Anyone can love a rose, but it takes a lot to love a leaf. It's ordinary to love the beautiful, but it's beautiful to love the ordinary. ~ MJ Korvan
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"Impossible," a hiss reverberated through the room's walls.
"I second that," a voice sounded, albeit this time it was through a soul bound so there wasn't any echoing.
"Extraordinary," the snake remarked, still in shock.
"I second that," a regal voice said through the soul bond again.
"Parrot," the snake hissed with a hint of amusement, its forked tongue flicked out, tasting the air as if savouring the irony of the situation.
"I sec- I'm no parrot, lizard!" the majestic presence stated firmly, letting its own sarcasm out.
"You guys are being dramatic," Harry sighed and gazed back at his reflection.
His eyes traced the contours of his face, lingering on the scar that had defined him for so long and would continue to do until the remainder of his days...
His eyes then landed on his bird nest, or they were supposed to at least!
Where his unruly mop of hair should have been, there was now a shorter unruly mop of hair…
He had stopped by a French barber in Diagon Alley who didn't have a lot of customers as his innovative way of cutting men's hair was frowned upon by the higher echelons of society.
Needless to say, Harry was not one to care about the pureblood's views on most things.
That's how he ended up with what the Monsieur Hulot called faded sides and a shortening of the top.
Harry ran a hand through his newly shortened hair, still marvelling at the change.
He couldn't help but wonder what his friends would say when they saw him.
'Oh, I don't have many of those anymore…' he remembered and lost his spirit.
Harry shook his head, trying to dispel the melancholy that threatened to engulf him, and with a bit of help from occlumency, succeeded in purging despairing thoughts from rising in his mind.
"I'd wonder more about your little girlfriend's reaction," Ash hissed.
"I'm sure Miss Delacour will be quite intrigued by your new look."
Harry felt a flush creep up his neck. "Shut up," he muttered.
He glanced back at the mirror, trying to regain his composure.
The new haircut made him look older and more mature.
He was wearing a black custom-made suit with green accents which was made with both mundane and magical smart styles in mind.
The suit's tailored fit accentuated his lean frame, while the green accents subtly emphasized his sparkling eyes. They also hinted at his Slytherin connections, though none would be any wiser.
There were a few blue accents as well…
At last, there was a silver pocket watch, one of the many possessions of his late mentor, which peeked out from his waistcoat pocket, adding a touch of sophistication to the fit.
Harry's appearance which was an original blend of wizarding tradition and modern muggle fashion, at least in Britain, was a statement, subtle yet unmistakable.
The young man who gazed back at Harry was tired, but determined, and no longer content to be defined solely by other's expectations.
Maybe it was time for a change, in more ways than one.
With a deep breath, Harry straightened his shoulders and turned away from his reflection.
'And change I will,' he mused.
After all the day to undergo the ritual had come at last…
"I bet the girl will be impressed. I mean, we are impressed!" Fawkes commented and Ash moved his head up and down.
"By what?" Harry scoffed aloud, trying to brush off the phoenix's comment.
Despite his words, he couldn't help but feel a twinge of anticipation.
Thinking about Fleur's reaction to his new look felt like a drill
Thinking about Fleur's reaction to his new look felt like a drill boring into his stomach…
Over the last month, Harry got to know Fleur much closer…
Following the success of their first date, the young couple made time in their busy schedules to meet more.
Their encounters ranged from casual strolls through the school's grounds to more intimate dinners at upscale wizarding restaurants, albeit that happened only once for now.
With each meeting, Harry found himself increasingly drawn to Fleur.
Her wit, her charm, the way her eyes sparkled when she laughed…
'She's perfect.'
And she was, at least to his eyes.
Harry caught himself, surprised by the intensity of his own thoughts. He shook his head, trying to regain focus.
Coughing and praying to all the dead gods that his thoughts stayed inside his own thought stream, Harry turned around.
"I have to go to Beauxbaton's carriage and accompany Fleur back to the castle. So, I'll see you later guys," Harry said, reaching for his cloak.
He grasped the cloth and donned it.
Luckily he didn't hear the snickering coming from Ash and Fawkes as he left the room.
"Alright bird, what's the bet this time," the snake hissed.
