France Issue (Part 4).

"No need to bother yourself, mister Delacour." - came youthful voice from the side, but what really shocked Dacien was another matter. Side by side with him entered none other but Fleur Delacour.

"What is the meaning of this, why is she here?" - her captivity was one of his strong cards for negotiations and now it is gone.

"She is my daughter, where else should she be if not at home?" - asked Monsieur in utmost astonishment, so exaggeratedly written on his face that it was almost cartoon like. But it was such a great way to mock a person.

"Hello, misters of Nicolay family, my name is..."

"I don't give a shit about who you..." - the youth tried to give a tough front.

"My. Name. Is. Alan Viol Salvatore-Skymorne." - Alan didn't listen and empowered his own voice with raw mana manipulation, making even Monsieur impressed. One must know that such a feat is very hard to do, as using mana without spells to such precise degree is nearly impossible for most wizards. - "And I am a student of Hogwarts soon to be second year. Nice to meet you, not..." - he made exaggerated pause as if forgetting the speech he prepared. - "...seeing you earlier I consider as my loss. So nervous, so nervous."

Alan smirked at the duo and still holding Fleur hand they both seated side by side. Girl didn't even spare a glance at Louis, making him enraged beyond words. In school she was never seen in company of other boys, she didn't even let them come closer than two steps to her.

One once tried and received a knock-back jinx in the face.

But here she is, not only she took his hand, she is even playing with his fingers!

"Fleur, get back here this instant." - Louis screamed.

"Hmph, if I go there I'm afraid I will be assaulted and robbed by some thug I barely know." - she said in even tone not impressed with the boy at all.

"Monsieur, you should educate your daught..."

"Mister, we are here to talk about you robbing me of my familiar. Me, a student of Hogwarts and a citizen of Great Britain." - Alan cut his tirade short. He so loved to do that. Only now he realized it is very interesting to watch.

"When adults talking you..."

"But what about you robbing me? Do you realize that I am not even a citizen of France, what are you called again? I'm terribly sorry, my memory is quite short and I tend to forget passing things." - Alan stood up and bowed slightly in apology, but the words he said were anything but it.

"Oh no, Dear, you didn't forget. They clearly didn't even bother to introduce themselves. They said that they don't give a... of my, I'm a well educated girl, I shouldn't use such foul words only a port lifter will use." - Fleur made herself look startled and shocked, while covering lips with one hand and sighing in exaggerated manner.

"Oh! So it is not that I'm forgetful! Good then. Not like I planned to remember something knew today." - the remark nearly made both Delacour burst with laughter.

'Oh, Alan, you are so forgetful. You even forget you have eidetic memory.'

Monsieur nearly burst in laughter. It might seem like Alan was very disrespectful, but in truth the words he said are very well measured. He never once insulted them directly, on the contrary, offered an apology.

"He is Dacien Nicolay, dear." - came sweet voice of the girl to his ear. It made him ticklish and sent a wave of relaxation through his body.

'My God! She surely can play...'

"Fleur, you are coming with me today and serve me well in my family..."

"She is not going and you, go wash your mouth, it's bad enough with your body odor here, don't add any other aroma." - Alan said with a quirky mood. He was peeved by the meaning of the words this guy said.

"I'm not tal..."

"But I am talking to you and on her behalf. What can you do about it?"

"Who the hell are you to talk in her stead?"

"Oh, but she is my girlfriend and a fiancée. What's more can there be? Oh, are you perhaps saying we already should be married. My friend, your taste is a bit... extreme! We are too young!" - Alan actually grew tired of provoking them. How long could they last? So damn patient.

"I demand a duel!" - screamed Luois.

"Agreed!" - immediately said Alan before father of the guy was even able to say a word. That made the duo flabbergasted. So quick to agree! Was it their aim all along? - "But... it is no fun without stakes."

"My words exactly! If I win you will transfer your bird to me and Fleur will marry me tomorrow."

'Quite an appetite you have, scum. Not only Avy, but my little Fleur. Fat chance...'

"Apologies, but Avy is like a sister to me and Fleur is my girlfriend, she is a free girl, not a merchandise for trade. I won't agree."

"You!"

"Look here. I have something you might be interested in." - with that Alan showed a little book that he withdrew from his mothers, now his, vault. He knew they will take the bait, no, Dacien will. And as he expected the eyes of Nicolay family head grew wide with astonishment and greed.

This book has a history on it's own and is called Book of Blood Alchemy. Actually, the one who named it was himself mistaken about it's origin, as originally it was just a diary of a mage archaeologist who depicted a certain spell array in one of his findings. It was a room presumably used by alchemist way more ancient than Nicolas Flamel himself.

