Chapter 15

Chapter 15

EDWARD WHITE

It was finally the weekend. I looked up and saw noticed that the Sun had come out. The break from the cloudy, cold weather was much welcome. I stood by Hogwart's gates as hoards of students walked past me. Most of them on their way to the Hogsmeade to enjoy the weekend.

I looked down at the time on my watch and realized that it was now five minutes past the agreed time. I frowned at this, and Fleur was never usually late. It was one of the things that I appreciated. And just as I was about to go to their carriage myself, I heard the sound of some rushed steps.

I looked up and saw Fleur approaching me, walking briskly. She was dressed in blue black jeans, tight but not too skinny. With black leather boots. But the most significant change was the huge woolen long-coat she was wearing. And even with that, she seemed to be shivering.

"I am sorry for being late, but this weather is just too different an…" she began to apologize when she reached me, but I cut her off. Moving to her side, wrapping my arms around her.

"You don't have to worry about it. Plus, I can see the effort." I said mirthfully as I looked at the coat.

"What can I say? The weather here is insane? It is just so cold, even with the Sun," she complained. And she was right. The weather in France was much better. At least, according to her.

"Ok, are you ready," I said, and she nodded her head, and we began to walk towards Hogsmeade. It was the biggest Wizard-exclusive settlement in all of Britain.

"Is there anything like this in France?" I asked her. She nodded her head.

"Yes, there are a couple, I think. But they are different in the sense that it isn't just purely wizards that live there." She said cryptically, and I understood that there were probably some goblins, vampires, or veelas living there as well. Intelligent living beings that had simply been classified as creatures by our Ministry.

We finally reached the ancient settlement; students were bustling around, playing and joking with their friends.

"Ok, the first place that we have to visit has to be Honedukes." And then we moved towards the famed candy shop. I opened the door, and we entered the famed sweet shop for someone with a sweet tooth. This was supposed to be heaven.

"They are the most famous sweet shop in magical Britain," I added as I saw her eyes light up. We walked up to the counters, looking through the various items.

"Ahh, Edward! It is nice to see you again," came the sweet voice of Mrs.Flumes. She ran the shop with her husband, Ambrosius Flumes. I smiled and waved to her.

"Hi, Mrs.Flumes," I replied to the kind lady.

"Where have you been, kid? I haven't seen you use that entrance for some time now," she asked me, and I could see the quizzling expression on Fleur's face.

"Well, they have actually closed it down this year. After that second break-in at the school, security has been tightened." I replied.

"Ahh, yes. I did hear about that terrible business. Just terrible," and then her eyes found Fleur, and they began to glow.

"AHA! Is this the special lady you sneaked out of the castle for?" and I just gave her a nervous laugh. This was going to require a bit of explaining to Fleur.

"Kind of," she just smiled as Fleur greeted her, but then she was called by another group of students.

"All right, kid, pick what you like. I gotta take care of that bunch over at the counter."—then she turned to Fleur and spoke up—"It is nice to finally see you after all."

We walked out of the shop with a bag full of every sweet article at the shop. And as we were walking Fleur asked me with a raised brow.

"Mind explaining what that was about? Sneaking out of school? Special lady?" and she had a very sweet smile on her face as she interrogated me. I rubbed the back of my head sheepishly as I explained.

"Well, you do know that Britain does not have any legal dueling tournaments, right?" and she immediately made the connection. And with a horrified expression, she turned to me.

"You can not be serious. Illegal dueling tournaments. You sneaked out to participate in illegal tournaments!" and I nodded my head, making her stop in her tracks.

"Yes, after I lost in my first year. I knew that I needed practice. So, I searched and found some less shady places. After all, I did have a certain someone I wanted to impress," I said with a teasing smile. But Fleur had still not calmed down.

"Do you know how dangerous they are? Dueling can get dangerous so easily! What if you got hurt? Or arrested!" she was about to continue, but I cut her off.

"I know. That is why I did it for only one year." And Fleur just shook her head at this. It was time to change the subject.

"Ok, why don't we go and get something to eat?" and with that, I took her hand and began to move in a specific direction.

And I could see her surprise when she stood outside the shop. Madam Puddifoot's Tea Shop and I could her eversion by her expression. Fleur just stared at the pinkish-girlish exterior for quite some time, then looked at me. And I could tell that she was barely controlling her horrified expression.

I couldn't take it anymore and broke out into a small laugh.

"I am joking. We are not going there," and I could see the sigh of relief. She then turned to face me and asked in a somewhat horrified tone.

"What is even that place? So much Pink?" she asked.

"That, my dear is the premier place for dates in Hogsmeade. It is said that most Hogwarts romances begin and end in that place," and it was true. And she looked at the pinkish exterior once more.

"I can understand the ending, but I don't think they can begin here."

"You don't have to worry. I have something much better planned," and I pushed forward my hand. Fleur placed her own in it.

"I hope you have apparated before. If you haven't, hold on," I said, and Fleur nodded.

"I have."

And then, with a crack, we both vanished from the village of Hogsmeade. Appearing in front of a particular restaurant in London.