He was met with an amused look and a chirpy trill.
"Oh, my scaly friend," the phoenix said carefully through their shared bond, trying his best to escape Harry's notice…
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Fleur was pacing inside her bedroom.
She glanced at her reflection in the mirror, smoothing down her elegant blue dress for what felt like the hundredth time.
"It could very well be the hundredth time," she muttered absentmindedly.
Her fingers trembled slightly as she adjusted a stray lock of her silvery hair.
The anticipation of seeing Harry and dancing with him, and that in front of a big crowd, sent a mix of excitement and nervousness coursing through her veins.
That line of thought brought back the memory of the boy asking her to be his official date.
It was right after their first kiss.
Fleur's cheeks flushed at the memory, a soft smile playing on her lips. The gentle press of Harry's lips against hers, the warmth of his hand as it travelled down her waist - it had been perfect.
And then, with a slight tremble in his voice, he had asked her to be his date for the Yule Ball.
Apparently, after her mention of the event, the boy had gone and researched everything about it!
'How cute,' Fleur thought to herself with a fond smile.
Her daydreaming came to an abrupt stop when her eyes landed on her mirror.
"Do I even look good?" she wondered out loud, moving closer to the reflective surface and noting down all of her features.
She also did her best to spot her imperfections, but failed, miserably…
Suddenly, a soft laugh filled her room.
Fleur laughed at her own insecurity. Of course, she looked good — she always did.
'What's gotten over me,' she wondered, questioning how and when she started succumbing to pre-date jitters.
No boy or man could confidently say otherwise unless they weren't fond of the female gender…
"You look absolutely stunning, ma chérie," a female voice came from the doorway, startling Fleur out of her reverie.
"Don't worry about your young man. I bet he'll be very impressed with you. He's probably just as nervous as you are. After all, it's a big night for both of you," Apolline Delacour smiled warmly at her daughter before taking her leave.
She had said her piece.
"Oui, oui,' Fleur murmured and started checking herself over for one last time.
'Just to make sure everything is perfect,' she thought to herself.
She took a deep breath, smoothing her dress one last time.
A soft knock on the door made her heart skip a beat. It was time.
Walking up to the door, she opened it.
"'ello Fleur. You look magnificent!" Madame Maxime greeted her with a warm smile.
The half-giantess's eyes showed her approval as she took in Fleur's appearance.
"Are you ready, my dear? Your date is waiting for you at the entrance," she revealed and suddenly Fleur felt very warm.
With a graceful nod to Madame Maxime, she stepped out of her room, her heart racing with excitement.
She could swear that way through the carriage was a few times longer than usual and she even saw things that weren't there before.
"Merde," Fleur cursed and took a deep breath, the carriage door loomed before her.
Taking a steady step she grabbed the handle and turned it, walking into the crisp winter air.
'I hate Britain,' she thought as the cold seemed to seep into her very being.
But then her ocean-like eyes landed on a boy.
Her breath was caught in her throat as she took in the sight before her.
Harry stood there, looking more handsome than he had any right to be.
His new haircut, which she knew he was getting, accentuated his strong jawline, and the custom-made suit fit him perfectly, highlighting his seeker body very well.
Very well indeed…
'And that green! It matches so well with his brilliant eyes,' some part of her observed as her feet delivered her to the boy.
Gone was the cold; she was hot instead.
She belatedly realised that Harry had cast a warming charm on her.
Had she been thinking straight she would have wondered why the foreign spell didn't raise any kind of alarms in her mind, as they usually did.
Fleur felt her heart race as she approached him, a warm smile spreading across her face. As their eyes met, she felt a butterfly in her stomach.
Harry's eyes widened slightly as he took in her appearance, a look of awe crossing his face.
"Fleur, you look... absolutely breathtaking," he said and Fleur felt every word.
The intensity of Harry's gaze was intoxicating…
If she felt like she had a butterfly in her stomach a moment before, it now felt like a whole swarm of them was rampaging inside her.
Fleurt's heart raced as Harry offered his arm, a gentle smile playing on his lips.
The girl moved swiftly and placed her hand on his arm, her fingers brushing against the smooth fabric of his suit.
"Shall we?" Harry questioned nodding towards the castle.
