Chapter 7 - Trio

The Delacour family's country house, situated on the outskirts of London, exuded a deceptive tranquility. The lush trees surrounding it and the well-tended gardens contrasted sharply with the tension that hung in the air inside the house. Lucius and Fleur were impatient, awaiting the arrival of Rita Skeeter. Fleur's owl, disguised as a messenger from her mother, had convinced Skeeter to pay a visit.

Lucius paced back and forth in the room, his steps echoing on the polished wooden floor. Fleur sat near the window, watching the entrance to the property with keen eyes. She knew that for this conversation, she would need a mix of naturalness and improvisation.

Lucius glanced at the black jewel ring on his right hand, touching the cracks that had appeared since the duel with Fleur. "I'm not sure how much longer my ring will hold up like this," he murmured with a hint of concern. "I still feel the magical energy in it, but I fear it won't withstand our training sessions."

Fleur smiled, a serene and confident gesture, extending her hand to him. "Come, sit here by my side."

Lucius hesitated for a moment, trying to discern if there was any trick in her offer. He had been very cautious around Fleur since the incident in Diagon Alley and had decided never to underestimate her. He sat next to her, feeling a slight shiver as she gently took his hand and brought it close to her face.

"Let me see that ring" she said, her eyes shining with a mix of curiosity and determination. "If these inscriptions are indeed Veela, perhaps I can repair it. Take off the ring."

Intrigued, Lucius removed the ring and handed it to her. Fleur placed the ring on the coffee table and looked at Lucius, her eyes reflecting a deep seriousness.

"The Veela don't have the same kind of prejudice against blood magic as most other wizards" she began, her voice low and firm. "To us, blood is not something dark, but something alive, strong, connected to nature. We use blood magic to heal and strengthen, not to destroy."

She took her wand and whispered, "Sictu" creating a small cut on her finger. With precise movements, she rubbed the ring, drawing some symbols with the blood. Lucius watched, fascinated, as she worked. Then, with unshakable confidence, Fleur pointed her wand at the ring and said, "Reparo."

With a few clicks, the ring returned to its original form, without a trace of blood. Fleur smiled, satisfied with the result, and handed the ring back to Lucius.

"It's as good as new" she said softly, her eyes meeting his.

Lucius examined the ring, impressed and with a touch of admiration. "Your skills are remarkable, Fleur. You continue to surprise me."

She smiled, a soft sound that sent a slight shiver through Lucius. He pondered for a moment whether it had indeed been a good idea to allow her to insert her own blood into the self-control ring he wore.

Fleur, with an enigmatic gleam in her eyes, said, "And we haven't even started our training yet."

Mesmerized by her eyes, Lucius murmured, "I was just thinking about that."

Fleur leaned slightly toward him, her smile widening. "And what else were you thinking, Mr. Malfoy?"

Before he could respond, the housekeeper entered the room, followed by Rita Skeeter, who observed the scene with amusement written all over her face.

"Miss Delacour" said Skeeter, with a malicious smile. "I hope I'm not interrupting anything. By the way, Mr. Malfoy, I heard about your divorce. You truly seem devastated, such a long marriage" she said with cutting irony, her eyes quickly darting between Lucius and Fleur, delighting in the situation.

Lucius looked up at Skeeter, his expression carefully controlled. "Life is full of unexpected changes, Skeeter. Some are harder to accept than others, but we carry on."

Skeeter pretended to believe him, but her tone was laden with malice as she replied, "As much as I would love to stay here chatting with you both about your oh-so-important matters, I have a meeting with Apolline Delacour about the Daily Prophet."

Fleur quickly regained her composure and replied firmly, "About that, Skeeter, actually, my mother isn't coming. It was I who summoned you here."

Skeeter raised an eyebrow, clearly intrigued. "Oh, so there's something even more interesting at play, is there? Very well, I'm listening."

Lucius and Fleur moved slightly apart, the tension in the air dissipating with the unexpected arrival. Fleur took a deep breath, ready to begin explaining the true reason for the meeting.

"A few days ago, there was an incident in Diagon Alley" Fleur began, keeping her eyes fixed on Skeeter. "Diagon Alley fell asleep, and at the same time, a suitcase appeared with evidence that left everyone very worried, especially because of the Minister of Magic's rally that was happening there."

Skeeter nodded. "I know about that, Miss Delacour. I wrote the article."

"Skeeter" Fleur continued, "The truth is, these were two separate things. The person who put Diagon Alley to sleep wasn't the same person who was carrying the suitcase. And Lucius isn't involved in this at all. I know this because I was the one who made everyone sleep."

