CHAPTER 32: THE DELACOURS UNVEILED

The dappled sunlight pierced through the willow leaves, casting a warm, reddish hue over Fleur's closed eyelids. The gentle embrace of the sun caressed her as she lay against the smooth bark of the tree. Stretching her body, she let out a contented yawn and slowly opened her eyes, her fingers delicately retrieving a precious necklace concealed beneath the folds of her robes.

A slender, shining chain held a silver seed pendant, an exquisite acorn enclosed within a delicate web of Celtic knots. As Fleur examined the pendant, the sunlight danced off its surface, causing it to glitter brilliantly. With practiced grace, she retrieved her wand from her waist and touched the tip of it to the silver seed.

A magical energy, uniquely her own, flowed through the pendant, swirling and spiraling until it reached the heart of the delicate silver charm. From there, it playfully flitted back and forth, connecting with its distant twin.

"Azure," she whispered, invoking the enchantment. The chain of the necklace melted seamlessly back into the silver seed, hovering in the air like a mirage in the desert. From this shimmering core, slender silver branches emerged, bearing tiny, shining leaves, their roots intricately webbed beneath. A subtle shimmer rippled through the metal before it expanded to create a mirror no larger than the span of Fleur's graceful hand.

Her own sapphire-blue eyes stared back at her from the glistening surface, reflecting her sense of freedom. Then, as a soft radiance suffused the silver, the face of Harry Potter materialized before her, a playful raised eyebrow quirked.

"Fleur?" he inquired with a hint of surprise. "You're free?"

Her lips curved into a knowing smirk as she teased, "Want to come for a visit?" She continued with a playful warning, "I should mention that it's another trap. Gabby inadvertently revealed that I've been seeing a boy for the first time."

Harry chuckled, and the mirror shifted. Fleur briefly glimpsed shelves of books and an imposing portrait in green and silver before the surface of her mirror darkened. It quickly shrank back into the form of a seed, the chain gracefully returning to its place around her neck, a cherished connection to her newfound freedom and the enchanting mysteries of her world.

A gentle rustle echoed through the tranquil riverside.

Fleur instinctively let her necklace slide down her robes and spun around to investigate the source of the sound. Her gaze met Harry, who casually leaned against the massive tree trunk, his eyes fixed upon her with an appreciative half-smile gracing his face. "You look amazing," he remarked with genuine admiration in his voice.

Fleur gracefully descended from the branch she had been perched on, responding with a self-assured air, "As always." She enveloped herself in Harry's embrace, nestling her head against his chest and inhaling his warmth. "I missed you."

"Good," Harry replied, tightening his hold around her. "I'd hate to think it was just me."

She leaned back slightly and tenderly kissed him. "Are you ready for the trap?" Fleur switched to French, the language of their shared intimacy.

Harry rolled his eyes playfully. "Just about," he said with a hint of uncertainty in his accent.

Fleur wrinkled her nose in mock disapproval. "Just about?"

He couldn't help but laugh. "I learned a whole language over the summer for you. Are you ever satisfied?"

A pout crept onto her lips as she replied, "Not until things are perfect."

"You're perfect," Harry whispered, his hands tracing the curves of her waist, and his lips brushed her forehead. "As always."

Fleur's heart fluttered at his words. "Come on. My parents are waiting...impatiently." She seized his hand and led him along the serene riverbank, toward the lush green slope that led to her family's abode.

Harry allowed himself to be led, his curiosity getting the best of him. "What about Gabby?"

Fleur chuckled, her eyes sparkling with affection. "Distracted by her newfound ability to hurl fire at things. It's the best part of growing up as a veela. Thankfully, maman fireproofed everything."

"I'm not fireproof," Harry confessed, a flicker of concern passing through his eyes as he glanced in the direction of the château.

Fleur slowed her pace, gently squeezing his hand. "They won't harm you, mon Cœur. Am I not worth it?"

Harry couldn't help but chuckle. "I'd promise you that I'd walk through fire for you, but I'm a little worried I may have to. My reputation isn't at its all-time high right now."

"No one here believes those silly English papers," Fleur dismissed, her tone filled with a touch of exasperation. "They might be a bit protective, though."

Harry nodded in understanding. "Can't blame them for that."