Eventually this diary went to Nicolas and the array was a cornerstone in his successful attempt to create Philosopher's Stone, the concentrated miracle of magic. Amalgal said that it is one of the alchemy creation arrays of Isu and presumably the man who wrote the diary found a workplace of Isu alchemist.

"Nothing serious, just your everyday basic stuff every alchemist of Isu used." - commented Amalgal, but also he said another thing: "Albeit the array is not difficult, but the creation and perfection of it took hundreds of our brightest minds to work for centuries. It is the best alchemy array in history of my race and one of our proudest creations."

So when this diary went from one hand to another and eventually ended up in the hands of Nicolas Flamel, that is when it was destroyed in two parts. One went missing, another passed down in generation of Nicolay family. Perhaps the later tried to rob the former. Judging by their conduct right now nothing really changed since then. Same robbers, but with powdered faces and aristocratic upbringing.

"You want it, don't you?"

"But, young lad, the book is useless to you, why not trade with us?" - old fox don't want to take any chances, heh.

"Not interested. If you want it, I need lineage blood pact with simple terms. You are not to act directly or indirectly against me, my family members and Delacour. Also I want two bottles of condensed Luck, five bottles of Truth Potion and a crate a healing potions of every kind. As simple as that. Of course the duel will still go on, this is just additional agreement."

This time Dacien was deep in thought as his face turned slightly pale. That was a huge price! But not the one they can't afford. Nearly all their stock will be gone, however in return they will be able to procure formation that can let them easily resupply it.

On the other hand. albeit phoenix is precious, it's blood can be bought in black market. It is rare, but not unattainable.

However the diary is one of a kind.

"And don't try to rob me. I will just put this inside a newly purchased vault in Gringotts and throw away the key or simply give it for safekeeping to Headmaster Dumbledore. Good luck robbing it then." - Alan smiled the most angelic smile he could have had. As for Dacien face, it already became black, but than he sighed and slumped down on his seat.

"Okay young man, I am willing to comply if the book is authentic. No need for the duel and all that. Let's be cultural."

"It can be done. Let your son properly apologize to Fleur and never bother her again and add million galleons to my account. Then I can cancel the duel."

Million galleons was in no way small sum, but for alchemists family neither it was a grave matter. More like somewhere in-between. Still Dacien never regretted coming here, because he had a way to fulfill the life-long wish of all his ancestors. And that is fixing the array they found.

"Father!" - Dacien looked at his son. - "I can defeat him!"

At that Fleur scoffed visibly.

'Defeating my Alan? You are dreaming!'

And that scoff made Dacien eyes narrow down. He clearly saw that all before this was just a play, but there were two undeniable facts. Fleur was very attached to the boy and perhaps they really have relationship and second came now – he is strong beyond his years. Dacien wasn't the brightest mages alive, not even close, but he was outstanding businessman with keen senses for talents and people who will achieve many things in the future.

And he never wanted to be enemies with such people. That was one of the primary reasons why he thought about youth's demands deeply. Connection to the boy might be as well a ticket to the bright future. What is there to hesitate to pay a bit of a price. Not like it will destroy the family, on the contrary, they will benefit.

"Even if you can, what after that? Do you think he will agree to have a deal over the book with us?"

"Father, why not kill him?" - Louis whispered at Dacien ears.

"Kill?" - the later took his son by the collar and dragged to the corner of a room and hissed in response enraged. - "You are not permitted to think about killing anyone! I don't mind you using trickery and coveting girls left and right, you can play how much you want, but if I hear that you killed, raped or tortured someone I will end you myself! Earlier, didn't you tell me that Delacour brat is in love with you, eh? We are Nicolay family, not some Death Eaters bunch! We are wizards, alchemists and people of business, not underworld or followers of You-Know-Who!"

He dragged his son back, clearly very disappointed in his poor conduct.

"Apologize for you misconduct."

"But father..."

"Do I need to repeat myself?" - Dacien looked at his son with rather calm attitude, but this only means that he was very, white-hot angry.

"I... I'm sorry." - Louis said through clenched teeth.

'No he is not, but that is fine, he can do nothing without family support and Dacien actually have a bottom line. Ah, Vibe, such a handy thing.'

"I need a lineage blood oath." - said Alan. It was a cruel oath, but only it can make him feel at ease. Still he didn't forget there was another party in the fray – Dreux House. And they deliberately aimed for Isu artifact that was already taken away.

Dacien sighed. It was a defeat, but they will profit.