5 - Change of Venue

For a moment when Harry next woke – he was disturbed by a very unpleasant nightmare involving Fleur and a mob of screaming Hogwarts witches – he thought that it was just a dream. But then reality came crashing down again, and he found it remarkably difficult to suppress the panic that once again threatened to erupt. He could only wonder: what was his world coming to?

For all intents and purposes, he was engaged to be married!

It was startling and unbelievable, and that was without the fact that his prospective wife was quite literally the most beautiful woman he had ever met! How was this possible? Some part of him thought he was awfully lucky, but he was mature enough to recognize it as his hormones talking.

He had no idea what was even involved in being married. The extent of his knowledge was that they would have to live together, and he didn't know her well enough to even know if they could get along. The list of potential problems was getting longer and longer, and he really wished it would stop.

But wallowing in fear was not Harry's way, and he soon realized that his best move was to talk to Sebastian about it at greater length. The man appeared to genuinely care, and that was worth a tremendous amount in Harry's book. For his daughter's sake at the very least, it was almost a certainty that he would do what he could to help.

With that in mind he opened his eyes, and was surprised to come face to face with a tiny veela, who was standing mere inches away, staring at him with a confused frown.

"Er, hi," he said thickly.

Her frown disappeared, and she smiled at him. "Bonjour, 'Arry," she said brightly. Then the frown returned. "Pourquoi êtes-vous dormir sur le canapé?"

Harry blinked. "Er, sorry Gabrielle, I don't speak French," he said bemusedly.

The little girl's brow creased in puzzlement, and then concentration. "Non... speak... Eenglish," she said haltingly.

Harry couldn't help the chuckle that escaped him. He had never dealt with children before, but had to admit that she was adorable as she stood there looking expectantly back at him. She was going to be a knockout when she grew up!

"Sorry," he said with a patient smile.

The girl frowned at him, and then looked furtively around before suddenly climbing onto the couch, and then onto him, eliciting a soft "oof!". Taken aback, he just watched as she curled up on his chest like an enormous cat. Not knowing what else to do, he wrapped his arms around her to keep her from falling off and hurting herself.

With a mental shrug, he closed his eyes and drifted back to sleep, surprisingly comforted by her warm weight.

-break-

Six hours later, Fleur Delacour left her room in search of breakfast. She was aware that her father had spoken to Harry the previous evening, but had yet to hear the outcome, and she was very nervous. Then again, the lack of yelling was probably a good sign; she only heard one brief outburst, which was probably much better than she herself would have fared.

She could not even begin to imagine his reaction to finding out!

Were it her, and especially at that age, she would have been raging. The entire concept of arranged marriages was anathema to her – they had never been a tradition in the Delacour family, even with as much history as it had – but that was essentially what this was! The idea of allowing some random man to wed her, let alone bed her... The mere thought of it made her skin crawl.

And that was essentially how it must look to Harry. If he agreed – which he most likely would thanks to that odd nobility of his – he would essentially be signing on to allow her to have her way with him. And unlike most boys, her veela allure would be no comfort since he didn't react to it. She somehow doubted that he was the type to enjoy meaningless sex.

Sighing and shaking her head at her dark thoughts, she wandered into the sitting room, only to spot a messy mop of black hair pillowed on the arm of the couch. Fleur stopped dead in her tracks: she knew about the dinner, but had no idea that he had stayed the night! He appeared to be sleeping soundly.

Curious in spite of her mood, she padded slowly and silently around the couch, and found herself staring at the most adorable thing she had ever seen.

There was a small smile lingering on Harry's lips as he slept on, and in his arms was the very recognizable form of Gabrielle. Her head was pressed against his chest with her ear directly over his heart, and the contented look on her face as she slept was almost awe-inspiring! Fleur knew the girl had a bit of a crush on her newest hero, and apparently she had come across him some time in the night.

The smile that broke on Fleur's face was entirely genuine, and slightly mischievous. Just as silently, she padded quickly away and retrieved her camera. There was no way on Earth she was going to pass up the opportunity! This was something she wanted to remember for a long time to come.

