A Promise Kept - Chapter 10 - Security Measures

Security Measures

He could not fathom why the spell wasn’t working, and he frowned as he eyed the still intact piece of wood resting on the table between himself, Professor Clarke, Professor Day, and Professor Goode.

Hary knew he had cast the magic correctly, had even felt the familiar stirring with himself, and yet, his efforts had amounted to nothing.

“I would’ve been astounded had you been successful,” Professor Day said thoughtfully. “Truthfully, I already am that you are able to do what you can at your age.”

“My age?” Harry questioned.

The Defence Against the Dark Arts professor nodded encouragingly.

“You are already capable of casting spells that should be beyond your abilities, Harry. There is a reason we have a syllabus set out year by year. It is to coincide with the expected maturity of your magic, meaning it has developed enough with time to be able to cope with more taxing feats. The fact that you are already able to use even some of the spells from the fourth-year curriculum is frankly astounding, and it is only your age that is holding you back. We can all see that theoretically, and even in practice, it would work for you if your magic was developed enough. It is just a matter of time before you are no longer hindered by your own current physical capabilities.”

Harry nodded his understanding.

“It’s still frustrating,” he huffed.

Professor Goode chuckled.

“I understand. I too was hindered in such a way during my school years, but would you like to know what I did?”

Harry nodded.

“I took the opportunity to perfect the magic I was able to use, to ensure it was as fluid and efficient as it could be. Besides, it is often the simplest of magic that can be most effective when you need it. Do not forget that, Harry. Use this time wisely to truly master what you already have, and the rest will follow, will even become much simpler with an unshakeable grounding.”

He had taken the man’s words to heart, and though it was often repetitive, Harry continued working on the spells he could already cast, the magic he did have at his disposal, and would work through it several times each day, investigation ways he could make it more efficient, but also becoming more and more familiar with it, more and more fluid in his work.

That was what he had dedicated himself to since he’d returned from school a few weeks prior, along with writing to his friends, and familiarising himself with the latest security measures Sirius had put into place.

Why he had done so now remained a mystery, but Harry did not miss the tension of his mother and godfather, nor the additional protectiveness the woman was showing.

It seemed that whenever he ventured out of the house, Lily Potter could be seen at the window, watching over him, despite knowing that Harry was quite safe within the confines of the ranch.

Only a damned fool would attempt to come here uninvited; something Sirius had seen to even before they’d come here around a decade ago, and seemingly doubly assured since Harry had been at Ilvermorny.

Flashback

“Where are we going?” Harry asked as he godfather led him from the house.

He’d only been back from school for little more than an hour and had barely unpacked his trunk when the man had come to fetch him.

“Just on a tour.”

“Of the ranch?”

Sirius nodded.

“We have some new additions you must be aware of, Harry.”

He said nothing else, and Harry followed the man across the fields, towards a wooded area. In the distance, he could see Aurelius eagerly waiting to greet him, but the griffin and the rest of his herd remained where they were; an oddity in itself.

Whenever Harry returned outside, he would always be all but set upon by the herd, who saw him as a part of their group.

Today was different, however, and he could feel those differences in the air.

Sirius suddenly placed a hand on Harry’s shoulder, stilling him as he pointed towards the treeline in the distance.

“Hippogriffs,” the man explained.

“That’s why the griffins are staying away.”

Sirius nodded.

“They will get used to one another, it will just take some time. You must not approach them, Harry, not until they are comfortable here.”

Harry nodded his understanding, but before he could continue on his way, Sirius pointed above them.

“You cannot see them, but they’re…”

“Thestrals,” Harry murmured as he watched a large herd of them pass overhead.

“You can see them?”

“I can.”

Sirius frowned.

“I don’t suppose it is too much of a surprise. Your father could see them too even before he’d seen anyone die.”

“He could?”

“Yes,” Sirius confirmed, eyeing Harry curiously. “It is said that they are a dark omen of death, but they’re just misunderstood. They are rather loyal creatures when you earn their trust, but dangerous to find yourself on the wrong side of. Now, there is one other I must show you, the most dangerous of the new additions. Come, but stay close to me.”

