Harry forcefully looked away from Hedwig's golden glowing eyes, forcing himself to observe the expression of his sole human companion. Fleur, as expected, appeared concerned, glancing nervously from Harry to Hedwig. Her eyes widened upon spotting the sudden change in Hedwig's eyes, something which caused her to look back at Harry.
He could tell that Fleur desperately wanted to know what was going on - the question was practically on the tip of her tongue. But he could tell from her eyes that she was nervous, afraid that despite what had just happened, there was a minute possibility that Harry would refuse to tell her.
"I'll tell you, I promise." assured Harry, causing the majority of the stress to leave Fleur's expression, "But we need to leave, now. This is bad."
Fleur nodded sincerely. Harry grabbed her hand, gently dragging her away from the Champion's Tent at a rapid pace.
It was a pain to walk around the crowds of people, but it was certainly much faster; they were not likely to be disturbed or bumped into - something that could not be said about traversing the hoards of students returning to the castle.
Just as Harry and Fleur were finally approaching the castle, Harry heard a sudden gasp from behind him. Turning around, he quickly spotted a large group of Ravenclaws. Although every single male in the group had their eyes glued to Fleur, a fair number of the females were looking at him with wide eyes, or, more specifically, what was in his hands.
"Is she dead?" asked one of the younger girls at the front of the group, her eyes glued to Hedwig's unmoving form.
Shit.
Before Harry could open his mouth, a series of angry yells became audible from further back in the crowd, attracting the attention of almost all of the students. Fleur quickly cast a Disillusionment Charm over the two, leading Harry to the side entrance of the school.
"Did you cause the diversion?" asked Harry as he and Fleur switched roles, allowing for him to lead the way.
"Yes, but nevermind that. What is wrong with Hedwig?" asked Fleur, her voice laced with concern, "She can not be dead, you would be much more distressed if that were the case."
"Promise me you won't say a word of what I tell you to anyone." whispered Harry as they made their way through the courtyard entrance, still invisible, "Not even to Gabrielle, or your mother and father."
"Not a word." promised Fleur.
Harry nodded, ignoring the fact that Fleur likely could not see him, and continued to lead her down towards the Chamber of Secrets.
It was very lucky that they had left before Bagman had started to announce the scores; the halls were almost completely empty, with only a few students (who were all seemingly very quick walkers) occupying them.
"Harry?" asked Fleur as the two finally stopped, having reached their destination, "People usually do not have serious conversations in a bathroom."
"Oh, I wouldn't be so sure." came a voice from the stalls. The stall door swung wildly open, revealing the translucent pale form of one Moaning Myrtle.
"Hello Harry." said Myrtle happily, "Ooh, and a friend. I suppose that's nice to see, I haven't seen you with anyone for a long time. Not even the bushy-haired one and the rude redhead."
"I haven't had any friends for a while, Myrtle." said Harry, repositioning Hedwig in his arms.
"I know, I live here, remember?" replied Myrtle cheerfully, "Are you going to show her then? I haven't told anyone, just like I promised."
"And what is it that you wish to show me in a bathroom?" asked Fleur, her eyes narrowed.
"I'm not going to moon you." groaned Harry before suddenly developing a smug smile, "Your allure isn't strong enough for that, unfortunately."
Harry quickly turned to face the sink, not particularly interested in watching Fleur burn him to a crisp. Even then, he could still see the challenging grin on Fleur's face.
"Open." he hissed in Parseltongue.
As always, the sinks gently pushed apart, allowing for a small tunnel to form through the gaps. Myrtle clapped enthusiastically before zooming back into her private stall. Harry turned to Fleur. Her face completely covered in surprise and shock, something that was not at all a surprise to Harry.
"This is why." muttered Fleur, slowly turning to face Harry, "I saw you, many months ago, coming out of here with Hedwig. You said something about her doing something, and a portrait of some sort being able to help."
"Funnily enough, that's related to what's happening right now." said Harry sheepishly, "Wait, one moment."
Quickly turning back to the sink, Harry muttered, "Stairs."
Once they had formed, Harry gently pulled Fleur forward, the look of surprise and wonder not having left her face.
"This the Chamber of Secrets." said Harry, watching as Fleur's eyes widened further, "There's a portrait down here, he's been helping me learn different types of magic, one of those being rituals. Long story short, we used a ritual to turn Hedwig into a phoenix."
"What?!" exclaimed Fleur as the two made their way down to the base of the stairs. It was a testament to how shocked, surprised, or perhaps even confused she was that any remnants of her normally cold mask had completely vanished.
"I'll explain more later." Harry assured her, "Right now, I need help."
