Duty Calls

(A/N: 12 chapters ahead on Sheo.bio for the modest price of FREE.)

"Do you really, really 'ave to leave?" Fleur asked him for the hundredth time, and that wasn't an exaggeration.

'One hundred and seventh to be precise.' He smiled bitterly, it was somewhat flattering if he didn't want to just say 'Fuck it!' and spend the Easter holidays with his sweet flower. But no, he had to be reasonable. It wasn't as if he was a literal fourteen-year-old living what might just be the very best moments of his life.

It wasn't fair to him, nor to Fleur. She made it abundantly clear that she wanted him close for as long as possible, to make up for all the time they've wasted, she said. Telling her about his imminent departure, not even a month after becoming a couple was hard. She looked like he kicked her puppy, and felt like it too.

The girl didn't blame him, bless her sweet heart. But try to sway him she did, and Merlin did she have some really good arguments.

She tried to sway him in their Bookworm nest, tried to sway him when he sneaked her into the Ravenclaw tower, when she smuggled him into her room in the carriage too.

God, that discussion was truly enjoyable, it almost made up for the part where they got caught by Maxime and given a lesson on propriety before warning Fleur's parents and having Dumbeldore write to his father, though he knew very one it would end up on Minerva's desk somehow.

Sebastien gave him a thumbs up and a pat on the back, hours later he found a list of contraceptive charms sneaked into his coat's pocket, telling him they didn't go that far had not been a very fun experience. He also learned that Appoline expected at least two grandchildren, make of that what you will.

Sirius, expectedly, had never been so proud. His mirror kept ringing for hours on end, cutting into his pre-apprenticeship lesson with Minerva and forcing him to use a Silencio. By the time he answered, his old man had been neither miffed nor less excitable.

Magnus had never seen him so proud, it was bigger than the time he proud both his Owls and Newts in one go, bigger than the first time they met or interacted in a meaningful way!

He was pretty sure the mutt had been crying.

The days following the second task had been sweet, yet each one and every one of them was tarnished by his departure, no matter how enjoyable her attempts had been. He didn't mind the bruised lips and stupid smiles he wore for hours on end, but disappointing her over and over again was making him miserable.

Even now, locked in her room for hours despite the repeated warnings of her headmistress, they cuddled and kissed and whispered sweet nothings yet could not get rid of the pure dread brought by their coming separation.

The silvery clock by her bedside ticked, bringing them ever closer to the end of their short stay in paradise.

'It's temporary,' He had to remind himself. Still, he pulled Fleur closer if it was even possible.

They were lying on her bed, mashed together seaking heat and comfort and something that didn't involve them thinking about the weeks they would spend separated…truly alone for the first time in a month.

"I really, really do, Fleur," He smiled, doing his best not to just melt into her embrace. "And you aren't making things easier."

"That is the point," She nodded, accidentally digging her chin right in that spot between his neck and shoulders so good he couldn't help but groan in delight.

She didn't react, but he just knew that she took note of that and would use it against him in the future.

"I happen to have some duties that do not involve pleasing you, unfortunately."

He tried to break their embrace, but she held him tighter still

"I happen to want my boyfriend with me, one of us will be disappointed." She dug her face in the crease of his neck, inhaling deeply.

"It'll be me," He sighed, "I don't know how I'll manage without you."

Fleur seemed pleased and displeased at the same time, that kind of look was hard to define or comprehend but all Magnus could think about was how utterly kissable it was.

He did just that.

She answered in kind, doubling the passion and making him feel things he could scarcely imagine before being held by Fleur Isabelle Delacour.

It turned from quick pecks to long, burning exchanges limited only by that stupid need for oxygen humans and bird ladies seem to have. The fire was put out by the lack of air, and all that was left were embers and small, lingering kisses and touches.

"Won't you at least tell me what you'll be doing?" She asked, her thumb drawing circles on his puffy lips while she held her face.

The want was too strong, he suckled on the intruding finger making her yelp in surprise, cheeks painted pink.

She stood in silence once he was finished, breathing just a bit harder than before, but enough for him to notice the effect he had on her and love every second of it.

"You are playing a dangerous game, Monsieur Black." She said huskily, intense blue eyes shining and he once more could swear he saw streams of fire burning inside them.

He believed her.

"Good boy," she tapped his cheek, then moved to caress his neck, "Now tell me what that house business is all about, there isn't a betrothal contract I should know about?"

"No such thing," He chuckled, feigning to miss the genuine danger that appeared on her features if only for an instant.

"Uh-huh," She shot a look at the clock. He tried to do the same but her grip on his neck was gentle yet firm, he didn't want to see if those nails of hers could pierce skin though. "You still have time, tell me what you are leaving me here all alone for?"

Magnus was new to the whole romance business but still knew better than to argue with his girlfriend when he was about to do something inconsiderate and hurtful, doubly so when said girlfriend could grow talons and throw some mean looking fireballs.

Still, this time the truth was much too troublesome to reveal in their cuddle time, that was something he held most sacred.

He isn't going to lie…just twist reality a little bit.

"An egg hunt." He said drily.

"Idiot." She tried to glare at him, which wasn't all that efficient when she looked so damn adorable doing so.

"Relax," kissed her forehead, "Just some snakes we need to deal with, something I've put off for far too long."

"Fine, keep your secrets." She huffed.

Eventually, he'd probably have to come clean. Tell her about all the nasty, terrible things happening in the background while she, like most people lived their own lives in this make-pretend world those in the know have built for them.

