Chapter 35 A day on Privet Drive

Disclaimer: Don't own Harry Potter or any recognizable character, but if JKR is reading this, it would make an excellent Christmas present for me :D I mean I really am working hard to correct the blunders you made in the canon stories. Since you really seem to hate Harry Potter, I'll take him off your hands. Now back to reality.

Chapter 35

July 3rd 1995 continued

"Psst...Ginny," George whispered as he and Fred motioned for her to come into their room. It was shortly after what had been a very unsettling dinner at the Burrow. When Molly had started up again about Veela and Harry at the dinner table Arthur had stared her into silence. When the meal was complete, all of the children, including Bill who was well into his adulthood had been sent to their rooms and told not to come back for at least an hour.

"What?" Ginny asked when she entered their room.

"Do you know what's got Dad upset?"

"Mum of course," Ginny replied and quickly told the twins what had happened at the station. She glanced back at the door. "Wish I could hear what was going on."

"Well you just happen to be in luck," George replied as he reached into his trunk and pulled out a long flesh color string.

"We've been working on this," Fred said as he started snaking the string down the steps outside their room.

"What is it?" Ginny asked.

"Here," George offered an end of the string to Ginny. "Put it to your ear and you'll find out."

As she did as she was instructed, her eyes lit up as she realized she could hear the conversation downstairs.

In the kitchen Arthur had poured himself a cup of tea before sitting down at the table across from Molly. He gently blew on the steaming cup as he delayed what he knew would be unpleasant. Arthur Weasley loved his wife, but ever so often she'd do things that Arthur could not understand and this was one of them.

"Why Molly? Why didn't you apologize?"

"How was I to know he was the Deputy Minister of Magic of France?"

"Even though it was in several articles in the Prophet, THAT is not what mattered," Arthur retorted. "You have no reason to be insulting that young lady."

"But Arthur she's Veela...she's only playing with Harry. She's going to hurt him, I can tell."

Arthur shook his head slightly. "You can tell? How?"

"She's a Veela Arthur. You know what that means," Molly sniffed as she repeated herself. "She's taking advantage of him. Poor boy doesn't know about these things. We should have insisted that Dumbledore have him come here."

Upstairs Ginny and the twins were shaking their heads at their mother.

"Molly what do you have against that young lady's heritage. As far as I know you don't know any other Veela, so how can you know what they will do?" Arthur asked impatiently.

"It's...it's in all the magazines. I can show you," Molly replied. She got up and walked into the living room and returned with a stack of newspapers and magazines. She pulled out one of the Witch Weekly periodicals and showed it to her husband. Displayed prominently on the front cover of an obvious Holiday issue, was a lovely young witch surrounded by gifts as she smiled at the readers. In large letters underneath was the title, "Holiday Cheering Charms, make this Christmas the happiest ever," Other smaller headlines about stories inside included "Are your cleaning spells really cleaning well?", "Expert tips on completing those five minute holiday feasts" and "What every Witch needs to know about Beauty Potions," But the one where Molly Weasley had her finger was "Three ways to know if a Veela is after your wizard."

"See...It says that a wizard will be much happier than he normally is when he's enchanted," Molly explained. "And it also says they will turn against their current loved ones," She looked at her husband. "Don't you see, Harry is showing clear signs he is under her spells. Why else would he be so impossible to reason with? He's even stopped being friends with Ron," She pulled out another magazine and pointed to a headline that said. "Veela – why you should be concerned," Molly continued pulling out magazines with similar stories. "They all are the same."

"They are all the same because they are all filled with the same house-witch tales," Arthur argued. "They also say Werewolves and Giants are bad, does that mean we need to keep Harry away from Remus and Hagrid?"

"It's not the same Arthur," Molly replied angrily. "Its..its.. she's obviously got him enchanted. I could see it in the poor boy's eyes. He needs to come here and get away from that girl. That way he can find someone who really…" Molly's voice trailed off.

After all the years they had been married, Arthur knew most of his wife's looks. Her current look usually meant she was planning something. "Molly Weasley, you are going to apologize to that young lady and whatever you are planning, you need to stop. I don't know why you think it is so important for Harry to come here. It isn't like he's going to find someone…" Arthur looked at his wife through narrowed eyes as he realized there was one person who Harry would see at the Burrow. "You're trying to set him up with Ginny aren't you?"

Upstairs Ginny's eyes flew open wide. It was one thing to have her mother suggest it in a letter, but another for her to actively try to get them together.

"What if I am?" Molly asked her husband defiantly. "Ever since that day he saved her life it's been obvious he cares about her and you know how she's always been fond of him. She'd treat Harry much better than that harlot who's trying to turn him against our family."

"ENOUGH!" Arthur exclaimed loudly. It was a very rare day when Arthur Weasley raised his voice to his wife, but this was one of those occasions. "She is not turning Harry against our family. I spoke to her today. She is friends with Ginny, Fred and George. She only has a problem with you Molly. I would too if you kept insulting me the way you do her."

"…" Molly mouth opened but Arthur cut her off before she could say a word.

"Want to know how much she's turning him against us? The young man just put ten thousand galleons in our vault because, and I'm quoting him here, 'when I desperately needed a family, you gave me one.' Does that sound like someone who's against us? He plans on doing the same thing for the next ten years. Obviously someone has told him about the Ministry limits on gifts."

