章節 150: Chapter 150: "Dueling Tournament: Fleur Delacaur"
The next day marked the beginning of the knockout stages of the tournament. Thanks to his exceptional performance on the first day, Harry had advanced past the initial two rounds and was set to compete in the quarterfinals later that afternoon. This left him with a morning free of matches, which was different from the busier schedule he had faced the day before.
While Sirius and the others were keen to head to the arena early to watch the other duels and possibly gather information on Harry's potential opponents, Harry chose to remain at the hotel. He used the morning to reflect on the previous day's duels. Although the matches had not pushed him to his combat limits, they were invaluable for practicing his spell deflection techniques.
This skill, which required precise control of magical energy and quick reflexes, was something Harry was determined to master, as it would be crucial for conserving energy in more challenging duels.
When it was time for his next round, Harry headed to the stadium and found Sirius waiting for him in the designated area for competitors and their coaches.
Harry greeted him, curious about the upcoming challenge. "So Padfoot, who's my opponent?"
Sirius had a cautious tone as he replied, "Oh, your match in the quarterfinals is going to be quite the spectacle. She's made quite an impression here."
Harry's interest piqued. "Tell me more. This sounds intriguing."
"Her name is Fleur Delacaur, a student from Beauxbatons Academy in France. I suspect she might have Veela blood because she seems to have a certain... effect on her male competitors. Every one of them has been too distracted by her to even cast a proper spell," Sirius explained, hinting at the unique challenges she posed.
Harry nodded thoughtfully, processing the information about his upcoming opponent. "Interesting," he mused to himself.
Fleur Delacaur was not unknown to Harry. As a student from Beauxbatons Academy, she had a veela grandmother, making her a quarter veela. This heritage endowed her with breathtaking beauty and a mesmerizing allure. According to the books, she would eventually become a Triwizard champion from Beauxbatons and later marry Bill Weasley.
At the moment, Harry's view of her was neutral. Initially portrayed as somewhat aloof and conceited in the books, Fleur was depicted as someone who saw herself as superior to others. She often came off as blunt and straightforward, which made her seem rude and snobbish. She hadn't thought highly of the younger Harry in the books, dismissing him as a little kid.
However, her character evolved over time. After Harry saved her sister, she became warmer and more appreciative towards him. Her character further developed into a caring, courageous, and loyal individual, especially evident in the later books. This transformation had earned her many admirers among the readers.
In this alternative universe, Fleur Delacaur was using her veela allure much more openly in her duels than she did in the books, where she tried to minimize that part of herself. This was a big difference from the original story, and Harry found it interesting.
Curious about the tournament rules regarding her abilities, Harry asked, "I'm sure her allure won't affect me, but is she allowed to use that during duels?"
"There's no rule against it since it hasn't been an issue before," Sirius clarified. "But that might change after today."
Harry, still intrigued, asked, "Have you seen her? If she truly has veela blood, does it make her as captivating as a real veela?"
"Absolutely," Sirius replied, a touch sheepishly. "She leaves a wake of awe-struck boys and jealous girls wherever she goes. I must admit, even I was momentarily dazzled. It seems she's only recently come into her abilities and hasn't yet mastered them."
Harry couldn't help but laugh, "You got swept up too? Aunt Amelia will enjoy hearing about this."
"You wouldn't dare!" Sirius half-joked, half-threatened. "If you let that slip, I might have to bar you from the Black library."
As Harry chuckled at Sirius's alarmed expression, Sirius added with a hint of mock sternness, "Laugh all you want. I hope you make a fool of yourself on that dueling platform. It would be a memory to savor."
"Keep dreaming," Harry retorted lightheartedly. "If allure is all she relies on, I'll end the duel before it hardly starts."
Harry stepped onto the dueling platform with a confident stride, ready to face Fleur Delacaur. As he caught sight of her, he was momentarily taken aback. Fleur was stunningly beautiful, far surpassing the descriptions Harry had read in the books. She possessed an ethereal charm that highlighted her veela heritage.
Her long, silvery-blonde hair cascaded gracefully around her shoulders, perfectly framing her face which was a blend of sharp, elegant features and a luminous, almost otherworldly glow. Her mature appearance, likely accentuated by her veela blood, gave her an air of poise and aristocracy that was hard to ignore.
