fleur couldn't believe the magic nor the robes glowing so brightly. Most couldn't do a patronus mist, yet here he was making an aura the size of manor.

He held it for a while pushing back the lethifolds and yanked his wand away. The magic subsidized and melodic cry stopped.

Fleur caught him as he almost fell over. She panicked. She heard him say "Robe. off" She felt the robe was warm to a touch. It must absorb magic to get this warm, she figured. She quickly slipped it off him and he immediately started to recover.

"If my magic starts to go crazy, throw that on me. No matter what happens." Harry stated and Fleur nodded. At this point no longer questioning anything.

They started running from the center of the village up to the hotel. Harry kept firing his patronus at the Lethifolds that came near them. He had a straight shot to the hotel and a calm took over him. At the same time he noticed the buildings were not damaged and the lethifolds weren't attacking anymore. It looked like the fight didn't come to this side, but the silence told him something else. Then panic came over him, the dark mark appeared again. This time over where the hotel would be.

They stopped running and took to crouching and quickly entered a building at the behest of Harry. He moved around the house crouched and then turned around to Fleur who was following him. "Fleur. Put on the invisibility cloak and stay by me. We are being watched. We are walking into a trap." Fleur was about to protest, but decided to listen seeing he was right. It was too clean over here. She put on his robe and threw the cloak over as they exited the house.

They continued walking to the hotel and Harry's breath hitched, the hotel had been destroyed. Outside sitting in a cafe chair was the blonde witch. She wore a pinkish robe while drinking coffee."Hello Harry. Pesky Lethifolds. I actually panicked thinking you had fallen to them. To my relief one of my girls saw you use that beautiful patronus of yours. I heard you were good at magical beasts so we figured it was the right choice after you made things difficult. My brother in law never said they were so difficult to wrangle. I hope it was easy for you."

Harry stopped in the middle of the plaza but kept his eyesight from her. The witch commented "Ahhh Your pesky rune professor told you. Shame. I liked hearing your thoughts about me. Where did your Veela go? Did my scouts miss something?"

Harry smirked. "Told her to get help. You kinda made it obvious I was walking into a trap."

She tilted her head at him. "Harry, how could you do that? I never wanted to kill. I stunned and wiped the minds of the ICW agents because they saw what was happening to you. Does that not warrant some gratitude? I thought you Europeans were all about etiquette or whatever else you care about. How does tradition fall?"

Harry looked at her in anger. "You killed how many people with the Lethifolds?"

The witch looked at him with a serious face. "What I do is to get you where you belong."

Harry snapped at her. "Whose lapdog are you? Who even are you?"

The witch got up and walked over to him. He kept his eyes from her. She got close enough and he once again he smelled a bakery. "Ohh you will become like them, I have seen it. Both of them. You used the downed ICW agents as part of your escape plan. Rather risky don't you think? The fighting spirit in you to survive. Willing to sacrifice innocent lives."

The witches breathed in. "I didn't suspect that. Based on the memories I saw of your classmates. I expected the opposite. A willingness to sacrifice your life for the people you care about. An interesting dichotomy we now have don't you see? Both of them. You could be so much greater. Maybe he was right. It's something I needed to see." She walked back to her chair and sat back down. "Sheda is a pesky problem for me. Too nosy for her own good and was always curious."

Harry was conflicted by her comment about the ICW agents, but tried to keep a straight face. He perked at Sheda's name. "You know her? Where is she?"

She looked at him. "Ohhh she is okay. I stunned her and had her dropped off at the station. My men collected your stuff. I also made sure the Veela family is safe. Half the lethifolds are being pushed to attack the perimeter of the station. No no no. Killing her and the Veela family would have made him mad since you would never work with him. I blew up the hotel to show it was you I wanted. So now we are at pass. Do you come quietly or do I need to stun you? Either way I win."

Harry looked to be thinking. He didn't want anything to happen to Fleur. It was best to fold and go with her. "Who are you? No lies and I come with you."

Fleur was shocked at the interaction. It was clear the witch was a cold and calculated force. What happened to Harry before? Kept his secret? The issue? He mentioned he had an issue before when he saw the ICW agents.

He had used them in his attempt to escape and was even willing to sacrifice them? The agents hadn't been hurt though but Harry was willing to do a lot to survive. He was also willing to die for others? It was curious she could agree, but he was growing. Paths laid ahead of him much like her. She was fascinated by the interaction though. The way Harry interacted with the mysterious older with. She was also curious about who this witch was. Was she a dark lady? Not many had existed in the modern era.