It was a heavy burden, especially for someone who wasn't graced with a glimpse at a parallel world and knew all the relevant secrets and tricks to shape the world in the way he wanted. But it was something he will have to do regardless, the masquerade could only hold for so long after all. If it was to break, he'd rather it do so following his design and under his control.

A case could be made that it was much preferable than the ruin Voldemort wished upon the world, or even the ever-stagnant status quo Dumbledore was pushing for.

Food for thought…

Magnus lunged at her, making her yelp and giggle while grabbing her hands and pushed her down on the bed, layering kisses on her lips and neck all the while. He pushed himself above her, enjoying himself for some time before sneaking a glance at that silvery clock Fleur had been guarding so fiercely.

"Crap, it's ten already." He cursed.

The wizard broke their embrace and pushed himself off the bed despite the whining and reluctance of his partner, there was much he had to do before leaving the school.

"You're coming to see me off?" He asked, but already knew the answer.

"Would it make you stay longer?" She asked, a frown trying to mar her features only for her blood to make it charming.

Magnus shook his head, a bitter smile on his face.

"Then you have your answer." She huffed, "Now leave, I want to sleep and brood because a certain someone would rather deal with boring house politics than spend time with his girlfriend. "

It served his purpose, he would be hard pressed to explain some of the stops he had to make on the way out. But Magnus couldn't help but feel the sting, made harsher by the knowledge that he did deserve it.

He packed his stuff, quickly slid on his boots, put on his vest and overcoat while casting a few charms to fix his appearance and make him presentable, if Fleur noticed the defensive spells thrown in the mix she chose not to comment on it.

Ready to go out looking like a respectable pureblood ponce after five minutes, perfect. Sure, he neglected to use the absolutely not excessive amount of hair gel the upper echelons of society represented by the young Malfoy favored, but it could be excused.

It was the fault of his unfortunate muggle upbringing, no doubts!

He reached for the doorknob, not quite daring to look at Fleur one more time lest he ends up losing the inner battle and choose love over duty, to quote a certain maritally disinclined man of the black.

"Wait," He was interrupted, now the choice had all but been made for him. "I want my goodbye kiss."

'Or not,' He chuckled lightly, even more so when he saw her making an exaggerated kissing motion, pressing her puffy lips together to entice him one more time.

Who knew how she'd react, knowing that she could've gotten her way with but a few words yet choose to give up instead? Magnus did not claim that he understood women, not one of Fleur's caliber at least, but he suspected that it would involve a long chain of curses so vile they'd make the dark lord take notes, with the possibility of a few feathers appearing here and there.

Some fireballs wouldn't be out of place either.

Both relieved and disappointed, Magnus did as she wished before bidding her farewell. Leaving the carriage, nearly encountering the towering form of Madam Maxime along the way, he headed once more for the castle.

Knowing he didn't have much time, he quickly cast a strong notice-me-not charm on himself before taking on his more gracious form. Hands turned into feathers, arms into wings and in less time it would take to say 'Animagus!' The wizard had turned into a large Harpy Eagle.

Taking flight, it was with great familiarity that he soared high in the direction of the one opening large enough to accommodate his body while still being mere minutes away from the Room of Requirements.

However, it wasn't the Come and Go room he wished to visit this time, he had already taken *cough*stolen*cough* all that needed from that one in his last four years of schooling.

No, today was a day for the forgotten treasures.

The door opened at his behest, showing the dusty, ancient content of the Room of Hidden Things. Filled with ancient tomes, gems and golds he had yet to gather and such density he might never have the time to fully explore it in his time; He felt a pang of regret at the sheer waste his actions would cause.

Walking forward, making sure not to touch anything potentially dangerous or gore himself on the many, many pointy objects littered absolutely everywhere. He quickly found the object of both his desire and frustration, and shame, so much shame, for even a year later he still failed to defeat the ancient magics protecting the diadem from nefarious hands.

Ravenclaw's Diadem, as elusive as the first time he saw it, the first great deviation he had neither caused nor foreseen.

His first major failure too, but that was something his ego would rather ignore.

'Such a pity,' He thought, barely able to raise his wand against the corrupted artifact, 'Such potentia…and I'll have to destroy it.'

Destruction, that was the only way, anything would count as wishing to possess it and block his attempts at purifying it from the parasitic spirit inside.

'I'm about to cast Fiendfyre on the single most prized artifact of my house, Padma would have my skin if she knew.' He tried to joke about it, but once again failed, it was starting to become a trend.

Such a pity, having to destroy most of the room because of a single object.

With the way it was positioned, and his inability to interact with it in any way, he would end up burning a large portion of the room before he could even think about putting down the destructive flames.

He raised his wand, settled his mind to muster all the will and intent he could for the spell to work properly, only to stop when a stray bout of inspiration reached him.

It wasn't certain, far from it, just a theory he made without much thoughts or testing. But he had no better option, and loosely quoting the words of the great Todd Howard…

"It might just work…"

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Author Note:

I'm back for those who don't know what happened (It was explained in my Discord and on Sheo.bio.) I had to deal with the unlikely, but very real issue of exams and the military coming to bite my booty at the same time.

I managed to deal with both of them (somewhat) and can now dedicate more time to Eagle Soars and satisfying your voracious appetite for fanfictions that don't include NTR and or a system promoting sexual assault (What the heck is happening? I see this everywhere!)

Anyway, have fun, stab GhostyZ, check out Sheo.bio for free extra chaps, and of course.

Peace and Cheese!