"You march down to Gringotts first thing in the morning and tell them to put it back," Molly said. "We can't take his money."

"We don't have a choice," Arthur told his wife. "He insisted that we take it for what this family owes him for saving Ginny's life. I could not say no. Again he cleared our debt to him by giving us what he knew we could use. He even insisted that Ginny and Ron each get one thousand galleons of it EACH YEAR. I ask you again does that sound like someone being turned against us?"

"But.."

"The one thing he did tell me was he would not step foot in the Burrow again until you apologized to Miss Delacour and invite her and her sister to come as well," Arthur got up from the table in disgust. "You need to decide how much you care about that young man because you are on the verge of pushing him away forever," He started to walk away then stopped and turned back. "Harry is happy Molly. It is obvious to anyone who actually looks at him that he cares for that young witch and she cares for him," Without waiting for her to reply he left the kitchen.

Upstairs Fred was busy pulling the string back into their room. The twins turned to Ginny. "A thousand Galleons? A year for ten years?"

Ginny blushed and nodded.

Fred and George let out identical whistles "Guess that means we don't have to buy Gin-Gin a present this year."

Ginny glared at her brothers. "I can always give you a bat-bogey for Christmas," She reminded them.

"True, and since he gave us his winnings, I guess we can't complain."

"Invested his winnings brother," Fred said. "Just because he doesn't realize he invested it, doesn't mean he didn't."

"True, very true," George replied.

*** E E ***

Dudley Dursley was having his worst summer ever. Expecting accolades from his mother and father when he arrived home after being named Junior Heavyweight Inter-School Boxing Champion of the Southeast division, he was greeted instead by his parents grounding him for the first two weeks because his mother had found his adult magazine collection. To make matters worse, his first night back he'd woken to wets sheets as he'd had an accident in bed. Twice more since he had arrived home, Dudley had dreamed of waterfalls and filled his bed again each time. Between the punishment and the bed-wetting, Dudley was becoming very frustrated. He couldn't even take his frustrations out on his cousin because he wasn't due to come back until almost a month later. Normally he could have wiggled out of his punishment, but it seemed his parents had had a rough spring and refused to listen to him. Even when his punishment ended, they had told him there was no money for his weekly cinema trips. Dudley never went to the cinema anyway, but used the money to buy Kents.

Then his cousin had arrived, Dudley had been waiting for the day for weeks. He planned to take his frustrations out on the freak by using him to keep his boxing skills up to par. Then that limousine had arrived with the freak and those cute tarts. Dudley didn't understand all that went on between that wizard and his parents, but the wizard was gone now and the freak was all alone with those birds.

"Girls like that want a real man, not some undersized wimp," Dudley thought as he took a couple of swings at the air in front of him. "Even if the tarts are freaks, they'll still appreciate me. Tomorrow I'll introduce myself."

*** E E ***

"Thank you," Harry said sincerely to his bondmates. "I...I just want you all know that I appreciate you spending this time with me."

"Silly man," Fleur said as she pushed Harry onto the sofa that was in the tent's main room. "Zough we might be near zose...zose things in ze 'ouse," She sat down in his lap before she continued. "We now 'ave you all to ourselves for two weeks. 'Owever if you want to keep thanking us, zen less noise and more lips are needed."

"Yes ma'am," Harry replied as he wrapped his arms around his oldest bondmate and promptly started obeying her command. "This is going to be the best summer ever," He thought when Hermione made Fleur give up her spot so she could have a turn several minutes later. By the time Gabrielle was sitting in his lap, all thoughts of the Dursleys had totally left his mind.

"Well if this is our home away from home then we should unpack," Hermione said as she started for her bedroom in the tent. The tent had two bedrooms, a living room, full bathroom including water closet and a kitchen with a table. The girls would share one bedroom while Harry had the other one, though it would always be two people to the fairly large beds in each room as the young witches planned to rotate sleeping in Harry's bed each night.

"Maybe we should call Winky or Dobby," Gabrielle suggested.

"Home?" Said a little elf after a loud crack was heard, followed shortly by another one. "Winky is here," She looked around and found Hermione. "Where does Misses Hermione's parents live. Misses told Winky that Winky could go clean Misses parent's home."

Hermione's hand shot to her mouth as she realized she never told them. "Uh, I forgot to tell them. I'm sorry Winky," She apologized. "We are supposed to go see them in a few nights and I can tell them then."

"You can go tell them now," Insisted the little elf.

"I can't." Hermione replied. "I have no way to get there."

"You could take the Knight Bus," Harry suggested.

"Winky will take you," The elf said.

"It's only going to be...wait a moment. Did you say you'd take me there?" Hermione asked. "How?"

"Miss Hermione take Winky's hand and Winky takes Miss to her parents' house," Winky explained as if to a child.

"You...you can take someone with you when you go places?" Hermione asked.

"Yes Winky can take you to your parents," The little elf repeated as she took Hermione's hand in hers. "If you tell Winky where they live."

Hermione eyes developed a dazed look as she told Winky the address. A couple seconds later she found herself standing in the middle of the living room of her parents' home. Because of the expected dangers, Richard and Jean Granger were already reaching for their necklaces before they realized it was their daughter.

"Hermione?" Her mother asked hesitantly still with her necklace in her hand. "Is that really you?"

