Prince's Angel

Prologue

Gabrielle had always been an oddity.

A quarter-Veela, Gabrielle or Gaby had turned heads at school, but unlike her sister Fleur, she had never grown used to it. She would never have dreamed of trying out for the Triwizard tournament and silently thanked God that there had been no more by the time she went to Beauxbatons.

When the invitation came, Gaby was excited. It wasn't the prospect of gawking at rotting corpses, partially bandaged or grotesquely mutated, or digging out ancient treasures that were meant only for the deceased. No, what she really wanted was to go to the House of Life, the ancient order of magicians which had stood ever since the days of the pharaohs.

Unlike Fleur who wore her appearance like armour and held her head high, using arrogance as a shield (Gaby knew her better, actually), she wasn't showy or proud. Whereas Fleur used her beauty as a weapon, Gaby tried to hide hers. Beauty was something craved, unfortunately, it was also something which made the Delacour sisters stand out. Gabrielle's mother Apolline encouraged her daughters to wear it like armour, but only Fleur ever managed to be comfortable with that. Gaby was shy, whereas Fleur was outgoing. Fleur placed her name in the Goblet of Fire, and was chosen as Triwizard Champion- Gaby would never have dreamt of such a thing. Fleur took an active role in the Second Wizarding War. She was awarded medals of honour by the French and British Ministries of Magic. Gaby trained to be a healer. She was excellent at herbology, potions, charms, healing and household magic. She could often hide away with a book for days. 

But unbeknowst of many, she could often be more defiant than Fleur. At times during school, she had not shied away from showing people what she really thought. When numerous witches and wizards who tolerated Muggle-borns only ever gawked, ogled and stayed well away from her, as if she had spattergroit because of her Veela heritage, whenever they said something, Gaby would always make sure she had the final word. She tolerated none of this.

At the same time, however, she could see why Madame Maxime had to hide her half-giant heritage. It can't have been easy for her either. Yet Fleur would treat her admirers with contempt. Gabrielle would mostly avoid them.

By the time the invitation from her sister and her husband came, inviting her to come with their family to Egypt, Gabrielle's eagerness for new knowledge and adventure outshone her usual shy self. She had been stuck at the hospital, brewing everything from Wolfsbane, Skele-gro to Blood-replenishing and Pepper-Up potions. She had treated countless patients and was eagerly looking to get away for the summer. Of course it was sweltering hot in Egypt, but it was a small price to pay for new knowledge and adventure. 

Gaby wouldn't have had it either way.

Prior to the journey she had sent a message, requesting an audience with the Chief Lector, or head mage of the House of Life. Gabrielle happily packed her bags, kissed her mother and father goodbye, and went off with Fleur, Bill and their three children to Egypt.

She had no fears of curses and unnatural hexes and jinxes as she knew Bill was an excellent curse-breaker. But she wasn't looking for gold or mummies.

"Just what do you want with the Chief Lector?" Bill asked, confused. "I want knowledge," Gaby said, sounding surprised. "I want to learn. There are things that the Ancients keep to themselves. I want to find them out."

Bill shook his head. "Should've been in Ravenclaw," he muttered.

Gaby didn't know what he meant, but soon they approached Heliopolis, the ancient city. 

"I want to learn everything the ancients kept," she explained. "Everything wizards and Muggles forgot. The ancients had magic the likes of which we can't imagine. So powerful, so raw, so..."