Chapter 5 - The Tea House

Margaux Tea House was a refined establishment, known for its discretion and selective clientele. The atmosphere was cozy, with dark wood-paneled walls and red velvet curtains. The aroma of fine teas and fresh cakes filled the air. The gentle chime of the doorbell announced the arrival of Fleur Delacour. Dressed in an elegant winter outfit, she looked around, searching for Lucius Malfoy. She quickly spotted him sitting at a table in the corner, elegantly dressed in his usual black attire, with a steaming cup of tea before him. His eyes fixed on her as she approached, and an enigmatic smile curved his lips.

With determined steps, Fleur approached the table where Lucius was seated.

"I was eager to see when you would seek me out" he said, his voice resonating with a mix of curiosity and satisfaction.

Fleur stood by the table, feeling the tension in the air. Lucius kept his gaze fixed on her, a smile still playing on his lips. With an elegant gesture, he stood and pulled out the chair for her.

"How remiss of me" he said, his voice smooth and polished. "Do join me for tea, please."

After seating Fleur, he gestured to the waiter. "Bring a cup for Miss Delacour. She will grace me with her company for tea today."

Fleur settled into the chair, feeling the pressure of the conversation to come. The refined atmosphere of Margaux Tea House, with its soft background melody, contrasted with the growing tension between them. The waiter, after serving the drinks, made a discreet bow and stepped away, leaving the two alone.

She watched the waiter depart, feeling the weight of the moment. Taking a sip of tea to calm herself, she gathered all her courage and looked directly into Lucius's eyes.

"I'm very worried at how they are associating you with the incident. I heard you were detained for almost a full day for interrogation." She paused, visibly guilty. "I wanted to say that I am sorry" said Fleur, her voice laden with concern.

Lucius put down the napkin, disappointed. "Ah, you came to talk about that" he said, with a slightly disappointed tone.

"And what else would it be about?" she asked, confused.

Lucius Malfoy leaned back in his chair for a moment, his eyes fixed on Fleur with calculated intensity. Then, with the grace of a feline, he leaned forward, closer to her.

"About our last encounter, obviously" he whispered, letting a slight smile play on his lips. "I particularly can't think of anything else."

He continued, his voice filled with a mixture of wounded pride and veiled admiration. "Don't think it wasn't a blow to my pride to see myself fallen to my knees, with my family ring cracked." The memory brought a dark glint to his eyes, accompanied by a sardonic smile. "But after that, the feeling that hasn't left me is one of excitement!"

He leaned even closer, almost touching Fleur's face, the intensity in his eyes making her catch her breath.

"Not even in my most optimistic expectations did I imagine finding such a formidable opponent on my first day of freedom" said Lucius.

Fleur felt a shiver run down her spine, while a sense of pride and challenge awoke in her chest. Lucius's words echoed in her mind, each one laden with a weight that went beyond mere recognition.

"I am not your adversary" she replied softly, a touch of timidity and contentment in her voice. "What happened was an isolated incident and certainly neither of us wanted to reach those consequences."

Lucius raised an eyebrow, the enigmatic smile persisting on his lips. He observed Fleur with a look that mixed challenge and curiosity, his words coming out with slight irony. "Please, Miss Delacour, do not feign innocence now" his voice had a provocative tone, but also an acknowledgment of Fleur's strength. "Despite the seventeen-hour interrogation having interrupted the prolonged bath I dreamed of for a decade, I would never dare express regret for what happened."

Fleur felt her heart race, but remained firm, determined not to be intimidated.

"It is rather frustrating that now you deny having longed as much as I did for the thrill of that duel" Lucius continued, the intensity in his eyes revealing hidden respect.

She averted her gaze for a brief moment, struggling to control the mix of emotions his words provoked. When she met his eyes again, there was a renewed determination in her gaze.

"Obviously, the challenge was stimulating, but the consequences were disastrous. You... you challenged me by reducing the powers of a Veela to mere glitter, and I simply could not ignore that" said Fleur.