Skeeter looked at her eagerly. This was certainly a big scoop, but Fleur was the daughter of her boss, the only person who had given her a chance to write again after her name was dragged through the mud. The dilemma was evident: follow her curious nature and seize the opportunity or maintain loyalty to the person who had rehabilitated her. She sighed, torn, and said, "Go on, Fleur. How and why did you do that?"

Fleur glanced at Lucius and reached out for his hand. Fleur took a deep breath, trying to regain her composure. "Lucius and I are in love. We had been corresponding while he was in Azkaban. That day was our first real kiss, and the emotion was so overwhelming that I couldn't control my Veela powers, and the situation spiraled out of control."

Lucius, caught off guard, held Fleur's gaze and quickly played along, squeezing her hand. But instead of a simple squeeze, Lucius intertwined his fingers with hers. Fleur felt a slight shiver with this unexpected touch, causing a soft blush to color her cheeks.

Skeeter looked, not quite believing it. "Considering that I believe what you said and that Lucius Malfoy indeed has the most magnetic kiss in the wizarding world. Why don't you tell the Aurors and put an end to this pursuit against him?"

Fleur responded, "Because if this story comes to light, we won't have a moment of peace to investigate why the Malfoy family's jewel was in the suspicious suitcase. Even with my testimony, Lucius would still be at the center of the investigation. Moreover, my mother would be furious for tarnishing the Veela name with such a lack of control. I need to do something significant, like unraveling this mystery, to redeem my actions. Once Lucius's innocence is proven, we can reveal our relationship. And you, Skeeter, will have the opportunity to tell the world how it all resolved."

Skeeter looked from Fleur to Lucius, her eyes shining with sharp curiosity. "How do you know about the jewel? You realize that knowing the Malfoy family's jewel is under Auror custody puts Mr. Malfoy in an even more complicated situation?"

Fleur kept her gaze steady and replied, "I accidentally overheard my mother mention that you, Rita, had a source who mentioned a jewel belonging to Lucius in the suitcase containing the map."

Skeeter looked at their intertwined hands, her ironic smile widening. "But what exactly do the lovebirds want from me? You already have my information about the jewel. And as for my silence about your romance, that's out of the question, as until now, I knew nothing. Tell me straight: what's the real catch?"

Fleur continued, with determination. "We want to know more about the jewel to understand who might be plotting against Lucius. More than that, we wish to form a partnership with you, Rita Skeeter. We'll tell you all our progress, and you'll share everything you have with us. We know your knowledge of Lucius's jewel at the crime scene isn't a coincidence. You have sources, contacts, years of experience in gathering information, and we need that. When everything is resolved, you can publish everything firsthand."

Skeeter shrugged, satisfied and clearly smug. "Very well. I accept the proposal, but more than just an exchange of information, I need resources to investigate. Listening devices, invisibility potions, paying witnesses... these things are expensive. After all, my expertise and contacts don't come cheap. If you want my help, you'll have to ensure I have all the necessary tools."

Lucius nodded, maintaining his composure. "As you wish, Skeeter."

She continued, an astute smile forming on her lips. "I also thought that perhaps Mr. Malfoy could provide me with temporary accommodation. Once I solve the Mr. Goodnight case, my reputation and my earnings, will soar. I won't need favors much longer. Soon, I'll have a place more fitting for my talents."

Lucius hesitated for a moment but then agreed. "That can be arranged."

Rita Skeeter looked at them for a moment and smiled. "Alright, I accept working with you. It's been a long time since I've only worked alone. Let's see how we fare as a trio."

Rita Skeeter crossed her legs and sighed dramatically before starting to speak, as if she were about to narrate a grand story. "A witch told me that a very small jewel was cataloged in the evidence room as belonging to the Malfoy family. I delved deeper into my research and discovered that, in the same week, a small diamond was tested in the Department of Magical Artifacts. No one has been able to discover the magical properties of this diamond" Rita Skeeter continued, with a tone of mystery. "It has been inserted into magical rings, bracelets, necklaces, and diadems, and so far nothing. The only known fact is that it does emit magical energy."

Fleur, curious, turned to Lucius. "Do you know anything about this jewel, Lucius?"

"Actually, I do!" Rita interrupted proudly. "I managed to obtain the list of magical jewels from the Malfoy family, and there are ten jewels with this description in the catalog, all of them in the family vault."

She pulled out a piece of paper from her bag. Lucius watched her, surprised and visibly irritated. "With whom did you obtain this?" Lucius asked.

Rita, not lifting her eyes from the paper, replied with a tone of satisfaction. "I agreed to share my information, not to disclose my sources."

Fleur intervened firmly. "Rita, it is crucial that none of this is published until we have clarified everything and it becomes public knowledge. We need to maintain discretion."

