"Is it that time already?" Harry blinked before looking at the clock on the far wall of his smithy. "Oh, I guess it is; it's a good thing I packed last night."
"Come on Harry, time for a visit to your Third Wife!" Tonks laughed and Harry sputtered out denials.
"It's not like that, Nym!" Harry retorted as he followed the two girls out of the smithy.
"Sure it's not!" Tonks stuck her tongue out at him. Harry immediately insisted that they were just Pen Pals and that they'd never even met. Tonks just shrugged and Harry sighed at the Metamorph.
"Be nice Tonks." Penny smiled softly at the two. They'd technically asked Harry to ask Fleur to ask her parents to invite them along as well. The idea of letting Harry meet a Veela girl that was already writing to Harry about a topic they both enjoyed wasn't what concerned them. It was the thought of only Sirius being there with Harry! The Lord Black may have been dating Marlie Reed for almost a full year now, but just because he was taken didn't mean he wouldn't encourage Harry to make a few Veela 'friends' for the future. He may have gotten better after falling for Marlie; but he was still Sirius Black, horn dog extraordinaire! Self-proclaimed 'Ladies' Man' of the Marauders! Both Penny and Tonks felt MUCH better tagging along on this visit.
"Tayla, could you bring me my bag please?" Harry called out as they made their way to the Portkey departure point. This particular point was in the field off to the side of Wood End Cottage. International Portkeys has to be scheduled after all. Crossing Border magically without informing the relevant Ministries of Magic was illegal after all.
"Here you are, Young Master Harry." Tayla smiled brightly as she popped in with the said bag.
"Thank you Tayla." Harry smiled at the House Elf making her beam at him before she popped away. Tonks and Penny stopped at the destination and picked up their own bags they'd left there when they went to get Harry.
"Good morning all!" Sirius smiled brightly as he approached with the Portkey, a length of rope, in hand. He had his own small bag in his left hand and was all smiles. His good mood was in no small part to another date with Marlie just a few days ago. It was the first date he came home very late from in fact. Harry had already been asleep by the time Sirius had returned. The young Artificer wasn't even going to ponder on the WHY, but he had his suspicions and DIDN'T want them confirmed!
"Just about time." Penny looked at her watch.
"Right, right, grab ahold everyone." Sirius held out the rope to everyone. Harry, Tonks and Penny grabbed onto the rope and not even a minute later they were whisked away. Harry felt like something had grabbed him behind his stomach and then a sensation of spinning for several moments. When the spinning stopped Harry stumbled and fell onto the grass they'd reappeared on.
"Someone stop the world." Harry grumbled as he waited for the disorientation to pass.
"I hate Portkeys." Tonks grumbled from where she'd ended up sprawled across the grass.
"That was…less than pleasant." Penny agreed though the blonde at least landed on her feet.
"You get better with experience." Sirius laughed at the three as he helped Tonks and Harry off the ground.
"Monsieur Potter, Monsieur Black, Madame Tonks, Madam Clearwater; welcome to Chateau Delacour." A House Elf greeted them. The little Elf was wearing what looked to be a modified silk curtain and was obviously female. "May Kolly be taking your bags for you?"
"That would be lovely, thank you Kolly." Sirius replied with a smile to the Elf. With a snapped all of their bags disappeared and a soft pop saw Kolly vanishing as well.
"'Arry!" A delightfully warm voice called out and the group turned to the Chateau and saw a girl close to Penny's age, a year younger according to her letters to Harry, approaching them. With the teen, obviously Fleur, was a woman who looked like an older sister, a slightly plump man with a styled moustache and goatee, and a small girl that couldn't have been older than seven.
"Fleur, it is good to finally meet in person." Harry smiled at his Pen Pal. The picture she'd sent him in one of her earlier letters didn't do her justice. Seeing her face to face was far better. Fleur smiled at him and kissed both of his cheeks in greeting. Harry tried and failed to keep his cheeks from heating up at the platinum blonde's greeting. He was pretty sure he heard Sirius and Tonks snickering in the background too!
"Please, I'd like you to meet my Papa and Maman and my leetle sister!" Fleur smiled happily at him. From there pleasantries and greetings were exchanged. Fleur's father, Marius Delacour was a pleasant man, he and Sirius quickly got along. Her mother, Appoline Delacour, was the woman that he'd thought might have been an older sister. She was smiling and seemed pleased to meet him and the others. Lastly the young girl was Gabrielle, who happily babbled in rapid fire French. Harry was able to understand a bit of the little girl's talking, but quickly lost track and was lost.
"Come in, come in, we've a lovely brunch set up!" Marius welcomed them into the Chateau and the four British Magicals followed along. The group was quickly led to a lovely dining room and the spread of food available was impressive to say the least. Sirius had had some of the food before and was comfortable enough to pick out a few favorites. Harry, Penny, and Tonks took what looked good and whatever the Delacours recommended. Harry found he liked the pastry called pain au chocolat. Though that might be because it was a soft bread with chocolate inside.
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