Doing her best to ignore the warmth of his skin which somehow managed to send constant constant shivers down her spine, Fleur managed a weak "Oui".
As they began to walk towards the castle, Fleur found herself leaning closer to Harry.
"Please don't break up with me. I promise I've not lost my marbles, but there's a question I've been meaning to ask you…" Harry started slowly and Fleur immediately sobered up, her good mood shattered.
"What is it?" Fleur asked with concern; she felt a small knot of tension forming in her stomach.
She searched Harry's face, trying to understand the sudden wall that seemed to rise between them.
"What do you think about flying sharks?" Harry asked with a smirk.
Fleur blinked.
'No, I must have heard something wrong,' she easily concluded before Harry repeated his question.
"Flying sharks. What's your opinion on them?" Harry persisted.
She blinked again.
A laugh bubbled up from her chest, breaking the tension that had briefly formed between them.
Her angel-like sounds of joy were infectious and soon, both of them just stood laughing.
"Oh, Harry… You 'ad me worried for a moment there!" she started, shaking her head in exasperation.
"As for flying sharks, I zink they would be quite terrifying, non?"
As their laughter subsided, Fleur leaned in closer to Harry, finding her earlier spot.
"Though, I must admit, the idea is quite intriguing. Perhaps you should suggest it to Hagrid for his next magical creature breed?" she teased, shamelessly enjoying the look of pure horror that briefly flashed across Harry's face.
"On a second note, I think the world has enough of flying creatures. Adding flying sharks to the list would be meaningless. I mean there's no way they'd prefer swimming through the air instead of the calming seas," Harry said, not liking anything about his mentioned idea.
"Non, non, just think about it. A swarm of sharks gliding gently through the clouds, swimming through the countless expanse of the world without any care. It does have a certain poetic charm to it…"
She paused, then added with a playful smirk, "Perhaps we should leave such fantastical creatures to the realm of imagination, oui?"
Harry nodded so vigorously that Fleur wondered if his head would fall off.
She giggled at his enthusiasm, finding his animated reactions utterly charming.
A sudden thought crossed Harry's mind and his panic returned in full-force.
He flicked his wand onto his hand and cast an accio inside one of his pants' pockets.
"Accio Marauders map," he said hastily, grabbing the parchment as it flung out of the small container.
To say Fleur was impressed that the map Harry told her all about, came out of the pouch, would be an understatement.
'When did he even manage to find time and learn the space enlargement charms?' she wondered.
The charm was advanced, and she hadn't expected Harry to master it so quickly.
They just skimmed a text on it the day before…
"Bloody Potter and his talent," she muttered with affection.
Harry was already activating the map though, and didn't catch her words.
"Thank Merlin, Hagrid's in his hut. Heavens know what would have happened had he been in earshot during our conversation," Harry said with a nervous chuckle and stashed the map back in his pocket.
Taking Fleur's hand in his own, he guided her to the school.
As they approached the castle's grand entrance, they started hearing sounds of music and laughter and drifted towards them.
The excitement in the air was palpable as they entered the Great Hall, which had been transformed into a winter wonderland for the occasion.
Neither of the youths managed to suppress a sound of surprise from coming out.
Snowflakes gently fell from the enchanted ceiling, disappearing before they reached the heads of the students. The usual house tables had been replaced with smaller, round ones, leaving a large space in the centre for dancing.
Ice sculptures adorned the corners of the room, their crystalline forms catching the light and casting shimmering reflections across the floor.
Harry felt a gentle squeeze on his arm and looked up to see Fleur smiling down at him.
'I think being shorter than your girlfriend is a good enough reason to commit seppuku… The ritual is my last hope for that legendary spurt growth…'
Harry chuckled at his own self-deprecating thoughts and quickly pushed them aside; Fleur was barely taller than him.
Tonight wasn't about height differences thought, it was about enjoying a magical evening with the beautiful girl on his arm and that was exactly what he intended to do.
"Madame Maxime mentioned something about ze champions performing a welcoming dance. Are you ready for our grand entrance, 'Arry?" Fleur asked with mock seriousness.
"As ready as I'll ever be. Shall we show them how it's done then, my lady?" Harry replied with a charming smile, bowing as a gentleman would.
