Disclaimer: The Harry Potter universe belongs to the proverbial Duchess of Magic, JK Rowling, Scholastic, Bloomsbury, Warner Bros and some other high falutin' companies. No matter how much I whine about not owning anything related to the HP universe, other than a few fanfic plots, I do not profess to own - and would never dream of making any money off - JKR's wonderful world... Damn it!
Chapter Sixty Nine - Viva La France
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―==(oIo)==―
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Returning from the Wizengamot session, Sirius had remained quiet until after dinner. That evening, he called for a 'family' meeting in the main dining room.
Once everyone was there, he laid out what had happened at the Wizengamot meeting regarding CeeCee. Harry only added a couple of very specific and relevant points, as he felt Sirius had done a sterling job of relaying the major ones.
Once he was done, CeeCee was already enveloped in her mother's arms, Dorothy's, as the older woman looked quite concerned.
"As Harry explained to me," said Sirius. "This was just, as he put it, a further 'shot across the bows'. This was the Dark trying to both discover further information and trying to squeeze us into making certain moves of their own desire."
"It is clear Parkinson wants the Malfoy fortune," sighed Harry. "I believe that was the background of the betrothal contract between Draco and Pansy. Parkinson wanted the Malfoy fortune and vice versa. Both thought they would come out on top, once the time was right.
"Parkinson is trying to recover that plan. But, by the body language of Caracticus Nott, it is clear he's also willing to share the fortune with Nott by seeing CeeCee in a similar contract with Theodore Nott, Nott's grandson. It is clear to me those two have formed an unholy alliance."
Narcissa gave a huff, crossed her arms and said, "That makes sense."
She then turned a very direct look on Harry and said, "It is now clear to me you were not lying when you said the Sorting Hat wanted to immediately sort you into Slytherin."
Harry just gave a slight smug smirk back for a moment.
What the two had not seen were the quick looks passed between Dorothy and Stephen.
"Parkinson is now going to do his own research," said Sirius. "I'll have to talk, again, with Ted Tonks and find out how successful he believes he's been in muddying up the tracks of the research he carried out to find CeeCee in the first place. Until we know that, the Wilkinses are in grave danger if they go home."
"No," sighed Harry. "Sorry, but that's misleading. What you mean is the Wilkinses are in danger if they go home, because of someone carrying out the same research Ted was able to gather. That implies the danger will no longer exist if the research is hidden or destroyed. We cannot presuppose that. We do not know if there exists other research that could also find them.
"For example," he looked to the Wilkinses, "Did any of you speak, while in the bank, in front of anyone else who isn't family and trusted?"
"Yes," sighed Stephen. "I guess we all did, at some time."
"Then there exists the risk that someone will have, or will in later viewing of a memory of the event in a pensieve, recognise your accents as Australian," he explained. "Now, how many magic schools are there in Australia?"
Sirius sighed and replied, "Three. Two boarding and one 'day' school."
Harry quietly said, "Then it would only be a matter of days before the Wilkinses would be found - maybe a couple of weeks if they, those looking for them, were stupid. I do not know how corrupt the Australian Ministry of Magic is, but it must be assumed they are possibly even more corrupt than our own. A quick and surreptitious handing over of gold and the home address of the Wilkinses would be easily known. Running and hiding back in Australia is not a safe option."
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―==(oIo)==―
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The Weasley household were in good spirits. Arthur had come home the previous day in high spirits and the most relaxed his wife had seen him in months.
"What's gotten into you, Arthur?" she'd asked.
"You know those two projects I was in charge of shepherding through to completion?" he'd laughed. "They're done! Both of them!"
"Oh, Arthur!" Molly had gushed. "That's wonderful news!"
"And only a month late!" he grinned. "At least I got it on Madam Bones's desk in time for her to present it to the Wizengamot for first reading tomorrow. I hope she does, too."
As Arthur sat back and relaxed, Molly had prepared for him his favourite meal; roast corned beef, baked veggies and lashings of gravy, followed up with a freshly baked apple pie from apples freshly picked from the trees outside.
Ron, though, hated corned beef with a passion that bordered on loathing. It didn't stop him from eating more than his fair share, though. However, after his months at Aunt Muriel's, he now only ate just a little more than a full adult serving. And he no longer shoved food into his mouth at a rate that had him going through his dinner twice as fast as even the second fastest eater at the Weasley table, Charlie.
All the Weasleys had noticed the drastic change in Ron's eating habits and congratulated him on the major improvements in his table manners. He'd tried, his second night home, to return to his old ways while he had the chance. However, it just made him sick and he nearly ended up vomiting it all back up again. He didn't try again.
"So, Madam Bones accepted it?" pressed Ginny, once she found out why her father was in such good spirits.
"Accepted it, yes," he replied. "Now I just need to wait to see what sort of changes I'll need to make before it becomes law."
"And the 'muggle experience' course?" asked William, home at the time on one of his 'short visits'.
"Same," his father replied.
After watching the reading of the Bill for the Statute in the Wizengamot session, Arthur had quietly left the chamber and returned to work. He had immediately sought out the witch he considered his second-in-command, after Cliff had fulfilled his promise and retired within the second week of the 'new reality', as he'd called it.
