Un Serpent au Milieu des Fleurs
A Snake Among the Flowers
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Disclaimer: See Chapter 1
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Chapter 6
Edited: 02 Feb 2025
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July 2, 1994
London, England
The flying coaches had taken her from Beauxbatons to Paris on Saturday. That was three days ago. Papa and Appoline had been at the carriage station. Appoline had given her a rather perfunctory kiss on her cheeks, asked a rather disingenuous question about her year before turning her glowing affection to Gabrielle, who had just completed her first year.
In public, the Delacours were a proper and loving family.
Papa had been kinder.
His hug and kiss on the cheek felt like he was pleased to see her. Appoline apparated directly from the station with her bratty sister to go to the enclave for the next few weeks. Papa had taken her owl cage and extended an arm to her. "How was your year?"
She gave him a little smile and was about to respond when a young man came up to them. "Good afternoon, mon belle. You are looking radiant today. If you like, I have dinner reservations at Chez Martin's. I'm sure I would be better company than a man many times your age."
The twenty-something cochon had a confident smile, a glazed look to his eyes and she was sure he was angling to get into her knickers. She glared at him while her papa stepped up to the man. "I do not know who you are, monsieur, but this is my sixteen-year-old daughter. Leave before I arrest you and bring you in for soliciting an under-aged witch."
The young man made a face and snorted. "Please, old man, who is the paedophile here?"
She grabbed her papa's arm. He may be a Senior Auror, but to start a duel in a crowded place would get him into trouble. She wished she could control her allure more than she could. The fact it was the only sign of her veela heritage was why her mother hadn't thrown her out of the nest yet.
Her allure was the bane of her existence. It was always active. The little control she had could only turn it down to a simmer that still got most all hot and bothered around her, or turn it full force and turn most to drooling fools that only tried to mount her.
Stepping forwards, she stopped holding back. The cochon relaxed, but the lust in his eyes grew. She leaned towards him. "Monsieur, if I ever wanted to date a man, he would not be you. Now run along."
This was the only good side to her allure if the victim didn't immediately give into their lust.
The power of suggestion.
He stupidly blinked. He didn't say a word, just turned and started to walk away. Her papa rose an eyebrow at her.
Releasing her small control like this caught the attention of others. She wanted to get out of here as men of all ages turned to them, as did a few girls she had already suspected from Beauxbatons.
She huffed and started to march towards the exit as fast as possible.
In the last year she had been groped, forcibly kissed and almost raped two times when lust overpowered her suggestion. She had been able to fight them off with her wand or knee to the groin. How she wished she had the fire of the veela to call on.
What she had just done was incredibly dangerous because if she hadn't enthralled the man, he would most likely have assaulted her, and her papa would have been in trouble for killing him. Her papa may not always have been the most caring, but he had always defended her.
As they left, her papa pulled her towards the apparition point instead of the fireplaces. "Golden bird, this way."
She gave him a questioning look.
"We are going to the apartment."
"What apartment?" she asked. They didn't own an apartment.
He gave her a significant look. She went along. They had just made it past the wards into the apparition zone when there was an angry shout behind them. She turned to see the man that had tried to get her out on a date storming towards them. Papa grabbed her hand and then they were gone.
When they appeared, she had the momentary disorientation and upset stomach that most got when side-a-long apparating. Papa steadied her. When she looked around, she found they were in their townhouse.
Her poor owl, Archimedes, was screeching and trying to get out of the cage.
"Easy, Archimedes. Easy," she cooed and the tawny owl eventually calmed.
"Please, pack for at least a week. We leave in the morning, and I will explain everything at dinner. We have a guest here that I ask you not to disturb. I also want to hear all about your year."
She was quick enough to understand this had something to do with her papa's work. "Yes, papa."
He handed her her ruffled owl and then headed off towards his study. She looked curiously at him before moving towards the stairs. Their townhouse took up the top two floors of a building on the west side of Paris.
Befitting a prominent family in the French magical society, there were two dining rooms, a few parlours, a library, a few studies, three family wings of four rooms each and a large kitchen and rooms for a few servants. At one time, the Delacour family was quite large and filled most of the house. Now it was just the four of them, and many times in the last few years it was just Fleur in this big house on her holidays. Papa didn't usually take her on his trips, so she was interested to know what was happening.
Part of her was pleased to not be forgotten this time, while another part of her just wanted to be on her own. This year had been extremely hard on her. The last of her friends had finally left her after accusing Fleur of stealing her boyfriend. Fleur had done nothing of the sort. It was her damned allure acting up.
A true veela would be able to control herself, only using it when needed or wanted. Since starting to manifest this one power she had from her heritage, she had had issues. She knew it was why Appoline had thrown her away when it became obvious she would never be a full veela. She was some bastardized half-breed. Not a true veela, and not a true witch.