Rita nodded, a malicious smile appearing on her lips. "Discretion is my middle name, Delacour."

Lucius raised an eyebrow, his voice cold and controlled. "This is highly disturbing, Skeeter. But if this jewel was sold, the inventory should contain the details of the buyer."

Rita Skeeter seized the opportunity. "You didn't hear what I said, Mr. Malfoy?" she asked Lucius with an ironic tone. "This jewel and its nine sisters should all be in your vault, none were sold. This inventory is recent."

She leaned back on the sofa, looking at the two with a satisfied smile, proud of how informed she was. Rita continued "So, here is your first task for my investigative duo: go to your home and check if there are more jewels missing from your collection. You can take the inventory with you."

Lucius looked at the paper with a bored expression and a touch of arrogance in his voice. "Could I not simply pay someone to perform this task?"

Rita Skeeter responded firmly. "This is a highly confidential mission, and it is strongly recommended that you do not involve more people in it."

Fleur smiled at him sympathetically. "I can help, Lucius."

Lucius nodded, clearly calmer. "I appreciate it, Fleur. Your help will be most welcome."

Meanwhile, Skeeter pulled a map from her bag, displaying a victorious expression. "This is an exact copy of the map that was in the suitcase found on the day of the incident. I just obtained it, and it wasn't cheap."

Lucius, who had watched intently when Moody waved the map in his face to accuse him of being responsible for Diagon Alley falling asleep, frowned as he examined it. "It is not the same map."

Rita looked from Lucius to the map, incredulous. "What do you mean? What are you saying?"

Lucius continued, his voice laden with certainty and frustration. "The map found had various dashed routines and numbers."

Rita, exasperated, exclaimed. "I can't believe that lousy, flea-infested vampire sold me a false lead!" Her words were loaded with irritation. "Apologies for the language, but I paid dearly for this." She shook her head, visibly upset for being deceived, her gaze still fixed on the map, as if trying to find some validity in her acquisition.

Lucius sighed, disappointed. "It is unfortunate that it isn't the right map. When I saw the map, I didn't think of it at the time, but if we had the numbers from the original map, I could identify exactly which sector of Azkaban is being targeted and the people working there."

Rita exclaimed: "This is big, Malfoy! Are you saying that if we have the map with those numbers, you can provide us with concrete information?"

Lucius replied: "I believe so."

Fleur intervened firmly. "Rita, we know you can transform into a small Animagus. Could you fly into the evidence room and make a copy of the map?"

Obviously displeased, Skeeter replied: "Entering undercover to steal information from the Auror operations center would guarantee me a one-way ticket to Azkaban. Besides, you can't simply copy a map inside that place. They have magic detection, the moment anyone uses a wand, a thousand alarms will go off."

Fleur then said with determination: "Then there's no choice. I will need to steal that information."

Rita Skeeter looked at Fleur with a mixture of admiration and amusement. "Delacour, you're not calculating the risks. You're going to enter the Auror headquarters alone and steal an item from the evidence room?"

Lucius intervened firmly. "Fleur, I must agree with Skeeter. It is impossible to steal anything from that place. All evidence is enchanted with alarms that notify the entire Ministry in milliseconds."

Fleur smiled and said: "I'm not going to steal anything. I'll just take a look at that map."

"What do you mean?" Lucius asked, curious.

Fleur, proud of herself, explained: "I have a photographic memory. I've won two memorization tournaments in France. I just need to take a look at the markings on the original map and then transcribe everything onto this one." She pointed to the map that Rita had left on the coffee table.

"You can really do that?" Lucius asked, skeptical.

Fleur looked at him defiantly. "Are you really going to doubt me again?"

Lucius stared at her for a few moments before saying: "Then it is settled. I will go with you. We'll need to create a distraction so that you can get a good look at the map."

Fleur looked at Lucius, smiling. "You're going to enter the Auror headquarters with me for nefarious purposes, even while on probation? Are you sure you weren't in Gryffindor at school, Malfoy?" she said, laughing.

Lucius maintained his challenging gaze. "The Gryffindor house acts as if it has patented courage. Personally, I believe that no other house demonstrates less courage than that mentioned, perhaps they just make less of a fuss about their deeds."

Rita looked at them incredulously. "I think you two are far more insane than I had calculated. If you get caught stealing from the Aurors, please do not mention my name."

Fleur declared: "No one will mention your name, Skeeter. But if I'm caught, at most, I'll get a scolding. Evidence like a map shouldn't be in the evidence room, it's likely displayed in a frame in the headquarters office. And no one can arrest me for observing a map in the Auror office."