Harry quickly dragged Fleur into the main chamber, wincing as his eyes landed upon the corpse of the dead basilisk.
I'll have to get rid of that.
Fleur reacted instantly upon spotting the basilisk, her wand snapping into one palm while the other caught fire. Upon realizing the basilisk was dead, she quickly turned to Harry, her eyes narrowed and face pale.
"Explain." said Fleur dangerously, "Now."
"Yes, you do have quite a bit of explaining to do."
Harry and Fleur quickly turned to the large portrait on the side of the chamber. Salazar sat tiredly in his frame, observing Fleur with a curious expression.
"I see you were correct." said Salazar, turning to Harry, "It is a good thing portraits can not feel allures; she is far more powerful than any Veela I have ever encountered."
"Not right now." said Harry to Fleur, having noticed the way her already large eyes widened upon reading the name at the bottom of the portrait, "I promise I'll you everything later, but right now, I need to make sure Hedwig is fine."
Salazar, who had begun to observe Hedwig (whose limp body remained in Harry's arms), quickly realized what was going on.
"Place her on the floor, away from the two of you and Lilith - the basilisk." Salazar added hastily, having noticed the way Fleur's already confused expression grew slightly.
Harry gently placed Hedwig upon the floor, making sure to keep ample space between her and himself. Retreating slowly, Harry turned his focus back to Salazar.
"Now what?" asked Harry.
"We wait." answered Salazar slowly, "It took several hours for Caladrius, it will likely be the same for her. You can explain whatever you want while you wait."
Harry nodded, turning slowly towards Fleur. Even standing in a thousand year old chamber, beside the corpse of a ginormous serpent, her features radiated beauty to the point where Harry wondered whether or not he was truly immune to Fleur's allure.
Her features, however, were rather tense; her skin was pale, her muscles taut, the beautiful blue flames not yet extinguished and her wand still out.
"Explain." she forced out.
Harry did. He told her everything; the entirety of his childhood, his discovery of the wizarding world, his adventures, him being a Mage, and about Voldemort and his horcruxes. It was more than he could ever have recalled speaking in his life, and at times he wondered if he was doing the right thing. He did not want Fleur to get hurt because of him, as noble and stupid as it might have seemed to others.
A small part of him was also worried that she would leave. He wouldn't even be able to blame her; He had already endangered her life beyond what many would believe possible.
Regardless, he did not relent, he did not leave out a single fact. She had told him everything and anything about her; her actions had been irrational, likely a side effect of never having been close to anyone, but it mattered little. He too had very little experience with others.
Salazar occasionally added a comment or two, introducing himself in his usual sarcastic manner. The whole affair went fairly smoothly for the first half; Fleur had extinguished her flames, retracted her wand, and even sat down upon the cobbled floors of the chamber beside Harry.
It was much, much worse when they reached the subject of horcruxes, however.
"A part of him lives within you?" asked Fleur, her eyes watering ever so slightly.
"Yes." admitted Harry, his head drooping, "I understand if you -"
"How do we get it out?" asked Fleur, her expression determined. The small amounts of fear in her eyes were not directed towards Harry, but were present on his behalf.
Harry smiled. He was starting to understand what both Dumbledore and Salazar had said about love; if it was anything like this, Harry could truly believe it to be the most powerful of all magics.
It's really a shame Riddle never got to experience it.
Harry continued on, aided by Salazar. They explained their theories on the third task: how they suspected one of Voldemort's Death Eaters would likely be present during the task, and how the two of them believed the Death Eaters would attempt to steal blood from Harry. How Harry would trick them into hitting him with the Killing Curse, and how he would give them someone else's blood.
"This is horrible." muttered Fleur as she slumped against the floor. She had just finished hearing everything Harry and Salazar had to say, and was quite clearly not pleased.
"I'm sorry." whispered Harry from beside her, his eyes glued to Hedwig's unmoving body.
"It is not your fault." Fleur whispered back, "We are in this together, non? We will see ourselves out of this together as well."
The two of them sat in silence for quite some time, both watching Hedwig for any signs of life. According to Salazar, Hedwig was to be enveloped in a sphere of red and gold light, which would gently fade away to reveal the phoenix she would become. At the moment, however, the only light came for the emerald flames of the serpent effigies.
Harry was not sure how long they had been down here by now; hours had undoubtedly passed, it was likely dinner time by now. He and Fleur had sat together in silence, leaning upon each other and the walls behind them, waiting for something, anything, to happen.
Harry had broken the silence only once, to ask Fleur whether or not she wanted to see her family. They would have likely missed her; it was unlikely that they would not notice their daughter missing for hours after a task in the Triwizard Tournament. Fleur, however, had responded in the negative, assuring him that it would be better for her to remain where she was.
