Fleur looked at the photos in her hands with amazement.
"How did you even get them?" She asked. All of the ones taken at the tournament were deleted when the minister mobilized his force.
But not only did he manage to get many of them, from somewhere, even the quality, the angle, and clarity is also top-notch.
Chris grinned, "It's not just from any photographer. He was from 'Le Monde Magique'. I made him leave as soon as my match was over."
"..."
Fleur was a bit unnerved by Chris. Even after he destroyed that girl on stage, he still wasn't satisfied with that. He wanted to crush her thoroughly.
He also somehow anticipated that the pictures might be destroyed, so he paid extra money to the photographer of leave.
And that photographer was from Le Monde Magique, the top newspaper in France.
Fleur once again swore to never be on Chris's shitlist.
But… she still wanted to know something.
"You… why did you do all this? You have no personal enmity with her,"
Chris had barely met that girl, he had barely talked with that girl, and he had barely known about the existence of the girl. Then… the only reason would be that he somehow knew that Louise had poisoned Fleur. But… Fleur still couldn't believe it.
Listening to her question, Chris just shrugged, "There are some unfortunate people in this world who do some things that annoy me very much. It can be as simple an insult or as far as poisoning someone under my protection. Those people never end up in a good state."
Chris didn't want to tell her that she was poisoned, since then she'll know that his Potion was big deal. So he gave a roundabout answer.
>.<
But… Fleur understood it.
'It was for me... He did it for me…' she felt a strange sense of giddiness upon hearing knowing this and she involuntarily broke in into a small smile.
Chris looked at her weirdly. 'Did I say something funny?' He shrugged. Not a single girl here is normal, so it's useless to use common sense.
Meanwhile, Dora saw this scene.
"Your father is a frivolous man," she said to the two baby snakes while gritting her teeth.
Due to Chris's constant reminder, she now truly felt that Chris was father while she was the mother of these two.
Both snakes were now starting to grow the jewels on their forehead which are characteristic to Horned Serpent, but it was currently hidden under the skin through Metamorphagus ability.
Seeing her angry, the red one, Cynthia/Cindy also got angry at her father for making mum upset. While Sally/Selene shook her head as it was troublesome and she couldn't be bothered with it.
…
After the Delacours left, Chris and Dora were the only ones in the living room.
Chris slumped on the couch, "Babe, would you come sit on my lap?" Asked playfully, not knowing that the mother of his children was currently angry.
Dora pinched Chris's side making him jump.
"What were you talking about with Fleur?"
???
Chris sweat-dropped. 'What did I do?!'
'Nothing!'
She is for real?!
"H-Hey, are you… by any chance… jealous?"
"Jealous?! Of-Of course not!" Dora responded, a little too quickly. Her voice was a pitch higher. "I have no reason to be jealous!"
'Oh… so she IS jealous.'
Chris wanted to appreciate her cuteness for a while longer, but it seemed that explaining would be more beneficial.
Chris raised his hands, "Babe, there's nothing between her and me! We're just good friends..." Chris somehow found himself ending up with the most used response.
"I was just helping her out."
Dora put her hands on her hips, "Oh? What did she need your help with? To make her smile look at you all starry-eyed?"
"No! I was helping her out with her school problems. Didn't I tell you? Her situation reminds me of yours. So it made me want to help her out."
Dora scoffed,
"What problems could be facing? She's beautiful, powerful, and has a powerful family background,"
Dora was quite happy at first when Chris had told her that Fleur was also suffering similar problems as her, but after she heard that Fleur seems to have a powerful family background, she felt a bit disdainful for her.
Dora's main problem had always been her family background. Those scumbags wouldn't have even tried to bother her if she had a powerful background. But… they already knew the worst that would happen would be detention and points deduction.
And the second problem with the family background was, she couldn't retaliate too harshly, since she was worried that her father might face difficulties at the ministry after that, and of course, those powerful families would also try to have her expelled or suspended. So Dora was thinking that Fleur should have it much easier.
Chris put an arm around Dora's waist forcefully put her in his lap, "It's not as easy as you think it is for her. Powerful family background means almost nothing to a smart enough person if he/she is hell-bent on destroying you. And it's even more difficult if that enemy also has a great family background, which she uses to its full potential."
Dora struggled for a bit, but then slowly relax after she heard his words. She leaned into Chris's embrace. Though she did make sure to sit on the place which gets hard and pokey as soon as her body touches it.
She gave the matter some thought. Thinking back, she never had a b"tch as dangerous as the one Chris speaks about as her enemy. And she knows better than anyone else that there were actually a lot of things that her enemies could have done but never thought of doing which could have done her in.
But, does Fleur really has such an enemy? And if yes, then just who is it and what did she do to make Chris have such caution against her.
"I'm listening," she murmured as she buried her face in his chest.
So Chris did. He told her about her previous circumstances, Louise's contribution to them, Louise's goddess image, how she poisoned Fleur before the competition, and how he had to give her a pure magic Potion.
"Hm… it's good that you didn't tell her about Pure magic. That information is very dangerous if it somehow spreads," she kissed his cheek as a reward. Though that wasn't the only reason. She was also secretly happy that she was the only one who knew about it.
Chris's magic fluctuated. Looking at her from such a close distance, he couldn't stop himself from staring.
She's now no longer afraid of showing off her beauty and has the confidence to beat the shit out of whoever dares to look at her the wrong way.
This is what gives Chris hope that she'll eventually also be free from her fear or complex for taking things ahead.