Lucius, with a smile, commented: "It seems you already had everything planned."

She shook her head, a gleam of cunning in her eyes. "No, I just thought of it right now. It's not a complete plan, but it's a start."

Lucius chuckled lightly, clearly impressed. "I must say I'm amazed at the simplicity with which you solved this problem. Truly, no one can punish you for looking at a map. I believe that, even in the worst-case scenario, we'll be fine."

Rita Skeeter, observing the interaction between the two, said: "If you don't mind, I need to track down the source that sold me this fake map. Maybe I can exchange it for another favor. Send me updates."

Fleur quickly intervened: "Rita, don't take the map, we'll need it to transcribe the information."

Tapping the map lightly on her left palm, Rita replied with a mischievous smile: "Don't worry, I'll bring it back. I'm just going to let the flea-infested one know that he owes me a favor. Goodbye, Delacour, goodbye, Malfoy. Don't follow me, I know the way."

Lucius and Fleur exchanged understanding glances as Rita left the room, her presence disappearing as quickly as she had arrived. When the door closed, still sitting side by side on the sofa, Lucius looked at Fleur, his gaze intense. "Why did you tell Skeeter that we kissed in the shop?"

She smiled enigmatically. "Are you familiar with the term 'bias'?" He shook his head. "It's a psychological phenomenon where people tend to believe more readily in something they think they already know or that fits their preconceived expectations. In the wizarding world, there's a popular notion that Veela, like me, are prone to impulsive foolishness when involved in romances. So, by saying that we kissed in the shop, I was tapping into that very stereotype. It makes the story seem more plausible and easier to accept for someone like Skeeter."

She paused, allowing Lucius to absorb her words, then continued. "Now, imagine if I had told her that I was dueling with one of the most feared wizards of recent times. That would raise a series of complicated questions: Why were we dueling? What exactly happened? And most importantly, why would I, a Veela, be facing one of the most feared wizards of recent times? These questions could cast doubt on our intentions and likely make Skeeter even more skeptical. Convincing her to help us would take an excessive amount of time. Besides, from the curious look and gossipy expression she displayed upon seeing us together, it was evident that this was precisely what she wanted."

Lucius, with a smug smile emerging on his lips, asked: "Do you really believe I am one of the most feared wizards of recent times?"

She laughed softly, her eyes gleaming with provocation. "Do you think you're not?"

He raised an eyebrow and asked: "Are you going to keep answering my questions with more questions?"

She didn't avert her gaze, the tension between them almost palpable. "Are you going to keep giving me the opportunity to do so?"

A timid laugh escaped both of them when, suddenly, the door opened again. Rita Skeeter entered, surprising them. "Our conversation was so engaging that I ended up forgetting my bag. I'm leaving now, pretend I'm not here" said Skeeter, with a mischievous smile. "But if you'll accept a piece of advice, I suggest you control the longing looks and the compliments every five minutes in front of others. You won't be able to hide your romance that way. I, for one, noticed it as soon as I crossed that door, in case you didn't know" she added, with an astute smile.

Fleur, maintaining her composure, replied: "Thank you for the advice, Rita. We'll be more careful."

Lucius, with a tone of boredom, commented: "Rita Skeeter, always alert to the grand gossip."

Rita grabbed her bag and, with a dramatic gesture, said: "Now, goodbye, Delacour. Goodbye, Malfoy." And she left the room, leaving a trail of tension in the air.

Fleur sighed, turning to Lucius. "I think that's our cue, Lucius. We should leave before my mother returns. Besides, we have a pile of jewels to verify."

He gave a resigned sigh, taking her hand. "Are you sure? I'd rather go after the map right away."

Fleur picked up the list from the coffee table, smiling. "Lucius, you know we can't enter the Auror headquarters without refining our plan. And we need to resolve this issue with your jewels before you receive a summons. Come on, Lucius, tonight's going to be long."

As the two crossed the threshold, Fleur gave Lucius a light tap on the arm. "Cheer up, Lucius. We can order Italian pasta in a box" she said, amused.

Lucius looked at her, curious. "What is that?"

She smiled, her eyes shining with a touch of amusement. "It's a wizarding wonder they invented while you were away."

Lucius nodded with a slight smile. "Very well, Delacour. Surprise me. It seems to be something you do frequently since we met."

Fleur's laughter echoed through the grand Delacour hall, reverberating off the elegant walls as they closed the doors behind them. The cheerful and contagious sound seemed to still float in the air, even when the house became silent again. It was the beginning of the evening when the two finally left the house. The tension that had previously permeated the air had transformed into a silent determination. Each step they took together was a step closer to unmasking the true culprits and clearing their names.