"Come on," Fleur insisted, tugging at his hand. "I'll apparate us the rest of the way. You're not included in the château's wards; I have to take you in with me."

"I'm not all that surprised you live in a château," Harry mused with a smirk.

Fleur offered a shrug. "All old French houses are called châteaux. You'll see." She concentrated on the image of her home's entrance hall, with its open sandstone walls and floor, Gabrielle's scattered collection of shoes, and the tasteful enchanted landscapes depicting pine-covered mountain slopes that changed with the seasons. With a soft snap, they materialized in the foyer, greeted by the sight of Gabby's extensive shoe assortment.

"It certainly looks like a château to me," Harry whispered. "I'm beginning to imagine where Gabrielle's first scene in our story will start."

Fleur wrinkled her nose playfully, replying, "We don't have the tallest tower, and I'm certainly no princess. Not that Gabby will let that stop her."

Harry chuckled, adding, "You've already dealt with your own dragon, too. No self-respecting princess would interfere with the hero's task like that."

Fleur raised an eyebrow and teased, "Perhaps you should've let me handle the Horntail, then?"

Harry smirked, countering, "I seem to recall you not wanting to face that particular dragon. You were one of the lucky three whose dragon had already been tamed."

Fleur pretended to feign offense, tilting her head and adopting a regal demeanor. "A dragon is a dragon. Now, enough delaying. My family's waiting." She ushered him down the entrance hall into the grand main hall. "Maman, papa, we are here."

Her parents sat on the far side of the hall, ensconced on an elegant ivory sofa. The empty fireplace loomed beyond them. "Fleur," her father began, "we were just about to head out for a wander around the gardens."

Fleur recognized their intentions all too well. "Nice try. I know you were waiting here in case I tried to sneak through."

Her father stood up, extending a welcoming hand. "And you must be?"

"Harry," he replied with a subtle twitch at the corner of his mouth.

"It's a pleasure to meet you," Fleur's mother, Apolline, greeted him warmly, clasping Harry's hand between her own and planting delicate kisses on either of his cheeks. "I'm Fleur's mother, but please call me Apolline."

Fleur cringed inwardly as she noticed Harry's slight tension. She thought to herself, I forgot to mention that they should avoid getting too close.

Her father, Laurent, stepped forward with a grin. "Laurent. Fleur's father, obviously. You can see she got all her beauty from me."

Amused, Apolline laughed and added, "Don't listen to Laurent, Harry. The only things my daughter inherited from him are her stubbornness and her temper."

Laurent's eyebrows disappeared into his hair, and he retorted, "My temper, petite fleur?"

A delighted cry echoed down the hall, breaking the moment. "You finally brought him to meet me!" Gabby's voice rang out as she tossed a pair of shoes down the entrance hall and darted over the stone floor, her enthusiasm filling the air.

"Gabrielle, I presume," Harry greeted her with an outstretched hand.

In a whirlwind of energy, Gabby bypassed the offered hand and enveloped Harry in a warm hug, planting affectionate kisses on both of his cheeks. "We've already met, actually. You saved me from the Black Lake for Fleur," Gabby giggled, her excitement palpable as she released Harry.

Fleur, ever the vigilant older sister, discreetly vanished the faint red marks of Gabby's lip gloss and shot her a subtle, yet unmistakable warning glare.

Her father, Papa, extended his hand and inquired, "It would be Harry Potter, then, would it?"

"Just Harry suits me fine," Harry replied with a good-natured smile. "My surname always seems to complicate things."

"Well, it is almost lunch," Maman suggested graciously. "You're most welcome to join us, Harry."

Fleur couldn't help but stifle a faint surge of embarrassment. Her parents had orchestrated this well-planned ambush, despite their initial insistence on a brief meeting.

Harry masked his surprise with a bright smile, replying, "I'd love to."

Fleur gently squeezed his fingers, empathizing with his position.

"We usually eat in the kitchen," Papa explained. "It's a little more informal, and you won't have to shout all the way down the table."

With her parents heading toward the kitchen, Gabby cast a mischievous glance at Fleur, her eyes brimming with amusement. "Sorry, Fleur," she chirped, openly staring at Harry.

Harry blinked, then exchanged a bemused look with Fleur. Something was certainly afoot.