Her appearance, after all the pure magic had absorbed had stabilized to something that was a mixture of her two appearances and was actually more beautiful than both. Also, her clumsiness has also slowly gone.
Her hair color was never fixed, but her hair was now mostly a mesmerizing purple. Her facial features are a bit similar to Andromeda's, but Dora's features are more defined and delicate, as if they have been taken to perfection. Her toned body feels so perfect in her arms, with generous curves at the right places. Her skin is so soft and delicate that he can spend hours caressing it. And her lips...
Chris unknowingly leaned in, to taste those soft, succulent, and inviting lips…
But he ended up kissing her palm which she had raised.
"Idiot! Children are watching!" She muttered as she bumped her head with his.
Chris looked at his and Dora's shoulders, and sure enough, both the little girls were looking at them curiously.
Chris's lips twitched, "You guys need some popcorn?"
….
Chris as he pretended to go to his room. He was going to go to Dora's room invisible after he's properly showed everyone that he was in his room.
On his way, he saw his mom entering the library yet again.
Chris furrowed his eyebrows. Camille has been spending a lot of time in the library lately, and something's definitely wrong if her increased fake smiles instead of real ones are any indicator.
"Mom?" He called out, though she had already turned to him before he called,
"Yes, honey?"
Chris walked upto her and looked at her worriedly, "You've been spending a lot of time in the library, most likely searching for something. Can you tell me what's wrong? I powerful have occlumency and I'm mentally quite mature, so I can keep it a secret,"
Camille showed a genuine smile, though Chris could still see a bit of regret in them, "My son," she hugged him, "Mom is so happy that you care so much! But don't worry. Mom's just picked up a new hobby of reading these days,"
She didn't want to tell Chris, since she can tell. Her son must have already seen a lot of hardships to mature so much. In these holidays, he's able to enjoy the childhood he lost. Thus, Camille doesn't want to make him grow up yet. Was this her selfishness? Maybe. But… 'Just let him enjoy for a while longer,' that's what she says to herself.
And there was another reason. This was the most important.
'I don't want him to look at me like I'm a monster,'
She was afraid that Chris would be disgusted with her, and himself once he realizes that he had Vampire blood in him.
Seeing that Camille wasn't going to tell him, Chris gritted his teeth and decided to up the ante, "Mom, I haven't told you, but I have knowledge and magics which you won't even find in the best of the libraries. Please don't try to lie and tell me what's wrong?"
He sacrificed some of his secrets. If his mom then sees him as a monster and fears him, then it can't be helped.
If something happens to any of his family because they didn't think he was competent enough to help, then he's no longer willing to keep his competence a secret.
Camille's eyes moistened. She already knew her son was hiding many things. But she didn't ask him to tell her anything. Who didn't have secrets?
Not everything is meant to be shared, Some things are better left unsaid. It is the choice and distinction between what to and what not to that's truly difficult to make.
But… she really isn't feeling ready to risk losing her son's love for her just yet.
'Just a bit more… let me cherish having him care for me a bit more,'
What if he didn't love his mother after knowing that she was a human?
"Please don't worry about it, honey. Let your mom handle it, alright? I will tell you all about it one day…"
Chris looked at her for a long moment, and then smiled and sighed, "Alright,"
'What?!'
Camille for surprised. Chris actually agreed? From what Camille knows about her son, one way or another, Chris ALWAYS has his way. He's not known defeat. He wants something, he'll have eventually have it. So, she was actually surprised that he agreed.
she hugged him tightly.
"Alright! Uh! Alright! Let me breathe, woman."
Sometimes Chris suspects that his mother has accidental magics when she hugs him. It must be the reason why the strength can be so much in such a frail and delicate-looking body.
Chris pretended to rub his ribs as he left. They didn't hurt, but they would have if he was a normal child.
Though he didn't know that this wasn't the only damage he was going to receive.
Because, Camille remembered something important at this moment.
"Honey, I don't know what you and Dora do all night in her room, but make sure to use contraceptive charms when you do it with her!"
Though she'll welcome any amount of grandchildren, she didn't think her son was yet ready to have kids.
*Putong*
Chris fell to the ground when he heard it. Wasn't this the worst form of embarrassment? She couldn't have said anything that would have been more embarrassing than this.
… But Camille just had to prove him wrong., "You do know how to cast it, right? Do you want Mom to teach you?"
*Bang*
Chris banged his head on the ground.
PAIN!
This wasn't physical pain. But the emotional damage was massive.
Chris was now sure.
This woman wasn't normal. Something was off about her…
And that is…
Her common sense!
Which mother asks her 13-year-old son if he knows contraceptive charm or not?! And then even offers to teach it?! It's a fortune they're not in the muggle world. He'll just die of embarrassment if she offers to teach him how to put on a condom.
Chris got up and ran away without looking back. But while he while getting over his embarrassment, he suddenly stopped in his tracks!
"H-How did she know I was going to Dora's room?"
Dora's room is in opposite direction, and he's always made sure to disillusion himself before entering and exiting her room.
The mysteries around his mother are increasing bit by bit.
But… I guess I'll find out now, wouldn't I?
After all, he still hasn't given up on finding out what's been bothering his parents. He just decided to not force his mother since she wasn't willing to tell even after he revealed some of his secrets.
Giving up?
As if!
Since he can't buy the apple, he'll just steal it.
***
A.N.: How was the chapter? I had a lot of fun when I wrote it. My roommate was asking why the hell was I laughing creepily while typing.
Um... can I get a power stone?
Also, two r-18 chapters on pat reon. Read 8 chapters ahead.
Patre on.com/Snollygoster