Harry did so, and could sense the nervousness radiating from his godfather, so much so that he hesitated before ascending one of the many hills on the property and outright coming to a stop as they approached an enormous cave.

From within, Harry could hear something stirring, and a low growl sounded as it emerged.

Drawing his wand, for what good it would do, he watched, his eyes widening as a large creature appeared, its yellow eyes narrowed dangerously.

“His name is Norbert,” Sirius said proudly.

“Norbert?”

“I didn’t name him,” the man sighed. “The man who I got the thestrals and hippogriffs from asked if I could look after him, and well, you can’t get much better protection than a dragon.”

“What kind of dragon is he?”

The scales were a deep brown, almost black, and Norbert watched him and Sirius closely, evidently determining if they were a threat.

“A Norwegian Ridgeback. He’s still just a babe and will grow to be around fifty feet long. He has venomous fangs, and the breed is particularly protective of their homes. He will respect us so long as we respect him. You must not approach him, Harry, under any circumstances. He will stick to his cave unless he is hunting, and there are plenty of lakes not so far away that he can get his food from.”

“And what did mum have to say about him?”

Sirius rubbed the back of his neck nervously.

“I haven’t told her about Norbert yet. I was hoping we could do that together.”

Harry shook his head.

“She’s going to kill you.”

“Not if you are on my side!”

“Why would I be on your side? You waited to tell her because you know she won’t kill you in front of me.”

“That’s only partly true!”

Harry laughed amusedly, his gaze flitting to the dragon who was watching the back and forth between him and his godfather.

“What do you think, Norbert, is she going to kill him?”

The dragon chuffed in response, unleashing a thick burst of smoke from his nostrils before returning to his cave.

“Even he thinks you’re dead,” Harry said with a grin, quite looking forward to seeing Sirius explain to his mother that he was settling a dragon onto the property.

End Flashback

Although Lily potter had not quite killed the man, she had given him quite the dressing down but having had time to ponder such an odd move, it wasn’t the dragon itself that troubled Harry but the reason behind it, along with the thestrals and hippogriffs being here in the first place.

For more than a decade Sirius had found no need to increase the security of the ranch so significantly, but Voldemort’s sudden re-emergence at Hogwarts had undeniably urged him to do so now.

Having been pondering it since his return, Harry knew that the confirmation of the Dark Lord’s somewhat survival had undoubtedly inspired his godfather’s latest bout of protectiveness, and his mother’s descent into abject fear.

Not that they had discussed the incident with him any further, despite the undeniable tension within the home.

Sirius certainly seemed to be more stressed and highly-strung than usual, though he hid it a little better than his mother.

Still, it wasn’t entirely absent.

“Harry, you have some letters here.”

His mother’s voice pulled him from his thoughts, and Harry left his room where he’d been continuing his studies to see who had written to him today.

It wouldn’t be Gabrielle just yet as he’d only replied to her a few days prior, and she would likely receive the letter when she woke in the morning, but it had been a while since he’d heard from both Wendell and Olivia, who were taking breaks away from home with their families, and Marisa who was visiting her sick grandmother in Brazil.

When he arrived at the kitchen, it was to find his mother offering Sirius one of the disapproving looks she’d taken to giving him whenever she remembered there was a fire-breathing dragon living not so far from the home, but thus far, his godfather had been correct.

Norbert had caused no problems and preferred to keep to himself, though Harry had spotted the dragon watching him curiously whilst he’d been spending time with the griffins, who were still rather edgy from the arrival of the other animals.

“Is one of them from your French bit of stuff?” Sirius asked.

Harry only shook his head in response, ignoring the grin from the man.

Having learned that Gabrielle was a Veela, he’d taken it upon himself to tease Harry at every given opportunity.

“No, but there is one from Isabelle,” he revealed as he read the missive from the girl. “She’s having a birthday party this weekend and has asked if I can go. It’s at her family home.”

“In France?” his mother asked worriedly.

Harry frowned.

For a while, he thought the woman had begun to relax, but she had only seemed to have gotten more concerned than ever, and Harry’s gaze shifted between his mother and godfather.

“Is this because of Voldemort? Is that why you’re trying to hide me?”

“No, Harry,” she denied a little too quickly.

“You’re lying to me.”

