Fleur sat alone upon the shores of the Great Lake, her hands covering the golden egg she retrieved during the first task. Harry had left her side mere moments ago, as he too wanted to get to work on his egg. They had already agreed that they would not be working together, and so he had taken leave.
Fleur had been worried about the Harry leaving, to be honest, although in a different way. Fleur had acted rashly after their most recent trip to Hogsmeade, and had been afraid that Harry would no longer wish to maintain whatever it was they shared. She had no idea what made her think kissing him would be a good idea (even if it was on the cheeks), and had feared that Harry would avoid her because of it.
I was aiming for the lips. I simply reached my senses and changed course.
Fleur decided to ignore that small tidbit of information.
She had initially laughed at his reaction, his expression had been rather amusing; once Fleur had entered the Beauxbatons Carriage, however, she had been horrified. They were both very guarded, and both very untrusting of others. Had she violated him in some way? She certainly hoped not.
Thankfully, Harry had disproved such theories. They continued to spend several hours by the lake each day, talking and relaxing, or perhaps asking each other academic questions. Fleur had been rather surprised to find that Harry was very knowledgeable, seeming particularly talented with transfiguration, defense against the dark arts and, quite surprisingly, offensive magic.
That was something that piqued Fleur's interest. She had absolutely no idea where Harry might have learnt the latter, and was slightly upset that he had not yet told her. She did not blame him, of course; they both had trust issues, and she was his fellow champion.
I don't even want to know to get an edge on him for the tournament. I just want to know how it relates to him.
It was the truth, and in Fleur's opinion, a rather ironic truth. She no longer cared about trying to get an edge over the youngest champion. Instead she wanted to be able to open up to him, and vice versa. It was something Fleur had not seen coming, but Fleur could not deny that it was quite nice, being able to talk to someone in such a way. The last month had shown Fleur how valuable a companion was, and she had realized that it was not something she would give up easily.
Harry, however, seemed to have many secrets, which truthfully did not surprise Fleur at all. This did, however, make it very hard for him to open up to her. Fleur wasn't stupid, of course; she was not foolish enough to believe that him mentioning these secrets to her would not have an impact. Still, just because Fleur understood it didn't mean she liked it.
Her liking of the youngest champion was beginning to grow more and more as well. Despite her lack of emotional experience, Fleur knew exactly what these emotions were. The fact was that she had simply never felt such feelings before, and was at a loss as to how they were meant to be expressed. Besides, there were too many other complications, none of which Fleur was particularly interested in dealing with. So she ignored these emotions, or at least tried to.
In better news, Fleur's parents had recently sent a letter informing her that they would be arriving at Hogwarts on February 17th to watch Fleur during the second task. She had not seen any of her family in quite some time, and had missed them all (particularly Gabrielle) a great deal. For them to visit was certainly a treat.
Sighing, Fleur stood up from her and Harry's spot by the lakeside. It was now the 28th of January, the second task less than a month away. Fleur had yet to uncover the clue of the golden egg - something that she was not taking very well.
Fortunately, she was not alone in her struggles. Harry had admitted to her that he had not yet discovered the clue, and as far as Fleur knew, it was a similar case for the remaining champions. Fleur had seen both Krum and Diggory in the library, the former accompanied by a rather familiar bushy haired fourth year.
What frustrated her even more than her struggles in discovering the clue was that she had seemingly tried every possible solution. Her most recent attempt (during which she used her Veela abilities to set fire to the egg) had resulted in the Beauxbatons Delegation being forced out of their carriage for half an hour, something which had earned Fleur the ire of her classmates. Not that she cared, of course; none of them liked her much in the first place.
Fleur swiped the dust of her Beauxbatons uniform, gently picking up her pace. As she made her way back to the carriage, the golden egg slipped from her hands, falling into the shallow shores beside her. Fleur hastily bent over to pick it up. She could hear noise issuing from the egg; it had likely opened as it fell to the ground. She made to close it, not at all interested in hearing the horrible sounds.
Just as her hands touched the rim of the egg, Fleur froze. The sounds were not nearly as horrible as before, but rather the opposite. She could not hear it well (as it was under the water), but it was likely the most beautiful voice Fleur had yet heard.
Fleur gently crouched down against the water and gently placed her ear to the lake's surface.
"Come seek us where our voices sound,
We cannot sing above the ground,
And while you're searching ponder this:
We've taken what you'll sorely miss,
An hour long you'll have to look,
And to recover what we took,
But past an hour — the prospect's black,
Too late, it's gone, it won't come back."