Wizards looked down on her as being a half-creature.
Veela looked down on her for not being a full creature.
Most hated her because she was beautiful and her magic craved love and attention, but what she got from the allure was not the type of love and attention she craved.
Ever since she had not been able to show the elders, she had the fire or the harpy instinct, her mother had only given her the essentials she needed to grow while doting on Gabrielle.
She had just climbed the stairs to get to her room when she noticed the doors to the blue wing were open. She had never seen this open, and her papa had told her that the other family wings would remain closed until needed.
Papa had said there was a guest, but she had assumed he would be in one of the guest rooms on the second floor, not in one of the family rooms.
She was curious, but had been told too not poke her nose in.
After giving it one more look, she continued to pack her bag for a trip.
When she walked into the smaller, more intimate family dining room, she was surprised to find papa with a man that looked far too thin for his frame. When they saw her, her mask was immediately in place when she saw the man's slightly glazed eyes. She tried to clamp down on her allure as much as possible.
It always creeped her out to see older men looking at her like that.
Her papa watched the man for a moment. "Fleur, I would like you to meet the grandson of an old friend. This is Seigneur Sirius Black."
She gave him a slight decline of her head. She recognized him now that she looked. He was looking far better than most of the newspaper pictures. "Hello, Seigneur Black."
The man shook his head. When he looked back up, he seemed to have dispelled most of the effect on him. She had only really had papa that could fully do that so far. The man stood up. She held out a hand. When he took it, he leaned over her hand in a very old-fashioned way. "Mademoiselle Delacour, it is a pleasure to meet you."
He gently kissed the back of her hand before sitting. She joined them and her favourite person in the house, Esme the house elf, put a delicious smelling bowl of her favourite soup before her.
Her papa turned back to Black and whatever discussion they were having. "You will be escorted by a French or ICW Auror at all times. I know your concerns about the ministry."
When the man replied, he spoke fluent French with a heavy accent. He was not a native speaker but had been tutored well. "As long as I am free and get my godson, I don't care. I won't go back to Azkaban."
A shiver went through her to think of the horrors she had heard dementors were.
"It will not come to that. I am more interested in this mysterious benefactor that has been helping you," her papa said. "I have had difficulties finding out information about the family except that the Shafiq's and Gaunt's are old wizarding families."
The man rubbed his chin. "The letter said he would want to meet me as soon as possible. The only safe place I can think of is the old Black townhouse in London. That might still have all the wards intact."
The man didn't look pleased about that idea. She quietly ate her bouillabaisse as they spoke, understanding they would be going to England. She hid her ire. The country was rumoured to be wet, cloudy, dreary and not at all inviting to someone like her.
Papa had said he wanted to know all about her school year, but like normal, focused on other issues. She had slipped back up to her room with her desert as her papa and Seigneur Black talked.
The next morning, she sat at the table as papa was already reading the paper. He looked up to her. "Good morning, my golden bird. Did you sleep well?"
"Yes, papa," she replied. She was surprised he hadn't commented on what she was wearing. The sleeveless shirt dipped lower than normal and the side of her brassier could be seen out the arm holes. The jean trousers were also a little tight. It was a fashion she had picked up from some of the non-magic borns at school and found she enjoyed it, especially when it was warm, and it was already warm in Paris.
She wondered if he would have said anything if she had gone without a bra, as she had found she rather enjoyed, except for the attention it seemed to garner from many that she didn't like.
"You did not stay long for dinner last night. I wanted to know how your year was?" papa enquired as he went back to the paper.
She took some of a baguette and jam from the spread on the table. Papa enjoyed more of this simple fair in the morning. "I finished second in class. I got lower marks in Arithmancy than I thought I would."
"I'm sure you did your best. Would you like a tutor for the summer?" he enquired.
"Non, papa," she replied. She wanted to avoid any situation that might be awkward. She had enough awkwardness at school.
He looked back over the newspaper. "How was your year? Are you seeing Madalyne this summer?"
She made a face as she spread a black currant jam over the baguette. "I don't think Madalyne will be contacting me anymore."
He frowned. "What happened?"
"Nothing," she replied rather tersely.
Papa gave her a sympathetic look. She found that she hated that more than having her best friend turn on her. She didn't want to be pitied. She just wanted to be a normal girl that was top of the class.
Esme came in. "Master Jean-Paul, a missive just arrived."
Papa looked like he wanted to question her more on the matter, but the seal on the letter had him taking it. She ate her breakfast in silence.
Being alone may not be that bad for the rest of her life. No one would disappoint or hurt her again.
Inside, she was screaming for attention and companionship.
When papa was done, he turned to Esme. "Esme, please make sure Sirius is awake. We will need to leave within the hour."
