Fleur De Lis

Chapter 21

Chapter 21

Arriving at the Chateau Delacour was an experience. From the time the two men arrived in the entryway of the home he was smitten with the place. It resembled a beach cottage of sorts. The floor to ceiling windows across the home gave a promising view of the Oceanside, and a nearby beach. Tiki torches, and other tropical decorations covered the patio area that stretched through a massive area on the side of the house that could easily be seen from where he entered. The inside of the house was charming as well. It was not often he saw blatantly wealthy homes were furnished with tact and grace, but this place fit the bill perfectly. The smooth marble floors, and well decorated banisters around the home still had clear colored lights on them remaining up from the Yuletide celebrations.

Harry was taking the house in carefully memorizing the details to himself when a vaguely familiar woman stepped from a nearby archway illuminating herself to the two men, "Monsieur Potter, welcome to our home. You are the first guest to arrive, but I believe my 'usband intended it that way. Non?"

Sebastian gave his wife a smile and swept her into an embrace planting a kiss on her cheek, "Of course, mon amour. I wanted our young ally to get a feel for our home before he became overwhelmed with the guests."

Harry offered a slight bow to the matriarch of the family, "Madame Delacour, it's an honor to be back among friends."

The woman offered her hand which Harry smoothly took and placed a soft kiss on the back of, and the woman smiled, "Let that be the end of the formalities from you, Harry Potter. You saved my daughter's life, and even gave her a wonderful Yule. You have earned the right to be informal with us, dear."

Offering another short bow of the head Harry smiled, "Thank you, Appoline. The invitation to your home has been quite the blessing, and I look forward to celebrating a new year with allies."

"He doesn't know how to turn it off, does he, Sebastian?" The woman teased.

This made Harry blush slightly, "Sorry, Appoline, my master has beaten the politeness into me. It is very difficult to turn it off at times."

"Charms like those I can see why Fleur says you can get yourself into trouble." The woman said glossing over what he said about Grindelwald.

"Speaking of Fleur, where might I find her?" Harry asked curiously.

The woman chuckled, "No doubt she knows you are here by now. She is likely putting the finishing touches on her look for the evening, and will be right up. Before then there is someone that requested to meet you before the rest of our guests arrive. May I escort you to our lounge area?"

Refusing to fidget under the possibilities of who insisted on meeting him he offered a charming smile to the woman, "Of course. Only a fool would turn down the chance to be escorted by someone as beautiful as you, Madame Delacour?"

Sebastian could only shake his head with a grin, "Shunning me for a younger man right in front of me, Appoline? You have no shame."

"Our daughter would be quite disappointed if I did, I think. Not to worry, mon cher I will make it up to you later." The woman answered as she wrapped her arm through Harry's, winking at her husband teasingly.

The banter made Harry happy. The sign of a happy family that was comfortable among themselves.

The two walked down a long hallway together in comfortable silence for a moment before the woman said, "I was very impressed with the magic you used in the First Task. It is not often my husband is humbled by magic users, and I could tell you had his respect with your choices of shields, and the cursed fire ward you used."