Fleur motioned for Harry to follow her around the doorframe, then gently pinned Gabby against the wall. "What were you trying to do?"

Gabby giggled, clearly pleased with her antics.

"Gabrielle," Fleur hissed, her voice a mix of frustration and concern, allowing a hint of her innate allure to surface as her face subtly transformed.

"He didn't even notice," Gabby whispered. "And that was everything I could direct at him! He must really love you, Fleur."

Fleur was aghast. "Did you just use your allure to test Harry? You know it doesn't work that way!"

"I don't have allure like yours, Fleur, but nobody ever just doesn't notice it like that," Gabby responded, her eyes taking on a dreamy quality as she wriggled out from under Fleur's arm. "It must be true love."

Fleur felt a sudden urge to purge the house of every romance novel. With a determined grip, she led Gabby into the kitchen. It was all for her own good.

"Are you going to tell me why Gabby decided to try and charm me?" Harry asked in a low voice as Binky conjured their meal before them. A simple Italian salad, featuring goat's cheese, artichoke hearts, and olives, with a sprinkle of basil, bay leaves, and oregano, appeared in plain white bowls.

Fleur let out a weary sigh and threw a disapproving glance in Gabby's direction, who was still giving them amorous looks from across the table. "She wanted to see how much you loved me. It doesn't even work like that."

Papa leaned forward, a thoughtful look in his eyes as he turned his attention to Harry. "So, you're the heir of the Potter family?"

Harry shrugged, responding, "As far as I know. I've not met any others."

"That's a big name to be responsible for, especially in Britain, where pure-blooded families are still held in such high esteem," Papa commented.

Harry clarified, "I'm not a pure-blood. My mother was from muggle parents."

Papa took a sip of water and nodded. "Ah. If I remember correctly, the Potter family has quite illustrious ancestry. Many great names ended up becoming Potters."

Harry flushed slightly. "Honestly, I wouldn't know. My only living relations are muggles from my mother's family. I know very little about the Potter family, only that it nearly came to a very abrupt end fifteen years ago."

Papa's eyes sparkled with curiosity. "I know a little about it. Would you like me to share?"

Fleur cringed internally, silently begging her father not to embark on another one of his historical discussions.

"Perhaps another time, Laurent," Maman interjected with a small smile, sparing Fleur from a lengthy history lesson. "I understand you won the Triwizard Tournament, Harry?"

Harry looked at his fork, his gaze distant. "I think I simply lost the least. It didn't quite go as it was meant to."

Fleur discreetly poked him in the thigh with her wand, regretting not having mentioned that she hadn't said anything about the third task.

Laurent chimed in, "Fleur was quite confident that she would win."

A broad grin stretched across Harry's face. "Yes. When I asked for her name the first time we spoke to each other, Fleur told me I could read it off the Triwizard Trophy at the end."

Gabby couldn't contain her amusement and started to speak. Fleur swiftly kicked her under the table.

"Fleur said that she would beat you by such a margin in the last task that it would make you losing points for rescuing me irrelevant," Gabby shared.

Fleur released a discreet sigh. "I said a whole lot worse than that."

"I didn't in the end," she added, "but Harry had help, so I don't think it counts."

Papa put down his silverware, his expression filled with disbelief. "Help? You cheated?"

"Laurent," Maman's tapping nails punctuated the tension at the table. "What did happen in the third task? Fleur mentioned being knocked unconscious early on by one of the other champions, but she was being evasive, and there were stories in the papers and rumors that contradict each other."

Harry exchanged a subtle look with Fleur before revealing, "A wizard, one of the judges, interfered with the task. He was responsible for everything that happened in the maze. Viktor Krum was killed, Fleur was attacked and stunned about halfway in, and I rescued Cedric Diggory."

Maman pursed her lips in thought. "Fleur said she was found on her own, at the center of the maze?"

A faint blush colored Harry's cheeks.

Fleur interjected, "Harry took me with him. It wasn't safe."

Gabby couldn't resist adding her own commentary. "That's so romantic. Why couldn't you have chosen someone your own age, Fleur? I'd love to be carried to safety by a nice wizard one day."

Harry's face turned a deep shade of crimson, and Fleur felt her cheeks flush as well. She promptly stomped on Gabby's toes under the table, causing her sister to squeak and clamp her mouth shut.