Wordlessly, Fleur took Harry's arm in her own and started heading towards the raised stage in the centre of the room.
The couple didn't get to do so peacefully though…
"A halfblood and a halfbreed… How fitting," a sneering voice came from the crowd, its owner's face twisted in disgust as he walked in the front.
Harry felt Fleur tense beside him, her grip on his arm tightening ever so slightly.
He turned, green eyes blazing.
Of course, he didn't have to actually see the offender to know who it was.
Draco Malfoy was as rigid as a stone after all and his voice had haunted him since their first year…
He stood there, his pale aristocratic face twisted into a sneer.
His voice must have been quite loud as everyone stopped chatting and paid attention to the as-of-yet, one-sided verbal showdown.
Flanked by Crabbe and Goyle, no surprise there, he looked ready to spew more venom.
Most Gryffindors looked excitedly, waiting for Harry's inevitable blow-up.
Harry's temper was a legend in itself.
But before the two wizards could utter any other word, another voice cut through the palpable silence of the hall.
"Well if it isn't our resident attention seeker and the Veela whore," Ron spat, his face contorted with anger and jealousy.
The venom in his words was undeniable and it caused a collective gasp from the surrounding people, students and professors alike.
In an instant, Harry held his wand and cast a nonverbal spell.
Two youths didn't manage to react by the time Harry grasped his wand and hastily walked backwards.
Thankfully, for the two offenders, Harry simply cast a spell that stopped the sound from coming in, effectively creating a bubble of silence around them.
"Thanks for that," Fleur whispered.
She could have been shouting her lungs hoarse and no one would have heard anything, albeit they would have still been able to see it.
Harry gave her a reassuring smile, his hand gently squeezing hers.
With a calm demeanour, he guided Fleur away from the commotion that the two heads of houses would no doubt cause.
Just like Harry predicted, in the next moment Professor McGonagall and Professor Snape descended upon Malfoy and Ron like hawks, their faces stern with disapproval.
One had to wonder how they managed to move so swiftly.
The two boys' expressions quickly shifted to alarmed as their respective heads confronted them about their actions.
Meanwhile, the attention-catching couple reached the centre of the dance floor, ready to begin the champions' dance.
"I wonder who the other two champions brought with them," Harry mused out loud, his eyes scanning the room for familiar faces, pushing the earlier encounter into the back of his mind.
He spotted Cedric entering with Cho, both looking dashing in their formal attire.
"They look like a good match," Fleur commented and Harry couldn't help but agree with her.
Viktor Krum followed shortly after, accompanied by a girl whom Harry took a moment longer than he should have to recognise.
It was Hermione, looking beautiful in a periwinkle blue dress robe.
Suppressing an exclamation—as Harry wasn't in the mood to bear a cold shoulder—he gawked.
Hermione's usually bushy hair was sleek and shiny, elegantly styled into a sophisticated updo.
Harry blinked in surprise, stunned by her transformation.
He exchanged a quick glance with Fleur, who seemed equally impressed by Hermione's appearance.
"Well, she can clean up pretty well," Harry remarked carefully.
Fleur nodded in agreement, her eyes still on the last pair to arrive.
"Oui, she does look lovely. It's nice to see everyone making an effort for the occasion," she said and turned back to Harry, a soft smile playing on her lips.
"We still look better than them though. Shall we join them, mon cher?" she asked with mock haughtiness, prompting Harry to grin.
"Absolutely, my lady. Let's show them how it's done."
Harry took Fleur's hand in his, placing his other hand gently on her waist as they assumed the traditional waltz position.
Eventually, the others reached the centre and assumed similar positions…
The music swelled around them, a gentle melody that seemed to guide their steps.
Harry felt a surge of confidence as he led Fleur through the intricate steps of the waltz, their movements perfectly synchronised.
"The practice's paying off," Harry whispered, his eyes twinkling with amusement as Fleur smiled.
After that, the rest of the world seemed to fade away and they danced for what felt like hours, simply enjoying each other's presence.
They finally broke off when Neville walked in front of Harry's gaze and started waving his hands to catch their attention.