Salazar had fallen asleep during the time. Harry wasn't surprised; he and the portrait had spent nearly the entire last night awake, making sure that everything had been prepared properly. While Harry could use magic to ensure he was well rested, Salazar could not.
Just as Harry himself began to fall into the realm of dreams, a bright white light appeared within the chamber, successfully waking both himself and Salazar.
The light formed a sphere around Hedwig, who had suddenly begun to float several feet above the cobbled floors. The light grew, parts of it becoming violet in colour. The sphere of white and violet light quickly surrounded Hedwig, obscuring her from view.
"Salazar?" said Harry, his voice flooded with panic, "What's going on?"
But the portrait did not respond, for he too was staring at the ball of light in shock. The light slowly grew brighter, the magic surrounding it almost tangible. A steady wind began to blow through the chamber, making the water in the pools swirl dangerously.
Just as the light finally seemed to dim and the winds suddenly seemed to slow, a sudden flare of light emerged, forcing Harry to his knees. When this newfound light vanished, a white tendril of light became visible, connecting Harry to the sphere of light that surrounded Hedwig.
"Harry!" exclaimed Fleur, her wand out and her left palm alight.
"No, do not interfere! You could kill them both!" roared Salazar. It was with great reluctance that Fleur stopped herself, instead choosing to watch with concern.
Harry could feel the tendril of magic connecting him to Hedwig, but not physically as he might have expected. It was different; a sort of strange connection between him and his owl - something magical. He didn't know how, but he knew Hedwig was fine, that Hedwig was not in any danger.
In the same unexplained way, Harry knew Hedwig was calling out to him. Harry focused every part of his mind upon the owl, as well as the bond they had formed throughout the years: surviving the Dursleys, escaping Privet Drive after inflating Marge, and so much more.
With a flare of light just as sudden as the first, the tendril and sphere vanished. Harry slowly pushed himself off his knees, looking over to where Hedwig had been moments ago.
What the -
Hedwig was not what she had been moments ago. She was different now; her wings were larger now, her beak more pronounced, her head shaped differently. She was rather similar to what Fawkes looked like, except for a few glaring differences.
For one thing, Harry could tell Fawkes was slightly smaller in size. His feathers were a combination of red and gold; Hedwig's, however, were as white as they were before, although they now gleamed with ethereal light. The flames that surrounded Hedwig were not orange as Fawkes' were, but violet. Her beautiful eyes were the same colour, violet flames seemingly flickering within them.
The biggest difference, however, was how she felt.
"I can feel her." muttered Harry, attracting the attention of both Salazar and Fleur (both of whom appeared just as shocked as Harry himself felt), "I don't know how else to explain it; I can tell she's here, and I can tell she's alright."
"That was a soul bond." replied Salazar, his voice equally quiet, "Her soul is now linked to yours. Most phoenixes can be killed if repeatedly struck with potent magic. She will only ever die when you do. She is a true familiar, unlike what Dumbledore considers Caladrius to be."
"Why is she white?" asked Fleur as Hedwig gently flew over to Harry, burying her head in his neck.
Salazar shrugged.
"I have never seen a phoenix with a soul bond; it must have - well, I do not know."
Fleur and Harry both nodded, turning back to the majestic creature.
They spent the next half hour making sure that Hedwig was fine, which Harry assured she was. In fact, Hedwig seemed better than she ever had been before; she was flying happily over the basilisk, occasionally sending violet flames at the serpent effigies.
"She is beautiful." said Fleur as she leaned against Harry within the study, watching as Hedwig flew around the chamber.
She always was.
Several weeks had passed since the second task, and life at Hogwarts changed yet again for Harry and Fleur. It was fairly similar to what it had been before, although Fleur now spent an hour within the Chamber of Secrets each day.
They had tried to bring her in more often, but had little luck; Madame Maxime had been more watchful of Fleur since the second task, which they assumed was due to her vanishing for hours after it had finished. In hindsight, it was a poor decision to say the least. Fleur, however, did not regret it.
Her parents had also been rather worried for her, although thankfully they believed in her ability to take care of herself and therefore had not notified Dumbledore. Had they done so, it would have likely been impossible for Fleur to sneak out of the Beauxbatons Carriage at all.
Not that Harry and Fleur had been particularly worried about that at the time. No, the two companions had been more worried about Hedwig. How was Harry to explain what had happened to his owl? He couldn't just waltz out and explain that he had used a ritual to turn her into a phoenix. That would end with him being sent to Azkaban and Hedwig being taken by the Ministry of Magic.