And maybe, if they found a way to make things work, she could tease Harry with it...

-break-

Harry woke about an hour later to the sound of Sebastian's voice. He was speaking quietly in French, and then – to Harry's considerable surprise – the warm lump on his chest responded in kind. And then it all came rushing back, including his brief foray into the land of the living, when Gabrielle crawled onto the couch with him.

It made him feel warm and fuzzy to know that she trusted him enough to sleep through the night in his arms, though he wasn't entirely sure why.

Sebastian was highly amused by the scene, but shooed the little girl off quickly enough. They then sat down and had breakfast in lieu of the originally promised dinner. Though it was obvious that the man had more to say, they only indulged in idle conversation through the meal.

And Harry learned quite a lot.

Sebastian, it seemed, was the French Director of Foreign Affairs. France's dependence on other countries for various magical commodities made it a very powerful position, and he was quite well respected, having held it for many years. He was considering a run at the Minister slot in a few more, but had yet to decide.

It was enlightening to have a conversation with a politician that he felt he could very much like, and he soon discovered the root of it: the man had once been an Auror. And when Sebastian discovered his budding interest in the career, he immediately started in on stories of his adventures. It was quite an enjoyable morning, even if it did make him have second thoughts about what he wanted to do with himself after he graduated!

Finally, though, breakfast was over, and Harry had little option but to settle in for a more serious conversation. He was no closer to accepting his new situation, and positively dreaded discussing it with Fleur, but he held his emotions at bay as best he could. Giving his full attention to Sebastian, he waited for the inevitable return to the subject...

...only to find that the man had other things on his mind.

"I would like to talk to you about something, 'Arry," he began. "And I would like to cast a Calming Charm upon you beforehand this time. This will be a very difficult conversation for you, but it needs to 'appen."

Harry's stomach clenched. What else could possibly go wrong? Outwardly, however, he simply nodded his agreement, not knowing what else to do. He felt that he could trust the man, so it was best just to get it out of the way.

The Charm settled him only slightly, as he was not yet upset, but he still felt it take hold. And unlike last night, this was a much more powerful one. In many ways it held similarities to the Imperius Curse, but without the commanding nature. That only made him wonder just how bad the coming conversation was going to be!

"Now then," said Sebastian a moment later, "I must first tell you that when Fleur brought her situation to my attention, I did what any good father would do. I learned as much about you as I could."

Harry nodded; he could understand that easily enough.

"Your records with the Ministry are quite strange, 'Arry," he sighed. "We will come back to that later, but to make a long story short, I was forced to look to the Muggle world for information. I knew that you lived there, so I went to their records for your 'istory."

Harry lost a bit of color at that revelation. His life in the Muggle world was no picnic, and for that reason alone, he did not like where this was going. The grave expression Sebastian was wearing was enough to worry him significantly.

"And?" he prompted warily.

Sebastian closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose, somehow seeming more disturbed about whatever he was getting at than he was the previous night, which in turn disturbed Harry even further. What had he found? It was taking an awfully long time for him to order his thoughts...

"Your records raised some questions," he sighed at length. "I was 'oping that I was wrong about my suspicions, but I 'ad a plan to deal with the situation just in case, and it was a good thing that I did. And I want you to know, 'Arry, that I would 'ave done this even if not for the situation with Fleur."

There is no doubt in Harry's mind now that this was something major, and he suspected that he was going to enjoy this about as much as he enjoyed their last conversation. He couldn't yet see where Sebastian was going with this, but it was nowhere good! He felt himself tense as he prepared for the next great shock.

"Go on," he prompted slowly.

Sebastian took a deep breath. "I needed permission to inquire about the betrothal," he explained, causing Harry to pale in an instant. "I went to see your guardians, and as I think you will expect, their response was... less than pleasant."

What little color remained in Harry's cheeks finished its exodus, and he was very thankful for the Calming Charm. He could feel his body fighting against it, wanting to react to the implications of what he was hearing! Sebastian had spoken with the Dursleys, and nothing good ever came from speaking with the Dursleys!