They belatedly realised that Harry kept up his silencing bubble…
Harry quickly dispelled the silencing charm, causing a rush of sound to flood back into their awareness—the music, the chatter, and the clinking of glasses from the tables surrounding the dance floor.
Neville gave them a sheepish grin.
"Sorry to interrupt guys, but people were starting to shout, trying to get your attention," his eyes flicked merrily between Harry and Fleur.
Harry felt his cheeks burn as he realised that, in his excitement, he had accidentally left the silencing bubble on far longer than intended.
'Thought to be fair, it worked quite alright in the end,' he mused.
Harry scratched the back of his head, offering Neville an apologetic smile.
"Thanks for bringing us back, Nev. Guess we got a bit carried away," he muttered, his earlier embarrassment now gone.
Fleur let out a soft laugh, her melodic voice drawing a few lustful glances from nearby students.
"We were just… enjoying ze dance, Neville. Merci for reminding us we 'ave an audience," she teased.
Neville grinned, relieved that he hadn't upset them, as he very much enjoyed the couple's company.
After Harry's fallout with Ron, Neville somewhat took his place as Harry's male friend.
It all started with Harry needing immediate help from the local plant lover.
.
Neville, and the fourth-year Gryffindors, had just finished a herbology class with Professor Sprout, thus his great mood.
Purposefully slowing down his strides so as to fall behind his housemates, Neville started humming a merry melody.
It was just him and nature, as it often was, and he was perfectly content with that.
He was more than content with it.
"Ah, everything's so peaceful," Neville sighed contentedly, breathing in the crisp morning air.
His moment of tranquillity was suddenly interrupted by hurried footsteps approaching from behind. Turning around, he saw Harry Potter rushing towards him, a look of urgency on his face.
"Hey Nev, what's up… I know we've not been best of friends, but this is a matter of life and death. Tell me, what's the most beautiful flower I can get at once?" Harry asked, his voice tinged with desperation.
Neville's eyes widened in surprise, and he was about to stammer a reply, but a smile quickly spread across his face as he realised Harry's predicament.
The usually shy boy wanted to burst out laughing as Harry Bloody Potter, the bravest Gryffindor, was panicking about something as simple as giving flowers.
However, he didn't do so and instead tried answering the boy to the best of his ability.
His brow furrowed in concentration as countless plants and flowers flashed through his head.
"How about orchids? They're elegant and come in various colours. I can show you where to find some beautiful specimens in the greenhouse," he offered enthusiastically, happy to help his fellow Gryffindor.
"Aren't orchids, I don't know… Plain," Harry finished meekly, with an unimpressed look on his face.
Neville was about to go down a tirade, explaining to his fellow yearmate that all plants were as important and special, but he again managed to control himself, albeit this time with reluctance.
'Something special...' Neville thought bitterly, trying to think of something more appropriate for Harry.
"Give me something then. I don't even know who you are giving flowers to," Neville asked, raising an eyebrow.
Harry hesitated for a moment, then sighed and leaned in closer.
"It's for the French champion," he whispered, his cheeks turning slightly pink.
"I want to surprise her with something special to show her how much she means to me," Harry continued, his voice filled with sincerity, his eyes misting over with emotion.
Neville's eyes lit up with understanding.
"Ah, that's right! I forgot all about the rumours flying around about you two," he said as understanding dawned on his face.
To Harry's dismay though, Neville's face fell in the next moment.
"While I could give you perfectly good suggestions, I don't think I should," he started off, prompting Harry to gawk at him with a befuddled look.
"Now look here. You don't have to be a dick about-," Harry managed to say with a frown before Neville cut him off.
"No, you dunderhead," he said, and both boys stopped talking, surprised at Neville's words.
After all, 'dunderhead' was Snape's favourite word to call the shy boy…
"Anyhow, it's not that. In my opinion, if you want to get Fleur something truly special, it should come from you. Otherwise, you could get her some enchanted roses. They're not only beautiful but also magical, changing colours to reflect the emotions of the giver. Professor Sprout has been cultivating some in Greenhouse Three so their availability is no problem," Neville finished.
Harry stood, his jaw almost hanging.
"You know what Nev. You're right, I can't believe I didn't think of it like that… Thanks," he said and was about to go off when he remembered something and turned back.