"Genevieve," he'd called to her.
"Boss?" she'd immediately looked up from what she was working on and asked.
He grinned and said, "It's been accepted for the first reading."
"Woohoo!" she'd returned, before laughing.
Genevieve Goodfellow was one of the two muggleborn government spies who'd been assigned to accept employment in the new and expanded Muggle Artefact Office - the words 'Misuse of' had been dropped from the name. Arthur had 'promoted' her to be his second in command of the office within only a few weeks, when she showed a clear understanding of what was needed to be accomplished and worked hard to see it done.
Arthur just didn't know that her ideas were coming to her from an MI-5 'think tank' set up to provide her with the ideas, which formed the direction the government security agency wanted to see things go. He was just happy that her ideas, according to him, all proved sound and do-able.
It was because of her work that the new Statute for the Misuse of Muggle Items was near exactly as MI-5 wanted it, with what they thought they could get away with. She'd already been informed that, once her current MI-5 assignment was done, she was to be promoted within that organisation and allowed her choice of assignments. She was giving serious thought to staying where she was and seeing if she could employ her skills in seeing other wizarding Statutes 'amended' with MI-5 recommendations.
Her colleague who headed the procurements team, Peter 'He of three first names' Glengarry, was the NCIS undercover agent. He earned the position as Head of the team by being the one to both come up with the idea of using a disused muggle holiday camp as the muggle base for the course and shepherded through the purchase of it. What only a few - he, Goodfellow and Bones - knew was that the camp had been seized by NCIS as an asset used by a major British drug cartel only twelve months prior. And it was the NCIS that faked up the documentation that 'allowed' the Ministry of Magic to purchase it.
Not even those three knew, though, that the camp was also heavily monitored through hidden surveillance equipment. Security was that tight. Neither MI-5 nor NCIS were going to leave anything to chance.
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―==(oIo)==―
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However, that was the previous day. Today, Ronald was in his room, frustrated with not being able to get the books he wanted. Yes, he had the books on protective magic and light magics that he could use to combat dark magic, but he wanted the actual dark magic books. He wanted those curses.
While in his room and working on his knowledge of light-sided charms, hexes and protections by going through the wand movements as fast as he could, his mind kept drifting to figuring out ways to get the gold he needed to buy the right books.
With a sigh, he looked outwards in memory at what he had, what the wider family had and what he could hock to get him more gold. Even across the whole family, there was very little. The Weasleys lived inside their means, but lived to the maximum inside their means. There were no extras that could be hocked without being missed. There were no hidden caches of 'treasures' or gold he could use. There was nothing.
But, then he had a thought. There were such at Aunt Muriel's. She had a couple of items he could take and hock. He just had to take them to the right person. And, the only one he could think of was Mister Burke of Borgin and Burke's.
His problem there was that he'd have to go back to Aunt Muriel's to collect what he needed and make a quick trip to Knockturn Alley. Though he knew he'd then soon have the books and, with it, the curses needed, he didn't want to ever have to return to that woman's questionable care.
"I should have grabbed them while I was there," he muttered, annoyed with himself over his lack of forethought.
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―==(oIo)==―
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The day after the Wizengamot meeting, Narcissa was more determined than ever to get her Tapestry Circle off the ground.
'Potter is right,' she thought. 'Parkinson and Nott are clearly in some form of "duo" alliance to try and get hold of the Malfoy fortune through forcing a marriage or concubine contract - or, worse - onto Corina. I am not going to let that happen.'
With her determination reinforced she prepared what she needed to say and to whom. First, she needed to speak to a new Law-wizard of Record. There was no way in Morgana's name she was going to use the one who was the Malfoy one until Ted Tonks, nor would she use Ted Tonks for this.
She went to the one who used to be the Black Law-wizard of Record until Sirius moved the account to Tonks - Dewey, Skroohem and Howe. Of course, she dealt with Dewey, the senior partner.
The man was quick to provide what she needed, as the firm was desperate to get back at least one of their now departed major clients. They would have preferred to get the Black account back, but were more than willing to accept the Malfoy legal account as 'compensation' and were gambling on Narcissa becoming regent for her daughter. After all, the Malfoys were close to the same value as Black, gold-wise.
Quickly, the man had the instructions to draft the necessary documents to create the 'club' called 'The Tapestry Circle'. When he was given the information as to why the circle was being formed, he was almost horrified; not by what the Club wanted to achieve, but by why it was clearly necessary.
He and his wife, both purebloods from long lines of purebloods, had lost two children to stillbirth; the only two they'd ever tried for. They'd never tried again, as the pain of losing such was already nearly too much to bear. When shown the evidence of Malfoy's claims he, too, was furious the information had been deliberately buried. Though male and the membership of the Circle would be strictly female, he became a major supporter, right then and there.
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―==(oIo)==―
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After a long day and a half over the previous two days occasionally sitting with the Wilkinses and explaining what Parkinson had attempted, on the Thursday Harry was brought out of focussing 'inwards' on the family and focussed 'outwards' on friends and the rest of the wizarding world. He was surprised to receive a letter delivered by Errol, the Weasley's old family owl. It was from the twins.