"What did they do?" he asked faintly.

Sebastian studied him for a moment, and then, rather than responding, he reached into his robes and plucked out a scroll, which he handed to Harry. Even more worried now, Harry unrolled it and read – and shock rolled over his features as he digested the contents:

By order of Magic:

We the undersigned do hereby release any and all claims on our ward, Harry James Potter. All rights and responsibilities are hereby transferred to Seigneur Sebastian Alexandre Delacour until such time as he reaches the age of majority or a further transfer of guardianship is issued by Seigneur Delacour.

We hereby acknowledge that this document is a binding magical contract, to supersede any other arrangements concerning our ward. We do this of our own free will, and without coercion.

So mote it be.

Signed: Petunia Anne Dursley

Signed: Vernon Paul Dursley

Harry stared blankly at the contract, emotions too numerous to name flooding through his system. Did this mean what he thought it meant? Had the Dursleys really just signed him over, forever freeing him from their influence? Pale and wide-eyed, he looked slowly up at Sebastian, who was watching him pensively.

"You may choose a different guardian if you wish, 'Arry," he offered quietly, "but so long as I 'ave any say in the matter, you will never return to those people."

Harry blinked and swallowed a lump in his throat, and was unable to prevent the tears from pooling in the corners of his eyes, where they slowly began the journey down his cheeks. It was his fondest dream! For so many years he had longed to escape the Dursleys! He had the strange urge to pinch himself to see if he was dreaming...

His jaw worked soundlessly for a moment before– "Is this real?" he croaked.

Sebastian smiled at his reaction. "Very real," he nodded.

It took a few minutes for Harry to comprehend the sheer magnitude of the change this would incur in his life. He would never again have to sleep in a cupboard. He would never again have to endure their hatred of him, or be beaten for things his cousin had done. And no more serving as a target for Dudley's gang.

But what else did it mean? His life was suddenly open and empty before him, and he couldn't help but wonder what would happen to him now. It was so wonderfully terrifying! He might have a chance to lead the life he'd always wanted!

"Thank you," he whispered quietly. And then– "Where will I stay?"

"That is entirely up to you," offered Sebastian carefully. "If you choose to stay with us at our 'ome in France, we will welcome you with open arms."

Overcome with emotion, Harry allowed the silence to continue. His head spun with the changes of the last twelve hours. He had no idea how he was going to deal with this, but for the first time in his life, he felt a true ray of hope, and it warmed his soul. And it was all because of this one man, who had taken the time to see things as they really were.

And then Harry found himself wondering exactly how much Sebastian knew. Obviously it was enough to convince him that Harry shouldn't stay with the Dursleys, but how much was that? He didn't have to wait long to find out, though, because–

"Are you familiar with the art of Legilimency?" asked Sebastian quietly.

Harry shook his head at the seemingly unrelated question.

"It is, essentially, the art of entering another person's mind," he explained, causing a shiver to run down Harry's spine. "As an Auror, I myself was trained as a Master Legilimens. There is a companion art, Occlumency, that helps to prevent such intrusions, and I recommend that you learn it, but that is not the issue."

Harry felt a bit faint at the implications. Was he suggesting what he thought he was suggesting? The idea that Sebastian might know the truth was terrifying! What would that mean for him? How would he ever be able to live with the shame? He unconsciously gripped the edge of the table, his knuckles whitening under his firm grip, but Sebastian held his gaze and didn't notice.

"Legilimency is not something I care for," he admitted after a moment, "It is a serious violation of a person's privacy, but I was quite thoroughly disgusted by them, and concerned for your wellbeing. After they signed the contract, I 'ad a look through their memories. I tell you this, 'Arry, because I want you to understand that you need not 'ide it from me."

His countenance darkened as he explained, "I know exactly 'ow they treated you."

Harry's breath caught in his throat, and his vision dimmed slightly, even under the influence of the Calming Charm. His treatment at their hands was his deepest, darkest secret! He never wanted anyone to know of that! What must Sebastian think of him?