"Yes, master Jean-Paul," the little house elf said before hurrying off.
"Are you packed and ready?"
"Oui, papa."
"Good. Please be at the floo in the entryway by nine. The next few days will be remarkably busy as I help Sirius. Do you still like dragons?" he questioned.
She had been obsessed with the fire breathing creatures when younger. They could breathe fire and all she wanted was to control fire like a veela should… "Not really."
He frowned. "I promise you that once this business is resolved, I will take you on a proper holiday. The Quidditch world cup is happening later this summer. Would you like to attend?"
She gave him a small smile this time. She did like Quidditch, and he was obviously trying to reach out to her. "Oui."
He nodded. "I will ensure I get tickets for the four of us then."
Her small smile dropped. The last thing she wanted was a holiday with Appoline and Gabrielle. Fleur quietly finished her breakfast before going to retrieve her bag. Her more non-magical attire today was a protest against Appoline as it was a statement that she didn't want to be trapped by the life she was living.
When she joined her papa and Seigneur Black, the other man was fighting off his attraction to her. She fought off the shiver to have a man more than twice her age looking her up and down before he managed to fight off her allure.
Fleur decided she would have to isolate herself when they got where they were going.
That isolation was worse than she could have thought.
She had to wait in a run-down square in a neighbourhood that had seen better times while Seigneur Black disappeared into an old town house. Her papa waited next to her, scanning the area for trouble.
When they were finally let in, the old townhouse was dark, musty and full of foul feeling magic. The old house elf looked at her oddly. Seigneur Black was glaring at the elf. The elf seemed to be biting his tongue. She was sure he recognized her heritage, but didn't say a thing. The room she was given looked to have been recently cleaned. She still took out her wand to clean everything, vanish the sheets and duvet and call Esme to bring her fresh linens.
Kreature muttered something dark under his breath after her elf had gone back home. She wasn't sure but she didn't think it was anything kind towards her.
Then came the day that Seigneur Black was to go to the ministry.
Her papa had wanted her to stay, but she just couldn't. The magic of the townhouse had her skin crawling, and she needed away for a while, even if she would have to deal with strangers falling all over her.
And that is what happened as her papa was escorting Seigneur Black. She had followed them until the man had been arrested, then found her way to the courtrooms. In the lift she had stood in a corner after a man had leered at her. The few times she had seen that look the cochon had tried to touch her. If he hadn't been with a woman, Fleur had a feeling he would have.
She was keeping her haughty armour up as she walked into the courtroom that was a kilometre below the surface. It felt oppressive. Being under the ground was only a little less terrifying to a veela-blood than being under the water. Her heritage was of the air and fire.
Hoping to sit somewhere that would not attract to much unwanted attention, she turned to see if there were spots higher up. As she looked, she could feel something pulling at her. Her greenish-blue eyes searched for the person.
Usually when she knew someone was watching her, it was not a pleasant feeling. This time, it felt… different. When she finally found the eyes that were staring at her, she had the unusual sensation of something fluttering in her midsection. Emerald-green eyes were regarding her from under the hood of a dragon skin long coat.
Unlike the other men she knew who were already looking at her, he was not trying to undress her with his eyes. There was a sad quality to them, and a sense that he knew her, but Fleur would have remembered eyes like that.
The look awoke something in her she was not familiar with.
There was something about him. She had the impression as though she could be safe with him. Looking into the hood, she caught an olive skin face with slightly sharp features. It was a very handsome face. Then there was his stirring magic that stirred something in her gut.
She had not felt an attraction towards a boy since she had started to develop at the age of twelve and everyone started to change.
"Come over here, doll. I'll tell you how I convicted the Death Eaters," an older man said.
She gave him a glare before moving to the top row.
The green-eyed, olive skin man had looked away. Pain and hurt crossed his face as she sat. Unsure if she had caused that or not, she frowned. She sat not too close, but close enough to feel his magic reaching out. The magic was tortured and hurt, while at the same time protective and a balm to her normally empty existence.
She was confused, but also thankful when he glared at a man that was ogling her, making him look away. She nodded her thanks. He nodded back with a slight uptick to the side of his mouth. It hadn't occurred to her that she was the only one within two meters of the boy.
He was focusing on the courtroom floor when Seigneur Black was led out. She shivered from the dementors, feeling all the slander and scorn thrown at her over the last few years. The boy's presence was driving that feeling away, so she moved a little closer.
The man that was looking to reach out to touch her leg a few minutes later stopped when the boy caught the movement. The man pulled back, looking scared, before getting up to move away. She felt she should have been afraid too. There was a malevolence to the older teen's presence.
Fleur did not feel the malevolence directed at her.
Fleur felt comforted and safe.
She was confused.