Fleur covered her face with her as she reoriented herself. Apparation was not fun. And after a second or so, we entered the place I had picked. A place that I remembered from a very different time.

Le Gavroche

0000

FLEUR DELACOUR

Fleur Delacour looked at Edward as they both finished their meal. The day had been quite fun, and with the first task approaching. This had been a much-needed respite. Moreso, there was something significant that she needed to tell Edward.

Something which she suspected that he was aware of, but she did not want it to creep up later. They finished the meal and walked out. There was still time before her mother and sister were to arrive.

"So, where to now?" she asked, and he just smirked.

"Now, I am going to take you to an extraordinary place," he said as he put his hand forward once more. Fleur took the offered hand and held her breath once more as the world around them shifted.

And after a second, she felt her feet touch the ground again. This time though, it was not concrete. And she opened her eyes and found herself staring at a house. Not just an ordinary house but an entire villa.

She turned towards Edward, who just smiled and walked toward the gate.

"What is this, Edward?" she questioned as she followed him.

"This, my dear, is the house that I have bought," and her head snapped toward him at that. And he just nodded his head as he opened the gates and kept on walking toward the door.

"You bought it, but how?" she did not want to be rude, but she knew that Edward was an orphan. And he was still at school. Yes, he may have obtained some prize money from the tournaments he won, but such an estate was not easy to buy. This must have cost a small fortune.

"Well, I did make some investments both in the magical and mundane world and had there was a bit of luck involved, but that is irrelevant." And he pulled her hand.

"You are the first person to see this, so come on," and she felt a bit sad when she heard the excitement in his voice. It was sometimes easy to forget how important the smaller things in life can be. She smiled as she walked behind him as he opened the doors to reveal the main Hall.

With two rows of stairs going to the second floor.

"There are two floors. This floor has the two bedrooms, the dining hall, and this…" and they went around the whole house talking about it.

Finally, settling down on the two sofas in one of the rooms.

"So, what do you think?" Edward asked her. And Fleur nodded her head at that.

"It is lovely. You must have spent quite some time designing this all," and it was. The estate was different, with many elements she had not seen elsewhere. And she had been to many such places as a guest.

Edward just smiled and spoke up after a long sigh.

"Yeah! It did take me the whole summer to get this ready. It is such a shame that it will have to remain empty!" Fleur frowned at that. Empty! And her heart stirred as she heard that.

"Empty? But why?" she asked with a frown.

"Yes, after all, I can not come back here from France every day now, can I," and her eyes widened at that. It couldn't be, and as if reading her mind, Edward nodded his head.

"Yeah! Your dueling professor had a long chat with me; he plans to retire next year and has offered me a place on Beauxbaton staff.".

And she felt her eyes tear up at that. He had taken such care in arranging his place. But he would be leaving it all. All for her! Because whatever he may say. There was no way that he wouldn't get a job here.

"Oh, Edward!" and she hugged him. And he hugged her back.

"Thank you!" she muttered as she separated from him, and he waved it off. And then she began to think of what she had wanted to tell him for some time. Something that could change everything.

"Edward, I have something I want to tell you as well," He frowned at this. Nodding for her to continue.

"Umm—you must have heard some rumors about me." And he nodded once more. Not speaking up.

"Rumors that—Um, that—" Before she could speak up, she felt his arms wrap around her.

"Rumors that you are a veela!" She nodded at this. However, she had not expected his following words.

"So? Why does that matter?" and her head snapped up. His face now inches from her.

"Then you must have also heard about the other rumors and powers that …" but she was cut off.

"As I said, that doesn't matter. I fell in love with Fleur Delacour, the witty hard working girl that can demolish anyone twice her age with a wand, someone who sometimes gets flustered on over the smallest of things, all that other stuff is irrelevant."

And she felt his face close up on her own.

"It all became irrelevant when she sat down next to me all those years ago, nerding over the duel we had just had." Her face heated up at that. The memory of that day is still clear in her head.

"I fell in love with her; the rest is irrelevant."

0000

In the Office of Headmaster Dumbledore, the sword of Godric Gryffindor was placed by the side of a broken tiara. However, a blackish liquid oozed out of the tiara. Dumbledore sat on his chair, slightly exhausted and saddened at the destruction of such a historical artifact.

The Diadem of Ravenclaw. Destroyed.

What a loss! And then suddenly, he looked up and saw a piece of parchment falling from his office's roof. It drifted down onto his desk. Dumbledore frowned slightly as the mechanism for such magic was unknown to him.

He opened the letter and read its contents, his eyes went wide as the words registered in his brain. After reading it, he placed it back on the desk. His face changed as if he had aged ten years.

'Regulus!' a name long forgotten was uttered in a muffled tone. And then he would call on his companion.

"Fawkes!" The phoenix would appear in a ball of flames and, with a chirp, begin to circle his office.

"My dear friend, can you take me to see Sirius? I believe that I have need of him." And with a last chirp, the phoenix would descend, and both would vanish in flames.

0000

A Horcrux was destroyed. Plus, what exactly did the letter reveal?

How will this all affect Sirius Black?

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