Hermione snapped out of her stupor and looked around. "Yes mum," She replied. "I think I just found out something new about house-elves. It seems they can apparate us places."

"This isn't the same House elf we met before," Richard said.

"No, mum dad, this is Winky. She's one of...of our elves," Hermione said. "We bonded with her and she wants work to do, so I told her she could clean your house."

"Bonded?" Jean asked as she glanced at the elf. "What does that mean?"

"It's...it's hard to explain."

"I'm Miss Hermione's house-elf," Winky exclaimed happily. "I belong to her and Miss Fleur and Miss Gabrielle and Master Harry."

"She belongs to you?" Jean gave a questioningly look at her daughter.

"As I said it's a long story...but yes she and Dobby, he's the elf you met, are our elves."

"So she's your...housekeeper?"

"Miss Hermione doesn't have a house yet," Winky explained. "But she promised that someday they would have one and there would be lots of children."

"Children?" This was Richard.

"Eh...not anytime soon dad," Hermione blushed. "But..." She shrugged.

"You'll be finished with school before these children appear?" Jean asked.

"Of course mum," Hermione said.

"Now about...Winky..."

"Just let her clean your house and take care of you."

"I guess...we can afford to pay her..."

"Payin? Winky will not be paid!" The little elf was looking stubbornly at the elder Grangers. "Winky is a respectable house-elf."

Again Jean Granger looked questioningly at her daughter.

"It's alright mother, but it's something we'll have to discuss another time because I'm still learning what it all means myself."

"Are you sure?"

Hermione nodded.

"Has Miss Hermione's parents had dinner?" Winky asked.

"Uh...no we were just going..."

"Winky will do it," Winky said and immediately looked around. "Where is your kitchen?"

"Winky, I need to go back to Harry," Hermione reminded the elf.

"Winky will be right back to make yours dinner," Winky told the still confused adults. She grabbed Hermione's hand and an instant later Hermione found herself back in the tent.

"I think my parents are going to be in for an interesting time," Hermione said as she watched the elf who appeared happier than she had ever seen her, disappear.

They heard the backdoor open on the house and quickly looked out the window on the tent. They could see Petunia Dursley walking out the door and toward the tent. As she neared it, she suddenly turned back toward the house only to get a confused look on her face when she started to reopen the back door. This happened two more times before Harry decided to go see what she wanted.

"Can I help you Aunt Petunia?" He asked.

"Oh Harry," She said. "I came out to ask if you would be eating dinner with us but I kept remembering something in the house."

"Muggle repelling wards," Harry replied. "You can't get near the tent without help."

"Oh," Petunia replied as she looked past Harry at the tent.

"To answer your question though, no, we will be eating in the tent," Harry explained.

"We'll leave the back door unlocked tonight so you and your...friends can use the bathroom when you need to."

"You don't need to do that, we have a bathroom as well," Harry replied. It was very obvious that Petunia had never seen the inside of a magical tent.

"Surely you don't go in front of those girls?" Petunia retorted. "I know your kind are different but you must have some decency."

"We aren't roughing it out here Aunt Petunia," Harry explained. "Should I show her the tent?"

"Yes or she'll think we are all sleeping on top of one another."

"And what would be wrong with zat?" Fleur asked. "I like my 'ead on 'Arry when I sleep."

"But the tent is..." Petunia started.

"Here, take my hand," Harry said.

Petunia looked at first like she'd been asked to hold a bag of excrement but curiosity finally won. She gingerly took her nephew's hand.

To say Petunia Dursley was surprised would be an understatement. She gasped as they entered the tent and a small house was revealed. She then noticed the three young women all glaring at her. She could feel their dislike of her as she watched the oldest of them finger her wand. Petunia felt very nervous as she stood there remembering that the one with the wand out could legally do magic. "Maybe I should go back out now," She said. Then she let out a large shriek when Dobby came out of the kitchen.

Harry nodded. "You can leave on your own," He almost laughed as his aunt retreated very quickly out the entrance of the tent. He then remembered what his mother said about his aunt had wanted to be a witch and was jealous of her sister. Though it still did not excuse the past fourteen years, it did help Harry to understand the underlying feelings.

"Are Master and Misses ready for dinner?" Asked a confused Dobby as he watched the long-necked woman almost run out of the tent.

After the meal of braised rabbit stew followed by cheese and a baguette, the bondmates sat back very satisfied. With a full stomach after an emotional day, Harry declared he was going to bed.

The three young women looked at each other. "Shall we draw straws?" Hermione suggested.

"Non," Gabrielle declared determinedly. "I've never got to sleep with 'Arry alone yet."

"She has a point," Harry said as he offered his youngest bondmate his hand. "Come Angel, shall we go to bed?"

The smile Gabrielle had as she stood up and took Harry's hand was tent brightening.

Twenty minutes later Harry was lying in his bed when Gabrielle came into the room. As Harry looked up he realized he would never get over how beautiful all three of the women in his life were. Gabrielle stood there in a nightshirt that barely covered her rear. Harry could see a small amount of powder blue knickers peaking from below it. Her legs were perfect as they trailed from the bottom of the shirt down to the floor. As his eyes started their way back up they encountered Gabrielle's small breasts expanding the shirt in a most perfect manner. Harry's eyes continued even further upward and found the best part of his Angel. Two beautiful blue eyes that were looking at him. Harry couldn't help but remember the first dinner he had had with Fleur and Gabrielle, the nervousness that had existed in those same eyes at that time. Now they were looking at him with love and affection.