Lucius studied her for a moment, the gleam in his eyes suggesting both admiration and caution. "I understand. And I sincerely apologize for my words. Though I was exemplary punished for my act, I consider it prudent to record that I will never underestimate your powers again."

Fleur, despite her tendency to remain reserved, couldn't help but feel a surge of pride. The initial shame of having used her powers so intensely began to dissipate, replaced by a sense of validation.

She smiled, timid but genuine. "Thank you, Mr. Malfoy" she said, her voice soft but firm.

Lucius nodded slowly, his eyes still firmly fixed on hers.

"Miss Delacour, what I witnessed that day transcended mere exercise of power." His voice carried a seriousness that only accentuated the intensity of the moment. "It was a glimpse of untapped potential."

Fleur did not avert her gaze, sensing the potential trap in Lucius's words. With a determined glint in her eyes, she responded:

"Mr. Malfoy, you think you can manipulate me with compliments to use my abilities for your benefit? Know that I am not easily charmed, and no one controls me in that manner."

Lucius raised his eyebrows, surprised by Fleur's direct and challenging response. He tilted his head, the enigmatic smile still on his lips, but with a new light of respect in his eyes.

"I apologize if my excitement was somehow mistaken for scheming. But I do not only refer to the potential of expanding your abilities, I was thinking of mutual benefit" said Lucius.

"How so?" Fleur asked, curiosity lighting up her eyes.

"After our confrontation, I realized I had expanded my self-control extraordinarily." He paused, as if choosing his words carefully. "In the last four days, I have managed to execute several complex spells non-verbally. The intensity of our interaction seems to have accelerated magical improvement processes that would possibly take me years to achieve in a traditional manner."

Lucius leaned slightly forward, the gleam in his eyes revealing almost palpable enthusiasm.

"And you..." he continued, his voice low and full of reverence. "You put the most renowned wizarding neighborhood in the UK to sleep as if it were nothing. Does that not intrigue you? Frankly?"

With a touch of embarrassment, Fleur admitted, lowering her eyes slightly before meeting his again.

"It wasn't as if it were nothing. I've spent the last four days restoring my magical energy, which was almost completely depleted." She took a deep breath, sincerity in her voice. "I must confess, Mr. Malfoy, that you were a remarkable opponent."

Lucius raised an eyebrow and smiled ironically.

"Opponent, Miss Delacour? I thought we were not adversaries and that what happened was just an isolated incident."

Fleur felt a slight blush rise to her cheeks, remembering her earlier words.

"I... yes, what I meant is that..."

Lucius smiled, somewhat victoriously, and replied:

"I was there, Miss Delacour. I know exactly what you mean." His voice was calm but carried profound meaning. "When I say you were my opponent, I am not saying I see you as an enemy. I prefer to think of us as competing vectors in mathematics, following our own directions but always in search of a common goal."

Fleur blinked, absorbing the analogy, while Lucius continued, the intensity in his gaze increasing.

Still exhilarated, Lucius leaned a little closer, curiosity shining in his eyes. "One last question, Miss Delacour: When I had my wand pointed at you, did it not occur to you that I could really attack you?" he asked, his voice low and filled with a mix of challenge and admiration. "I know few wizards who would react that way with Lucius Malfoy's wand under their neck."

Fleur, feeling a mix of contentment and timidity, responded softly, a light smile touching her lips. "I didn't think much, I just felt I couldn't lose and gave everything I had to force you to kneel."

Lucius observed her for a moment, a smile of respect and recognition forming on his face.

"Formidable" he murmured, leaning back slightly in his chair. "So, you would say it was the heat of the moment that led to such a display of power?"

Fleur nodded slowly, maintaining her composure. "Yes. I think that is what happened."

Lucius studied her for a moment, the gleam in his eyes suggesting both admiration and caution. "I understand. I must confess I am still overcome with a sense of euphoria and admiration, but I am also curious to know what your intention is now. It took you four days to seek me out, and I would like to know what you desire."