Especially when Seigneur Black was found not guilty and the young man got up to leave before the fireworks had really started.
Fleur didn't pay attention to the exploding courtroom. Her eyes were on the figure weaving through the crowds, down the stairs and then out the doors. He moved with the grace of a stalking tiger. He wasn't overly tall, but tall enough. Maybe five or six centimetres taller than her. The dragon hide trench coat hid his overall form. Even so, she doubted what she would find under it would disappoint her.
She immediately missed his presence, while berating herself for doing so.
Ecruyer Delacour, the oft forget daughter of Jean-Paul and Appoline, the heir to the Delacour family, didn't need anyone.
Fleur, the sixteen-year-old girl, was screaming that the boy had been hot.
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July 5, 1994
London, England
Henry was nervous.
He was going to be meeting Sirius for the first time… for the third time in his life
Henry had lost him twice and now couldn't even tell him who he really was.
"I meet with Minister Fudge and his accountant, Tailripper, three days from now. What are the terms you wish me to negotiate?" Gripsac queried.
Henry tried to focus. Sirius should be here in about twenty minutes. "Whatever you can to make it hurt. Just remember I promised I would work out an amicable agreement."
Gripsac didn't look pleased. He wrote on the parchment, looked at the ledger, took out an old abacus and started to move the polished stones around. "The original loan was four thousand, six hundred and forty-three galleons, thirteen sickles and twenty-two knuts. The terms were for one sixth of the yearly harvest to be paid by the Winter Solstice. A sixteen percent interest should suffice without a harvest. That is fifty-eight thousand, one hundred and ninety-two galleons, fourteen sickles and nine knuts. That will get the minister's attention but is hardly prohibitive to him."
"And what about the farm?" Henry was not going to make this easy on those that had made his life a living hell in his previous life. Luckily the worse hadn't happened to Harry yet, though the Dursleys, Quirrell and the basilisk were bad enough.
Gripsac gave him a devious grin. "I submitted the paperwork to claim the old farmstead in Hampshire. The minister has been using it for a tax write-off, but since he has not given the required yearly tithe of crops, the Shafiq's have right to reclaim the land."
Henry chuckled. The old documents in the vault were going to be the minister's downfall. The minister must have realized that the Shafiqs had raised his family from the farmers they once were, and he still owed his family fealty for it. The terms were for a hundred years, and only ninety-four have been serve, and not served well.
"The fines against the Fudge family for breaking the fealty oaths will be over a hundred thousand galleons. He will be looking for more contributors soon," Gripsac told him.
"Don't look at me. I want him out of office," Henry told him.
Gripsac's grin didn't fade as he leaned over to make some notes.
"The Goblin Liaison office has contacted me about the Aurors office in Hogsmeade. Do you want to make that hurt as well?"
Henry had thought about it. As much as he wanted the minister to suffer, he still needed things from the ministry. "Offer them the properties at twenty percent below current value."
Gripsac's grin faded. His beady black eyes looked up to him. "You would throw away nearly five-thousand galleons?"
"I would invest five-thousand galleons. Do you think it would stay quiet if I were to throw the Aurors out of Hogsmeade?" Henry shook his head. "I need some allies. After what Bones did for Sirius, I think it best to keep her on my side."
Gripsac wasn't pleased, but he nodded at the reasoning.
"What about the ministry loan?"
Gripsac's grin returned, fiercer than before. "That one is far more 'amicable'. There was no interest rate, but the fines will easily have the amount go into the six figures."
Any ground he might make from giving the ministry a discount on the properties would be wasted here. "Let's make sure the sale of the Auror offices is finalized, Harry is given to Sirius, and I get my OWL's, then you can wring them dry. What else?"
Gripsac's eyes gleamed at the thought. "The transfer of items and moneys from the Naples and Augsburg vaults to the Shafiq vault has been completed. Per your instructions, the Naples vault remains open with ten thousand galleons. The curse breakers report they are nearly done cleansing or disposing of the dark artefacts. Here is the report and the bill."
Henry took it. He only glanced at the bill. He would look through the rest later.
"Any other business today?"
"I have invested forty-three thousand galleons of the hundred-thousand galleons you are allowing me to use. I have three businesses that I find promising, two expeditions to the far east where you are the primary financier and I have hired a team to investigate the ministry and ICW laws and our treaties about interactions with the Muggle investment markets, like you enquired about. I expect a four-point-three percent annual return from the businesses, and a fourteen-point-three percent return in about five months from the expeditions. Once I can invest the rest, I would expect a profit in excess of eight thousand galleons a year, minus my management fee of fifteen percent. If you want to invest more…," Gripsac hopefully said.