Fleur withdrew her head from the lake, her eyes now wide. Quickly shifting the egg and picking it up, Fleur walked over the Beauxbatons Carriage at a rapid pace. Fleur had a number of problems with the clue she had just been given, and they were problems that Fleur could not see a way of avoiding.
For starters, it was very clear to her that the task would be held under the Great Lake. Besides being incapable of breathing underwater, Fleur was a Veela. While she was not by any means allergic to water (or anything as ridiculous as that), she was not particularly comfortable with the element either.
The task being underwater would also negate her fire abilities, at least to a certain extent. Fleur was proud to note that she was rather powerful when it came to all things magic. Even whilst underwater, Fleur could create a fire.
Still, that would not be enough. The feat was very hard for her to accomplish, and would require her to use a fair bit of her magic. Fleur was not willing to spend so much of her magic to light a fire underwater, and would therefore lose one of her greatest advantages.
It was, however, the second half of the clue that set Fleur off the most.
What was something she would surely miss? While she certainly liked most of her possessions, it was not to the degree described in the clue. She could not think of anything she might miss in the way described. There was nothing and nobody Fleur could even fathom missing, not like that.
Merde.
Fleur increased her pace significantly, her eyes now visibly showing the panic and distress she currently felt (something quite uncommon considering how skilled Fleur was at hiding her emotions). She practically ran into the carriage, ignoring the shouts of her classmates in the main living room and making her way to the doorway of her room. Once inside, Fleur slammed the door before lying on her bed.
It had just occurred to her that there were indeed a few things she might miss a great deal. Particularly a few people she knew rather well, and could easily count on one hand.
Gabrielle. Maman and papa. Harry as well.
Regardless of only truly knowing the latter for slightly longer than a month, she had gotten to know him very well. She liked - loved - well, she wasn't sure. Whatever it was, she felt it for Harry in spades.
They wouldn't be able to use Harry, he's a champion.
That was good, but not particularly comforting. Her family were all uninvolved with the tournament, and would likely be more than capable of being sent under the lake. If Fleur had to guess who would be chosen, she would bet upon her sister; while she loved her mother and father, it was just not the same.
But how could she possibly prepare for this task? She would have to be capable of breathing underwater. That could be achieved quite easily, but not by means that appealed to Fleur. She could easily cast the Bubble-Head Charm, but it quite literally created a bubble, which was not at all difficult to pop. Fleur was certain that there would be many hostile creatures residing at the bottom of the lake; she would not risk Gabrielle's life on mere chance.
Shaking her head in annoyance, Fleur quickly disillusioned herself before making her way out of her room. She had a significant amount of research to complete, research that she wished to begin as quickly as she could. Within a few minutes, Fleur had arrived just outside the Hogwarts Library.
The Hogwarts Library was one of the few places of the castle that Fleur could truly say (even with her obvious bias) was better than its counterpart in Beauxbatons. The library had thousands upon thousands of books, each filled to the brim with all sorts of magical knowledge. Fleur was more than certain that somewhere within the library there would be a book on underwater breathing. The hard part would be to find it.
As she looked around the library while disillusioned, Fleur happened upon Victor Krum, as well as his newfound friend, Hermione Granger. The latter was once Harry's best friend (although judging by her actions, the bushy haired girl was not particularly loyal). Considering that the girl was now aiding a champion of another school, Fleur had to agree with her initial belief.
She had seen the two of them in the library together just about every time she had entered the place since the Yule Ball. It seemed as though Fleur was not the only one who had found another during the ball, although she doubted that Krum and Granger would ever be as loyal as she and Harry might one day be to each other. Neither understood how much the other meant, neither cared for the other in such strong ways.
Neither truly knew what it was like to have no one.
Fleur silently passed the librarian of the school before pausing momentarily and turning back.
I highly doubt she would know of the second task. And besides, it isn't as though it is against the rules to ask a librarian where a book is.
Even if it was against the rules, Fleur didn't think it would matter. This was the Triwizard Tournament; it was notorious for the champions cheating in one way or another.
And for its death count, of course.
Once Fleur was certain that there was no other student nearby, she removed her disillusionment charm and stopped before the librarian.
"Excuse me?" asked Fleur gently, "Do you know where I might find any books on how to breath underwater?"
Fleur flinched slightly at how blunt she had been, though thankfully the librarian had not seemed to notice. Merely raising an eyebrow, the librarian nodded before making her way towards one of the many shelves.
"These books will be particularly helpful." said the librarian, nodding towards a few tomes that rest upon one of the nearby shelves, "You would do well to make sure they remain in their current condition."