The witch smiled at him and tilted her head slightly as she got up. "Tell the Veela to give you the robe."

Harry looked away and tried to not look stunned."I told you she is not here."

The witch smirked and walked around him; her voice low. "I was warned specifically about your outworldly invisibility cloak. To know it was in Magical Britain the whole time must have made him so mad. He wasted how many years after America just looking for it? The fool. The robe though? The robe was an interesting development and I want to see it." Harry kept his head down until the witch raised his head with her wand.

He saw she had a pearl-like handle as she looked him in the eye. "So will you tell her to give you the robe or do I need to torture you in your mind? I hear you have a specific memory of your mother that gets you very angry?"

Fleur looked at the cloak. Outworldly? It was a simple invisibility cloak? She then reached out with her magic and found no enchantments and no runes and was surprised. How did this work then?

She was pulled from her thoughts when the witch began to raise his head. Feeling terrified the witch would hold on to the threat Fleur wondered if she should come out from under the cloak. She then saw a pebble on the plaza begin to float. She moved around and saw more pebbles being lifted. She then saw the spoon on the cafe table being transfigured. She then saw small cracks appear by Harry's feet. What was happening?

The blonde witch stared at Harry and she sensed a banishment spell from him. She quickly apparted and landed somewhere else as if expecting it. She smiled, picking her head up. She began trading spells with Harry.

Fleur was surprised. He was using simple spells but all of them were non verbal and came out at lightning speed screeching. She hid behind the door of the cafe behind Harry.

The two began to rip apart the small plaza in front of the hotel.

Harry saw red at the mention of his mum. The witch had done her research or had been following him. He hated his secrets revealed to people. A reducto at her feet and a bombarda that screamed. The spell ripped the ground as it flew at the unknown witch. She apparated to the left of him again to his frustration. She started sending obscure curses he didn't know, but began to believe they were all mental curses and charms. He recognized a confusion hex, confundo charm, and a charm that looked like a rainbow. The Legilimens spell. Sheda had used it on him to make him understand what the attack was like and how it looked.

Harry shielded where he could, and returned where he could. The back and forth and the strength of his spells ripping the walkway apart and homes around them but he was getting frustrated and used a wide Diffindo. She needed to dodge to avoid it. In that time he quickly summoned the cafe table and banished it towards her. He then cast his patronus at max strength which blinded her. He then sent an Expelliarmus right behind it. In the combination of the spells he missed a bright white spell that hit him directly in the chest.

Bending over, not understanding what it was, he began to panic. The witch had gotten hit by the table. She then flew further back as the expelliarmus hit. She lost her wand and it flew to him. She got up hoping that he was hit by the spell in his belief that he won. Seeing he was hit by the spell her eyes went wide and her face became neutral. "Let's see."

The witch shot a wandless flare in the air. Harry began to convulse while standing, he fell down on his knees and began to cry. As the flare exploded, new individuals apparted to the plaza. Just in time for Harry's magic to send them flying away with a wave of pure magic with an unholy scream.

Harry POV

Harry fell on his knees and reached out to Sheda bleeding out in front of him. "I am sorry Sheda. I couldn't stop her. We should have left, I was shellfish. I wanted to be young, I wanted to not worry. I wanted to spend time with Fleur. I gave you too much responsibility. You're not even my mum. Sheda. Sheda please. Don't go."

Sheda began to spit out blood. "Harry. I only wanted to finish what I experimented with. I never cared. Why would I care? You aren't my family and never would be. Do you know the fame I would get for healing the boy who lived? I would be a rune professor and academic remembered for the ages."

Harry was openly weeping. "You helped me, don't say that you didn't care."

Sheda looked at him. "You're the boy without parents. All your accomplishments are because of your parents, friends and luck. I manipulated you. You think people actually care? 3 years in the magical world and what have you learned and done? Lazy and doing nothing, learning nothing. 3 years and only one impressive spell? Even Voldemort was already exploring the dark arts. What have you done? Played quidditch and barely did serviceable work in your classes? What would your parents think? Disappointment. Even when you have a gift you rely on others to help you to succeed. How much did Daphne truly do this year?"

Normal POV

Harry's magic was flaring and pulsating, pushing everyone back; each wave a deafening scream came with it. The ground slightly buckled almost as if he was too heavy. Each wave destroyed buildings as the waves collided with them.