Fortunately, they had accidentally created a ready-made excuse (albeit a rather depressing one) to explain the situation. The Ravenclaws who had seen Harry and Fleur sneaking back to Hogwarts had spread the rumour that Hedwig had died during the task, something which had apparently spread through the Hogwarts rumour mill like wildfire.
It had gotten to the point where even the outside world had heard of it. The Daily Prophet, Witch Weekly, and many other news outlets had written articles about Hedwig, each article going so in depth that even Harry found himself wondering whether or not Hedwig was really alive. He had neither confirmed nor denied the rumours, instead choosing to spend the majority of his time within the chamber. The news outlets had even given him a cover for that; apparently, he was currently 'grieving the untimely loss of a loved one', or something of the sort.
Fleur had been rather amused when a group of owls had swarmed the two of them one morning as they ate breakfast by the lakeside, each carrying a letter from someone concerned with how he was dealing with the loss of his beloved owl.
Fleur's amusement had only increased upon realizing that she had a quill on her; she had taken the time to respond to each letter for him, explaining that he was being taken care of by his beloved flower, his phoenix, and his sarcastique portrait. She had seemed less amused when Harry had set the letters on fire with a flick of his wrist, though her smile betrayed her.
It had been very lucky that Fleur had warded the area well, Harry realised, or they would have likely been spotted. Especially considering how Hedwig had chosen to flame travel to where they were at the time (having somehow sensed the wards Fleur had erected to make sure no one could possibly see them). Harry had been happy to discover his beloved familiar was more than willing to help with burning the letters.
Hedwig had spent the majority of the last two weeks either in the chamber with Harry, or in the Forbidden Forest. The forest allowed for her to stretch her wings, as well as occasionally hunt for prey. The trees of the forest were all rather tall, hiding her from the eyes of the students who ventured down to the Hogwarts ground.
Harry's budding relationship with Fleur had grown as well. Neither was truly sure what it was - it certainly wasn't a friendship, but they both refused to call each other boyfriend or girlfriend. The words simply seemed too inadequate; certainly not enough to accurately describe what they were to one another. They had settled on companions for the most part - it simply felt right, or at the very least, more accurate than something as silly as boyfriend and girlfriend.
Regardless, their connection grew even further. There were simply no secrets left to hide anymore, and in turn no apparent obstacles between them. Neither wore even a fraction of their cold and distant masks around the other anymore - and after all, why would they? They had nothing to hide.
Harry was beginning to wonder whether or not Fleur had ever truly cared about him being three years younger than her. They had not done anything overly inappropriate, which Harry supposed had something to do with him being fourteen. But their lips coming together was now a common occurrence, something which he was more than fine with. She certainly hadn't seemed particularly concerned about his age during those times.
The majority of their training was now held during the few hours Fleur could be within the Chamber of Secrets. Harry and Fleur had opted to spend their time by the shore relaxing; after all, they could certainly accomplish more in the chamber than they ever could here. Harry would rather drown than deal with Salazar's many reactions to the two of them simply relaxing.
Still, there was only so much help that Salazar could seemingly provide Fleur with. They had both noticed that Fleur was not progressing nearly as much as Harry had, regardless of receiving similar instruction. Salazar had been able to explain it, however. Fleur was simply much more to her fullest potential than Harry was, having spent her entire life working to become more powerful and knowledgeable. A bit more knowledge, regardless of how obscure it was, would not bolster her abilities nearly as much as it had for Harry.
That was not to say that she had gained nothing out of it. Harry knew Fleur had a talent in Ancient Runes that matched his own, and that was without the aid of Salazar. Fleur had not yet learnt the subject from the portrait (as Salazar wanted to properly assess the both of them for their skills and talents), but Harry was sure that when she did, she would far surpass him.
"Well?" asked Harry as Fleur sat upon the carpeted floor of the study, Hedwig snoozing gently upon the desk before them.
They had just finished demonstrating all of their capabilities before Salazar; the portrait had decided that now was just as good a time as ever to assess them. They were both rather curious to hear what the portrait thought would be best for them to work on. Harry and Fleur both knew their talents, of course, but hearing the recommendations of Salazar would certainly not hurt.
"You are well suited for Offensive Magic, Defensive Magic, and Transfiguration, as you no doubt know." noted Salazar, looking at Harry, "That is good; they all align with combat rather well, which you will no doubt need."
Harry nodded. That was indeed useful; Harry would be rather annoyed to hear he was best suited for something like Herbology, especially given the future he would eventually live in.
Besides, Fleur would set all my plants on fire.
"You seem better suited for Charms, Enchanting, and Ancient Runes." said Salazar, having turned to Fleur, "Rather obscure subjects, but immensely useful all the same."