He could tell by the sudden shift in her demeanour, the way she wouldn’t meet his eyes, and how she became suddenly unnerved by the accusation.

“Your mother is just worried, Harry,” Sirius assuaged. “You can go to the party. We will figure it out.”

Harry nodded before leaving the room, already feeling the tension rise further between the man and his mother. It was not a discussion he wished to be a part of, but Sirius would talk her round.

He’d often had to do that for as long as Harry could remember, and though he understood his mother’s protectiveness, at times, it was becoming a little overbearing.

He could think of no reason why he shouldn’t be able to attend a birthday for one of his friends, especially given that she came from one of the most prominent families in France, and it wasn’t as though they would leave the front door open for anyone just to wander in.

Harry shook his head frustratedly but felt a stab of guilt in his chest.

He knew his mother was only trying to keep him safe, that what had happened to them haunted her so, but one day, she would have to learn to let go.

It wasn’t like she could keep him wrapped up under her protection forever, not when it would become his responsibility to keep her safe in return.

Still, he understood that day wasn’t today, but with that in mind, he returned to his work, determined to be better than he had been the day before; a mantra he had adopted these past months since Sirius had visited him at school after his first Quodpot practice.

(Break)

She helped herself to a pastry, revelling in the much quieter and less tense atmosphere of being back at home rather than the glances from her fellow students she would usually be subjected to.

It was only the name she carried that ensured she was given little trouble whilst at school, but Gabrielle had come to learn quickly that despite her father’s status within the French Ministry of Magic, Veela were looked upon with suspicion at best, and outright hostility at worst.

Fleur seemed to cope with it well enough, had created an armour where she was able to ignore the former, and was a gifted enough witch to deal with the latter where necessary. Gabrielle, however, was still finding her feet after only a year out of the protection of her parents.

I wasn’t easy, and she knew it would only become worse over time, but for now, it was not something she wished to dwell on.

She would not allow the opinions of others to ruin her life before it had truly begun.

There were still a few she could call friend, after all, but much like what had happened to Fleur, when she got older, she knew it was likely she wouldn’t be able to count them as such.

“Another letter for you,” her mother said amusedly, sliding an envelope across the table towards her.

Gabrielle beamed at what had become a familiar scrawl, and despite wanting to tear it open and read what Harry had written, she maintained her composure as she delicately retrieved the missive from within.

His letters these past months had become something she looked forward to.

He undoubtedly knew of her heritage, of what she was, but he’d not made a single mention of it, choosing to ask her about her experiences at school, what classes she was enjoying, and about her hobbies.

Perhaps that would change if they ever met, but for Gabrielle, it was something of a relief and a welcome change to her life that gave her a sense of what she expected was normal for other girls her age.

“She is doing that strange smile again,” Fleur sighed.

“That can only mean trouble,” her father grumbled. “What is making you so happy, little one?”

“Nothing,” Gabrielle denied, unable to stop herself from smiling.

“She’s been getting those letters since she returned from school,” her mother said amusedly.

“She’s been getting those letters whilst she is at school,” Fleur pointed out.

Her father frowned.

“So, it isn’t from someone at Beauxbatons?”

Gabrielle shook her head and could feel her cheeks warming.

“Isabelle is having a birthday party on Saturday afternoon.”

“And your mystery writer is going to be there.”

Gabrielle shrugged.

“I don’t know,” she answered honestly.

Harry had not mentioned it in his letter, but she had only spoken to her cousin about the party via the floo the day before. Isabelle had invited him, but whether or not he would attend was another matter entirely.

“And who is this person you are writing to, Gabrielle?” her mother asked, her tone laced with concern.

She knew it was not something she could avoid revealing forever.

Whilst she’d been at Beauxbatons, she’d been able to avoid her sister’s questions, but now, being back home, she was surprised she’d been able to keep it to herself for as long as she had.

“Harry Potter,” she answered.

It was not the answer her parents or sister had expected, and whilst Fleur almost choked on her own pastry, her parents couldn’t quite seem to believe it.

“How did this come to be?” her father asked after clearing his throat.

Gabrielle shrugged.

