Chapter 4: The Magical Circle

Magnolia Jolie's residence exuded a tranquility that starkly contrasted with the hustle and bustle of Diagon Alley. The country house, situated in an isolated clearing and surrounded by tall trees, radiated a sense of peace and safety. Birds sang softly, and a gentle breeze rustled the leaves, creating a serene melody that calmed the soul.

Inside the house, Magnolia Jolie was in her natural element, but worry clouded her eyes. Her granddaughter, Fleur, lay within a magical protection circle, receiving meticulous care. Magnolia had spent the entire previous day by Fleur's side, anxiously monitoring her condition and slowly recharging her magical energy. The old witch knew that her granddaughter needed time and intensive care to recover from the immense amount of magic she had used. Every sigh from Fleur was met with an attentive gaze and a murmur of hope from Magnolia, who refused to rest until her granddaughter was fully recovered.

Then, the tranquility was abruptly interrupted. Apolline Delacour hurriedly apparated in front of her mother's house, her heart racing and the Daily Prophet in her hand. She ran towards the house, feeling panic and anger growing with each step. She pushed the door open, her eyes frantically scanning the cozy, rustic interior.

"Mère?" she called, her voice full of urgency and concern. "What have you done now? Put all of Diagon Alley to sleep for fun?" Apolline moved through the main room, her eyes finally settling on the stone fireplace where a small flame flickered.

Magnolia, standing beside the magical circle, looked at Apolline with a calm expression. "I did nothing, Apolline. Look around and see. She arrived here nearly unconscious, and I spent the last day taking care of Fleur, not doing those things you accuse me of."

Apolline took a few more steps, her eyes finally resting on the circle on the floor. Inside it, enveloped in colorful, pulsating lights, lay Fleur, apparently unconscious. Apolline's panic transformed into a mix of fear and anger. "Fleur!" she exclaimed, kneeling beside her daughter. She reached out but hesitated, remembering the danger of breaking the magical circle.

Apolline, whispering as she observed her daughter's condition, said, "I don't understand how it happened, but she put all of Diagon Alley to sleep."

Magnolia, with a look of pride and surprise, asked, "How do you know it was her?"

Apolline turned to her mother and threw the newspaper at her, her eyes brimming with fury and tears. "The energy of Diagon Alley was drained, exactly like a Veela spell at full power. I thought it was you because I've seen you do something similar, but now, seeing Fleur like this, it all makes sense. And it's your fault!" she accused, her voice trembling with rage and fear. "You filled Fleur's head with these Veela ideas!"

Magnolia read the newspaper while Apolline spoke, exasperated. "Front page, Mère. Fleur's action is on the front page."

Magnolia glanced quickly at the newspaper. "But no one is associating this with Fleur. It seems the main suspect is Lucius Malfoy. Do you know why?"

Apolline replied impatiently, "Because he was leaving Azkaban that day, in the wrong place at the wrong time. I have been doing my best to make my reporters look the other way in the investigation, but the Daily Prophet is too big. I can't control it for much longer."

"I am impatient for her to wake up and tell us everything," said Magnolia.

Apolline widened her eyes, exasperated. "Is that all?" she exclaimed, almost in disbelief. "Is that all you have to say? Fleur could have died!"

Magnolia remained firm, the pride evident in her voice. "But she didn't die," she stated. "She was brilliant! Casting a sleep spell in a place with such a high concentration of magic is incredibly difficult, even for someone with my experience. You should be proud of your daughter, not lamenting as if she were a criminal! And I won't let you make this girl feel ashamed of herself, as if what she is, is not enough."

Apolline retorted bitterly, "Why not? You've always been an expert at that."

Magnolia looked at Apolline with regret. "I'm sorry if I was too demanding of you. But know that I respect the witch you are today. Please, let me help."

Apolline looked with distrust. Magnolia put the newspaper on the couch and said, "Let's go to the kitchen and make some tea. You can tell me what's happening, and I'll think about how I can help."

As Apolline nodded and followed her mother to the kitchen, she felt a small relief mixed with the constant worry for Fleur. The two women sat at the table, with Magnolia preparing the tea with calm and precise movements. Apolline began to recount all the details of the investigation and her efforts to protect Fleur from public exposure.

Meanwhile, in the living room, Zaino was curled up in a corner, enjoying the warmth of the sun streaming through the window. His eyes remained closed as he rested. Fleur, still lying within the protection circle, began to move. Slowly, she opened her eyes, blinking to adjust to the soft morning light. Feeling weak, she sat up and looked around.