"I would love to be an Enchantress, or perhaps a Curse-Breaker." said Fleur thoughtfully.
"Both good choices, given your skill set." replied Salazar, "You seem to have invested more of your time in Offensive and Defensive Magic, rather than those."
"Which is good." noted Harry, "It means we don't have to worry nearly as much about you being able to protect yourself."
"If I progress with Ancient Runes, will I be able to use rituals?" questioned Fleur, "Or will being a Veela affect the outcome in any way?"
"I am not sure." admitted Salazar sheepishly, "Stay away from any rituals that affect your body. The rest should be fine. You should obviously do more research before you try it, however."
Harry and Fleur both nodded. It would not be particularly pleasant if Fleur were to be permanently stuck in her avian form.
Harry quickly rolled through the sand, just barely dodging a Cutting Curse sent his way by none other than his beloved companion, Fleur Delacour.
Despite his evident prowess in combative magics, Harry had been unable to learn proper dueling techniques during the last several months due to a lack of a partner. Now, however, that was not a problem. The problem was the fact that the partner he had happened to be a very proficient dueler -something she was currently making abundantly clear.
"Not bad." remarked Fleur as Harry returned fire with a curse of his own, which tore through the shield she had created, dissipating once it had done so.
Fleur had spent quite some time teaching Harry the art of dueling. Harry, truthfully, was a natural at the art; were he not, he would undoubtedly be unconscious by now. Still, he would need much more than the skill he had if he wanted to survive what would no doubt be coming his way.
That was not to say Harry had accomplished nothing, however. Harry had come a long way since they had begun dueling; his power now rivalled her own, and only continued to grow. It was truly quite a feat; Fleur had been told by her father that her magical power was on par with that of a witch named Bellatrix Lestrange, a witch who had apparently been Voldemort's right hand. Fleur knew little more about the witch, her father not having told her much more; he had apparently been present at her trial (as he was the Head of Magical Law Enforcement in France), and had simply stated that the woman was deranged at best, but still immensely powerful.
Which leaves me to wonder whether papa's statement was a compliment.
Regardless, she was very powerful; for Harry to even be capable of coming close to matching that aspect of magic at his age was incredible - but it was not enough. He had used rituals to increase his control over his body, but that too was not enough. Voldemort and Dumbledore were undoubtedly great, perhaps the greatest of all time; it would take much more than that to match them.
There were, thankfully, other aspects of Harry's magic which he could use to his advantage. Harry's wandless magic was undoubtedly a boon, but would not be so until he truly mastered it. When he did, he would hopefully be able to simply imagine what he wanted to happen (to a certain extent, anyway), which would decrease the number of spells he would have to learn. But until then, it was nothing more than a parlour trick, despite how impressive it might appear.
Harry and Fleur had initially included Hedwig in their duels, but they were quickly stopped by Salazar. Voldemort had been mentored by the portrait as well, and would likely have the knowledge necessary to construct Anti-Phoenix Wards. It was very possible that he had passed the knowledge down to his Death Eaters.
Besides, they were currently practicing by the shore of the Great Lake. They were far away from the castle, and hidden by the wards they had erected, but it was still not worth the risk. The duel was just as much for fun as it was for learning. It was getting more and more difficult for Fleur to make her way over to the Chamber of Secrets, which was part of the reason for the location of their current duel.
They had initially intended to have Hedwig find Fleur and flame her into the chamber; all they needed to enter was Harry's approval (which he obviously gave). The problem, however, was the fact that a sudden flare of violet flames was rather hard not to notice (especially considering that they were somehow capable of bypassing the wards Fleur would set up). Being spotted was not a risk they were willing to take.
They had therefore chosen a much simpler plan: whenever Fleur could (which was not very often, unfortunately), she would sneak down to the second floor bathroom. Harry, who now kept the Marauder's Map with him at all times, would allow her entry. It was tedious, and quite ineffective, but it was the best they had.
Still, Fleur could not help but be proud of her beloved companion. He was improving, and would likely surpass her quite soon. She herself would be focusing on runes, wards and enchanting; she had an obvious talent in the arts, and they would no doubt be of use in the future.
"Cave Inimicum!"
"Evanesco!"
"Diffindo!"
The pair continued to parry spells, going on for several more minutes. Eventually, Harry found himself on the receiving end of a chain of spells mixed with a ball of flames sent from Fleur's outstretched palm. Unsure of how to combat such a thing, Harry dodged to the side, resulting in him being disarmed.
"You did brilliantly." said Fleur with a smile, returning Harry's wand to him, "In situations like that, it would be best to both dodge and shield. That way you can be fairly certain your shield will not be overpowered on the off chance that a stray spell flies your way."