"I want to see what you do with this," Henry replied. He still didn't trust goblins. This was a test. If Gripsac was right, making eight thousand galleons or more a year would be more than enough to live off of. The average wizarding job earned about twelve hundred galleons a year. As far as he could tell, the nearly three million galleons he now had made him among the top fifty in Britain. Voldemort had done a lot to build up his power. The man was going to be upset if he ever found out what Henry was doing.
They spent another few minutes going over simpler business before a knock came at the door. Gripsac looked at a golden pocket watch. "Six minutes early. Should I charge them for disturbing your time?"
Henry shook his head. There was something tickling at him outside the door. "No. I need to revive this alliance."
Gripsac waved his hand before the door opened behind Henry. He got up to greet his godfather. Henry had not expected the other company.
Sirius walked in. The man was looking far better.
Behind him was the dark-hair, muscular form of the slightly short Jean-Paul who was in the same light blue Auror robes as yesterday.
Henry's eye slid past the man to see the one that he had sensed as she approached. Fleur's eyes were already staring at him. He had never really noticed that the irises had a dark blue ring with a mixture of light blue and light green in the centre. They were rather unique and drew him in. Her magic bent all its will towards him. He didn't fall for her allure.
He did fall for the pretty girl though.
She was in a flattering blue dress that went well with her more golden blonde locks. He tried not to notice how it highlighted her generous chest, slim waist or her cute bottom…
He was not supposed to have thoughts like that about her. She had married Bill before.
Henry extended a hand. He knew Sirius would hate the Pureblood etiquette Henry had been reading about and sparingly using. It would probably be obvious to most that he had very little practical experience. "Good morning, Mister Black. I'm Henry Shafiq-Gaunt."
The man rose a brow at him but extended his own hand. "Please, just call me Sirius. I hate pomp and circus."
Henry grinned while grasping Sirius's forearm. He knew this was more of a pureblood custom to show solidarity between allies and close friends. "You will have to excuse me, Sirius, but I grew up in a more muggle way and only recently learned about my heritage. Please call me Henry."
Sirius rose a brow. "Really? And you did all this to save me?"
Harry nodded towards his account manager. "I was advised to find allies and someone that could teach me all the society etiquette and Wizengamot ways."
"Sorry to tell you, kid, but you found the wrong one to do that," Sirius told him.
Jean-Paul cleared his throat. Sirius rolled his eyes. "Henry, let me give you a small lesson. Seigneur Jean-Paul Delacour, may I introduce you to Heir Henry Shafiq-Gaunt."
The man did a bow from his waist. "A pleasure, Ecuyer Shafiq-Gaunt."
Henry did his best to imitate the man. It earned him a satisfactory nod.
"And this is my daughter, Ecuyer Fleur Delacour."
Henry reached out when she extended her hand. She obviously thought he would shake it. Henry had enough class to remember the older boys among the 'more' cultured students kissing the back of girl's hands from the Yule Ball.
Fleur's brow rose with a slight quirk to her mouth after he kissed her soft skin. "I am pleased to meet such a radiantly, beautiful young woman," he told her.
WHERE THE BLOODY HELL DID THAT COME FROM! He screamed to himself.
Her blue-green eyes regarded him before she did a slight curtsy. "You pay mee a great honour, Ecuyer Shafiq-Gaunt."
"Henry, please," he said with a winning smile.
Sirius's eyes went a little glassy and Henry felt a slight increase in Fleur's magic. He let her hand go and pulled out a seat for her. Her brow creased as she sat, as though she was confused.
"I would offer more seats, but I wasn't expecting extras," he said.
"Are we done with the niceties? I do have other clients," Gripsac said. He waved his hand and two extra chairs appeared.
"Would you please take a seat," Henry offered with a cheeky grin.
"We do not mean to take up your time, Account Manager Gripsac," Jean-Paul politely said.
Gripsac snorted as though something funny was said. Sirius shook his head, still looking a little dazed. Jean-Paul's eyes narrowed.
Henry took his own seat, trying to ignore Fleur's gaze.
"My client wishes to determine if the old alliance contract is to be torn up or renegotiated," Gripsac said.
Sirius shook his head. He had been staring at the teen girl. "I'm sorry, what?"
Fleur's lips pursed. She sat tall with her head turned just slightly away from Sirius, her chin up, chest out and hands folded in her lap. Henry didn't look at her curves, instead noticing she was not impressed with Sirius.
Gripsac didn't look impressed either. "Regent Black, my client has contracted me to oversee his affairs. The alliance contract with the Black's is one of the highest priorities to resolve. If you do not wish to keep the alliance, then the disillusionment clauses will be enacted at your request."
Sirius blinked at Gripsac.
Jean-Paul still had his wits. "Account manager, may I ask what is in the alliance and what the disillusionment clauses are?"
"You may only know if Regent Black agrees you can be his representative," Gripsac said, looking to Sirius. The goblin placed a thick scroll on the desk before the man.