~ # ~
Lord Harrison J Potter,
Head of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Potter
All-round top bloke.
Harrikins!
We send you this mini-missive to let you know that the Pinhead, Percy, has gone and gotten himself betrothed. And, you probably guessed, it's to the lovely Miss Penny Clearwater.
It seems he took onboard what you told him about offering to change his name to Clearwater and he's done exactly that. Leastwise, that's what he's going to do as part of the betrothal contract written up between Dad and Lord Clearwater.
Mum's a bit pissed about it, though. She doesn't like that Percy's been 'forced to' change his surname, just so he could marry the woman of his dreams. She thinks it's a load of old nonsense and 'modern' witches and wizards shouldn't engage in such outdated concepts. We know it's because she doesn't want to understand, rather than she simply doesn't.
But, Percy's right pleased and really doesn't care whether or not Mum's upset about it. He has our respect for that.
We've no idea when or where the handfasting's going to take place. However, Percy's so happy about everything he's told us to tell you that you and yours will be invited. He says he knows he wouldn't have ever gotten the chance to marry her, if it wasn't for your idea to offer to change his surname. So, as far as he's currently concerned, Harry Potter and 'his three ladies' will be VIP guests at the handfasting.
Anyways, we just thought you'd like to know.
Oh; and Mum wants to know when you can come and pay us a visit again.
Gred and Forge
(love and kisses)
~ # ~
After snickering in amusement and passing the letter off to Daphne, Harry wrote his reply.
~ # ~
Messers Fred and George Weasley
The Burrow
Ottery St. Catchpole
Gred and Forge,
I'm glad to hear Percy took on board my suggestion and went with it. Please pass on my, Hermione's, Daphne's and Fleur's congratulations to him and his.
As Penny is the Heiress Secondary to the Noble and Most Ancient House of Clearwater (and, therefore, One of the Seven), together with in direct line of succession, I doubt very much we four will not receive an invitation to attend the handfasting. Lord Clearwater is pretty much obligated to send us one. So, tell Percy not to worry about it.
Our only concern will be, of course, Ron's behaviour. I still have not forgiven him for deliberately creating a situation that could have easily gotten me killed - if I was the Harry Potter he thought me to be. That is, if I did not already know of the treachery of which he is capable. We'll be giving that a lot of consideration before we'll even decide whether or not to attend; because, as Percy's brother, Ron will of course also attend.
Please also pass on my congratulations to Ginny for successfully taking on the role as seeker for the Lions. I and mine attended both Gryffindor matches and saw how well she performed. She has real talent in the sport. I daresay she could easily make a career of it, if that was her dream.
No doubt you would all know by now of the appearance of young CeeCee. She's the young lass who is the rightful inheritor of the Malfoy estates after the sudden deaths of both Lucy and Draco on the night they tried to use me in some kind of resurrection ritual to bring back Vole-in-his-shorts.
CeeCee - Charlotte C Wilkins - is the adopted daughter of a couple of muggles, who already had two children of their own when they adopted her as an infant. She was actually born the second child of Lucy and Narcissa Malfoy, but was dumped by Lucy Malfoy halfway around the world because of birth issues that are considered medical-in-confidence. That is, it's private medical information and not for discussion. I've met her and talked to her. Wonderful girl.
At the moment, I'm currently staying at the Black Townhouse in Kings Cross. I've spent only a little time at my own home, Pottermore, because of needs to visit my three ladies. However, I'll soon be moving to southern France to spend time with Fleur and her family while Fleur undertakes her NEWT exams in the French Ministry. After that, I'll be staying for a little while at the Greengrass manor and at the Grangers' home, which will take us to the end of the summer break.
So, as you can see, time is very restricted for me.
Thank your Mum for the invitation, but I doubt very much I'll get a chance to drop by The Burrow before school recommences. There's already just far too much I've still yet to do regarding my responsibilities and nowhere near enough time in which to do it.
Harrison
~ # ~
After reading the letter, Daphne handed it back to Harry and asked, "Do you think that's going to stop Molly Weasley from sending you invitations?"
"Nope," he replied. "She'll keep badgering the twins to invite me over. It's in her nature."
"So, what are you going to do about it?" she asked.
"Nothing," he replied. "At least, this way, I get to hear from the devil twins. Besides, it's not my responsibility to curb her demands. Sooner or later the twins are going to have a gutful and refuse.
"Now they're of-age they can legally refuse. But, as they're still living at home, I don't think they will until she pushes them just that bit too far."
She nodded back.
He sent it that afternoon via Hedwig and hoped Molly would not try to intercept it. As both twins were now of-age he hoped she wouldn't.
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―==(oIo)==―
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Even though she was still waiting for the corporation documents of The Tapestry Circle to be finalised, Narcissa was not going to sit idle until they were. That day she began to make her visits to others she was both 'acquaintances' with and of whom she already had evidence they'd lost children.