"Do you know any books I could look into?" Harry asked, catapulting Neville into his thoughts.
"You could try 'Enchanting Flora: A Guide to Magical Flowers' by Astro Black. It's in the Herbology section of the library. If you don't find what you are looking for, come find me and I'll have another book ready," he answered after a bit.
Harry nodded gratefully and left.
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"Hey, come to think of it. You never told me what plant you got Fleur in the end," Neville asked, his curiosity piqued.
"Well, I didn't simply get her flowers. I actually created something unique for her. I took inspiration from White Calla Lilies and after an unneeded amount of researching magical flora, I managed to enchant the mundane flower with the properties ofEthereosa, so that it changes colours based on emotions and also emits a soft, melodious hum when in the presence of strong positive feelings. It took some trial and error, but the result was worth it - Fleur was absolutely delighted," Harry explained, knowing that his friend would bombard him for the details on a later date.
Neville listened, impressed by the creativity and ingenuity Harry had shown.
He even felt a prickle of jealousy.
"I named it 'Fleur changeante'… She wasn't very happy to hear that," Harry finished with a shudder.
"Allow me to congratulate you first mate, 'cause that's pretty wicked. Despite all my knowledge about plants, I didn't know you could 'copy' the magical effects of one to another," Neville said with a sincere tone.
"What about the name? It's French, isn't it?" he added as an afterthought.
Before Harry could respond, Fleur chimed in with a radiant smile.
"Ah, oui," she said, rolling her eyes playfully.
"It means 'changing flower' in French. While ze sentiment was sweet, Harry's pronunciation left much to be desired. It sounded more like 'floor chan-jant' zan anything else." She giggled softly, giving Harry an affectionate look.
"But I love it all the same. It's uniquely 'arry."
"Well, at least I tried. If you don't like it, then next time I'll stick to simpler names. How about 'Sulky Flower'? It sounds about right," Harry teased and Fleur gasped in mock outrage, swatting his arm.
"'Arry James Potter! You wouldn't dare," she exclaimed, her accent thickening with emotion and the trio burst into laughter.
"While it's good to see you children enjoying tonight's festivities, they must come to an end," Dumbledore's voice came from behind Neville's back.
Had he sneaked behind Harry instead, the said evening would have probably ended badly.
Sobering up immediately after hearing the headmaster's words, the young couple excused themselves and left the hall.
Harry and Fleur exchanged a glance, their eyes conveying feelings that no mere words could ever hope to express.
"Harry," the girl started saying but was immediately shut up as Harry's lips captured her own.
"I'll be all right. Pinky promise," he murmured after breaking the kiss.
Giving his girlfriend a quick, yet firm hug, Harry turned around and strode towards the second-floor bathroom.
He could have flashed inside but chose not to.
Something about simply walking with one own's thoughts had a calming effect, after all.
As Harry made his way through the castle corridors, his mind drifted to the countless details of the ritual he was about to undertake.
Needless to say, he had meticulously gathered every required material, and everything was in pristine condition—even the carcass of the dreadful dragon...
"It's finally time," he murmured to himself as he approached the entrance to Myrtle's bathroom.
"Open,"Harry James Potter, heir of Slytherin, commanded and the entrance to the Chamber of Secrets creaked open, revealing as always, the dark, foreboding passageway below.
His emerald eyes glinted off the pipes as he descended, hovering gracefully.
§ - § - § - § - § - § - § - § - § - § - § - §
So I saw a tiktok the other day about Rowling writing Riddle's backstory, and thought it to be real. Turns out, it wasn't... Anyways, I thought it'd be a great idea to write the story myself, seeing as I haven't read a single one about Tom Riddle being a kid.
What are your thoughts? Should I try to write it? If so, should I go completely cannon and finish it on the famous Halloween night?
PLEASE, PLEASE COMMENT YOUR THOUGHTS ON THE IDEA, the guys from webnovel didn't...
0r0b0r0us and ICEE CREAM, I appreciate your support :]
[p=a=t=r=e=o=n=.=c=o=m/Mr_0ne] - Chapter F19 - Sensory Overload
[d=i=s=c=o=r=d=.=g=g/NJ3WV9RVgR ]