For a brief moment, even Harry found himself struck by her beauty—not due to any magical allure, but simply from the natural impact of her presence. Quickly regaining his composure, Harry reminded himself of his goal to become the most formidable wizard, which sharpened his focus for the upcoming duel.
Fleur, however, appeared aloof and hardly glanced at Harry. She seemed to underestimate him, confident in her victory simply because her opponent was a young boy. If she had paid closer attention, she might have noticed that Harry was unaffected by her allure, an anomaly that could have hinted at his resilience and strength. Unaware and undeterred, Fleur prepared for the duel, her demeanor full of certainty that she would easily win.
As the crowd's excitement built, the announcer introduced the competitors with great enthusiasm.
"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the first quarterfinal match of the day! In one corner, we have Hadrian Potter from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry—already known for his impressive magical skills and tactical finesse. And in the other, Fleur Delacour from Beauxbatons Academy of Magic celebrated not only for her dueling capabilities but also for her captivating charm."
The duel began with Fleur making the first move in an unconventional manner. Instead of a direct spell attack, she began to sing. Her voice, melodious and alluring, quickly captivated the audience, weaving a tranquil spell over everyone within earshot.
Harry, observing Fleur's strategy, understood that she was using her song as a tool to amplify her veela allure, aiming to enchant him and secure an easy victory. However, what Fleur hadn't anticipated was Harry's exceptional mental resilience. The combination of his rebirth and the integration of Voldemort's soul pieces had fortified his mental defenses to an extraordinary degree, rendering him immune to her magical charm.
Harry stood on the dueling platform, unswayed by the charm that had captivated everyone else. As he listened to Fleur's song, Harry understood the dilemma he faced: stopping her now, while she was defenseless and deeply engrossed in her performance, might sour the crowd's mood. They were clearly delighted by Fleur's display.
His goal in the tournament was clear—to showcase his skills and establish a formidable reputation and not to create enemies of the male audience.
With a thoughtful expression, Harry decided to let the performance continue. It wasn't just a strategic choice to avoid antagonizing the audience; he genuinely felt that Fleur deserved to complete what she had started. The melody she created was more than just a competitive tactic; it was a piece of art, soothing and beautiful, deserving of a proper conclusion.
As Fleur's song reached its crescendo, the crowd was silent, spellbound. Then, as she finished, she opened her eyes, expecting to find a disoriented opponent. Instead, to her surprise, she was greeted by a red light speeding towards her. The spell struck her wand directly, knocking it from her grasp and effectively ending the duel.
Harry had chosen to disarm her to end the duel without causing any harm. It showed his respect for her performance, even if it meant a swift and unexpected conclusion to their match.
The announcer's voice filled the arena, breaking the brief silence that followed the unexpected conclusion of the duel. "Well, that was anticlimactic. After a mesmerizing performance by Miss Delacour, it's Mr. Potter who takes the victory with a clear-headed and strategic move!"
Fleur, still processing the sudden end to the duel, looked across at Harry. For the first time, she saw a peer whose gaze was unaffected by her allure—clear and focused. Realizing her charm had failed to sway him, her surprise turned to frustration and anger at being defeated so straightforwardly.
Later, Harry and Fleur approached each other for the customary handshake. Fleur, clearly puzzled and a bit frustrated, asked, "How were you unaffected by my charm? Even my dad cannot escape this."
Harry, with a playful smirk, simply replied, "Guess?"
Frustrated by the non-answer and feeling slighted by the manner of her defeat, Fleur accused, "You played dirty. I hope you liked winning by a sneak attack."
Harry responded calmly, "Had I been affected by your allure, I might be the one defeated by a sneak attack. So, Miss Delacour, as I have done in all my previous matches, I just defeat my opponents in their own special way."
Not ready to concede the last word, Fleur retorted, "Wait. I will defeat you next year."
Harry just smiled and walked down from the platform, keeping to himself the fact that he did not plan to participate in next year's tournament. This would be his last, a detail that would no doubt disappoint Fleur when she discovered his absence next year.
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