She'd be starting with the Neutrals, rather than the Darks. Taking them alphabetically, because there was no reason to use any other order, that meant a visit to the Dowager Aldermaston, Mildred Aldermaston. The advantage with Aldermaston was it would give her a 'foot in the door' of the other Neutral families.
After sending the dowager a letter by owl the previous late afternoon, she'd received confirmation and invitation to join the woman that very morning at 9.00am. Dressed in a set of her 'visiting' robes, Narcissa was out via the floo right on the hour of the appointment, to the second. She took with her both the evidence of the birth rates and defects, together with the initial documents of The Tapestry Circle.
Narcissa would later come to know that, by pure happenstance, her visit to the Dowager Aldermaston as one of her first visits was the most important of all. The 'old biddy', once she learned of what Narcissa had to show her as evidence of her claims, went on a rant that lasted almost half an hour.
Once she calmed somewhat, she demanded, "And what, pray tell, do you intend to do to repair this... this... abomination!"
Narcissa laid out for her what she'd done until then and what she hoped to accomplish in the near future and beyond.
"I'm in!" declared Aldermaston. "And... I'll help you with getting in touch with the others you need. So they know there's nothing underhanded going on, I'll be joining you in those meetings.
"You and I might not see eye to eye on many things; however, on this, we are one voice!"
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―==(oIo)==―
ˇ
After a long morning spent at Longbottom Manor with Alice and Adeline, Hermione turned up at the Black Townhouse shortly after lunch. By then, Harry and Daphne were in Fleur's room and again assisting the girl with study for her exams.
Hermione immediately dove in to help.
After an hour she asked, "So, when do you have to head back to France?"
"We leave tomorrow morning," replied Fleur. "The eeexams will be starting on Monday morning at the Ministry."
When Hermione then turned to look at Harry, he said, "Yes, Hermione. As I said before, I'll be joining her for the two weeks."
Hermione gave a nod and said, "In that case, I'll come over sometime during that time. I don't think my parents will have a problem if I'm gone for... say... a week."
Fleur smirked and said, "You do not want to miss out on your ''Arry-time'."
Hermione lightly blushed, stuck her nose in the air a little defiantly and replied, "No. I do not."
That had all three girls giggle while Harry chuckled a little.
"I'm going, too," said Daphne. "Father has no problem with it."
"And your mother?" asked Harry.
Daphne lightly blushed and replied, "She wants to help me pack. Or, rather, she wants to help me pack... light."
Harry didn't know what she meant, but it appeared Hermione and Fleur did. It wasn't that important to him, so he'd see if he could subtly find out later.
Instead, he asked Hermione, "How goes your lessons with Alice and Adeline?"
"Good!" she immediately replied, before launching into an explanation of what sort of lessons she was being given.
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―==(oIo)==―
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Thankfully, the international portkey was not an early one. It left at 10.00am from the Ministry international portkey point within the Department of International Magical Cooperation.
The three going were Fleur, of course, Harry and Daphne. All three had their trunks shrunk and in their pockets. Sirius 'brought' them, but there was really no need to. They only had to go via floo from the Black Townhouse to the Ministry atrium and take the lift to the department. All up, about five minutes.
Arriving in the Ministère de la Magie in Paris, France, they were met by Jean-Paul, Apolline and Gabrielle, the latter of whom immediately gave a squeal of delight and charged her sister. The two were hugging before the three were even far enough forward of the International check-in desk not to be in the way. It was left up to Fleur to drag her sister with her and far enough apart from the desk not to be considered a nuisance.
Jean-Paul immediately asked, "Got everytheeng you need?"
Harry gave a nod and smile back, "Yes, Sir."
"Good," Jean-Paul gave a firm nod back. "Apolline weell make sure you get to the manoir, safely. I 'ave to return to werk."
After he gave Fleur a big hug, a quick hug to Daphne and shook Harry's hand, the man quickly gave his excuses and left. That then left it to Apolline to escort them to the nearest set of public floos so they could floo to Delacour Manoir.
Less than three minutes later and they were in the manor's welcoming parlour.
_‗_
―==(oIo)==―
ˇ
The first thing Harry noticed was the almost opulence of the building. It was quite close, but just a smidge better, than Pottermore.
Surprising Harry, he was shown to a room that was across the hall from Fleur, with Daphne in the room next door to Fleur's. Harry just hoped Hermione would not be shunted off somewhere else.
However, his fears were laid to rest when Apolline said her room was directly next to Fleur's on the other side to Daphne's. And she apologised for not being able to get them all right alongside the others.
"It's alright, Apolline," he was quick to say. "I cannot see how you'd be able to organise them any other way and still be fair."
After dropping off their shrunken trunks, with the Manor house elves immediately moving to unpack them for them, Fleur took them on a quick tour of the manor.
Finally, they were shown outside. And the first thing he and Daphne noticed out there was the warmth. It wasn't the comfortable warmth of London in summer, either. This was almost a tropical warmth with a decently high humidity.
Moving her arms a little as she looked about, Daphne said, "Alright, that's going to take a little getting used to."
"The warmth or the humidity?" asked Harry.
"Both," she smiled back. "I think we all need to change into something a lot lighter and airier than we're wearing."