"You could also apparate." Fleur additionally noted, "I can teach you the basics, at the very least. It would certainly surprise them - though I suppose it isn't hard to create Anti-Apparition Wards."
"I've apparated before, you know." said Harry, hastily continuing upon seeing the look of shock on Fleur's face, "It was by accident, though. When I was seven I accidentally apparated onto the roof of my school."
"You could ask Salazar to teach you." advised Fleur, "I probably won't be able to come though. Madame Maxime is starting to notice me sneaking off to the castle more and more."
"She's still on the lookout?"
"She is." said Fleur, "For me, specifically. She has never been the vigilant before."
"Moody's probably rubbed off on her."
Fleur rolled her eyes in exasperation.
"It's fine though." said Harry, "It isn't like I don't get to spend time with you or anything."
The two of them lay down across the shore of the Great Lake, their shoulders gently touching.
"How's Gabrielle?" asked Harry. The young Veela was starting to grow on him quite a bit.
"Her most recent letter to me was entirely about how you traded Hedwig's life for her own. She is both heartbroken and head over heels."
Harry couldn't help but laugh along with Fleur.
"It would be nice for you to meet them, eventually." said Fleur, "They are my family, after all."
"That would be nice." admitted Harry, "Do you think they would disapprove of you being so close to me?"
"Whether they do or do not means little." said Fleur, "Grandma did not like papa very much at the start, yet maman still married him. But I think they would like you, aside from what being so strongly connected to you might mean for me."
"What's she like?" asked Harry, "Your grandma, I mean."
"Eccentric, I suppose. She is very confusing at times, but that is a part of her charm - according to her, at least. That, and the fact that she looks forty-five. She would love you."
"And why's that?" asked Harry with a smile.
"Because she will think you are worthy of me." said Fleur, her facial features copying Harry's, "The sole wizard worthy of her 'precious flower'."
"And am I?"
"Absolutely not." remarked Fleur, her smile growing, "You can not even beat me in a duel."
"But I can beat you in a Triwizard Tournament."
"You will not." declared Fleur, "I will beat you in such a way that you can not even claim that waiting to save Gabrielle lowered your score."
"I wouldn't complain about that." argued Harry, "I would complain about being attacked by one of Voldemort's henchmen during the third task - I mean, me being entered is obviously a plot of some sort, so I have to be attacked by someone. So I'll be attacked in the third task, and that's why you'll win."
"Then I will defeat your attacker for you." said Fleur, "If only to repay you for saving Gabrielle."
"Don't worry about it; I only saved Gabrielle because I like her. It had nothing to do with you."
Harry was very thankful that Fleur cared so dearly about his well being. It would have been rather difficult to explain his burns to Madam Pomfrey.
Fleur smiled softly within the Chamber of Secrets, watching with amusement as her bien-aimé threw yet another stream of curses the portrait's way.
"I'm starting to think you're enjoying this too much." announced Harry with annoyance, causing the portrait to chuckle.
It was now the start of April, something which corresponded perfectly with the sudden influx of rain at Hogwarts. It was also one of the rare times Fleur had managed to sneak out under Madame Maxime's watchful eye. She was glad that she had - these moments were rather precious to her, after all; she would not miss them for the world.
Harry had taken her advice and asked Salazar to instruct him on apparition, something that the portrait had readily agreed to. The Hogwarts Wards were not a problem; the Chamber of Secrets had their own set of wards, wards which were imbued with family magic; only those within the Slytherin family (or those given approval by a member) could bypass them - something that apparently included magical creatures as well. As such, the only beings that could enter, exit, or even apparate around the chamber were Hedwig, Harry, and Fleur (although the latter required the help of the former to do so).
Harry had initially been rather pleased to discover this; it made it much easier to learn how to apparate properly. He had initially planned on mastering the skill alongside his peers, something which he had quite disliked.
Now, however, the boy seemed to be having second thoughts. He had spent the last half hour pushing himself off the ground, trying his hardest not to fall into the two pools of water. The key word being 'trying'.
"For someone who dislikes swimming, you truly have a love for water." noted Salazar as Harry pulled himself out of the water once more. The boy quickly sent a rude hand gesture towards the portrait before thanking Fleur gratefully; she had dried him off with a flick of her wand, making sure to warm him up as well.
"I don't understand." said Harry, "I haven't splinched myself once, so I have sufficient determination."
"It is not a problem with your actual capability with apparating." said the portrait, "But rather a lack of balance upon arriving at your destination."
"Didn't I literally take a ritual to increase my balance and body control?"
