Kapitel 51: Knock Knock
Harry stirred hours later, waking up with the sensation of sunlight streaming through the curtains.
'Damn sun,' he cursed and shielded his eyes from the offending rays.
The curtains had shifted sometime during his sleep.
'Probably when Fleur got up,' he thought and despite his initial annoyance, Harry couldn't help but feel a sense of renewed energy as the warmth of the star caressed his skin.
Stretching, Harry sat up, running a hand through his tousled hair, making it even more messy than before.
His mind slowly returned to the ritual he had discovered the night before.
'We need to approach this carefully. I'll have to go over Salazar's tomes on spellcrafting and rituals, but we'll manage it in the end,' Harry mused, his determination growing stronger as a plan took form inside his mind.
Fleur needed his help, and Harry wasn't going to rest until he found the solution.
'No matter what, Fleur isn't going inside that lake without the protection.'
Swinging his legs over the side of the bed, he stood and was about to gather his things, when he spotted a plate with a note on its side.
Curious, Harry picked up the note and read it.
"Good morning, mon amour! I hope you slept well. I've brought you some breakfast. Eat up!! I'll be back after classes. Love, Fleur."
A warm smile spread across Harry's face as he finished reading Fleur's message.
'She even drew a small heart,' he noted, feeling warm inside.
He set the scrap of paper down and reached for the plate of food, which turned out to be warm—courtesy of a warming charm no doubt.
He picked up a piece of toast, savouring the warmth and flavour as he bit into it.
Just as he was about to take another bite, he heard a sharp knock at the door.
"Fleur?" Madame Maxime's voice called out and Harry almost choked on his toast.
There was a brief pause as the headmistress waited for a reply.
'Oh shit,' Harry thought, his heart racing.
The last thing he needed was to be found in Fleur's room.
Although rumours circulated about him staying in the Veelas' room, getting caught—especially by the Beauxbatons headmistress herself—wouldn't do good for his girlfriend's reputation.
After a few moments of not getting an answer though, she departed, her footsteps echoing down the hallway.
Harry let out a breath he didn't realize he'd been holding.
'I'm sure she would have felt it if I had flashed away,' Harry thought to himself.
He was pretty sure that Madame Maxime would likely have sensed any magical disturbance caused by his teleportation.
'While the woman no doubt is leagues bellow me in magical sensing, I can't simply discard her abilities,' Harry thought.
He made a quick work of his breakfast, wondering what that was about and gathered his things.
'Oh. I know her magical signature now,' Harry belatedly realised and flexed his senses to make sure that the witch wasn't nearby.
Satisfied that the coast was clear, Harry decided it was time to leave.
If Fleur returned before him, she knew where to find him and how to contact him.
With a quick glance around the room to ensure he hadn't left anything important behind, he concentrated on his destination.
In a blink, he was engulfed by flames and vanished from Fleur's quarters, reappearing moments later in a damp room.
Unsurprisingly enough, a heavy cursing in parseltongue followed his arrival.
The hissing echoed off the stone walls, filling the room with an eerie cacophony.
"Respectless little brat. Flashing around little the proud peacock. You think you're so funny, don't you? Well, let me tell you, Hairy, in my day we had proper respect for our elders and superior species. But I suppose times have changed, haven't they?" Ash hissed, his voice dripping with sarcasm.
Harry, unfazed by the snake's irritation, merely smirked and offered a mock bow.
"My apologies, oh great Asmodeus. I'll be sure to send Hedwig the next time before I drop in."
Ash hissed in response, his forked tongue flicking out in annoyance.
'Ah, I see the snake is prattling on again. How generous of it to flaunt its ignorance so openly. Wouldn't you agree, Harry?' Fawkes mocked Ash telepathically, perched regally on his stand and looking down on the snake.
Harry couldn't help but chuckle at the phoenix's dry wit.
'If only I could conjure some popcorn,' he thought dejectedly.
The constant banter between Ash and Fawkes never failed to entertain him, even in the most serious of moments.
A faint shimmer of magic pulsed in the air, sending a ripple across the room, as if reality itself wavered for a split second.
His reflexes kicked in instantly and Harry immediately snapped towards the point of apparition with his wand in his hand, ready to face any potential threat.
Crack.
The tension in his muscles eased when he recognized the familiar figure of Dobby materialising before him.
The house-elf's large, tennis-ball-like eyes widened at the sight of Harry's raised wand.
"Master Harry Potter, sir!" Dobby squeaked, his ears flapping as he bowed low. "Dobby brought popcorn!"