"Yes," said Fleur. "That is a very good idea."
_‗_
―==(oIo)==―
ˇ
After changing into light cargo pants, a simple collared T-shirt and with canvas slip-ons on his feet. Harry rejoined the two girls down in the informal dining room.
Their tour showed him that Delacour Manoir was of a similar style to the main manor houses of magical Britain. The main difference was the wide balconies that surrounded both main levels - the ground floor and the next floor up, where all the bedrooms were to be found. Each bedroom also had a door that opened out onto the balcony, so one could go out there at night and enjoy the evening air.
Once down in the informal dining room he looked to Fleur and asked, "What are your plans from now until Monday morning?"
"Rest," she immediately replied. "I intend to rest my mind, with only light revision work of no more than two 'ours each night over the weekend and then three 'ours each evening for the exams that would be 'eld the next day."
"Good," he nodded. "I'm glad to hear you intend to practice what you preached to Hermione a couple weeks ago."
She lightly smiled back and said, "Proper study practices is something we were taught at Beauxbatons in our first year. It is disappointing to discover it is not at 'Ogwarts."
He gave a sigh and said, "True."
_‗_
―==(oIo)==―
ˇ
The weekend was as relaxing as they could get it for Fleur. However, Sunday night Harry took Fleur into his room and gave her the aid she needed, even if she did not need that aid that night.
Lying in bed later and with both bathed in a light sweat, he said, "I hope that will be able to help you get the best grades you can."
Like the other two, she liked to curl into his side after sex. She was doing it this time, too. Her only response to his comment was a very pleased verbal nod. "Mmm."
He already knew he'd made it good for her. She'd again babbled in French during the late evening's activities, as she usually did.
On the Monday morning, she almost languidly rose and readied herself for her day. Surprising Harry, she wasn't wearing either her Beauxbatons or Hogwarts uniforms.
"They're unnecessary for the eexams when taken at the Ministry, 'Arry," she replied when he asked. "Those who usually take the eexams at the Ministry are almost always those who were 'ome schooled, tutored or self-studied. Therefore, it is considered rude to wear uniform when undertaking the tests there."
"Ah!" he muttered. "Makes sense."
After she'd left, escorted by Jean-Paul, Apolline approached and said, "You met 'er needs last night, yes? Zank you."
Only blushing a little, he replied, "I... thought it would help her, concentration wise, for her exams."
"I belief eet weell, too," she smiled. "Eef notheeng else, as you would ser-mise, eet weell remove zee... com-pul-shun... yes?... compulsion from 'er for zee time."
"Yes; that's what I thought," he confirmed.
"Zen, again, Zank you,"
_‗_
―==(oIo)==―
ˇ
As the week progressed, while Fleur dutifully returned as needed back to the Ministry, Apolline took both British teens out to see the sights of both magical and non-magical France. They visited all the muggle highlights, of course; the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre Museum, the Palace of Versailles and the Chateau De Chambord. However, they also visited the magical (wizarding) areas, too. They visited Voie de Magicien (Wizard's Way), the main shopping area of Paris and biggest in France; Le Louvre Magique, the hidden magical part of The Louvre Museum; Jardins Beauxbâtons, the gardens of Beauxbatons, open to the public during summer when school wasn't in session; plus others.
Of course, Harry being Harry just had to sample the finest foods on offer around the country. He visited small provincial cafes right up to restaurants that rated three Michelin stars. However, while he thought the presentation was nice for each dish in the latter cases, he could not see how the taste could be considered any better. He might try to 'chef' each plate he served up a bit in future, just for presentation purposes, but he couldn't see any improvements on what truly mattered - how delicious it was.
After Fleur would return from her day at the Ministry, Harry would ensure she had a relaxing bath then cooked for her. Though he was considered a guest, Fleur begged her mother to allow Harry to cook at least one meal.
"You will see, Maman," she firmly said. "Once you 'ave sampled 'Arry's cooking, you will let 'im cook whenevair 'e wants. I assure you."
She was right. After being allowed to cook dinner on the first Sunday night after arriving, they were only on the second course when Apolline looked him dead in the eye and said, "Whenevair you want access to zee kit-chon to cook; you 'ave eet!"
While Daphne and Fleur snickered in amusement, Harry beamed in delight. "Thank you!" he firmly said.
"I just ask zat you attempt to teach our 'ouse elves these improvemonts in cookeeng," she begged.
Harry was only too happy to try. Which led to him giving the elves cooking classes in the early mornings, before everyone else was up; and during the late afternoons, after being out doing the touristy stuff while he waited for Fleur to return from the Ministry, if that's where she was on that day.
Of course, she wasn't at the Ministry, day after day, from early morning until late afternoon. Some days, she was only there for the morning or the afternoon, not both. And, on one occasion she was there for the mid morning and the late afternoon, but had a gap of four hours between the two.
Even with Fleur having the full day off, Harry hadn't even realised it was a Friday when Apolline informed him they'd be at the Ministry the next morning to collect Hermione from the international portkey point they'd arrived at a week earlier. Nor was he even fully aware it was his fifteenth birthday the next day.
