Desperate Measures

Chapter 20 - April

The Quibbler, Special Addition to April Edition, Monday, April 14, 1997

Current Count of Suitors: 176

Excerpt from An Introduction to Veela, Chapter 12 - The Language – Not Just French

--April 8--

"Next time I think I'll just fry him. To hell with propriety," Harry mumbled into his grandfather's shoulder, thinking about that morning's incident at Hogwarts.

"That would be acceptable," Robert said as he held his grandson close as they sat cuddled on the couch in the common room of their suite at The Rose Inn.

"I mean, just how many warnings does the little brat need," Harry said in aggravation as he soaked up the comfort being provided.

"One was more than sufficient," Robert said soothingly. "He's a very lucky little brat. I'm certain I would have killed him the first time he insulted me. Or at least maimed him just a little bit."

Harry snorted in amusement and sat up. He smirked at his grandfather and asked, "And how do you maim somebody just a little bit?"

"Hmmm, well," Robert said slowly. "Maybe just a little fireball?"

Harry giggled then said with a grin, "I'll see if I can keep that in mind should the little brat shoot off his mouth a third time. "But, Headmaster, it was just a little fireball!" I can just see the old man's face."

"He's not giving you problems, is he?" Robert asked seriously.

"No, no," Harry replied, shaking his head. "You know I'd tell you right away. He still watches me every morning, though. Sometime I wonder what he thinks about when he sees me."

"The prophecy you told me about, perhaps," Robert suggested as he rose then pulled his grandson to his feet.

"Maybe," Harry said with a shrug.

Robert smiled slightly then said, "It matters not. He has no say in your life. If we weren't keeping your Veela heritage secret for now, I would simply take you away from there."

"Do you think I made the right choice in that?" Harry asked suddenly. He glanced to the side uncomfortably then looked back at his grandfather with a worried look. "Sometimes I think it was a mistake to hide my heritage. Sometimes I think that I would find a better mate among the circles you frequent, especially given that I'll be frequenting those circles myself once our relationship comes out. Sometimes I think that I eliminated all my best possibilities long before I even started."

Robert clasped his grandson's shoulders and asked softly, "How long have you worried about this? Why have you never said anything?"

Harry looked down a moment before once again meeting his grandfather's eyes. "Ever since about the middle of November," he admitted. "I met so many different types of people from so many walks of life and social classes and I really started to see how differently they could act. I started wondering if I would find a mate that could possibly fit in."

"And why have you not said anything?" Robert asked gently, squeezing Harry's shoulders briefly.

Harry shrugged, or tried to, and looked away in embarrassment. "I thought maybe you would be disappointed. It was me, after all, who was so adamant about keeping it a secret. I thought maybe..."

"Hush," Robert said firmly, giving Harry a small shake. "Hush. I am not disappointed. I wish you had come to me with these fears when they first formed. I would have alleviated them immediately."

Harry looked at his grandfather both in inquiry and hope.

Robert leaned in and waggled his eyebrows comically. "Shall I tell you a secret?"