France Issue (Part 3).

"She was taken away." - she said bitting her lips. Fleur felt like she let down Alan in this regard, but her hands as a little girl were just that - tied and small to take care of the issue.

"What do you mean taken away? By whom?" - Alan clenched his fists. Avy is more of a friend than just familiar.

'What shit 'taken away'? Are they tired of living? Let's see who is so great.'

"My family can do nothing to them." - Fleur sighed. - "It happened during my first year in academy. Louis is one of my schoolmates. He is a pure-blood wizard of high nobility of France, the Nicolay family. They are a family of alchemists, a very reknown one." - she looked at Alan in worry and seeing him listening to her with serious face continued with slight fear to say anything more. - "You see, our family although one of pure-blood too, has a Veela blood and is considered by other ancient nobility as inferior to them. We are not even close to be as influential as Nicolay house. They..." - she faltered for a moment. - "They are forcing a marriage between me and one of their heirs to take Avy as a dowry." - than with haste she continued, taking his hand. - "but I refused, and my father never took anything from them. My mother even sent their delegation away with several battle spells."

'Nice one miss Apolline!'

Alan was flabbergasted for a second. Is it even allowed in modern world? Wizards too have their laws. Such marriages are a thing of the past. It only means that Nicolay family is willing to go to any lengths to seize Avy.

"Wait... let me think... okay, first what we will do is announce the truth about ownership. You need to say that Avy is my magical beast by the rites of blood pact between us. As I'm not a person of France, but Britain, it will become an international Ministry of Magic case and will draw attention, furthermore I'm a student of Hogwarts and you know who is our headmaster."

"Second, is there any opposition to them in France, any house or family of equal standing?" - Alan started to conjure plans for a countermeasure.

"There is." - Fleur nodded and looked at the twelve years old youth in front of her with admiration. Somehow, he was very charming this very moment. - "The House of Dreux. But..."

"But?"

"My father received a letter from them and in exchange for help they want something of ours." - she said in a low voice.

"What exactly?" - Alan already made a guess, but was waiting for response.

"It is inside our mansion locked in special isolation magic. I never saw the thing, but it is said to fall from the sky when I was born."

'That's it! It should be Isu artifact! But if it is so... than most likely Dreux and Nicolay family are working together and this artifact is their true aim. Haha... if it is so, why not give it to them with some adjustment? As for Avy, it is still a target, but a secondary one. I need full information on these two families to find what they might want the most and why. Perhaps I have something that can be used. Nicolay... alchemists...' - he then smirked in barely traceable manner. - 'I just might have something interesting, and they will do anything for me to acquire it. Need to check it further.'.

"Okay, first we need to go back. Tomorrow we will buy tickets on the train and travel back to Delacour manor." - she calmed down a bit and nodded.

Fleur nestled into the bed and wrap herself up like a newborn baby. Alan looking at her nearly laughed his head off. It was too damn cute to see only her face to look out of a mass of blankets.

"Are you going to sleep there?" - she asked in a low voice after some time.

"Why not?" - Alan shrugged in response and turned down the idea to do it on the same bed.

"Isn't it uncomfortable?" - he wanted to give her his usual joke about comfort of a prison cell but when seeing her sharp gaze, opted not to. - "Come here." - she said strictly.

"Here is where exactly?" - Alan greened sheepishly, again feeling shy.

'What is this girl doing to me? It is so strange... with her my self-restraint is just going out of the window!'

"To me obviously." - she said with a huff. But than her tone become softer. - "Just come already, I'm scared to sleep alone."

This was a total defeat. Alan stood up and lay on the bed beside her. Well, looks like her wrap up was not so reliable, because in one easy motion Fleur covered them both with a blanket and snuggled her way to his chest completely lacking any defenses.

"Alan... you saved my life today." - her head suddenly rose and lingered above his face. She looked right into his platinum-gold eyes. They were as she remembered, giving her a sense of peace and comfort, but also agitating her and making her heart race.

"That I did... I guess." - he gulped in surprise, but used his spare hand to poke her forehead. - "You need rest, silly."

"You are the silly one." - she pouted.

"Whatever you say, my princess." - he smiled and moved a loose strand of her hair behind her ear. Moonlit shone inside their room and brightened part of her face in mesmerizing dance of silver light and pure white skin. - "Let's rest, you need to sleep."

"Mm..." - she nodded, still looking at him and than, with a quick movement of scared rabbit gave him a peck on his lips. The next thing he knew is her rested head on his shoulder.

Like that she drifted into the land of dreams.

And he – meditation.

Several days later in Delacour mansion.

"Where is my daughter?" - Monsieur entered his manor and there were already some guests.

"We are investigating it, mister Delacour. You need to be patient." - said a man with your average look. It was that way everywhere, but one mustn't underestimate him, for he is an auror of the Ministry of Magic in France. - "But we need something from you to speed up the process."

'This is so obvious I can't even start laughing.'

Monsieur feigned rage and indignation but deep inside felt glee. For years this thing was troubling their family. And now it is time to let it go and to top it off, on his, Delacour family, terms.

"I know what you want." - he took out unassuming box. - "You can check, it hasn't been open since the day of Fleur birth."

"I check it myself." - said another man. Contrary to all average auror, he was a tall and handsome middle aged person with a pose of aristocrat. He came here today with his son to seal the deal for both families, his and Dreux. But Delacour has no need to know.

He was Dacien of the Nicolay family, father of Louis and the one who wanted to acquire the bird for it's blood.

Taking out a wand Dacien waved it and knew that what was said by Monsieur is the truth so he nodded to the auror and the later took the box, apparating out of the manor. He got a one time permission to do that from Monsieur himself.

"Now about our marriage proposal, I assume it is more than generous."

"It is indeed." - nodded Monsieur. - "But I refuse."

A young man near Dacien glared at his supposed to be father-in-law with disdain and threat, but was put down with one look from his own father. He was a youth of ambition and has a certain level of attainments in magic arts, as he already will be fifth year student in the next term, preparing for his O.W.L examination.

With all that he had a certain standard for a girl that has a right to be called his woman. So young and already so full of it.

"Monsieur, why are you so stubborn? Love is a matter to be developed through the years of interactions and you know it. We are all already grown up people, why not discuss it nicely?" - Dacien sighed and sat himself to the coach as if he was at home. Contrary to his expectations it made Monsieur nearly laugh out loud. Something didn't feel right.

"Let's not beat around the bush, you want a phoenix for you alchemy experiments, which are illegal by the way, but I guess a family of drug adicts won't mind." - Monsieur sat down and took a cup of tea. Faces of father and son duo cramped like a soiled piece of paper.

"Insults. How plebeian. But one can't expect anything from non-pure nobles."

"Yeah, yeah." - Monsieur continued to act quite roguish and it really seemed like he enjoyed the process. - "Sadly, I really can't help you here, Dacien. You see, the bird never belonged to our family, but to the fiance of my daughter."

"What fiance? My dear Fleur never had a fiance aside from me!" - the young boy yelled, but again was put down by the glare of his father.

"Monsieur, I need proof." - actually Dacien was a reasonable man. He didn't mind to strike a deal with Delacour about the phoenix, but he liked it to be on his terms.

"Why don't I simply introduce you to him?" - and again the later readily agreed.