He'd never had the chance to 'celebrate' his birthday before, except on the two occasions when he'd already been collected from the Dursleys by the Weasleys. The only clue he had that his birthday was coming up was when Molly Weasley had sent him a letter, via Errol, that she had planned to bake him a cake, especially for the day. And that she was insisting he turn up at The Burrow to have a major party for it - his birthday, not the cake.
He, of course, immediately wrote back and informed her he was currently in France and would not have a chance to return 'for the foreseeable future'. He, happily, heard nothing back.
'Maybe she's finally accepted the fact that nagging me with invitations wasn't going to work,' he thought, before he then muttered, "Nah! She's far too pig-headed not to keep trying."
_‗_
―==(oIo)==―
ˇ
The next morning, Harry cooked up a decent breakfast feast. He did it, not because he knew the Delacours and Daphne were expecting one, but because it was just so much fun to do. Besides, it was his birthday and he decided to splurge.
Knowing the Delacours much preferred their own French cuisine than standard English fare, even if Harry did cook it far better than the 'dripping with fats' that the English usually plated up, Harry laid on a French breakfast spread with fruit croissants, pain au chocolat (chocolate bread) and an apple/pear turnover, but added Flemish waffles, poached eggs, grilled bacon, coffee and orange juice. It actually all worked well together. Harry even thought he'd found the basis of a decent breakfast spread for when he was cooking 'full time' back in Pottermore in future and didn't want to lay on a Full English Lite. He'd try to change things around, of course, but this was definitely a successful template.
After letting breakfast settle, with no one really interested in morning tea except for cups of tea for Harry and Daphne and cups of coffee for the Delacours, Jean-Paul took the three 'Potters' back to the Ministry to pick up Hermione.
Jean-Paul was last through after a short delay. Harry wondered why, but was too keyed up on the near imminent arrival of Hermione to worry about it. Quickly, they made their way up to the arrival point.
Right on time Hermione arrived with about half a dozen others around a big rope quoit in the arrival point and was quick to grin and hurry over to them. Of course, Harry was practically snogged, right there, before she finally stepped back and cheerily said, "Hi! Missed you! Happy birthday!"
Grinning back he said, "We missed you, too. And, thank you."
With the girl almost clinging to him like a limpet, he asked, "Got everything?"
"Yup!" she declared. "Shrunk and in my pocket."
"Great," he firmly said. "Let's get you to Delacour Manoir then." Then looked to Jean-Paul.
Jean-Paul merely grinned at them and led the way back to the public floos.
_‗_
―==(oIo)==―
ˇ
Surprising Harry, almost as soon as they returned they threw him a surprise birthday party. Apparently, the house elves had gotten to work as soon as he'd left via the floo. That was the short delay of Jean-Paul arriving at the Ministry. He'd given the house elves the 'go ahead' to get everything going. Something they'd been planning for the past week and had kept from him.
Of course, with Hermione's arrival and the immediate party, the house elves took care of organising the lunch too. And, it was during lunch Harry received his birthday presents.
His favourite, by far, was the somewhat illegal wand holster with the auto 'draw' charm gifted him by Jean-Paul. It caused the wand to eject into his hand at just the right point for him to snag it by the grip, ready to cast.
"In Briton," said the man, "These are considaired only permissable by your aurors, 'it wizards and Unspeakables. 'Owevair, such laws do not exist 'ere in Fronce."
Hermione immediately asked, "Won't he get in trouble for having one when we go back to England?"
"Non," he replied. "'Arry is the Lord of a Most Ancient House. He is... excused... exempted from such laws."
While that would have, in the past, sent Hermione on a bit of rant, nowadays it did not. She was more and more becoming used to and understanding the exemptions that applied to the Seven.
It didn't even take him all that long to get used to it, either. Jean-Paul explained there was a built-in rune sequence that held back the hand from gripping too early, thereby meaning the wand was gripped too far up the shaft. However, there was no such one for gripping too late. Harry's quick reflexes, though, meant that second one wasn't even tested.
_‗_
―==(oIo)==―
ˇ
Apparently, by prior understanding between his ladies, Hermione spent that night with Harry in his room. No one in the manor even batted an eye when, the next morning, Hermione came down late to breakfast looking a little 'goofy', but clearly happy.
Harry just looked a little smug. He'd finally caught on to how he was believed, by his ladies at least, to be quite skilled in the bedroom. Mind you, all three practically had to sit him down and tell him; almost having to go the route of a magical vow to ensure he both knew and accepted they weren't just trying to boost his self-confidence in the sexual arts.
As it was Sunday and the middle of summer, the manor-hold decided they'd spend the day at one of the beaches of the Côte d'Azur, the French Riviera. Harry, never having been to a beach before - let alone a French one - did not know what all the knowing smirks between the ladies meant. Instead, he happily changed into a pair of swimming trunks, donned a collared T-shirt and a pair of sandals, grabbed a large beach towel from the manor stocks and was ready to go in plenty of time. They'd be taking a portkey created by Jean-Paul to a little rarely-travelled laneway a short walk to the beach.