Ash and Fawkes' bickering and Dobby's sudden appearance with popcorn proved too much for Harry.
He burst into laughter, unable to contain his amusement at the absurdity of the situation.
"P-Perfect timing, Dobby," Harry managed to say amidst his laughter and accepted the popcorn with a grin. "You wouldn't believe how much I was just thinking about this."
Dobby beamed at Harry's words, his chest puffing out with pride.
"Dobby is happy to serve the great Harry Potter!" the elf exclaimed and popped away.
Harry munched on the popcorn, watching the ongoing banter between Ash and Fawkes.
'What is it that you don't understand lizard?' Fawkes continued, his mental voice dripping with disdain.
'Your primitive reptilian brain simply can't comprehend the complexities of phoenixes, can it? You are just jealous you can't flash around yourself,' the magical bird stated and ruffled his feathers, looking quite pleased with his conclusion.
Ash, was not one to back down from a challenge and hissed back with renewed vigor. "At least I don't need to burst into flames every time I want to go somewhere. Talk about being dramatic!"
That reminded Harry of his own dramatic arrival and reason for doing so—Fleur.
His merry mood took a dip and he vanished the tasty snack with a wave of his wand.
He also performed a cleaning spell, albeit this one wandlessly.
As his mind returned to the looming task ahead, the playful banter between Ash and Fawkes seemed like a distant memory, a luxury he couldn't afford.
Noticing the sudden change in Harry, the two magical creatures stopped their banter and turned their attention to him.
Fawkes trilled softly, a melodious sound that seemed to echo with Harry's soul, and took off from his perch, landing gracefully on Harry's shoulder.
'What's up, little one?' Fawkes asked slowly through their bond.
As far as he knew, Harry was well, albeit anxious about the closing second task.
The boy sighed, his green eyes reflecting his concern.
'It's about Fleur and the second task. You know the effect water has on her…' he explained.
'I've found a ritual that might help protect her from the lake, but it's complex and my only hope of getting any use from it, is converting it into a spell,' Harry paused, running a hand through his messy hair.
'The problem is, I'm not sure if I have enough time to master the intricacies of spell creation before the task. And even if I do, there's no guarantee it'll work as effectively as the ritual.'
Ash, who was silent until now, slithered closer, his scales gleaming in the dim light of the chamber.
He swiftly made his way onto his favourite spot, Harry's arm, and hissed softly.
"You worry too much, young speaker. The ancient magics of Salazar Slytherin flow through your veins. If you can't succeed with this, then I doubt anyone can," Ash said in a surprisingly harsh tone, it wasn't often that the snake got serious.
Oddly enough, that managed to reassure Harry and he nodded, grateful for the unexpected support.
Fawkes trilled softly, his soothing melody calming Harry's nerves.
The phoenix then took flight, gracefully alighting on the chamber's longest desk.
Shaking off any doubts, Harry quickly made up his mind.
He had work to do, and Ash was right.
He could it.
He stepped over to the table where Fawkes had landed and concentrated.
"Alright," he murmured under his breath, "let's see what you've got for me, Salazar."
Closing his eyes, Harry focused intently on the specific books he needed, then waved his hands.
In response to his mental command, several ancient tomes flew from the shelves, landing neatly on the desk before him.
Their leather-bound covers were worn with age, but the golden lettering still gleamed in the dim light of the chamber.
Harry opened the first of the tomes, careful not to tear the fragile paper as he sifted through it.
Hours passed, book after book, yet Harry found nothing.
The boy was nothing if not tenacious though, and his focus remained sharp.
There were a lot of times when he thought he might have found a lead, a way to convert the ritual into a spell, but nothing.
It was whilst he was following a lead like that something tugged in his senses.
It didn't feel in any kind malicious, instead, it felt warm and comforting, and he didn't react immediately.
However, before Harry could fully process this new sensation, a bright flash illuminated the chamber.
'A patronus,' Harry thought, recognizing the familiar magical signature.
The silvery form of Fleur's hummingbird materialised before him, its wings beating rapidly as it hovered in the air.
.
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FakeViolinist ‘It is my firm belief that such a Patronus is an indicator of obsession or eccentricity. Here is a wizard who may not be able to hide their essential self in common life, who may, indeed, parade tendencies that others might prefer to conceal. Whatever the form of their Patronus, you would be well-advised to show respect, and occasionally caution, towards a witch or wizard who produces the Patronus of their choice.’
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