“I wrote a letter to him at Christmas time, and Isabelle passed it on when she went back to school. I didn’t expect a reply, but he wrote back to me, and we have been swapping letters since. He’s really nice. We talk about school mostly.”

Her parents shared a rather bewildered look.

“Does he know…”

“Yes,” Gabrielle huffed. “Isabelle would’ve told him, but he hasn’t mentioned it to me other than one of his friends seems to be quite sensitive to my magic from the letters he gets. It doesn’t bother Harry.”

Her mother offered her a smile.

“Well, I think it is quite sweet that you have a little pen pal.”

Gabrielle rolled her eyes at the teasing tone and fought the urge to laugh at her father’s pale complexion.

“I am only twelve,” Gabrielle pointed out, “and Harry won’t be until the end of July.”

Her father hummed.

“I was a twelve-year-old boy once,” he grumbled.

“They are only exchanging letters, Sebastien,” her mother reminded him.

The man murmured something about being a father to two daughters before shaking his head.

“Isabelle’s party,” Gabrielle reminded them both.

Her mother offered her another smile.

“We can go shopping for a gift this afternoon,” she assured her.

Gabrielle beamed in response before rushing off to her room to send her reply to Harry.

It would take a couple of days to reach him, after all, and she always liked to be prompt whenever he wrote to her.

Seemingly, he did too as it was never more than a few days that went by that she didn’t get one in return.

(Break)

Harry had always been a light sleeper.

To ensure he would not be caught out by a prank courtesy of his godfather, he needed to be, so when the door to his room opened and the softer footfalls of the man disturbed him, he was ready.

Sirius yelped as he was caught by one of the booby-traps Harry kept on hand was triggered, and his expression was one of surprise as the light from the lamp illuminated the room.

The man was dumbfounded and looked quite ridiculous with green paint dripping from his hair.

“Bloody hell,” Sirius groaned. “I wasn’t trying to prank you!”

“Well, I got you first if you were.”

Sirius could only shake his head in response.

“I need to speak with you, well, show you something. Let me get cleaned up and meet me in the study in five minutes.”

He left the room shaking his head, and Harry pondered what it was Sirius could possibly want with him at such an hour. He’d never woken him up in such a way, and only a few moments later, he followed in the footsteps of his godfather.

He found Sirius standing before an open trunk in his study, his expression grim, but he nodded as Harry approached.

“Come,” he urged, descending a ladder.

Curiously, Harry followed and found himself in what appeared to be a large library.

“What you see is the collection of works created and gathered by several generations of my family, our family,” Sirius explained. “There is magic here that would be devastating if it fell into the wrong hands, but with it, some of the most useful magic for defending yourself…”

“Or attacking your enemies?”

Sirius nodded.

“And for attacking your enemies. With everything that has happened, it is only right that you should be able to use it should you need to. For the same reason I was able to name you my heir, I can allow you to have access to this. You are a Potter, Harry, but the Black blood flows through your veins. It would be damned stupid if you did not learn what you have at your disposal. Now, I know I don’t need to tell you that most of this is frowned upon by others, but if it saves your life, neither of us should care. I have spent years trawling through these books, finding those that will be of most to you,” he explained, nodding towards two shelves that were stacked with works. “It will not be easy to master, but now is the time for you to begin doing so.”

“Does my mother know?”

“She does, and although she would prefer there was no need for this, we cannot deny it is a distinct possibility, but I must warn you, Harry. I know you’re not a damned fool, but the magic here is not to be shared with any other and is only to be used in the direst of situations. Do you understand?”

Harry had never seen the man so severe in all the years he’d known him.

“I understand.”

“Good, now, this trunk is yours. When you are home, we will be working together, and when you are at school, you must continue with your studies. This is important, Harry.”

“For when Voldemort comes for me?”

Sirius swallowed deeply.

“For if Voldemort somehow gets to you. I will not take any chances with your life, and the knowledge and magic within these tomes might just save it.”

Harry’s gaze swept across the length and breadth of the trunk.

There were thousands of books here, but two shelves full that Sirius had separated from the others for him to focus on.

“I will learn it,” he murmured, internally pleased that perhaps now he would not need to keep risking sneaking spells from the Restricted Section at Ilvermorny.