"Yeah, sure. I tended to zone out when my mother or father talked about this stuff," Sirius replied.
Henry wasn't surprised. Jean-Paul wasn't impressed while Gripsac was annoyed.
"Account manager, what are the important points and the disillusionment clauses?" Jean-Paul enquired as he picked up the thick scroll that held the alliance contract.
"It is fifty-two clauses long under the main lines of the Shafiqs and Blacks. It covers the required actions of each house. Helping Regent Black gain his freedom is part of clause thirty-four. There are still four businesses that both families have a joint stake in. Not to mention the line continuation clauses and penalties should one ally not help the other when called or required. Most is rather standard, but the families were remarkably close before the last Regent Shafiq was killed and his heir lost," Gripsac said.
Sirius looked a little wide eyed while Jean-Paul unscrolled the parchment. It was close to twelve feet long. "What kind of penalties?" Sirius asked.
"Do not worry, Regent Black. You have not violated any of them. Neither has Heir Shafiq-Gaunt," Gripsac said.
"Account Manager Gripsac, should the account manager to the Blacks be present?" Jean-Paul enquired as he read the scroll.
Harry noticed Fleur staring at him intently.
"I extended an invitation to Rockgnasher. He refused, stating the alliance is no longer active," Gripsac said.
Jean-Paul frowned.
Sirius gave Henry a questioning look. "What do you want? I don't know who you are. My grandfather never talked about your family, and I've only ever had one other person in my life to do something for me for nothing. What do you want if you are not going to enforce any clauses or anything else?"
" I am looking for allies. I have been told the house of Black was a powerful house that were once close friends of mine," Henry said.
"And where have you been? Why did you wait until now and not while I was rotting in Azkaban? Why didn't the Blacks know about you?" Sirius pressed.
"I only recently turned seventeen, and as I said, I grew up more muggle, so didn't know about you or the alliance," Henry told him.
"That still doesn't explain things. I am grateful for what you have done, but why and where were you?" Sirius asked, getting more agitated.
Jean-Paul put a hand on Sirius's arm. "Calm down, Sirius. It is obvious that Henry is still young."
"Don't tell me to calm down! I spent twelve years in that hell hole! Harry is with his aunt. We need to move on that today. None of this would have happened if the Shafiq's had followed through with this damned alliance or I had gotten a trial," Sirius angrily snapped.
Henry could understand his anger. It mirrored his own at people that were supposed to be allies of the Potters. Henry kept his cool. "Mister Black… Sirius, I only found out about my heritage about a month ago when I turned seventeen. My family has been in hiding since the Grindelwald wars."
Sirius glared at him. "But if we were in an alliance, why the bloody hell would you hide? I'm sure my grandfather would have helped a pureblood family."
"We couldn't be found out. My grandparents and parents were squibs. They thought I couldn't claim anything until I was seventeen," Henry suddenly blurted out. It wasn't exactly a lie. Merope Gaunt was just over a squib and no one could prove anything on the Shafiq side.
Sirius sank back into his seat, his anger deflating. "Oh. I didn't know."
Henry shrugged. "I haven't advertised that fact."
"I thought Gringotts tested all Muggleborn ang muggle-raised on their first visit?" Jean-Paul enquired.
Gripsac snarled. "The ministry forced a change to treaties in nineteen-sixty-three. Any Gringotts under the rule of the British Ministry for Magic can only do that if asked. We are not allowed to advertise the service."
Jean-Paul frowned while Sirius snorted. "Probably a pureblood law my grandfather voted for," Sirius darkly muttered.
Fleur was still studying him. Henry kept an eye on her while focusing on the other two.
"I also didn't know," Henry said. "I was taught in what my parents called a traditional way."
He had to lie about this one.
"What do you mean?" Fleur asked for the first time.
"I never received a letter from a magical school. Gringotts found there was a mail redirection ward on my family that was never dissolved." Again, not a lie, just an embellishment and twisting of the truth. "I was taught to use magic from a few Muggleborns my grandparents knew." He knew the more elaborate the lie, the worse it would be if he was found out, but he had to have reasons he didn't have his OWL's and why no one knew him.
"And the ministry never found you?" Jean-Paul asked. "Any under-aged magic should have been detected."
"Not if you use family wands," Henry told him. His wand was a family wand… though it had probably been a prize taken by Riddle, but it worked as well as his old Holly wand.
"Papa, why couldn't I be taught at home?" Fleur questioned.
"We have gone over that, Fleur," Jean-Paul said dismissively.
Henry didn't like his dismissive nature. Fleur didn't seem too either.
Henry had never really gotten to know Jean-Paul and Appoline before. He was wondering if they had been this way or not last time. Maybe Fleur's personality wasn't all just a shield against those reacting to her allure? So far, this seemed to be the only difference from his timeline, but he knew so little about her family from last time it may not be a difference.