As she adjusted to the light, Fleur could hear the voices of her mother and grandmother coming from the kitchen, engaged in a serious conversation. The sound of familiar voices brought her a strange comfort, but also stirred an urgent curiosity about what they were discussing.

Zaino, sensing movement, lifted his head, still with his eyes closed, and began to head towards the kitchen. Fleur, noticing the presence of the basilisk, whispered weakly, "Zaino, stay quiet there." Using her Veela powers, her voice had a hypnotic tone that made Zaino stop immediately. He returned to his corner and curled up to sleep again.

With difficulty, Fleur stood up, feeling the weakness in every movement. She walked barefoot to the kitchen door, where she could clearly hear the conversation between Apolline and Magnolia.

"Mère, I also wouldn't want Lucius Malfoy to go back to Azkaban for something he didn't do, but I can't turn in Fleur. When a Veela is reprimanded for using her powers, it affects all of us. Anywhere a Veela holds a job position, she will automatically be questioned if she deserves to be there. Single women will be seen as home-wrecking demons without having done anything. I don't know why Fleur did what she did, but confessing won't solve anything" said Apolline.

Magnolia responded firmly, "You know your daughter, she won't accept an innocent man going to prison to go unpunished. That's not who she is."

Apolline shrugged, frustrated. "Even if Fleur confessed, it wouldn't change anything. New evidence was found linking Lucius Malfoy to the incident. A jewel inside the chest found is registered to his family."

Magnolia frowned, intrigued. "How do you know about this jewel?"

Apolline sighed. "My reporter Rita Skeeter got the information, but we haven't published it yet because there's no reliable source to confirm the information."

The old lady shook her head, determined. "But we know it wasn't him who put Diagon Alley to sleep. He's not Mr. Goodnight, Fleur is."

"And you'd rather turn in your granddaughter to save a Death Eater's skin?" said Apolline.

Fleur, seeing that the two were about to start arguing again, silently returned to the living room. With difficulty, she picked up a dress that was on a chair and began to dress. Zaino, still with his eyes closed, followed her movements attentively.

"I need to get out of here, Zaino," she whispered. "I can't let Malfoy go to prison because of me. It's been four days since the incident, and he hasn't mentioned my name. He must be waiting for my contact."

Determined, Fleur finished dressing and looked around the room one last time. She knew that facing the world outside would be difficult, but she was ready to take responsibility for her actions. With one last look at Zaino, who remained still, she climbed the stairs to her room.

In the room, Fleur quickly packed a bag and grabbed her wand. As she prepared everything, she could hear her mother's voice coming from the kitchen. "Oh my God, Fleur is not here!"

Shortly after, Magnolia's voice echoed through the house, scolding Zaino. "You were supposed to alert us when she woke up, Zaino! What a great guardian you turned out to be, huh?"

Fleur heard her mother's hurried footsteps coming up the stairs, each step sounding like a war drum in her ears. Feeling the urgency of the situation, she murmured to herself: "Self-control, Fleur, it can't be that hard." Closing her eyes, she concentrated, visualizing the destination where she needed to go. But she realized she wouldn't have enough magical energy to apparate.

She quickly looked at the window, considering escaping, but something on the desk caught her attention. A silver letter opener gleamed in the dim light, giving her an idea. Forcing herself to breathe deeply, each breath fighting against the rising panic that threatened to overwhelm her. With a decisive movement, Fleur picked up the letter opener. She knew she needed to act quickly. Holding the sharp object firmly, she cut her palm, and the blood flowed instantly.

Fleur knelt on the floor, tracing a rune with the blood dripping from her hand. The ancient and complex design began to take shape, glowing with an intense red light. With each stroke, she murmured words in an almost inaudible tone, invoking the magic needed for her spell.

Her mother's footsteps were closer now, each step an unrelenting countdown. With the rune complete, Fleur stood up and pointed her wand at the center of the drawing. She felt the magical energy concentrated in her core, channeling all her will into her wand.

"Forest Clearing" she murmured, and with a precise movement of her wand, cast the apparition spell. The rune glowed intensely, the blinding light filling the room. Fleur felt as if she were being pulled through space.

Upon arriving at the clearing, the sense of urgency and determination gave way to disorientation and exhaustion. The clearing seemed even more desolate under the pale moonlight, and Fleur's heart raced, not only from the magical effort but from the uncertainty of her situation. With her magical energy so low, she had no idea how to get out of there. She sat on the ground, breathing deeply, trying to recover her strength. The silence of the forest enveloped her, and Fleur knew she needed a plan. Determined to discover why Lucius hadn't turned her in yet, she knew she couldn't give up. Even without knowing where to find him or how to get out of there, one thing was certain: she wasn't willing to surrender easily.