When the girls all came down, each wearing a light summer dress over what appeared to be bikinis and the like, each also wearing a wide-brimmed straw hat and carrying small canvas bags, he definitely knew they were up to something.
However, they were joined by Jean-Paul, Apolline and little Gabby and were already portkeying away before he could even ask.
As promised, it was a short walk to the beach. And, it wasn't until they didn't immediately stop, but instead walked along the beach into a more secluded one, that he realised what was going on. Before he even realised it, he'd been led onto a nudist beach.
Everywhere he looked: Nudity - or, at least toplessness.
"Errmmm―" he whined.
His bondmates saw he'd finally figured out where they were and giggled at him.
_‗_
―==(oIo)==―
ˇ
Back in Britain, Narcissa had been working wonders in getting all the Dowagers and Ladies together. Dowager Aldermaston had worked her magic and, over the past ten days, brought together as many of the 'victim' witches together as she could. The meeting just concluded was the first time the (greatly expanded) Tapestry Circle had met as a single group. To date, there were almost thirty of them; members.
"This has to be a cover-up!" declared one elderly witch. "There is no chance people did not already know of this!"
"That is true," said Narcissa. "However, while we might not know who it is who is responsible for this, we know what the result has been; lost babies!"
There was no dissent.
"And what do we need to do to stop it?" asked another.
"First thing; we cannot continue to let our children marry one another across the supposed existing blood lines," she replied. "Dorothy assures me that the number of lost babies will be greatly reduced if newbloods - that is, those we call muggleborns - are matched with those known as purebloods, or match well outside of magical Britain and, probably, other English-speaking countries. We must stop local purebloods marrying local purebloods."
"Our Lords, Heads of Houses and husbands will never allow it!" declared one.
"Our Lords, Heads of Houses and husbands must be made to!" another shot back.
_‗_
―==(oIo)==―
ˇ
The afternoon at the beach turned out, as far as Harry was concerned, brilliant!
At first he was embarrassed as all get out. However, once he managed to get his mind wrapped around the idea that there was far more skin on display than he expected, by switching his thoughts on the matter from 'sex' to 'biology', he found he enjoyed the time. But, that was after first having to take quite a few swims.
However, he didn't even take his own togs off until they'd been there for at least three quarters of an hour. It took him that long to get over what his eyes were telling him. 'Boobs! Lots and lots of boobs!'
The girls, for the most part, weren't anywhere near as body conscious, though. Fleur, as expected, was first to disrobe. After the summer dress was slipped off, the bikini top went immediately after that. He thought she was going to stop there, but she didn't. As soon as the top was removed and dropped onto her 'pile' of clothes, the bottoms were next. Before she even had her towel laid out, she was standing there completely starkers.
As she then laid her towel out, he saw that Hermione also had her summer dress off and, after hesitating only a few seconds, seemed to give herself a firm nod and removed her bikini top. However, she didn't go any further than that.
And Daphne only removed her dress, even leaving her hat on as she laid her towel out.
Then he finally turned his attention to the other Delacours. Like Fleur, both other Delacour 'girls', oldest and youngest, had disrobed completely and were stretched out on their tummies on their towels. However, Jean-Paul only went down to one of the briefest pairs of 'speedos' Harry had ever seen. They even had that 'thong' strap in the back, leaving his bum cheeks bare.
Harry'd not even had a chance to do anything before Fleur called him over and asked him to lather her back with the contents of a large jar she was holding out to him.
That led to him smearing whatever was in the jar all over his bonded's back before she simply rolled over and said, "Keep going, please." And laid back.
Of course, then Hermione wanted the same, then Daphne. After doing her back, that was the point at which Daphne seemed to reach a decision. She rolled over, sat up, refused to even look at anyone, reached behind and released the catches to her top, removed it, set it aside and laid back down again. Then she laid there, quit a bit tense.
Harry was quick to swab her front with the unguent, or whatever it was, starting with her 'safe' areas before gently moving up to smear the cream over her breasts. By the time he was done, she'd relaxed again.
After finishing Daphne he then used the cream to cover himself, but wasn't too interested in doing his back. Hermione took care of that about an hour later when she noticed he was definitely going a little too red.
It was also about then that Hermione had finally realised that there was so many on the beach who were going bottomless, she might as well too; and did. Even Harry had doffed his trunks for a while, while lying on his tummy. However, that was a line Daphne was completely unwilling to cross and none of them pushed it.
Of course, they didn't just sunbathe. They also swam.
After the girls felt they'd gotten enough sun and their big lunches had settled down enough, they all redressed back into their swimwear and dragged Harry off to swim about in the ocean. They were joined by Gabrielle, who hadn't redressed as she was still naked while they were in the water.
The only problem they had was when a couple of young men saw that Harry was accompanied by four incredibly attractive young ladies and, even if Gabrielle was still quite young, decided he needed to share.
That lasted right up until both Fleur and Gabrielle hit them with their allure and both men found they had to quickly run into the water to hide their 'embarrassments'.
As Fleur moved in close to Harry and slipped her arm in his, she quietly said, "And that, 'Arry, is a clear demonstration of why Veela 'ave the allure."