"You are so beautiful," Harry said. "I love your eyes."

Gabrielle smiled shyly as she cross the room to his bed. A small part of her was nervous. She'd never slept alone with her bondmate and wasn't sure what to expect. Harry was only wearing pajama pants because of the summer warmth. As she looked at him now with his chest bared she couldn't help but be appreciative herself. He wasn't muscular or tall but having been held by him, she knew his arms were strong. She also knew the chest that almost glowed in the flickering candlelight held a heart that was much larger than his body could physically hold. "And you are very 'andsome," She sat down on the edge of the bed and just looked at Harry for a few seconds.

Harry reached over and took her hand in his. He brought to his lips and gently kissed it. Then with a gentle pull he pulled her down to the bed. "Je t'aime," he whispered then added. "I really hope I just told you I love you because I'd hate to think I mentioned something that I shouldn't have."

That made Gabrielle relax as she giggled while she nodded her head. She pulled Harry into a kiss and when it ended she said. "Je t'aime de tout mon coeur."

Harry looked puzzled for a second then said. "Coeur... I read that one. It's..it's.." Harry's mind tried to recall what that word meant.

Gabrielle took Harry's hand and placed it above her left breast. "Zis is a clue."

Harry's eyes found hers. "Heart?"

"Oui, I love you with all of my 'eart."

Harry smiled at her and traced several small hearts where his hand was. "My angel has a beautiful heart."

"We should go to sleep," Gabrielle said after another few seconds of silence filled with tenderness.

Harry took off his glasses and set them aside. Then after blowing out the candle, he pulled Gabrielle into his arms. That night he had the very best night of sleep he ever had while on Privet Drive.

*** E E ***

Amelia Bones sat at her desk late in the evening looking over the notes from the veritaserum interview of Macnair. The confession of the Death Eater was more than enough to ensure he spent the rest of his life in Azkaban if not sentenced to Dementors. The executioner had turned his talents for killing creatures to murder for hire for several people that he identified. He also confessed to having been ordered to kill Pettigrew by Voldemort and afterwards he was to go with another Death Eater to make contact with the Giants. The last part she had forwarded to the Minister to send to the ICW in hopes they could seal off the area near the giants preventing them from being recruited this time.

She lifted another sheet of parchment and grimaced as she saw the name of two of her own Aurors listed among the people who had hired Macnair. One had hired him to kill his wife while the other had been to kill a criminal who had escaped justice. It seemed Macnair didn't care who he killed, he just liked to kill. It was more of a game or sport to him. She'd sent Senior Auror Shacklebolt and his young partner Nymphadora Tonks to arrest the Aurors.

Finally she turned her attention to the third and final list that had come from Macnair's interview. The names of all of the Death Eaters who had come when called after Voldemort's rebirthing. Though she had nothing she could charge them with right now, she would have each of them followed. "Malfoy, Avery, Goyle, Crabbe..." Then she came across a name that was unexpected. A thought ran through Amelia's mind. "If Severus Snape was a spy for the light, and that fact was well-known because of his trial, why did he respond to the summons that night, and more importantly, why didn't Voldemort kill him when he did," She knew Dumbledore had vouched for the man at his trial, but it was an issue she would need to raise with the Headmaster at a very early opportunity. If Severus Snape was a Death Eater, there is no way her niece would return to Hogwarts with that man teaching there.

*** E E ***

Dolores Umbridge was extremely unhappy. Ever since that night a week ago it seemed the Minister was not listening to her advice. Fudge had assigned her to temporarily take over the late Barty Crouch Sr position as head of the Department of International Magical Cooperation. A worst position she could not have asked for. With all of the half-breeds, foreigners and muggleborns she'd had to deal with in the past week her temper was running very foul. All she heard from the Minister now was Dumbledore this and Dumbledore that along with treating the name Harry Potter like it was something to be worshiped.

"The boy is nothing but a half-blood and he's dating that thing," The Senior Undersecretary thought. "I have got to find a way to end this hero worship of the snot nosed brat," The problem she ran into was she didn't want to follow Voldemort even though she believed he had the right idea of ridding the world of muggles and muggleborns. "The more people believe in Potter, the more they will follow his lead away from our traditions. Harry Potter needs to disappear, that way we can fight He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named and still keep our way of life," She knew Potter would be protected, so she had to be careful. "I'll think of something. I know I have too."

*** July 4th 1995***

Gabrielle was the first to awaken the next morning and found herself beside her bondmate. He was lying on his back while she had her head on his shoulder with her arm draped over his chest possessively. As she laid there breathing in the musky smell of the man she loved, she couldn't help but let her mind take her back to her childhood fantasies that were still only a few months in the past. Though she clearly knew the Harry she was in love with wasn't the boy she had read and dreamed about for all of those years, the fantasies themselves just moved themselves to the real Harry Potter. As she thought of a life with this man she couldn't help but smile and hold him a bit tighter. Soon she felt him stir and his arms encircled her as well.

"Zis I could get used to very quickly," Gabrielle said softly.

"So could I Gabi," Harry replied as he brought his lips to hers. "And hopefully this summer we'll wake up like this many times."