“Good. I expect nothing less than your dedication to this, as my heir, and as someone who may just need this.”

Harry nodded.

“Is she still made about Norbert?”

Sirius snorted.

“She is, but she understands that there is nothing I won’t do to keep you both safe.”

“Even adopting a dragon.”

“Even adopting a dragon,” Sirius chortled. “Anyway, your mother has agreed that you can attend Isabelle’s party, but you will be given an emergency portkey that I will be able to trace.”

“Thank you.”

Sirius offered him a wan smile.

“Neither me nor your mother are trying to keep you prisoner, Harry, but we must continue to be careful. As gifted as your professors believe you are, you cannot fathom just how dangerous Voldemort is, and you won’t, not until you have witnessed his power for yourself. I hope that is something that never happens, but we do not live in a storybook or a fairy-tale. I know you, and although your mother likes to think you are her sweet, innocent little boy, I know the thoughts you must have had. Just, don’t do anything stupid, not until you are ready.”

“I won’t,” Harry promised. “I won’t let what happened happen again.”

(Break)

It was not often Severus lost his composure but as he burst through the door to his office, Albus could see the man was quite apoplectic. A thick vein from throbbing in his temple, and his eyes were narrowed in fury.

“You thought it would be a good idea to arm Black with a dragon?” he seethed through gritted teeth.

Albus had known he would not be pleased when he inevitably learned of what had become of Norbert, as Hagrid had taken to calling the dragon he had obtained, and Severus’s quite inconsolable countenance proved his thoughts on the matter.

“I thought it was prudent that a dragon not be able to roam around the school, and Sirius has considerable land at his disposal, Norbert will be happy there, and in turn, will provide additional security.”

Severus eyed him in a state of disbelief before storming from the office, taken no care to avoid the apologetic Hagrid as he entered.

“Sorry, Professor Dumbledore, Professor Snape saw the letter from Sirius over my shoulder.”

Albus waved the Gamekeeper off. It wasn’t Hagrid’s fault, after all.

“How is Norbert settling in?”

Hagrid beamed at the question.

“Sirius says he is doing well and is already growing. He has lakes nearby to fish, and Sirius has promised to provide him with meat.”

“I am pleased to hear it,” Albus replied sincerely.

He had been unsure what to make of the request the man had sent to Hagrid for any creatures he might be able to provide to live on his land, but it had presented the opportunity to convince Rubeus to part with the dragon he had hatched.

Hogwarts was not a place to raise such a creature, and he could not have been more relieved that Sirius had agreed to take Norbert on.

Even so, the man had quite the penchant for trouble, and Albus had not forgotten the incident in which Severus had almost been mauled by the transformed Remus Lupin.

Still, Sirius had been a child, and he did not think the man intended to feed anyone to Norbert.

Well, he hoped not, at least.

(Break)

“What you must understand about the Black family magic is that it is different to others, Harry. I do not know how it was done, I do not understand it myself, but one of my ancestors found a way to tie it into our blood and magic. All that means is that the spells we create and add to this book belongs to us.”

It was a confusing concept, and one Harry would not pretend to understand himself, but he nodded what little understanding he did have.

“Anyway, it’s not so important, what matters is that these spells and our magic is quite unique to us. You may come across others that are skilled with curses in their own way, but it will not be the same as what we can wield.”

“Do all families have something like this?”

“I expect there are others that do, but it is not so publicly known,” Sirius explained. “Unfortunately, many of my forefathers were braggarts and unpleasant people, making them quite notorious. The Black madness is well-known in Britain. My mother undoubtedly suffered with it, as does Bellatrix, and many others that came before her. That in itself is a curse. Not that I want to speak about her. This is about you and keeping you safe. As much as I’d rather keep you away from this, it can and will save your life if you need it, but often at the expense of others.”

Harry once more nodded his understanding.

“Most of these books are quite unique, many one of a kind, so it is unlikely you will find yourself facing them if in a situation you need to defend yourself,” Sirius explained, gesturing to the many works that made up the Black library. “They will be most useful for you to learn, but it is this book here that contains the family magic,” he added, holding up a thick tome. “Everything in here has been created by a member of the family, and it is quite the insight to the kind of men and women that have hailed from the line. As distasteful as some of it is, it is worth learning, Harry.”