He just gave a snort of amusement back.
_‗_
―==(oIo)==―
ˇ
Returning to the manor late in the afternoon near dusk, they all showered and changed. Then made it down, just in time, to all sit down for a summer dinner.
Of course, talk at the table was all about how the day proved to be quite the enjoyable one for them all.
Apolline asked, "Steel planning on returning to Briton on Saturday morneeng?"
"Yes," Harry firmly replied. He knew the Delacours really wanted them to stay longer, but he also knew he had to get back to Britain so they could spend time with the other families. "I know Hermione is still going through informal 'Lady of the House' training and would like to get back to it. And I have other work relating to both my House and business matters I simply cannot put off any longer."
She sadly nodded back.
_‗_
―==(oIo)==―
ˇ
Ron Weasley had managed to amass just over what he thought would be worth twenty five galleons from his efforts of finding things he could use to barter with to collect books with combat curses and the like. Some was in coin, but most was in goods; small trinkets he knew would not be missed, or would not be missed for some time.
With the goods at hand he now just needed to find the time to go to Borgin and Burke's, where he knew he could lay his hands on the books he wanted.
After a great deal of thinking about it, he knew he'd have to use the floo. He had first thought to use the Knight Bus, but knew that would cut into his meagre supply of gold. So, the floo it was.
'Now,' he thought. 'What was it Potter said by mistake back when he first used the floo? It was some slight mispronunciation of Diagon Alley. Day-gin-alley? No, he said it as if it was one word. Di-gon-lee? No. Diagonalley? Close. Di-gonally. No... diagon― Diagonally! That's it!'
Now he just needed to pick his time to go. He knew that, if he was caught, his dad would block the floo to him. So, he had to be sneaky and make sure he wouldn't be caught. No matter how much it galled him, he had to patient.
_‗_
―==(oIo)==―
ˇ
The three bondmates, excepting Fleur who was at the Ministry, were almost pacing in the welcoming hall of Delacour Manoir on Thursday afternoon. This day was the day of the final NEWT exam for Fleur. She was done.
They expected her almost fifteen minutes earlier. However, she was running late.
When she did step through, immediately followed by her father, she was grinning a smile wide enough to cause her eyes to crinkle almost shut.
Then, with a squeal of happiness, she practically skipped over to Harry to laid a massive hug on him. A hug that was quickly joined by Hermione and Daphne, making it a four-way.
"All done!" declared a chuckling Harry. "Congratulations!"
Giving it another few moments, Fleur gently disentangled them and stepped slightly back. She was still grinning, but there was also an underlying expression of worry.
"Mon cher!" she carefully said. "You... still have no problems with me going into cursebreaking at Gringotts?"
"No," he immediately replied. "However, I insist that any such contract you enter with them includes how you need to... errr... regularly visit with me."
Harry could physically feel the tenseness in her torso and shoulders immediately relax. He hadn't even realised how tense she was holding herself until she did that.
"Thank you," she quietly, but heartfeltingly, said.
"I told you, Fleur," he firmly said back. "You're not a slave. I expect and even encourage you to live your life as if this does not impact you. You want a career as a cursebreaker, then I... we... will help you attain that."
Both other girls also firmly nodded.
That earned him another snog, right there.
_‗_
―==(oIo)==―
ˇ
The last few days at Delacour Manoir were spent pretty much just lazing about. Fleur only needed to send a letter off to Gringotts to inform them she believed she had successfully completed her NEWTs with high marks and also informed them she would forward a copy of her results as soon as she'd received them.
Daphne also received an International Owl post letter from Tracey letting her know she had huge news to share and wanted to confirm the four would be back in Britain on the Saturday morning. Daphne was quick to send a reply.
Hermione asked, "Any clues on what's so important she would call it 'life changing'?"
"I think her betrothal to Justin might have moved onto the next step," replied Daphne. "That's about the only thing I can think of, which would lead to her stating that."
Harry said, "Good for her."
Other mail out and in was: Hermione sending letters off to her parents to let them know she'd be back in Britain on Saturday morning, her sending one to Alice and Adeline letting them know the same thing, Harry sending one to Sirius also mentioning the same thing, who also wrote back, with Daphne doing the same with her parents. They also received letters off their friends.
On the Friday, they also received their letters from Hogwarts; letting them know what their required texts for the year would be. It was accompanied by a note informing them that Headmistress Marchbanks had decided to continue as Headmistress for at least a few months more, but would be replaced sometime during the year by Professor and Deputy Headmaster Goodstone as the new Headmaster.
On reading it, Hermione said, "I didn't know she was thinking of quitting."
Daphne said, "She only took on the job because of Dumbledore's and the rest of the senior staff's fall from grace. She was the only one qualified who could fill the Head's role."
"I think that's why she's staying on for a while," posited Harry. "Goodstone really needs to be Deputy for a year before he can ascend to the most senior position. That won't occur until the start of the second term after New Year's Day."
"That makes sense," said Hermione.
Harry turned a wry smile on her.
_‗_
―==(oIo)==―
ˇ