Fleur was fairly certain that there was an implied threat meant to follow the statement.
"Thank you." Fleur said before turning towards the books and gently removing them from their shelves.
Another few days of research. Lovely.
"Bloody son of a bitch!" cursed Harry in Parseltongue as he hopped across the chamber, ignoring Salazar's gleeful laughs.
It was now the 3rd of February. Harry had not seen Fleur recently, as she had not been at their spot by the lakeside during the last few days. Harry had still gone there everyday, of course, but had yet to spot her.
Harry was getting slightly worried now. He was concerned for the Beauxbatons Champion, wondering what had happened to her. A small part of him was also upset. He knew that it wasn't true, but it felt as though he had been abandoned by Fleur.
Still, Harry focused upon his worry, which had grown to the point that Harry was debating whether or not he should speak to someone else about it. But there was nobody who knew of their impromptu friendship (except perhaps Rita), and Harry was fairly certain that there was nobody who would care to help him find her.
Maybe Ron, Dean, and Seamus would help me find her.
Harry had been tempted to ask Madame Maxime if she knew where Fleur was. He had occasionally seen the Beauxbatons Headmistress standing outside the carriage, seemingly observing the sky. He had quickly decided against it when she had spotted him, however. The woman had sent him a scathing glare, one only surpasses by Fleur's.
It was for that reason that Harry was currently in the Chamber of Secrets, working on solving the clue within the golden egg. He still practiced with his other forms of magic (particularly Occlumency, as that took the most time to perfect), but now spent the time he would have spent with Fleur trying to solve the clue.
As to why he was hopping around the chamber, Harry had just learnt how heavy the golden egg was. He was very thankful that his hands hadn't been too far off the ground; dropping his egg from higher up probably would have hurt a lot more than it actually did.
"Are you sure you can't just look through the enchantments on the egg?" asked Harry, shaking his foot, "It would be a lot easier."
"It certainly would not be easier. Besides, I happen to be a portrait, in case you have forgotten."
"So then how do I figure this out, exactly?" asked Harry in annoyance. The feeling only grew when Salazar shrugged.
"I am sure you will uncover it soon enough. Regardless, you have your Occlumency. As long as you continue to increase your spell repertoire, your Occlumency should be capable of getting you through the task."
"I would much rather be certain that I'll do well. They still have the Recorder Glasses, remember? People will see my performance."
"Are they capable of following you.?" asked Salazar curiously.
"Yes." answered Harry, "Unless I destroy them, which would probably get me in trouble. But apparently the ministry expects them to be destroyed; they just want them to last for as long as possible."
"Interesting." replied Salazar, "And who told you this?"
"Professor McGonagall. Why?"
"Because your dear ministry seems to be under the impression that the glass will be destroyed." noted Salazar, "They were not under that impression during your first task. It likely has something to do with whatever your task is."
Harry nodded before sighing tiredly, making his way over towards the exit of the chamber.
"I'm going for a walk." said Harry, "I'll check if Fleur's there now, just in case."
Salazar nodded, choosing not to make any unnecessary comments (something which Harry appreciated). After greeting Moaning Myrtle as per usual, Harry made his way down a few flights of stairs and onto the grounds.
He froze as he made his way towards the lake. There was someone in his usual spot, someone who had, for the first time, forgotten to set up wards to deter others. Harry was surprised that she had not yet attracted attention, although he supposed it was quite cold, and classes were in session.
Making a split second decision, Harry nervously made his way over to Fleur Delacour.
Fleur sat by the side of the lake, her head in her hands. Her feelings regarding Harry had been getting stronger, to the point where she had actively avoided him for the last several days in an attempt to regain control over her emotions. She had tried to convince herself it was for the sake of preparing for the upcoming task, but she knew better. Especially considering that Fleur had finished devising her solution for the second task about three days ago.
Harry was likely upset that she seemingly no longer desired his company; she knew she would be, were the roles reversed. The fact that her feelings could not be any more different were of little importance.
Regardless of the true reason as to why she did not spend time with Harry over the past week, the time had been very productive. The last week or so had been spent adapting a spell, specifically Wingardium Leviosa, the Levitation Charm. The spell would essentially push anything and everything away from her mouth and nose for as long as it was active, including water. It was very easy to cast, and very easy to hold, even if it required a significant amount of her magical power to hold it for an hour.
Unfortunately, the spell was also very easy to remove. If any magic came near her face (where the spell would be applied), the effects of the spell would instantly be removed. Fleur would have to avoid the spells of her opponents if she wished to rely upon her devised method, something which she believed would not be overly hard.