Fleur being the closest was hit by a wave and knocked down. The door breaking from its hinges and slightly pinning her down, her leg was now exposed from under the clock. The blonde witch saw her foot and began walking to her using casting multiple handless proteges to protect herself. The raw magic cracking each shield. She slowly began making her way to Fleur.

Fleur saw another dark skin witch trying to get to her. She was pinned and tried moving. The waves kept digging her in. She saw an opportunity as Harry got up.

Harry POV

"You promised I didn't need to take the world on my shoulder. That I am only a kid. I. I love you."

Sheda kept spitting out blood as if laughing. "Love? What do you know about loving someone? It's only been a month and you are that desperate? A mirror showing your parents clearly made you an idiot and doesn't tell you anything. If you had never been born your parents would be alive. Lily would still be my frien and we would be happy. You were a mistake. Do you think parents just have kids in a war? You, even as a baby, were a mistake for everyone to get involved with. I would have never loved you; it would have guaranteed my death. Funny. I forgot that if you loved me, like the fool you are, that I would still die. Everyone you love will all die."

Harry kept weeping and put his hands on Sheda's neck and started choking her. This could not be her, or maybe he had been blind. Lied to. Tormented. "You promised me. I loved you. You promised me."

Sheda looked at him with a wicked grin. Laughing at him, blood splattering on him. He didn't care as he pushed in on her throat and collapsed on her hoping his weight would help silence her. As he did he smelled lilies and then he heard Sheda's calm voice from the night she found him. "I will always be there for you, Harry." He then remembered he never told her about the mirror.

Harry got up immediately, stopping, her body disappearing with an angry look. He waved his hand and raw black magic went flying out of his hand in a focused wave pulling debris with it as it screamed loudly. Destroying a whole building in front of him. .

Looking up he saw people then shadows, and they slowly combined into one thing. Voldemort. "You. You did all this. You are doing this. This is not the spell the witch sent me. You bit off too much at the end. Sheda would never do that, much less say that. I never told her what I saw in the mirror. You're using the spell."

Voldemort in a black robe that had smoke moving within the cloth smiled with wicked fascination. "The witch casted a Phantasma on you. A hallucinating curse. I do believe she planned for it to land. You are strong Harry. You have been fighting me for over 1 month, your blood and the robe. The rune witch made a clever robe. I will win though. I am immortal. Nothing will defeat me. I am a part of you now. Your body will always fight me, I was dormant, but now I am alive. You are my host, but your body will become mine in time." Voldemort began casting curses and Harry started casting waves of magic. Destroying everything in its path. Each wave a black mass of magic that screamed horrifically. Voldemort laughed at him, then his laugh turned into a sour look.

Normal POV

Fleur was finally freed from the door and removed the cloak as she shielded herself from the waves of magic, her ears being deafened by the magic he launched. The witch had also reached her and shouted. "Robe him. His magic is not healthy. Trust me. I truly did save your family. He will level the town and kill everyone in the valley if you don't robe him."

Fleur's allure was at full blast after removing the cloak and it seemed to calm Harry. He stopped casting magic at the wizards or witches who had kept him distracted, dodging and sending simple spells at him to keep his eyes on them. He just stood there yet the magic still flared in waves. The witch next to her looked at her with a raised eyebrow. The allure worked somewhat to calm him.

Fleur was shocked as well but took the opportunity to take off the robe and put it on him before another magical wave occurred. Immediately he collapsed in her arms and the magic all stopped. The witch walked up to them and waved to the other witches and wizards. She summoned her wand from the ground and casted another dark mark.

Immediately a few of the other wizards and witches casted fiendfyre and it began to eat at the destruction that Harry had done. She saw a few more helping some injured wizards who were unfortunately caught in the crossfire/attacked by Harry. Fleur held him unsure what was happening.

The blonde witch stood behind her. "You either come quietly or I knock you out and I remove the memories. Just note if you decided to betray this trust I will find you and wipe the memories or more. Up to you."

Fleur looked around her and realized she was now a part of what Harry said was a complicated life. She sighed and thought, was this the right thing to do? Looking down, his face covered in tears. She realized he had trusted her fully to stay with him under the cloak with his robe. Equals she thought? "I will come."

The witch smiled. "I like you two. You will make a cute couple, I always like forbidden couples as they say. I married a No-maj. Name is Queenie." Fleur blushed and looked surprised by the name. They Apparated away.