After a few more minutes of holding each other they finally climbed out of bed and dressed for the day. They found Fleur and Hermione already awake and sitting at the table drinking coffee. Fleur had the Daily Prophet unfurled and reading it. She looked up to see her little sister with a very large smile on her face.

"Did you sleep well ma soeur?"

"Oui, very much so," Gabrielle replied as she sat down. Dobby put a cup of coffee in front of her as well. "Merci beaucoup," Gabrielle said to the elf as she poured a bit of cream into her cup.

Dobby looked confused as he tried to figure out if one of his mistresses asked for something.

"She was saying thank you Dobby," Hermione said.

"Misses Gabrielle is welcome." Dobby replied.

"Our 'ouse-elves will help you with French if you wants zem to Dobby," Fleur said.

"Dobby would like that very much," Dobby said in a relieved voice.

Harry sat down between Fleur and Hermione which put him directly across from Gabrielle. Dobby put a cup of tea in front of him.

"Skeeter's article on you," Fleur said as she pushed the Daily Prophet toward Harry.

Harry was looked at the paper and saw a large picture of himself looking back at him. The article itself was a teaser as it highlighted the various articles to come in the next few weeks that would have more details about the Boy-Who-Lived-Twice. Harry only skimmed the article as he knew Fleur and Hermione would have already checked it for any inaccuracies. "Milking it aren't they?"

"Oui, but it is a business," Fleur replied. "And so far zey are keeping it fairly accurate," She then held up a letter. "Papa sent zis. 'E mentioned who he is going to teach us zis summer."

"Who? Anyone I know?"

"Non, but his name is Marlon Pelletier," Fleur started. "E..." She looked down for a few seconds before she continued. "Do you remember when Papa was suggesting zat an Auror career might not be ze best?"

"Yeah."

"Eet was mostly Marl 'e was probably thinking of." Fleur explained. "E was a good friend of Papa when zey were growing up. After school Papa went more to ze political side, while Marl became an Auror. I don't know ze whole story, but I know zat Marl met an American witch and fell in love with 'er. 'E ended up moving to America and joining zeir Aurors."

"What's wrong with that?" Harry asked.

"Nothing, but it was a couple of years after 'e moved zere zat 'e arrested a young wizard who 'e saw threatening 'is girlfriend in public. Marl found numerous bruises 'idden by glamor charms on 'er," Fleur looked around at everyone who was now listening intently. "E convinced ze young lady to press formal charges but because ze man came from an influential family 'e was never convicted."

"So what happened?" Hermione asked.

"Several days later ze body of ze young woman was found. She'd been beaten, raped, and obviously tortured," Fleur continued. "Marl felt guilty and became obsessed with nailing ze bâtard."

"I can understand," Harry said. "I'd do the same thing."

"Non, I 'ope not. It possessed 'im. 'E lost 'is job when he broke laws to try to get evidence. 'Is wife left 'im finally when 'e stopped spending any time with 'er. 'E ended up losing everything."

"Did he ever catch the guy?"

Fleur shrugged. "Ze wizard's body was found one day two years or so after ze woman was found. 'E'd been tortured and violated in ze same fashion as zat young witch 'ad been."

"This Marl did it?" Hermione asked wondering exactly what kind of person Mr. Delacour had set them up to be trained by.

"Who did it was never determined," Fleur replied. "Zough as you can imagine, Marl was suspected of doing it."

"What happened to him?" Harry asked.

"Zey never found any evidence to Marl being ze culprit and somehow a couple of years later 'e rejoined ze American Auror department. 'E made a name for 'imself by always going after ze worst wizards," Fleur said. "Papa thinks 'e didn't really care about living anymore."

"How do you know all of this?" Hermione asked.

"E came and visited Papa two years ago. My father told me ze story so I'd not ask certain questions zat Marl would not want to answer."

"Why him? Harry asked.

"Maybe because 'e's still alive? I know zat Papa trusts 'im."

Harry nodded. "He's not been wrong yet so we'll see what happens."

"Papa said Marl will be contacting us sometime soon."

Dobby put a plate of hot eggs and sausages in front of Harry while giving Fleur, Hermione and Gabrielle a pastry that seeped chocolate from its center.

Hermione bit into hers and her eyes rolled up into her head as she savored the delicious chocolate taste surrounded by the flaky dough. "Dobby this is wonderful," She said finally.

The elf beamed in pride. "Dobby is glad misses likes it."

"So what are our plans for today?" Harry asked as he finished his first couple of bites of eggs.

"I don't know about today, but tonight I want to dance with you," Fleur said. "I 'oped we could have our own ball 'ere in ze tent."

"Dance?" Harry asked nervously.

"No one else around," Fleur said. "Just three witches who want to spend time with you. No pressures, if you don't enjoy eet, we'll stop."

Harry looked at each of his bondmates. Each had a hopeful look. "Okay," He replied finally. "Though don't expect much."

"Will you be 'olding me?" Fleur asked. "Without drooling?"

"I think I can manage that," Harry laughed.

"Zen we will already be better zan ze Yule Ball."

They all turned toward the window when they heard the backdoor open. They could see a stern looking Vernon Dursley walking toward them.