"Fleur?" asked a voice from behind her, causing her to shoot up from her spot on the shore. She quickly turned around and hugged the speaker before looking him in the eyes.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to leave you on your own." she said earnestly, a small amount of the worry she had felt showing itself.
Harry looked her in the eyes for a few moments, seemingly judging her sincerity, before nodding.
"It's fine." he said with a smile, "Just give me a bit of a warning next time."
Fleur nodded, hastily setting up the usual wards - something she had forgotten to do earlier, her mind having been a bit preoccupied. Fleur had realized how much she enjoyed spending time with Harry, and was distraught at the possibility that she could have potentially lost him forever, especially considering the reason she had avoided him.
The two of them sat by the lakeside, talking to each other as they usually did. They had spent time with each other quite often, but this time something was different. There was a sort of longing in both of their voices when they spoke; perhaps they had come to truly realize how valuable the other was over the week apart, and were not interested in being separated again. Perhaps it was something different; Fleur wouldn't know. She had never had another before.
Each spoke happily and freely, their eyes both glued to the other's. The eyes, after all, were supposedly the windows to the soul. Neither felt particularly interested in looking anywhere else.
Before long an hour had passed and night had begun to fall. Fleur and Harry both applied themselves with Notice-Me-Not Charms. The spell was quite useful; it allowed you to walk without being noticed, but it did not have the side effect of people crashing into you (as the Disillusionment Charm did).
If someone was actually looking for you, however, they would be able to find you. It also wasn't very effective in crowds, but it still served its purpose. Harry and Fleur made their way over to the Beauxbatons Carriage unnoticed, chatting amicably all the while.
"See you tomorrow?" asked Harry as Fleur opened the carriage door, "I might be a little late, I'm planning on working out the clue in the egg, but I promise I'll be there."
Fleur's eyes widened, something that Harry couldn't see due to her back being turned.
He doesn't know that they will take someone he'll miss.
The thought confused Fleur greatly. As far as she knew, Harry wouldn't miss anyone. Sure, he might miss her, but she was another member of the Triwizard Tournament. Who could he possibly miss? Perhaps it would be an object for him, rather than a person?
Regardless, Fleur knew she would not let him lose whatever or whoever it was; it was more important than the deal they made to not help each other, although she knew better than to flat out tell him the task. It would not be too hard for one of the Beauxbatons students to over hear them. They certainly did not like Fleur, and would have no qualms with telling on her, as petty as it would be.
She turned around, facing Harry.
"Take a bath." Fleur blurted out, inwardly cursing at how stupid her comment sounded, "When you try and solve the egg. Being relaxed will help you think."
Harry raised an eyebrow at the suggestion, but nodded slowly. Fleur was fairly certain that he knew she had given him a clue of some sort, and was thankful that he had not called her out on breaking their deal.
Once she had made it into her room, Fleur flopped onto her bed and groaned.
Take a bath? Seriously?
"It is, without a doubt, the worst clue I have ever heard, but it is certainly a clue. Will you act upon it?"
"Funnily enough, that was what I was just about to do." answered Harry, picking up his golden egg from the desk before him, "I'm heading off to the Prefect's Bathroom, I'll take the egg with me."
Salazar's eyes narrowed, the portrait looking at Harry in an accusing manner.
"And how do you plan on entering the Prefect's Bathroom?" asked Salazar, causing Harry to grin, his hands moving towards his pocket.
"With this." said Harry, pulling out a spare piece of parchment and tapping it with his wand, "I solemnly swear that I am up to no good."
The parchment was suddenly covered from top to bottom in inky patterns, seemingly drawing a map upon the parchment. The inky outlines of hundreds of footprints formed as well, most of them within the dormitories of the four common rooms. That made sense, of course; it was nearing midnight now, the students were meant to be in bed.
"Not bad." complimented Salazar, "Who made it?"
"My father and his friends."
"They would have had to sneak into the headmaster's office quite a number of times to make something like this." said Salazar, "They would also have to manually input a series of wards into the castle's wards. Basic wards, but still rather impressive."
"It shows the passwords to anything hidden." said Harry, "If people are supposed to know about a room's existence it doesn't help, but it's still damn useful."
"Fascinating. I still do not understand why you can not take a bath in the chamber. There is more than enough water, I am sure."
"I'm not bathing in front of you." said Harry stubbornly.
Salazar seemed rather annoyed for a moment before he suddenly smiled at something; he had the same grin he always wore when he knew something Harry didn't, particularly when it was something the latter would have dearly wished to know.