And Sebastian answered in a gentle tone, almost as though he had heard the unspoken question – which he may well have done. "You 'ave nothing to be ashamed of," he said seriously. "On the contrary, I am thoroughly impressed with you. There are not many who can survive such an experience without losing themselves, and you 'ave done an admirable job."

Harry's jaw involuntary dropped open in astonishment. "But–"

"No," interrupted Sebastian. "It is the truth, nothing less. You were in no position to control what they did to you, and you did nothing whatsoever to deserve it. I 'ave never in all my years seen such a clear-cut case of criminal abuse as that one. And they will pay, 'Arry. The process 'as already been started."

Harry stared back at Sebastian, completely dumbfounded. Sebastian knew about the beatings and other abuse, and it impressed him that Harry survived it? And he even went so far as to free him from them forever, which nobody else had even tried to do! And they were going to be punished for it? Even Professor Dumbledore had never paid attention to him when he explained it, but Sebastian had done all this?

"How?" he choked out. "How did you do it?"

Sebastian chuckled darkly and leaned forward. "I think it no secret that they did not want you there?" he asked. Receiving a nod in reply, he continued. "I merely gave them the impression that I would..." His face twisted up into an odd combination of disgust and grim satisfaction. "...make you disappear. They signed the contract without 'esitation."

Shocked, Harry gaped openly at him. "You told them you were going to kill me?" he asked incredulously.

Sebastian snorted and shook his head. "I did not say that, but they chose to interpret my words that way," he smirked. "Using a device called a Pensieve, a recording will be made of the conversation, and it is damning evidence. They will be tried in a Muggle court for conspiracy to commit murder, and they will be sentenced accordingly. The Director of Magical Law Enforcement is an old friend of mine and is arranging it, but nobody else needs to know unless you wish to tell them."

Harry gulped as he tried to process everything. He was getting married to a beautiful woman. He was free of the Dursleys. The Dursleys were going to jail! It was almost like Fate was, in her own twisted sort of way, trying to compensate him for his lot in life. It was all too good too be true!

"What's the catch?" he asked in raspy voice, unable to believe that much good fortune so easily, even if it did come with an arranged marriage. "There's always a catch."

Sebastian sighed. "There is no catch in the way you mean, 'Arry," he said reassuringly. "You are free of them, and will remain so. Either we will take you in, which I would 'onestly prefer, or I will transfer your guardianship to whomever you choose. It really is that simple. There are issues we will 'ave to deal with regarding why you were sent there in the first place, but it is my 'ope that you will not need to be involved."

"Why?" he asked, his voice thick with emotion. "Why are you doing this, I mean?"

"What you would you do?" retorted Sebastian. "Would you leave a child in those conditions if you could do something about it? My daughters think very 'ighly of you, as do I, and my wife will adore you. You deserve to 'ave a family, and if you will let us, we would like to be that family. I can promise you that you will never again be treated in such a despicable manner." Smiling slightly, he added, "And besides, if you do not change your mind, you will soon be family in any event."

Harry shook slightly under the gale of emotions he was experiencing. He'd always wanted a family, always wondered what it would be like to have one. He had imagined many times what it would feel like to have someone there for him, to see him off to school, and to welcome him home. To have someone to turn to for advice when things got rough.

To have someone love him.

He felt compelled to answer before he lost his nerve, but it was difficult to do. How could he possibly express his gratitude? The man had taken him in, sight unseen! How could he ever possibly repay that? But he nevertheless forced the words out, desperately afraid of losing the opportunity.

"I– I think I'd like that," he said gruffly.

Sebastian smiled gently at him and pushed up from the table, only to come around and pull him into a surprisingly warm hug. Harry stiffened under his touch – he'd only ever been hugged by Mrs. Weasley and Hermione before – but he could feel the genuine emotion behind it. His mind was in turmoil, and his emotions were so powerful that he could not keep them inside no matter how hard he tried, and he let out an audible sob for the first time that he could recall.

"Welcome to the family, 'Arry," he heard whispered in his ear.

*GIVE ME POWER STONES*