Vernon Dursley didn't get much sleep during the night after his nephew arrived. He tossed and turned as he went over all that had happened. By morning the overweight man had convinced himself that he had been setup and it was all the freak's fault. He'd been embarrassed in font of his neighbors and had been made a fool of in front of his family as well.

"Probably nothing to this danger that freak was talking about. Most Frenchmen cry wolf at the first sign of something wrong. Bloody useless the lot of them," He thought as he laid in his bed the next morning. "Just trying to take advantage of me. Well I'm not falling for it. As for that freak of a girl being old enough to do magic, I bet she isn't. She might have waved that silly stick around and muttered some words, but what did she really do? Nothing!" As he continued to lay there fuming over the previous night, the smell of sausage and eggs wafted through his open window. He could still feel his wife was in the bed beside him so he knew it wasn't her cooking. "At least the boy knows his place," He thought. "I'll go down and get my breakfast before he and those other freaks try to eat any of it," He climbed out of bed and after throwing on his overly fluffy dressing gown, he started down the steps. When he got to the kitchen he found no one there. Nor was a single dish or pan out of place.

Vernon yanked open the back door and started walking toward the tent. He planned drag the boy out of there and take back any of the food they had stolen from his kitchen. He'd walked within twenty feet of the tent when he remembered that he might have left the water running in the bathroom. He'd made it back to the kitchen only to remember he hadn't been to the bathroom that morning so he couldn't have left the water running. Again he started back across the back garden when he suddenly he grew concerned that he'd left the telly on. He made it back to the kitchen before he remembered that he hadn't been watching the telly that morning.

In the tent the bondmates had heard the backdoor open and Vernon start toward the tent. They watched him reverse course four different times.

"Wonder what he wants?" Harry asked.

"Does it matter?" Gabrielle asked as he put her chin on Harry's shoulder so she could see out.

"As enjoyable as this is, he's only going to get angry soon," Harry replied. He looked at Fleur who was already pulling her wand out. With a quick nod he walked out of the tent and intercepted his uncle before he made it to the Muggle repelling line again.

"BOY!" Vernon snarled through gritted teeth so not to bring the attention of his neighbors.

"Yes Uncle Vernon?"

"Where's my breakfast boy," Vernon snarled. "I can smell my food. Did you sneak in and steal it?"

"We already had the food," Harry said evenly. He knew Fleur had exited the tent and was coming up behind him.

"No you didn't," Vernon said. "I helped carry that blasted tent around here. You didn't bring anything else but your trunks and that ruddy owl."

"Didn't Aunt Petunia tell you about our tent?" Harry asked.

"She said something about a ruddy home, but I know better," Vernon said. "I know you can't do magic and it would take magic to do things like that."

Harry glared at his uncle. "We haven't taken anything of yours, and no we did not need magic to do it. Even if we did, Fleur is more than capable of doing magic."

"Rubbish," Vernon replied. "I bet it was all a bluff. She probably can't do magic either."

"Want me to show him?" Fleur asked.

"Not yet," Harry replied. "But be prepared," then to his uncle. "Believe what you want, but we haven't been in your house this morning," He turned to walk back in to the tent.

"I WILL NOT BE DISMISSED BY A FREAK LIKE YOU!" Vernon roared as he lost his temper. He reached out his hand and grabbed Harry's shoulder to spin him back around. "YOU..AAAHH," The last came when Fleur sent a light blasting hex into the groin of Vernon Dursley. His hand immediately left Harry's shoulder and grabbed the area that had flared in great pain. His face was frozen in mid bellow as he tumbled into a fetal position on the ground.

"You will not touch my bondmate EVER!" Fleur snapped to the man on the ground. Her voice then turned very quiet and threatening as she leaned down to look at Vernon who still hadn't even blinked his watering eyes. "Zat was a very small spell. If you ever touch 'im again I will personally castrate you and feed what comes off to un chien," At the questioning look from Harry. "A dog."

Harry looked down at his Uncle whose eyes were now staring at nothing. "As I said we didn't take anything of yours and as you can see Fleur can do magic and has a bit of a temper herself," He took Fleur by the hand and led her back into the tent where he showed her his appreciation for her defending him.

It took ten minutes for Vernon to start a verbal gasp that slowly turned into a moan and another ten for him to finally rise to his unsteady feet and disappear back into his house at a very gingerly pace. He never once looked back at the tent.

"I think I'll see if Dobby will take me to my parents' house," Hermione said after a while. "I can make sure they are getting along with Winky. I also need to get some summer clothes."

"Can I go with you?" Gabrielle asked. "I would like to see your 'ome."

"Of course," Hermione replied and looked at Fleur questioningly.

"Non, I will stay 'ere with 'Arry."

"You don't have to," Harry said. "I'll be fine."

"But I want to," Fleur responded. "I thought maybe we can go for a walk together."

"Not much to see around here," Harry replied. "But I'll definitely walk with you."

It was only a few minutes later Hermione and Gabrielle appeared in the Granger's living room.

"Hermione, is that you dear," Jean Granger's voice came from upstairs.

"Yes mum," Hermione replied.

Footsteps could be heard racing down the steps. "How can we get her to stop?" She asked frantically. "I'm not sure if she stopped cleaning last night at all. I tried to make up the guest room for her, but she wouldn't let me," Hermione's mother looked desperate. "She said when she got tired she'd sleep in the kitchen, but...but she was still cleaning this morning. I told her to take a break and I'd make her breakfast and she started wanting to know if I wasn't happy with her cooking last night. I didn't know what to do. I also offered her something better to wear and she broke down crying and then started working twice as hard."