Fleur took a deep breath, feeling the tension in the air. "Mr. Malfoy, I thank you for not mentioning my name so far, as it will give me time to think about how to explain the situation. I don't want you to pay for what I did, and I deeply regret that the newspapers are insinuating that you are responsible for all this."

Still looking into his eyes, she continued: "However, I ask that you continue not mention me for the time being. If my involvement is revealed, it could harm not only me but also other Veela in a way that you might not understand."

Lucius tilted his head, considering her words. "Well, Miss Delacour, wanting to have your cake and eat it too is a complicated ambition. How do you expect to get out of this situation without facing the consequences?"

Fleur, with poise, responded, "I thought we could investigate this case together, thus clearing both our names from future accusations."

Lucius looked weary and said, "That is entirely contrary to what I had in mind."

"And what did you have in mind?" Fleur asked.

He paused, observing her carefully before continuing.

Leaning slightly forward, his gaze fixed on hers, Fleur remained attentive, absorbing every word.

"What I propose is that we continue to train and evolve our skills together. In just a few days, I've seen incredible improvements in my concentration and self-control. I believe no one has challenged your limits as much as I have. I see it as a fair and advantageous exchange."

The tension in the air seemed almost tangible as both awaited the response that would define the next steps of this unlikely alliance. Fleur closed her eyes for a moment, a soft smile curving her lips.

"Mr. Malfoy, you are losing focus on the situation" Fleur said firmly. "Training and evolving our magic won't help if they want to incriminate you for this terrible incident. Being a privileged figure your whole life may have given you more faith in institutions of law than you should have. The wizarding world is terrified of what happened. Unfortunately, I made Diagon Alley fall asleep exactly when some unfortunate soul was carrying a suitcase full of suspicious things, and now they think it's all the work of one person. They need someone to blame, especially in an election year."

"Fleur" he began. "May I call you that?"

She nodded, and he continued calmly:

"They have nothing against me. I've spoken with my lawyers. Despite the threats from the Aurors, they cannot imprison me just because a map of Azkaban was found on the same day as the incident, especially if there is nothing linking me to it. And since I do not intend to mention you, there is also nothing linking you to it either." Lucius paused, taking something out of his pocket. He held out the paper Fleur had written her parents names on for the shop attendant to engrave on the silver tray. "As soon as I woke up, I grabbed this. Then I lay on the floor and pretended to be asleep until they found me."

Fleur's eyes widened.

"Heavens, Lucius, you took a piece of evidence from the crime scene that linked me to the incident and then pretended to still be asleep. Do you have any idea how guilty we look now?"

"Firstly, there was no crime, only an incident. And now that they have managed to wake the shop attendants and found that they forgot the two days prior to the event, there is nothing linking you to the incident. And I didn't pretend the whole time, eventually I actually fell asleep since the Aurors took ages to arrive."

Fleur shook her head, worried.

"It's not that simple, Lucius. I fear they may actually link you to all this. I heard my mother say that her reporter from the Daily Prophet, Rita Skeeter, has new information about the case involving you."

"What do you mean?" he asked, now concerned.

"It seems that inside the suitcase containing the map, there was a jewel registered as belonging to your family."

Visibly worried, he asked:

"Is it a magical jewel or a decorative one?"

"I didn't hear more details" Fleur replied. "But it seems someone is trying to use this incident to incriminate you for something much bigger than putting people to sleep."

Lucius frowned, his concern growing as he reflected on the gravity of the situation.

Fleur continued, "And when I confess my involvement, because I certainly won't let you pay alone for something I did, there is a great chance they will involve me in this conspiracy. A witch with exotic ancestry is perfect for stirring up old prejudices, especially in an election year. The conservatives will have a field day. They will create a master plan linking us to all sorts of trickery, corruption and scandals imaginable. Something that will sell many newspapers but at the same time bury any chance of pointing to the real culprit. We need to act now, before it's too late."