"Fine, fine. Go to the Prefect's Bathroom, so that you can have your privacy." said Salazar hurriedly, shooing Harry with his hands.
Harry took one last look at the portrait before leaving the chamber. He had a bad feeling for some reason, and he didn't know why.
Harry quietly slipped into the Prefect's Bathroom, having just muttered the password to the portrait ("Pine Fresh"). He had covered himself with his Invisibility Cloak, as he had yet to perfect his Disillusionment Charm. There was no need to hide from people; he had already used the Marauder's Map to make sure nobody was around, but Harry knew better than most what portraits could do.
The Prefect's Bathroom was certainly a lot better than the other bathrooms in the castle, even surpassing the one down in the Chamber of Secrets. The walls were made of a bright white marble, lined with pure gold. Above the room was a crystal chandelier, providing the room with ample light.
In the center of the room was a large circular pool, its edges adorned with taps varying in size and colour. Each tap was itself adorned with a precious stone or gem. When Harry finally walked over to one and twisted it, beautiful white bubbles gushed from the tap, steaming pleasantly due to its warmth.
While two of the four walls were plain (apart from the shelves to hold towels and clothing), the other two walls were far from it. One was covered from top to bottom in mosaic windows, showing almost the entire left side of the Hogwarts grounds. On the opposite wall was a large portrait which held a beautiful blonde mermaid. She sat upon a large rock that was surrounded by the waters of an ocean, creating a beautiful image.
The mermaid's eyes widened immensely upon seeing Harry enter the room before giggling when Harry face palmed himself in frustration. Ignoring the portrait, Harry set off a series of taps until he found the bath to his liking.
"Could you, you know, cover your eyes?" Harry asked the portrait, causing her to blush before quickly nodding and doing as instructed. Harry hastily removed his robes before jumping into the bath, thankful that the bubbles obstructed any view the mermaid might have had.
This's why Salazar had that stupid shit eating grin. The stupid portrait knew.
Harry sat in the large bath for a few seconds before grabbing his egg from the edge of the pool. He had absolutely no idea how bathing would help him discover the clue within the egg.
Harry slowly turned around, his eyes meeting those of the beautiful mermaid. She smiled happily at him, her tail fluttering.
There's no reason to just be mean to her, I suppose. She's a portrait, she might even be able to help.
Harry cleared his throat slightly.
"Er - I'm trying to work out a clue I've been given." said Harry, trying not to appear as dim-witted as he felt at the moment, "I was wondering if you might be able to help me?"
The portrait simply nodded her head, her smiling growing ever so slightly. Harry tried hard to shake off the idea that she might be a mute, as well as the nervousness he felt at the moment. He had not spent much time around people in the last few months, particular females as beautiful as the one before him.
And Fleur doesn't count, I'm too comfortable around her now.
"Well, the clue in the egg sounds - well, it doesn't really sound like anything." explained Harry, "But it's supposed to be our clue, which doesn't make much sense to me."
The mermaid nodded her head slowly, before pointing at the golden egg and motioning to open it.
"Just a warning, it doesn't sound all too pleasant." said Harry. He quickly set up silencing wards around the room before setting his wand to the edge of the pool once more and opening the egg.
The most vile noise Harry had ever heard emerged from the golden egg. It was what Harry imagined a banshee to sound like; he wouldn't be too upset if a banshee was what he had to face for the second task, it wasn't much compared to a dragon. But magical creatures were typically used for only the first task, not the others.
Harry turned to the mermaid, who he was surprised to see now sported the largest smile he had ever seen. Her eyes twinkled with amusement and happiness before she held up three fingers. She slowly removed one finger, then another, and then the last.
The bathroom was once more filled with the horrible noise Harry had heard mere moments ago, not unsimilar to nails scratching across a blackboard. Harry's mouth hung open in shock, even after the mermaid had quieted, something which caused the mermaid to giggle with amusement once more.
The mermaid suddenly shifted off her rock and into the oceans around her. Once she had fully and properly submerged herself, Harry heard an angelic voice emerge from the portrait.
"We sound quite nice under the water, did you know?" she said with a smile, watching as Harry shook his head slowly. Suddenly realizing what she had implied, Harry sank to the bottom of the pool with the golden egg in his hands, opening it carefully.
"Come seek us where our voices sound,
We cannot sing above the ground,
And while you're searching ponder this:
We've taken what you'll sorely miss,
An hour long you'll have to look,
And to recover what we took,
But past an hour — the prospect's black,
Too late, it's gone, it won't come back."
