บท 17: Chapter 17: Night talk
There's something about February that has this calming atmosphere in the weather. It's cold, sure, but it's also comfortable, at least for me anyway. I am now walking around the Black lake, the moon is shining brightly in the sky, and also at the black lake, mirroring the sky above.
I had talked to Fleur's parents for a while. They once again had invited me to their home in France. Honestly, it is tempting, but I don't know if I could delay the work at home anymore, it's probably piling up in my study room… Fleur also talked with her parents for a long time, like I'm talking one hour without stopping. I just waited outside of the carriage, and when they delivered her to me, Fleur's face looked quite red. I wonder what they're talking about…
I am pushing Fleur, who is in her wheelchair right now, enjoying the scenery in front of us, while she also is wearing my Hogwarts robe for warmth. She's quite happy, able to be in first place in the Triwizard tournament, and the prospect of winning the entire tournament was in her mind.
"Is something in your mind?" Fleur asked me casually, turning her head to me.
"I have a lot in my mind." I chuckled. "But nothing important."
"If you said that it is nothing important, then it must be important." said Fleur, pointing out my habit. "You can talk to me, you know?"
"You wouldn't like it." I stated as we stopped at the edge of the lake, with me sitting down on a log, admiring the scene in front of me.
"I wouldn't know if I like it or not If I 'aven't 'ear it." said Fleur, looking at me curiously.
I sighed. "I want you to give up on the third task."
Fleur frowned at my words, truly confused on what I was thinking. "What? Why? Are you not 'appy that I am in first place?"
"Of course I'm happy, proud even." I said, holding her hand. "But you must have noticed by now how weird this tournament is."
"What do you mean?" She asked, even more confused.
"Triwizard is supposed to have three champions, Fleur, not four." I said. "And the fourth is of course Harry fucking Potter. It's all so… fishy to me."
"Fishy?"
"First year, I heard him fighting something inside Hogwarts." I explained. "Second year, the school was almost closed because of a supposed 'Heir of Slytherin'. Third year, nothing happened, but Dementors were flying around the school, and lastly, last summer, the 'riot' in the Quidditch cup is definitely not a riot at all, the dark mark is in the sky once again… and now, this. All the signs are there, Fleur." I'm basically bullshiting here, but oh well.
"Signs of what?" she questioned calmly, but I could feel her clenching my hand.
"You-Know-Who is coming back, or at least another war will come." I said. "And I've got a feeling… that this tournament will be the start of it all."
"But… 'e is dead, non?" Fleur said in denial. "You worry too much."
"There are a lot of ways to resurrect the dead Fleur." I gave her a sad smile, squeezing her hand. "We're in the Wizarding world after all."
Fleur was silent for a minute. "And you believe that something will 'appen at the last task? So you don't want me to participate?"
"You know you can't turn back." I sighed. "I'm just thinking… what if—"
"Non." Fleur said in a hurry. "I will not allow it."
I chuckled at her words. "I haven't told you my plan."
"You will probably do something stupid." she said. "Let me do it, I can 'andle it."
"It's dangerous, Fleur."
"Exactly." she nodded. "Even though you are much smarter than me, I am more experienced than you."
"I can't allow you to enter grave danger like that." I said. "With the first task and the second task, I'm confident you can do it, but this? This is an entirely different thing Fleur."
"So you don't believe in my skills." Her face scrunched up, giving me a scrutinizing look.
"Fleur…" I murmured, sitting closer to her wheelchair. "If you die… what about Gabrielle?"
Fleur was silent.
"Let me replace you…" I finally said to her. "That way, if I die, at least you can go back to normal again, no forced marriages or relationships…"
"Non." She said decisively. "You are not in the right mind right now, 'ow will you be able to replace me?"
"Well there's this thing called the 'Polyjuice potion'." I said cheekly, throwing a smirk to Fleur, but she was having none of it.
"You are crazy." she hissed, not in the mood to talk again. "Bring me to my carriage right now."
I raised my eyebrow as she threw a small tantrum. "What if I don't want to?"
"What?" she frowned. "Bring me back, Archie."
"I have you under my control right now." I smirked at her, making her scowl. "Just sit with me a bit."
Fleur gave me a scrutinizing look. "You will not convince me. I will not let you do that."
I sighed. "Fine, fine. Let's just talk, you barely talk to me these past weeks, training with Madame Maxime…"
Fleur looked at me suspiciously but just hummed, she let go of my hand as she stared at the moon above us.
"What did you and your parents talk about?" I asked her curiously.
She didn't look at me, but I saw her cheeks reddened as I asked the question. "It is nothing really."
"Did I mention that you are a terrible liar?" I said sarcastically.
Fleur finally turned to me, giving me an amused look, but still a bit annoyed at our conversation from before. "Fine… Maman… She gave me some… information…"
"Information?"
"It started normal… they were asking 'ow are we doing… asked me if you treated me alright…"
I hummed. "Then?"