Hermione immediately turned to Dobby. "Dobby, please let Winky know that she is not getting clothes and that she is doing a wonderful job. Tell her that my parents are just not used to House-elves."

"Yes Miss Hermione," Dobby replied nodding. "Dobby will do that," He quickly ran past Mrs. Granger up the stairs in search of Winky.

"Did I do something wrong dear?" Jean Granger asked.

"Not intentionally, but yes you did," Hermione replied. "Giving clothes to a house-elf is the method used to dismiss them. When you offered her clothes, you were suggesting she wasn't doing a good enough job."

"But..." Jean started.

Hermione could truly understand her mother's confusion. "You didn't do it intentionally, but Winky was dismissed for something that really wasn't her fault and she considers herself a disgraced elf because of it."

"What can I do?"

"Just let her clean," Hermione replied. "Let her take care of you and your house. Compliment her on jobs well done," Hermione shrugged. "It really is what makes them happy."

"But it doesn't seem right," Hermione's mother said.

"Mum, I jumped to the same conclusion earlier this year," Hermione explained. "I still don't really understand it, but it really is what they want. Both of the elves are under orders to tell us if they ever want to be free of the bond we have with them, but I know they never will because they love being our elves."

Jean Granger looked up the steps. "If you say so dear," she said.

Hermione remembered her bond sister was there with her. "Mum you remember Gabrielle."

"Of course, is Fleur not with you?"

"No, she stayed with Harry. Gabrielle and I are going to hang out here for a while. She wanted to see our house and everything."

"She's more than welcome. Are you still planning your time here on Saturday?"

"Yes...oh I need to make sure I reserve the Dr. Who videos."

"I'll drive you down later dear. How long will you be staying today?"

"A couple of hours at least."

"Let me know when you're ready to go."

At the same time in Surrey, Fleur and Harry were walking down Privet Drive. Several of the neighbors were outside tending their lawns or sitting out enjoying a summer morning. As they walked past, all eyes were on the black-haired young man and the gorgeous woman clutching his arm in a very possessive fashion. A couple of them actually waved at Harry, something that had never happened before.

Soon the two of them found themselves on Magnolia Road. Harry saw the play park he came to on occasion to get away from the Dursleys. As he saw the swings, he had an idea and started to pull Fleur toward them.

"Come on," He said.

"Why?" Fleur asked but followed.

"I...have you ever swung on a swing before?"

"Of course."

"I'll push you... I mean I've seen couples out here and watched husbands push wives and boyfriends...well it looked like fun."

Soon Fleur was laughing as Harry pushed her higher and higher. The simple pleasure brought a smile to Harry's heart and lips. A feeling that soon was lost when Dudley's voice came from behind him.

"Hi there tart, what ya hanging out with that wimp for?" Dudley said. "Come on down here and let me show you a real man's muscles," He flexed his bicep to show her.

When Fleur stopped her swing, Piers Polkiss laughed. "She likes you Big D. Hey did you say she had a sister as well?"

"I'll introduce you later once we take care of the freak."

"Shut it Dudley," Harry snarled.

"Make me freak," Dudley laughed. "Come on," He put his hands up in a boxing pose. "Let me demonstrate how I won the Junior Heavyweight," He winked at Fleur, "Then I'll show you what a real man's like."

"Zere is but one man 'ere," Fleur said as she wrapped her arms around Harry. "You are nothing but a pig."

"We'll have to see about that want we Double P," Dudley said over his shoulder to his friend. His face broke out in a piggish smile as he looked back at Harry and swatted the air with a punch. He gave his cousin a knowing glance and added, "And there's nothing either of you can do about it."

"Distract him, move so neither of them can see me," Fleur instructed Harry as she moved away from him as if to give them room to fight.

Harry moved a step to his right and then two. Dudley and Polkiss' eyes followed him not thinking the blonde girl was a threat. "Think you really can do anything to me Dudders?" Harry asked and took two more steps to his right. Again Dudley and his friend turned toward him leaving Fleur behind the two of them.

Fleur looked around and seeing no one else, took out her wand and sent a spell that Harry recognized.

"Just distract him for five minutes if you can."

For the next few minutes Harry verbally jousted with Dudley; taunting him just enough to keep him from actually doing anything yet.

"Love, it's been four and a half minutes," Fleur said.

"So Big D," Harry said as he reached down to the ground and picked up a small stick. "Wouldn't it be cool if magic was real?" He waved the stick around. "I could just say hocus pocus and turn you into a pig...oh sorry that's already been done."

"But...but..." Dudley stammered and then a look of horror crossed his face as he grimaced.

"What's wrong Big D?" Harry asked. "Eat something that didn't agree with you? Or did you think of something and your brain shut down from the effort?"

It was a losing battle for Dudley as he tried to control his betraying bowels. He flushed red in effort then turned and tried to run but it was too late as the liquefied contents poured down his legs.

"I didn't know that Big D stood for Big Diarrhea," Harry said as he watched his cousin gasp in horror at his feet.

"Oh man," Piers said as he looked at Dudley as if he had grown two heads. "I got to go."