"So, we are allies," Sirius said, as though not following the conversation.
"If you want to be," Henry said. "If not, Gripsac has told me there is nothing I can do about the termination clauses. They will hurt both of us since we cannot sever the contract for cause."
Sirius looked to Jean-Paul. Jean-Paul looked down at the contract. "I would like to have some time to bring it to a solicitor and talk with the Black's account manager. I want to know why he thinks this contract is void while you do not."
Fleur was looking down at her lap now. Henry didn't like that look on her.
"Take your time," Henry said, wanting just the opposite.
"We need to get Harry before we deal with this," Sirius told Jean-Paul.
Jean-Paul pursed his lips. "We will, Sirius." He then looked to Henry. "You said you need some tutoring in proper etiquette?"
"I do," Henry confirmed. "I also need to learn about my responsibilities in the Wizengamot. I am eligible to take the seat."
Jean-Paul looked to Fleur.
She put her chin up. "I know nothing about what culture and politics is here," she stated.
Jean-Paul pursed his lips. "You do know how to act in proper society, mon petite oiseau. We should help Seigneur Black and Heir Shafiq-Gaunt."
Fleur kept her mouth shut, but she was obviously displeased. She also hated being called a 'little bird'. She was sixteen, almost seventeen, and it hurt to be reminded that she wasn't a full veela.
After a moment, Jean-Paul turned his attention back to Henry. "Henry, I would like to invite you to Paris and Fleur will teach you," Jean-Paul said.
A quick look of fury crossed her features before she straightened her back even more.
Harry wouldn't take someone being forced like this. His life had been decided for him until recently. "Jean-Paul, I wouldn't want to impose. It would have to be Fleur's decision."
Fleur's eyes flashed back to him. The anger was gone to be replaced with suspicion.
Jean-Paul was a little taken back. Henry doubted anyone had turned down a chance to be with his daughter.
"I shall think about it," Fleur finally said.
Henry nodded. "Thank you."
"I was not sure how long this meeting would be, but we do have other business in Gringotts. Sirius will send you his decision within the week," Jean-Paul told him.
When they got up, he shook their hands. She took a step closer than she did earlier when he kissed her hand. Her green-blue eyes met his. Her magic swirled around him.
Merlin, her eyes are beautiful, he thought.
It wasn't her magic that attracted him. He knew that. He would not be dominated by another again. At the same time, it confused him. He had never been attracted to Fleur before.
When she left the room, his eyes followed her bottom. Jean-Paul gave him a curious look, but didn't say a thing. When the door closed, Henry sat back down. "Bloody fuck! That could have gone better."
Gripsac pulled the ledger he had been working towards him. "It went the way I expected. I will most likely get an enquiry from Rotgnasher by tomorrow and would expect for you to have an answer in about three days. Do you still want me to talk with the Potter account manager Agrot?"
"I won't leave this to chance. Harry Potter will be going to Sirius Black one way or the other," Henry told him.
Gripsac made a note. "Unless you have any other business, I do need to get back to your accounts and others. You are leaving me with much to do."
Henry shook his head. "I'm done for today. I want to go to my vault."
Gripsac reached for something just under his desk. "A cart attendant will be here shortly."
The goblins were not into small talk when working. Henry didn't mind. He really wasn't into small talk either.
-oOo-
That evening…
London, England
Fleur had needed to get out of that awful house. It was why she had used some of her power to join her papa and Sirius earlier today. Seigneur Black was susceptible to her allure, but could resist it when he focused. A trait not common, but one she could appreciate when the thirty-something man wasn't looking at her. She had put up with his leered to suggest she should come.
Papa had not looked pleased with her, but didn't protest. It was much like when Appoline used her powers on her papa.
After a long day in Gringotts and talking with lawyers, her father had asked to take her out to a restaurant. After Seigneur Black had gone back to his townhouse, her papa had taken her to a rather upscale restaurant in Diagon Alley.
After being shown into a private room of the small restaurant in what the English thought their premier Wizarding centre, she sat as her papa was deep in thought. She internally scoffed at the British for what they thought was class. At least the private room in the restaurant was nice. The waitress brought them their drinks and took their order before her papa spoke.
"Fleur, what was your impression of Heir Shafiq-Gaunt?" he asked in the much more fluent tongue of French.
She had expected this. She sniffed. "Henry is powerful, papa. Today was not the first day that I met him." Her father's brow rose as he reached for his brandy. "He was at Sirius's trial. The dementors upset him and he radiated an aura to keep them away. It was not visible, but it was strong."
"Interesting. And today? Why will you not tutor him?" her papa questioned.