"Then they started to ask me… weird things…" She murmured. "Like if I am starting to feel something or not…"
"Feeling something?"
"They are asking if I like you…" She said quietly, not looking at me. Wow, this is quite some tea right here.
"What did you say to them?" I asked amusingly.
"I admit… I am starting to grow fond of you…" she answered me. "So yes, I told them I like you of course…."
"Well that is nice to hear." I chuckled, making Fleur hit my right arm playfully. "What did they say after that?"
"Maman then started to lecture me about the nature of Veela." She sighed. "Veela are fiery and passionate creatures, and they are Avian as well… so… some of their instincts are in my blood."
"I know that, you're quite skilled with fire magic, and rather… passionate about some things…" I hummed, remembering the fight at the start of the Tournament. "What's that got to do with it?"
"Well… Maman said that… I will… start to become more… territorial…" she said in embarrassment. "She said that I should tell you… so you will not take it the wrong way…"
That is… oddly amusing… "Territorial?" I quietly laughed, making Fleur's face scrunched up.
"It is not funny!" she huffed. "I am serious!"
"What? Are you going to hiss at every person that approaches me?" I mockingly said. "Tell them to sod off?"
"Non…" She grumbled. "I will just be a little annoying for a while… Maman said that it will pass after some time, so don't do anything that will bait me."
"Bait?" I almost laughed again, but Fleur just punched me at the side, telling me to shut up.
"You know what I mean…" she said scrutinizingly.
I just quietly chuckled. "Alright, alright…"
After that, we don't talk anymore. We just sat quietly at the shore of the black lake, enjoying the scenery in front of us and the cold wind that breezed through our bodies. Fleur then suddenly grabbed my hand again, putting it on her lap, holding it tightly.
"That is why… do not to anything stupid for me." she said sternly. "I will not like it. This is not forced marriage anymore Archie… don't think otherwise, you will not be able to get rid of me for a long time… I will not let you leave me."
I just sighed at her words. She seemed quite serious and determined and would not let me do anything… sorry Fleur, but I've made up my mind… just don't torture me if I did come back…
I quickly stood up from the log that I was sitting on and let go of Fleur's hand, much to her disappointment.
"Let's go back." I said softly to her ear, and she just nodded. I pushed her wheelchair towards the direction of the Hogwarts, to her carriage specifically.
We didn't talk on the way, just a comfortable silence. As we arrived at the carriage, I knocked on the door, and a male Beauxbatons student opened it.
As he saw me pushing Fleur's wheelchair, he frowned.
"{I will take her to her room from here, you can't go in.}" he said to me in French.
"Non." Fleur interrupted, surprising the male student. "{Let us in, you have no right to block us from entering.}"
The male student just gulped and nodded meekly, giving us the way. We walked through the corridor of the carriage, towards her room.
I then leaned towards her ear. "Veela charm is still working even though you're in a wheelchair huh?"
"Shut up…" she murmured in embarrassment.
When we arrived at her room, I opened her door, her perfume smell of French Lavender hit my nostrils, and I could see that her room was really tidy. I could not see Gabrielle though.
"Gabrielle went home?" I asked her.
"Oui." Fleur said. "Papa is still mad about the task."
"Can't blame him really." I said, pushing her to her room, placing her wheelchair besides her bed.
"Can you help me settle for bed?" she asked me innocently. This girl…
"You're not a child Fleur…"
"I am in a wheelchair." she pointed out. Excuses excuses… "Please?"
I sighed. "You're awfully direct today… fine, what do you need?"
"My nightdress is in that drawer." she said, pointing at a drawer at the edge of the room. "Bring me one please…"
I just hummed and walked towards the drawer, I opened it… there is a lot of underwear here… I ignored all of them and took her nightdress, before walking back to her, only to find her taking off her Beauxbatons robes blatantly. I just turned around to wait for her to take off her robe, and gave her her nightdress.
"What are you doing?" she said to me in confusion. "'Elp me here… these bandages made it hard to wear my clothing…"
I just sighed at her, she's definitely playing with me right now. I took out my wand and quickly waved it, dressing her quickly, making her pout a bit.
"You are no fun Archie." she smirked at me.
"I will be attacked by Beauxbatons boys if I stay here for too long." I said, carrying her to her bed, before tugging her. "Are we done here, princess?"
She giggled when I called her a princess. "There is one more thing…"
She then quickly grabbed a handful of my face, pulling me towards her, giving me a tender kiss by the lips. Unlike before, she nibbled my lip a little, before separating with a red face. "Go now, Bonne nuit." she said, pushing her away from me.
I just shook my head in amusement… The things I would do to her right now… I walked towards the door and slowly closed the door. "Good night." I said, before closing it entirely.
As the door closed, I stood in front of her room for a little while, thinking. There's a lot to prepare… potion ingredients, runes, practice spells…
I'll not let her die, no fucking way.
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