“Do you know it?”

Sirius nodded.

“I resisted doing so for many years, even when my grandfather would sit me down and teach me, I did my best to ignore it, but after what happened, I knew I had to use what I had to hand to keep you and your mother safe. The Black magic is exceptional at doing that. Between paranoid Heads of the house, and downright evil bastards, this is quite the enviable repertoire of magic to be in possession of. Of course, most of it is to be used against true enemies only, but there is more than enough here to make any a dangerous person to find yourself on the wrong side of. You will struggle with most of this, but you should begin taking in the knowledge, Harry. I will serve you when you need it most.”

He placed the thick tome on the table and offered Harry a sad smile.

“I do wish things were different for you, but I learned long ago that we cannot afford to take chances. Anyway, instead of listening to me hoping things had been different, shall we practice some magic?”

Harry nodded as he drew his wand.

“This first spell is a simple one, but very effective,” Sirius said gravely, conjuring an effigy of a man made of wood.

Despite the material, the facial features were realistic, and as he pointed his wand towards, Harry grimaced as the eyes of the dummy slammed shut and were held firm by a magical thread being woven through the connected eyelids.

“Dead,” Sirius declared darkly as the dummy fell forward. “The spell blinds your enemies quite painfully, and the eyeballs are pulled into the throat where the victim will choke.”

Harry could only shake his head, imagining that it was not a pleasant way to perish.

“They only get worse,” Sirius sighed as he righted the wooden dummy. “Read it and give it a try for yourself. I remember my Uncle Cygnus telling us all so proudly that Bella could do this at your age, so, you shouldn’t have any problems.”

Harry did as he was instructed, reading the rather simple instructions, and realised that the spell itself was not so difficult, that is was purely based on the intent to blind a foe.

How something so seemingly tame in comparison to what he knew was capable with magic could be construed in such a way, he didn’t quite know, but as he cast the spell, he felt the odd magic pass through his wand before it impacted against the dummy, resulting in the same outcome his godfather had achieved.

“I expect this spell was discovered mostly by accident, that the Black magic took it upon itself to twist it in its own image. I can’t be certain of course, but the outcome is always the same,” he explained. “Anyway, I think that is enough for today, Harry, you have a party to ready yourself for. Go on, it will do you good to get away from here for a few hours.”

Harry merely nodded in response before climbing out of the trunk.

It had been a sobering experience, and he suspected it was reluctantly that Sirius was teaching him the magic so young, but given what had happened at Hogwarts, he understood that his godfather was fearful of what Voldemort might do next.

Given what Harry knew of the war and what the man had done, he wasn't surprised by the concern of his mother and godfather, nor the reluctance but acceptance he needed to defend himself suitably against what was inevitably coming for him.

Nonetheless, he appreciated the concerns of both but had not forgotten the promise he had made to his mother, nor what had happened to his father.

If and when the time came for him to confront the Dark Lord that had torn their lives apart, it would be Voldemort that would perish at his hands, no matter what it took to see it done.

(Break)

Allowing Harry to go to school on the other side of the country was one thing, but just the thought of him going to France, not so far away from Britain, was more than enough to set Lily on edge, but as she watched him attempting to tame the same crop of messy hair his father had, she offered her son a warm smile.

“It won’t help,” she sighed, pushing and pulling at a few of the errant strands. “No matter what your father did, he couldn’t tidy it up. He was certain the Potters were cursed to have messy hair.”

“I don’t think he was wrong,” Harry grumbled as he removed the portkey Isabelle had sent him the previous day.

“You have your own…”

“Yes, Mum,” Harry broke in, holding up the second portkey he was carrying. “I have everything and will only be gone for a few hours.

Lily nodded and did her utmost to hide just how worried she was,. But Harry was not so easily fooled.

As he always did, he took a moment to assuage her concerns, wrapping his arms around her and placing a kiss on her cheek.

“I will be fine,” he promised.

“I know, I just worry.”

“I know.”

He gave her a final squeeze before activating the portkey, and Lily felt herself filled with the same dread she experienced whenever her son was out of her sight.

She wanted to relax, for Harry not to be a prisoner in his own home, but it was difficult.