Harry swum up the surface of the pool, gasping for air as he set the golden egg to the side. He turned back to the mermaid, who was now back on her rock, watching him with a lovely smile.
"Would there, by any chance, be any merpeople in the Great Lake?" asked Harry.
The mermaid giggled a little before nodding her head happily.
Harry sat in the pool for several more hours, attempting to devise a solution to help him breathe underwater, aided by the giggles and headshakes of the kind (and undoubtedly beautiful) mermaid.
It was a disappointed Harry that returned to the Chamber of Secrets early the following morning. Regardless of having spent hours pondering on potential solutions for the second task, he had come out with nothing.
The only thing he could remember that might allow him to breathe underwater was the Bubble-Head charm; Harry also vividly remembered a rather stern warning in the textbook describing the charm, stating that the charm left the user incredibly vulnerable.
The mermaid had not seemed particularly interested in leaving her rock throughout Harry's dilemma, therefore depriving Harry of any valuable aid she might have presented. Still, it was certainly nice to have new company for once, and thus Harry did not mind. She certainly seemed to like Harry quite a bit though; Harry would have to visit her some time.
"Back so soon?" called Salazar as Harry entered the study.
"It's been at least six hours." argued Harry dully, causing Salazar to shrug.
"When Riddle first found the chamber I thought it had been a few decades at most. How would I know how much time has passed, it's not like I can see the sun or something."
"Right, well now you know. I suppose I can get you a clock or something."
"Ah, yes. The circles with the two sticks and the numbers, correct?" asked Salazar curiously, before shaking his head, "We digress. Was your bath of any use?"
"Actually, it was." said Harry, "The noise from the egg is a mermaid, it can only be heard underwater. I would have thought you would know that, you know."
"Helga never let any of us go near any mermen settlements other than the one at Hogwarts, which was born years after the establishment of the school." said Salazar with a shrug, "The one time we went was a trip that ended in about a minute; Rowena got us all wet when she tried to observe one of their tails up close. It was only thanks to Helga's bloody little pigeon that we got out of there at all."
"So Fawkes wasn't so useless after all?" asked Harry with a smirk, causing Salazar to glare angrily at him before sulking in his frame.
"Anyway, the egg basically says that something important to me will be taken and hidden in the Great Lake, and I have an hour to find it. If I don't, it's gone forever."
Salazar's eyes remained narrow, but his annoyance was no longer directed at Harry.
"I do not like the idea of them potentially taking something of value from you." said Salazar, "You should make sure that all of your belongings and valuables remain within the chamber at all times."
"That's the funny part," began Harry, "As far as I know, everything I care about is in the chamber. I keep all of my belongings in here. I only ever leave to spend time with Hedwig or Fleur, for meals, and for classes whenever I feel particularly bored or lonely, neither of which I've felt since becoming friends with Fleur."
Salazar nodded before allowing the two of them to ponder on the issue at hand. The newfound silence was eventually broken by Salazar moments later.
"Your bond with Fleur Delacour." began the portrait, "It means a great deal to you, no?"
"I considered that, but it wouldn't make sense," answered Harry, realizing the conclusion Salazar had come to, "She's also a Triwizard Champion, so I don't think that's it."
"Then I am at a loss." remarked the portrait in annoyance, "We will have to return to that later, the more pressing issue will be how you plan to breathe underwater for so long. Gillyweed, would work, of course, as would the Bubble-Head charm."
"I already knew about the Bubble-Head charm, but it had too many downsides." said Harry, "But I don't know about Gillyweed."
"It is a magical plant native to the Mediterranean Sea." explained Salazar, "When used, it gives the user gills, and creates webs across your hands and legs. The only downside would be that it removes your ability to speak, though you are more than proficient with nonverbal spells."
"Would it teach me how to swim?" asked Harry in a concerned voice, causing Salazar's eyes to narrow.
"You are incapable of swimming?"
"I think the Dursleys hoped I might drown sooner or later, they removed me from lessons after the first class because Dudley got kicked out. He sank to the bottom of the pool, so he wasn't allowed to come back. The only reason the Dursleys sent me in the first place was because it would look suspicious if Dudley went and I didn't."
"And this boy is related to you on your mother's side of the family?"
"Yes, my mum would be his aunt." answered Harry, his eyebrows raising slightly when he saw Salazar's head sink into his hands.
"And to think he is likely one of the few remaining people alive that hold my blood in his veins." groaned Salazar, causing Harry to grin slightly, "I suppose it is a good thing he is not magical, I wouldn't have the heart to not teach one of my descendants."