Fleur shot her a stern glare, silently warning her to tread carefully in the future.

Her parents couldn't help but partially conceal their smiles behind their hands.

As the family finished their meal, silverware clinking softly, the kitchen clock chimed from the wall. Fleur took a deep breath and addressed Harry, "You need to return to Hogwarts."

Harry glanced at the clock and nodded. "I do."

Maman suggested, "You are welcome to stay. There are plenty of spare rooms."

Gabby, who had retracted her feet under her chair, couldn't resist another playful remark. "Or you can just share with Fleur, Harry. I'm sure she'd prefer that."

Harry politely declined, "I'd be missed if I was away for any longer. But thank you. The food was fantastic, and it was nice to finally meet you."

With the meal concluded, it was time for Harry to make his departure, leaving a lasting impression on Fleur's family and a new chapter in their story.

A small pout graced Fleur's lips as she playfully responded, "Make it sound like I kept us apart, why don't you?"

Papa's face broke into a warm smile. "Then it was a pleasure to meet you, Harry."

Maman nodded in agreement. "You're welcome back whenever."

"Bye, Harry," Gabby chirped, offering a cheerful wave.

Harry, noticing the look Fleur was giving him, raised an eyebrow. Fleur reassured him, saying, "It will work."

He reached out and gently squeezed her hand before vanishing with a soft snap.

Maman stood up and said, "Gabby, come help me tidy your shoes away." Leading her daughter toward the entrance hall.

Papa, meanwhile, folded his arms as he remained at the far end of the table. "He's a fair bit younger than you, but he seems mature enough. I don't dislike him."

Fleur narrowed her eyes at her father. "I'm not asking for permission, papa. It's my choice."

Papa sighed and raised his hands in a resigned gesture. "I know, ma cherie. He is British, though. He seems like a good choice, especially as he was unaffected by the magic of my three ladies. But Britain isn't the same as France or the rest of Europe and the old magical countries."

Fleur crossed her arms defiantly. "So? I didn't choose the country. I chose Harry."

Papa pinched the bridge of his nose, clearly concerned. "That short stretch of sea between France and Britain has kept them isolated and exempt from the turbulence of the last few centuries. Across Europe, revolutions have come, then wars, and Grindelwald's anarchy followed to finish things. The pure-blooded families that dominated France were broken by the half-blood Robespierre and his attempt to create one equal French nation. Their fading influence was shattered by the devastation of Grindelwald. Britain has never weathered such change. Its Ministry is still controlled by a handful of old families, and the prejudices and hatred of darker times remain beneath the surface of British society."

"He fears they will hate me because I am veela and not pure-blooded enough for a Potter," Fleur lamented. "As if any of them are a better fit for him."

Fleur's resolve was unwavering as she reassured her father, "Harry doesn't care."

Papa, however, remained concerned. "He's the heir to an esteemed pure-blooded family, and over time, he will be exposed to and affected by those opinions."

Fleur couldn't help but scoff at the notion. "The Delacours are descended from the Beaulieus, but it's a tenuous connection. Égalité, liberté, fraternité brought an end to such silly things."

Her father, appearing pensive, studied his fingernails. "And that's ignoring the rumors that are flying about him in Britain…"

A surge of heat coursed through Fleur's veins, causing her feathers to slide from her skin and her body to seethe with liquid heat. "They're lies!"

Fleur bit her tongue, realizing her outburst might have been too much. She reflected inwardly, I don't care what happens to shallow, little people. What do they expect to happen if they keep poking at a sleeping dragon?

Papa winced but maintained his concern. "I'm just worried about your safety, ma cherie. Either Harry's not what he seems, or their Dark Lord has returned, and The-Boy-Who-Lived will be his first target."

Fleur's father tried to impress upon her the gravity of the situation and how her connection with Harry could potentially expose her to danger.

Step into the world of PEVERELL_MAGIC on P.a.t.r.e.o.n! Experience where tales unfold, magic ignites, and the future takes shape.

For exclusive support and early access to upcoming chapters, join us at PEVERELL_MAGIC on P.a.t.r.e.o.n.

Note: Get the scoop a day before anyone else! Updates release on P.a.t.r.e.o.n before they hit FanFiction. Join us for free to read ahead!