He truly was all she had left, and she would never be able to forgive herself if anything happened to him.

“He will be fine, Lily. I already spoke to Isabelle’s father about the arrangements, and I am satisfied with them. There will only be four of them. Wendell and Marisa aren’t able to go, but Olivia, Maggie, and Gabrielle Delacour will be there.”

“When did you speak with him?”

“The day after the invitation arrived.”

“And you say I am overly protective.”

“I never said that, but with what happened at Hogwarts I won’t take any chances with him.”

“Isn’t this a risk?”

“Isn’t everything?” Sirius murmured unhappily. “Neither of us wish to prevent him from enjoying his childhood, we just have to be careful where Harry is concerned.”

Lily could only nod her agreement, and as she always did when Harry was a way, she glanced towards the clock, beginning a countdown to when she could breathe a sigh of relief that he was back with her and safe.

(Break)

She watched as Gabrielle paced back and forth in front of the fireplace. Naturally, she was quite a shy and reserved girl around strangers; a life lived as a Veela having taught her to do her most to remain unnoticed.

Not that such a thing was possible, particularly around males.

Isabelle could not profess to know what it was like to be her cousin, but she had seen for herself how her aunt and older sister had struggled, and it would be much the same for Gabrielle in the coming years.

“You will be fine,” she comforted. “Maggie and Olivia are excited to meet you.”

Gabrielle nodded uncertainly, and only a moment later, the fireplace flared into life, signalling the arrival of the latter of the duo of girls joining them.

The portkeys that her father had procured from the Ministry would take them to a private room from which they would floo to the Moreau home, and though Olivia stumbled, she managed to keep herself upright.

“That wasn’t fun,” she groaned before offering Isabelle a bright, mischievous smile as she was wont to do. “Happy Birthday!”

She pulled Isabelle into a tight embrace.

“Am I first?”

“Maggie and Harry are as bad as each other at being late.”

“I don’t think Harry is late on purpose. He just loses track of time mostly. Maggie is always late. It’s just her.”

Isabelle nodded her agreement but was surprised that Maggie was the next to arrive.

She was wearing what Isabelle assumed was a Quodpot jersey, but she’d not taken to learning much about the sport. Maggie, however, despite her irritation of her sister’s fame, was quite the fan, as was Olivia.

“This is my cousin Gabrielle,” she introduced to her two friends. “This is Olivia Parker and Maggie Archer.

Gabrielle offered them a shy wave.

“Ah, you’re the one Harry has been writing to,” Maggie acknowledged.

Gabrielle nodded.

“I am. I didn’t expect him to write back to me, but he always does.”

“Harry’s a sweetheart, mostly,” Olivia said amusedly.

“Unless you get on the wrong side of him. He likes to pull pranks on people who deserve it.”

Isabelle nodded.

She had seen for himself what Harry was capable of. Unfortunately for Jennings, he was often the victim for acting up during Quodpot training.

“They all deserve it.”

Isabelle smiled at the sight of the boy as he brushed the soot from his trousers.

“I hate travelling by floo,” he grumbled, pausing as he seemingly became rather aware of something.

His eyes fixed on Gabrielle, and Isabelle recognised the telltale sign that he was being affected by her magic. It certainly didn’t help that Gabrielle was already nervous, and that only made her magic more heightened.

Much to her surprise, however, Harry managed to shrug off the effects and even offered the girl an apologetic smile.

“Well, I don’t need to ask who you are,” he quipped. “Hello, Gabrielle.”

It was quite something to see her cousin relax immediately and even smile in response to how the boy had handled what could’ve become a rather awkward situation, but now that he was aware of it, and experienced it in full effect for a Veela of her age, he seemed quite unfazed by it, much to Isabelle’s relief.

“Hello, Harry,” the girl replied in kind, her own smile one of relief and gratitude that the budding friendship had not been ruined by his inability to fend off her magic, or hers to rein it in when she managed to relax around him.

“Happy Birthday, Isabelle.”

She beamed as he handed her a present, and any potential awkwardness was all but forgotten about.

Not even Maggie or Olivia seemed uncomfortable around Gabrielle, something both Isabelle and the Veela would be grateful for.