When Piers had cleared the park Fleur pulled her wand back out to fully display it to Dudley. "Now zat your friend ees not 'ere I can do whatever I want," Before she had finished speaking Dudley was running as fast as he could toward the gate; the large brown spot clearly visible on his pants. Fleur looked over at Harry, "Are zey just stupid?"

"Unfortunately yes," Harry said. "And we need to be careful around Dudley. I don't see him not trying something to get back at us."

"Only a day and zey 'ave already tried twice to 'urt you? Even when zey know you are 'ere to protect zem?" Fleur questioned. "I think Papa is right and we let zem deal with ze Death Eaters when zey come."

Harry ran his fingers through his hair as he watched his cousin clear the gate. "I want to stick around until Pettigrew's trial at least, but if they keep this up, we can leave after that. I'm not going to have any of you dealing with this."

"Maybe I should write Papa and suggest we do what 'e said last night about turning your oncle and cousin into pigs and your aunt into a rodent."

"Would you really want kids petting my uncle and cousin?"

Fleur laughed. "Non, zey might try to eat zere 'ands," She looked lovingly at Harry. "I love you 'Arry Potter."

Harry wrapped his arms around his bondmate and kissed her. "I love you too my flower; now how about the roundabout?" He asked as he nodded over to the rotatable platform. "I'll push."

"Zat was fun," Fleur said twenty minutes later as they walked dizzily back out of the play park. The walk back to Privet Drive was mostly silent. They kept watch in case Dudley tried something. Harry walked with his arm around Fleur's waist while her hand was in her pocket with a firm grasp of her wand. They made it back to their tent undisturbed. A couple hours later Hermione and Gabrielle returned. Gabrielle spent several minutes describing video tapes to Fleur while Fleur and Harry replayed the events in the park to Hermione and Gabrielle.

"I wondered what was going on," Hermione replied. "I felt you get mad, but then it faded pretty rapidly. We were chatting with my parents about Winky at the time and when it faded...well I presumed it was something with your Aunt and Uncle and Fleur would take care of it."

After another fabulous meal by Dobby, the girls excused themselves and all of them disappeared into their room.

"What are you doing in there?" Harry asked.

"You'll see, but no peeking," Hermione replied.

Thirty minutes later Hermione, Gabrielle and Fleur reappeared dressed in ball gowns. Hermione and Fleur had on the ones they had worn to the Yule Ball, while Gabrielle wore the same dress she'd worn to their dinner before the bonding.

"Wha..." Harry started as his jaw dropped open. "Wha..." he tried again but failed. Before him were the three most beautiful women that could possibly exist.

"It is time for ze ball no?" Fleur asked. Her silver grey satin dress almost shimmered in the soft light of the candles. "Now go put your robes on while we clear a spot and find some music."

Fifteen minutes later, after a very quick shower and change into his dress robes, Harry had returned. The furniture had been moved aside and Hermione had found the proper music on the Wizarding Wireless that was in the tent.

"You're...you're all beautiful," Harry said.

"And you're 'andsome," Fleur replied and she took his hand and pulled him into the middle of the floor.

After a few awkward moments, Harry soon realized his oldest bondmate had been right. Dancing is much more fun when you have a woman you love in your arms. Each of his bondmates took turns in guiding the young wizard through various dance steps. As the evening progressed Harry knew he'd never be a great dancer, but he could feel how happy his bondmates where when they were in his arms moving to the music and to him that was all that mattered.

Hermione had the final dance, one with slow music.

"I wished I'd realized..." Harry started. "I should have asked you."

"We can't change what was and I wouldn't want to," Hermione replied as they moved ever so slightly to the music. "As silly as it sounds, I really do like sharing you with Fleur and Gabrielle. I am an only child who never had friends, and now I have sisters."

"And I have a family," Harry replied as the music ended. His lips touched Hermione's and the kiss that developed was full of the love the two of them shared for each other.

"Thank you," Fleur said later as she snuggled up to Harry in his bed. "For ze wonderful evening."

"It was all of you, you made it special...and it wasn't like it was a real ball or anything," Harry said.

"Love, I enjoyed tonight with you and my sisters more zan I did ze Yule Ball," Fleur replied truthfully.

"But I'm not that good of a dancer," Harry insisted. "I barely can keep from stepping on your feet."

"Eet doesn't matter," Fleur explained. "All I need is your eyes and your 'eart, both telling me zat you love me to make everything perfect."

"I do love you," Harry responded softly as his fingers lightly stroked Fleur's arm. His lips followed as they started up her arm and continued onto her neck until he found the spot under her ear that he knew she enjoyed. By the time Harry finally blew out the candle and pulled Fleur into his arms, she was having a hard time focusing on anything but his body. When his hand slipped under her shirt and cupped her breast she swallowed hard and started reciting in her mind. "Not zis summer, not zis summer, not zis summer."

*** E E ***

Dolores Umbridge awoke from a sound sleep with the solution to her problem. She knew the perfect way to get rid of Harry Potter while dealing with her other issues as well. A smile passed over the toad like woman's lips as she reviewed the plan again and again and found it flawless. She even knew the perfect time to do it as well. As she laid back down on her pillow, her thoughts turned to what laws she'd get passed to prevent those Veela things from coming into the country ever again; easily done once she imperiused that young Veela into killing her own boyfriend in front of the entire wizarding world at Pettigrew's trial.