"You did." Salazar agreed, "But remember, there is a reason apparition is first taught when students are nearing 17 years of age; their magic is more mature by then, and it helps fight off the adverse effects to some extent."
"Even his magic is immature." said Fleur with a grin to Hedwig, who was resting upon one of the serpent effigies. The phoenix hooted in amusement, causing Harry to roll his eyes.
"What do mean, my magic hasn't yet matured fully?" questioned Harry, "Are there any adverse effects?"
"Simply that your magic is still getting used to you." explained the portrait, "In many ways, magic is sentient. Your magic simply requires more time to fully grow with you."
"Magic is sentient?" asked Fleur curiously. She had heard the saying before, but never had she truly understood it.
"Indeed it is." said Salazar, "It can not think, or anything else that most life forms can do, but it is certainly sentient. Coincidences, as well as many unlikely or unexplainable events that occur are all parts of magic's sentience."
"So, when I first apparated, when I was seven." said Harry, "Is that an example?"
"It is, I believe."
"I thought that was accidental magic."
"It was." agreed Salazar, thoroughly confusing Harry, "That was your magic, which you unintentionally used. But you apparated perfectly; no dizziness, no splinching, nothing of the sort. That was the sentience of magic; it knew that you would likely end up killing yourself, and therefore fixed itself for you."
"It makes sense, I suppose." said Fleur, "If that were not the case, I suspect the majority of witches and wizards would have accidentally killed themselves. Our magic is likely what has kept that from happening."
"Speak for yourself." muttered Harry darkly, "I'm starting to think my magic is trying to kill me."
"I can see why." remarked Salazar, his voice dull, "But the fact still remains true, magic is sentient. Did you really think it was a coincidence that you were always perfectly immune to her allure?"
Both Harry and Fleur's eyes widened.
"That was my magic?" asked Harry, surprise evident in his voice.
Salazar nodded, an annoyingly smug smile etched upon his face.
"It was common knowledge during my times that those immune to a Veela's allure are destined to be with one." Salazar explained casually, "After all, why do you think I was so curious about her?"
"Curious? You referred to her as 'the Veela girl' until a few months ago." said Harry in annoyance, causing Fleur to narrow her eyes at the portrait.
"A name which you created." Salazar remarked, "But we digress. Only those who are fated to have some sort of strong connection to a Veela can be so immune to their allure. Your magic adapts in a way that allows you immunity to their allure. That is the sentience of it."
Harry and Fleur each sent the other a small smile, the latter sitting down to watch with amusement as the former continued to apparate around the chamber.
Harry and Fleur quietly made their way over to the courtyard, the latter disillusioned. Harry, while still visible to the eye, was covered by the hood of his robe. He had no reason to not be seen in the castle; it was only six o'clock on a Saturday evening, and he had no reason to hide. He was merely here accompanying Fleur back to her carriage, or at least for as long as he could be here.
"You are progressing very well." whispered Fleur from somewhere to the left of him, "If you keep it up, I may have to work quite a bit harder during the third task."
"But it isn't enough." groaned Harry in annoyance, "I can't beat you yet, and if I ever want to survive Voldemort, let alone some of the senior Death Eaters, I have to do much better - "
Harry's rant was cut off from a gentle peck from Fleur, causing him to quiet himself.
"It was almost a draw this time." Fleur reminded him, "You are improving at an incredible rate; they will not know what is coming."
"I hope so." said Harry, wrapping his arms around Fleur's invisible form. The action would likely confuse anyone that stumbled upon him at the moment, although thankfully the hall was empty.
Crack.
Harry flinched, turning towards the source of the sound. Before him stood what appeared to be the most strangely dressed house elf he had ever encountered.
Covering the elf's chest was what appeared to be a tea cozy. His legs and arms were covered in socks, each of a different colour and design. The elf's eyes were as wide as tennis balls, his ears pointed like a bat's.
"Great Harry Potter, Professor Dumbledore be asking for you!" exclaimed Dobby, bouncing up and down with excitement.
"What?" asked Harry, confused.
"He be saying great Harry Potter is to see him." repeated Dobby excitedly, "Dobby volunteered to get Harry Potter sir, and Dobby is here!"
Harry turned to where he knew Fleur was currently standing, motionless. They had both expected that Dumbledore might try to speak with him; the fallout of Hedwig's supposed death had been much bigger than either had expected, regardless of how convenient it might have been.
"Thank you Dobby." said Harry, causing the elf to smile happily once more before vanishing with another loud crack.
"It is about Hedwig, non?" asked Fleur, gently holding his palm.
"I think so." said Harry, "He probably thinks she was all I had left; I suppose I would be worried as well."