Lucius looked at her, the seriousness in his eyes revealing that he was seriously considering the idea of returning to Azkaban.

"So, what do you suggest, Miss Delacour?" he asked, his voice low and full of intensity. "Exactly?"

"I suggest we find Rita Skeeter and tell her everything we know about our duel and its consequences. We need to ask her to share everything she knows. Skeeter has access to sources and places we don't. In exchange, we can offer her an exclusive interview when we uncover the whole truth, asking her not to publish anything for now."

"But what guarantees that Rita Skeeter won't publish anything as soon as we finish telling our story?" asked Lucius.

"Rita Skeeter was banned from serious journalism after a major scandal over how she obtained her sources and for publishing without verification" explained Fleur. "It was my mother, Apolline Delacour, who gave her a second chance. If it weren't for my mother, everyone would already know about the Malfoy jewel by now, for example. She would only betray this trust if it meant the complete resolution of the mystery, and that's something we're giving her for free."

Lucius pondered for a moment, then Fleur added:

"When we unveil everything, everyone will be so thrilled with the truth that our minimal involvement won't be relevant."

Fleur held Lucius's gaze, her voice firm and determined.

"So, Mr. Malfoy, investigate with me and get out of this mess you accidentally got into."

They stared at each other for a long time. Then Lucius, looking bored, said: "Oh, what a disappointment. When I saw you, I imagined gaining a formidable training partner, but instead, I find myself involved in an investigation to avoid being unjustly sent back to Azkaban."

Fleur observed Lucius with a mix of concern and evaluation while holding her delicate teacup. "I never said I would refuse to train with you. But… Wouldn't your wife find it inconvenient for us to spend so much time together? Investigations and training... those things demand quite a lot of time" she asked, her voice laden with caution.

Lucius, with a carefully rehearsed air of indifference, responded curtly, "My ex-wife, I believe, will not mind."

Fleur's embarrassment was evident. "I'm sorry, I didn't know" she murmured, lowering her eyes to the fine porcelain she held.

Lucius gave a faint smile, but the shadow of contained anger danced in his eyes. "I didn't know either until a few days ago, when I was informed by a letter shortly before my release" he said with a shrug.

The silence that followed was dense, interrupted only by the soft clinking of teacups and the distant murmur of other conversations in the tearoom.

She finally broke the silence with firm determination: "What I would most like to avoid are rumors and undue assumptions. Seducing married men and destroying homes are actions most associated with Veela. Can you assure me that I will not be unjustly accused of any such things?"

Lucius straightened in his chair, fully attentive. "Narcissa did not bother to send me a single letter in the last ten years. I assure you, the last thing she would do is spread rumors about her ex-husband's training and investigations."

Fleur blinked, surprised by his frankness. "Ten years is a long time for silence" she commented softly, trying to grasp the depth of the situation.

He smiled bitterly. "I couldn't say, time passes differently in Azkaban. But what is lost, is lost. Were you about to say something about our training?"

Fleur nodded, feeling the tension in the air ease slightly. "Well, if that's the case, then I accept the challenge. Don't think I was indifferent to our duel. I also saw the potential in it. I accept being your training partner, Malfoy."

He smiled, delighted.

Fleur continued, "But remember, the priority is the investigation. Training will be secondary."

Lucius, with an air of enthusiasm and haughtiness, declared: "Indeed, I am in complete agreement. I do not wish to end up incarcerated either."

She sighed and said: "In the end, I believe these training sessions can be an excellent way to relieve the pressure of the investigation."

He looked at her challengingly: "Don't count on that, Delacour. I don't intend to ease anything for you. In fact, I thought of some ways to counter your spell that I could have used last time."

She let out a muffled laugh: "Oh, really? Can I know more about that?"

Standing up, he elegantly pulled out Fleur's chair and said "Obviously not, Delacour. I won't reveal my tactics. In the next duel, you will see the difference. Now, let's find Skeeter."