"Wait a moment." said Harry, his eyes widening, "If Dudley ever has children, and they end up being magical, doesn't that mean that you could have more descendants?"
"No, it does not." said Salazar with a sigh, "That is not how squib lines work; they only awaken when someone in the line has offspring with a witch or wizard. That offspring becomes the new line. If your cousin were to have offspring with a witch, their child, although perhaps a witch or wizard, would not magically be a descendant of mine; they would merely have my blood in their veins."
"That sounds like how heirship works, from my knowledge." said Harry, "One of the family members inherits the line, and the children of all others aren't really members of the line past that point."
"Not a completely accurate comparison, but correct in essentials, yes." replied Salazar, "But we must refrain from continuously shifting off subject. Yes, Gillyweed will give you the ability to swim, although you will lose it the moment the effects of the plant wear off."
"I'll make sure I have enough for a few hours then, just in case something manages to go wrong." said Harry, "Although I don't know how I would find it."
"Could you not acquire it through the Potter Businesses?" asked Salazar.
"No." answered Harry, "The Potter family invested in magical creatures, not really much else. I don't know what the Black or Slytherin Houses invested in, but it doesn't matter much since I can't access either."
"The Slytherin House did not invest in anything, you will not find so much as a galleon in that vault." said Salazar, "Merely the possessions of myself, my wife, and my daughter."
"I could nick some from Snape's ingredient cupboard." suggested Harry, "It wouldn't be the first time."
"Gillyweed is rather expensive, I have a feeling he would notice you using it in the tournament." noted Salazar.
"Fine, I'll Owl Order some from Knockturn Alley like I do with some of the ingredients in the rituals I do." said Harry, "Only I'm not using Hedwig, there's no way I'm sending her off to those hags again."
"It would probably end up forcing her into the Phoenix Stasis." noted Salazar, "Which, while a good thing, would be disastrous if she was not safe with you in the chamber."
"That, and she's too recognizable." said Harry in agreement, "It wouldn't be all too hard for a reporter to draft up some article about me purchasing goods from Knockturn Alley."
"A fair point." noted Salazar, "Although I think you will have to worry about the Recorder Glasses more than any reporters, with Miss Skeeter out of action."
"It should be fine." said Harry, "At least now I know what Professor McGonagall meant when she said the Recorder Glasses could potentially be damaged during this task. It's underwater, it would probably get destroyed by the pressure."
"Or possibly one of the magical creatures." suggested Salazar.
"Right. Either way, I'll make sure I don't do anything stupid in front of the orb."
"Yes, you will have to make sure you act properly for as long as the device is active. You will likely have to refrain from using any advanced offensive magic. You can make up for it by practicing your defensive and wandless magic."
"I'm fairly good with controlling water." said Harry.
"Perhaps, but practicing more could add potential benefits." reminded Salazar, "It will likely negate the pressure the water will cause, allowing you more comfort."
"And Gillyweed won't do that?"
"It will, but not fully."
"Alright, I'll start practicing that again."
"Good. Have all of our problems been addressed, then?"
"Yeah, I think I'm good."
"Lovely." said Salazar with a grin, "So, how was it with Hogwarts' resident giggling mermaid?"
Harry narrowed his eyes in annoyance.
Harry casually made his way over to the furthest shore of the Great Lake, where Fleur was already waiting for him. She smiled softly at him as he approached, setting up wards around them to deter any potential eavesdroppers (and onlookers) as Harry sat down.
Not that there was likely anyone watching. There was a reason that Fleur and Harry always met up in this particular portion of the lakeside, and it wasn't just because they liked the area (although that was an added bonus). Students rarely ever ventured off in this direction; that, combined with classes being in session, as well as the wards Fleur had set up, gave them complete privacy.
"Take a bath, huh?" said Harry casually once Fleur had finished, causing Fleur to blush. When she finally responded, it was in a slightly flustered voice.
"What would you have had me say? We agreed not to help each other, and besides, there may have been other Beauxbatons students listening."
"You know, saying a hint in some cryptic way doesn't change the fact that it's still a hint." said Harry.
"Would you have preferred I not tell you?" asked Fleur with narrowed eyes, "Especially when it involves something you would 'surely miss'?"
"No, I'm grateful." Harry assured her, "Just surprised, I suppose."
"You were right. There are things more important than winning a trophy." said Fleur, causing Harry to smile slightly at her.
"Although, of course, I will still beat you in the tournament." said Fleur haughty, the ghost of a smirk becoming a prominent feature upon her face, "Think of it as me giving you a desperately needed advantage. I can not have you lose so badly to myself."