Fleur nodded before gently leading Harry to where he knew the Headmaster's Office was. Upon arriving within a few metres of the stone gargoyles, she quickly stopped him.
"I need to return to the Beauxbatons Carriage, Madame Maxime will notice." she informed him, "Do not look him in the eye, or say anything more than what is necessary."
Harry nodded, gently pressing his lips against hers before turning to face the gargoyle statues. It had only just occurred to him that he had no clue as to how he might enter the office.
Thankfully, the gargoyle sprung aside the moment Harry was within a few feet of it, allowing for the door to open behind it.
"Er - thanks." said Harry, moving through the door. The office was just as it had been on his previous visit, only occupied by Dumbledore and Fawkes. The latter of the two turned his head to the side upon seeing Harry, observing him with evident curiosity.
"Hello Ca - Fawkes." Harry corrected, holding out a hand to pet the phoenix. The phoenix crooned gently, allowing for the action.
"Fawkes has always seemed to enjoy your presence." noted Dumbledore, his eyes twinkling from where he sat behind his desk.
Harry nodded, avoiding eye contact with the headmaster as he took his seat.
"Lemon drop?"
Harry shook his head in the negative.
"I have had several people come to myself or your head of house, concerned for your well being." Dumbledore informed him, "I must admit, I too find myself concerned."
"Who?" asked Harry, his voice betraying no emotion.
"Professor McGonagall, Miss Granger, Miss Johnson, Miss Spinnet, Miss Bell and Mr. Longbottom." revealed Dumbledore, "Miss Bones has apparently spoken to Professor Sprout as well, as has Mr. Diggory. They are all particularly concerned about how you are dealing with the events of the second task."
"I'm fine." Harry assured the man, "I'm not concerning myself with anything that happened during the second task; it's over now, no need to worry about anything in the past."
Harry had decided that he would go along with Hedwig's supposed death; he had no actual way to explain what had truly happened to her, and likely would not even if he could. What happened to those he cared about was private to them; it was not entertainment for the rest of the world.
Harry made sure to avoid the headmaster's eyes in as innocent a way as possible. Truthfully, it wasn't too difficult. That was one of the benefits of seemingly being under a deep depression: he was expected to act in strange ways, so doing something strange would not exactly be unexpected.
Regardless of his actions, Harry was still able to see Dumbledore's expression. The man, although expressing what appeared to be genuine sadness, did seem somewhat wary.
He's lived a lot longer than I have, I suppose.
"Harry, I understand that you are going through a lot right now." said Dumbledore sadly, "It is unhealthy to bottle up the emotions that you feel. Let it out, or when the time comes for you to truly feel it, the pain will be much worse."
"Nothing bad should have ever happened in the first place." said Harry stubbornly, "I never entered myself in the bloody tournament, none of this should have happened at all."
"Alastor and those others who were inspecting the Goblet of Fire have come to a similar conclusion." said Dumbledore, seemingly having decided to avoid the subject of Hedwig for now, "The public will likely become aware of this within the coming weeks, unless the Ministry of Magic deems it inappropriate to release the information."
"I don't care what the people think." said Harry truthfully, "As long as the people I care about know the truth, what anyone else thinks doesn't matter."
Dumbledore nodded thoughtfully at the statement.
"That I have always known. I still remember that night, many years ago, when you discovered the Mirror of Erised. What you saw within the mirror was more than enough to confirm what you have just told me."
My family. Myself, alongside all the people whom I love, the people who love me back.
"You didn't see socks in that mirror, did you?" asked Harry curiously, his tone a bit lighter than it was before. Dumbledore smiled gently, shaking his head.
"No, Harry, I did not. I too saw those loved ones that I lost during my youth."
Harry nodded slowly, not unaware of the raw sincerity and regret radiating off the esteemed headmaster. Harry truly believed the man; it was what he himself seemingly desired more than anything else; he could certainly understand why someone else might want it.
"It is for that reason that I ask you speak to someone about Hedwig." said Dumbledore, his eyes unfocussed and distant, "After I lost those I loved, I bottled it up. Despite ending up where I am now, I have many regrets, regrets that I would gladly give everything I had accomplished to resolve. I do not wish for something similar to occur with you."
"I understand." said Harry.
Truthfully, he did, although it didn't actually apply to him. Hedwig, at this very moment, was soaring through the Forbidden Forest, no doubt antagonizing the many creatures that dwelled within it.
"That is good to hear." said Dumbledore softly, "I have nothing more to add; we have already discussed your dorm situation, as well as your classes."
"Then may I go, Professor?"
"You may indeed, Harry."
Harry quickly made his way from the office, leaving the ancient headmaster to his own thoughts.