"I do not know him. He was polite enough, but I think Madam Poisioue or Monsieur Regan would be better," Fleur suggested. They were two of her tutors when she was younger.
He nodded his head from side to side as though weighing that option. When his darker eyes met hers, he asked, "Why don't you want to tutor him?"
She couldn't tell him it was because of how Henry made her feel. She was destined to be alone and didn't want to be betrayed again. Even if there was that small part of her that cried out for affection. "He is an Englishman. We both know that the French and Continental manners are not he same as in Britain. What could I teach him about this place?"
Her papa smiled as though there was some hidden joke. "I have been able to dig up more on our mysteries Ecuyer Shafiq-Gaunt. The Gaunts have been British Purebloods for hundreds of years. They would not have been a family I would have associated with."
He took a sip of his brandy. "The Shafiqs, now that is an interesting family. They were once a large player across the continent. They had business ties in all the major political circles and dealt in finance. A few of our allies are beholden to them or were once allies of the Shafiqs themselves."
Fleur frowned. She had never heard of the name until this week. "I don't understand. If the Shafiqs were so important, what happened to them?"
"Grindelwald," he said. It sent a chill up her spine. That name was still talked about in fear in all her history classes and only whispered when in polite company. "I believe the Shafiq's were targeted because of their business ties and lending. I believe Henry when he told us that his great-grandfather hid his son, especially if he was a squib, to save him. I also think it important that we get to know Henry better. There is still a fair amount of debt on the books owed to the Shafiqs, including our family. I will resolve it soon, do not worry about that. I think that it would be important though to reintroduce Henry to his old allies and to potentially lessen any fallout if Henry decides to call in debts that have been forgotten or neglected."
She now understood. Fleur Delacour was sixteen, soon to be seventeen. She had been trained since she was a young girl to be a debutants daughter. Her papa was now introducing her to politics and having her come out into society. Her first task for the family would be to get closer to Henry.
Her brow wrinkled.
Was her papa hoping just to gain the support of Henry, or was it for something more?
"You want me to teach him the proper way to act in formal society?" she slowly enquired.
"I want you to teach him manners. Ensure he knows the proper etiquette at dinners, parties, balls and the such. Ensure he knows how to dance and bow. Ensure he knows the proper way to introduce himself and treat others. I will help him with the connections and politics. We will have to find someone to teach him about the Wizengamot, but knowing the proper Continental ways will not hurt him here," her papa said.
She couldn't tell if her papa wanted to honestly help Henry or if he was looking to guide Henry to what he wanted. She knew Appoline had been pushing him to seek a higher office than where he was. Was her papa finally making a political move?
She wasn't sure if she was being manipulated in the same way?
She didn't like the way it made her feel.
"When would you like me to tutor him?" she asked.
There was a certain amount of caring behind her papa's ambition. "I will let you work out the details with Henry, but I wouldn't wait long. Fleur, I am only asking you to do this because I feel you are getting old enough to start accepting some responsibility for the family. No matter what your mother says, you are the eldest daughter and my heir."
He took a sip of his brandy. "The families of the Assemblée and the upper circles are taking notice of you. I have already been approached by a few about possible alliances, courtships and betrothals once you turn seventeen. I have not considered any of them seriously, but the pressure will grow over the next few years.
Know that I refuse to sell you or your sister. Should you find someone that you are interested in, I will do what I can to secure a beneficial offer to both families. If there is someone I feel is beneficial to you, I will guide you in their direction. As my heir, it will be your choice in the end, as you will someday take the reins of this family," her papa said.
Her eyes were huge. She knew she was getting to that age. She had seen how many look at her, but her papa had never been this forward with her. Appoline had always said it would be her responsibility once a good husband was found.
Binding betrothals and forced marriages had gone out of vogue in France decades ago, but that didn't mean that families still didn't 'encourage' such relations from time to time.
Papa was pushing her. She could tell. He had never done that before. She felt like she was missing an important piece to the puzzle. A sinking feeling grew in her gut as she thought about it.
Appoline had made mention a few times during Christmas Break that Fleur wasn't fit to be the heir.
Could papa be trying to protect her at the same time he was looking to take advantage of Henry?
Henry obviously didn't know a lot about his station. If Fleur knew Appoline though, once she knew about Henry, she would agree with papa that the green-eyed boy was a catch they needed. If it wasn't Fleur he wanted, then they would throw Gabrielle at him.
There was a resolve that she would never submit anyone to Appoline and Gabrielle like that. Her harpy of a sister was becoming just as manipulative as Appoline.
She dipped her head after a few minutes. "Thank you, papa."
He nodded to her. They were interrupted as a knock came at the door and their meal was brought into the room.
-oOo-
Next time on Un Serpent Parmi les Fleurs: The freeing of Harry Potter.