Harry rolled his eyes at the claim, although his grin betrayed his emotions.
"We're only tied for now, Miss Delacour." Harry replied, imitating the faux-superiority in Fleur's voice, "It will not remain that way for much longer."
"Of course it will not," answered Fleur, "When I surpass you, we will no longer be tied, non?"
The two companions bantered back and forth for quite some time, before Fleur eventually got up, transfiguring two stones into targets. They had recently begun practicing magic together, and while they did not work on anything particularly challenging or advanced, it was just as productive.
"You're very good for your age." commented Fleur as one of Harry's spells obliterated the transfigured target, "Although I do not know how you could have possibly learnt any of those spells at Hogwarts."
Harry shrugged, not answering the implied question. Harry's unusual knowledge in the magical arts was starting to get in the way of their bond. It was not due to any jealousy; Fleur herself was immensely talented for her age (although Fleur knew that not even she had been so skilled at such a young age).
Besides, Harry had not yet surpassed her in terms of magical power. Fleur did note, however, that he was not impossibly far behind. Fleur took pride in the fact that she was so magically powerful, and was therefore surprised to see another (particularly one so young) even remotely close to hers. In fact, she would not be all too surprised if he surpassed her by the end of the year (although she would never tell him that).
It was not as though Harry's magical knowledge was something Fleur wanted for herself, either. Fleur already knew most of the obscure spells she had seen Harry cast, having learnt them in Beauxbatons of from the Delacour Library. It was that Harry would not talk to her about however it was that he was learning these spells, as well as whatever else it was he was hiding. Fleur knew Harry well enough to know there was more.
It was more complex than that, however. Fleur had a feeling that whatever it was that Harry was keeping from her was something that could potentially endanger her, something she could get harmed simply for knowing. It seemed like something Harry would do.
While it touched Fleur greatly that this was likely the case, it also upset her. Did Harry really think that she would so easily bail on him?
Maybe he does. You left him, didn't you? To 'gather your feelings', remember?
Fleur ruthlessly squashed the memory of the event, hoping that it was not the case. They had begun to trust each other more after the occurrence; if anything, it made their bond stronger.
Yes, they had only really known each other for slightly less than two months, but they had still spent hours every day by each other's side. Their relationship had progressed at a rapid pace due to opening up about their childhoods. Their unique pasts, and the fact that neither truly understood the barriers of friendship likely had something to do with that as well.
I am not like his past companions. I will not abandon him simply because it is the safer option.
It hurt Fleur that Harry was not willing to tell her whatever secret he was hiding, even if Fleur understood his actions. She had told him just about everything she had: her childhood, being mistreated by others, and her transformation into an adult Veela. Fleur hoped that he would eventually return the favour. She knew that whatever it was could likely put her in danger, but could not find it within her to care.
Still, Fleur would not pry; he had told her about his childhood, and him being mistreated by others. Fleur easily recognized that his youth had been just as bad as hers, potentially worse.
Definitely worse.
While their friendship, relationship, or companionship, whatever it was, was slightly strained by the lack of openness, Fleur was unwilling to force anything. She would not, could not risk losing something so precious to her, something she had only just gotten.
Still, Fleur could tell that it was something that was putting a strain on their bond, something that even had the potential to break it. There were also the unresolved feelings involved on both of their parts, something which neither was keen to discuss, not wanting to ruin what they had.
The two of them finished up the last of their spells before heading back to the Beauxbatons Carriage. It was getting dark now, and it would not do for them to be late. Harry had nearly been spotted by Madame Maxime the last time they had trained together, and it was not something he was eager to re-experience.
Harry and Fleur had both been certain that Madame Maxime had spotted them on several occasions, although each time Fleur had later informed him that her headmistress had not acted strange or said anything. That didn't stop either of them from being particularly cautious around the Beauxbatons headmistress, however.
"My sister, mother, and father will be coming in eleven days." Fleur informed Harry as they walked through the sandy path that led away from the Great Lake and towards the carriage. The sky was pure white, thanks to the copious clouds, and a gentle breeze flew through the air.
"To watch the second task?"
"Yes." answered Fleur, smiling slightly, "Gabrielle is quite a fan of yours, you know. I should show you the letter my maman sent me after the champion selection."
"And what would that be?" asked Harry with a groan.
"' - must have spent hours talking about how beautiful he was - '." replied Fleur in amusement, "She would demand to hear your story every night before bed, almost religiously."
"Does she know how well you know me?" asked Harry, his head in his hands.
"No, she does not." answered Fleur, "Although I can inform her, if you like."
"No!"