The Veela looked sheepishly over to the pale faced wizard who sat on the hospital bed with a scowl.

The last half hour had been anything but pleasant. Dumbledore had done as he promised and regaled Harry with the events that had led up to the situation they were now in, only this didn't seem to placate the recently awakened Harry.

"You went against your word Dumbledore" Harry grumbled, his eyebrows crossing in a way that sent made his features harden.

"Harry, you must understand my reason for doing this" the Headmaster stated calmly, "Miss Delacour has displayed a truly unique ability, one rare for even a Veela. I believe she could help you with your condition".

"But you could have waited until I woke up, why were you so eager to tell Fleur without asking me?" the younger wizard questioned.

"Ah" the older man faltered ever so slightly, "I believe that in my wish to see you rid of your ailment I overlooked your previous wish. All I can ask is that you forgive this senile wizard and his bumbling nature".

The frown didn't lighten on Harry's face as he and the Veela listened to Dumbledore's words. Fleur for her part thought the old professor sincere, especially considering how much she had had to push to gain the knowledge she now held.

Eventually the venom-ridden wizard sighed, his head falling as he broke his gaze at the Hogwarts Headmaster, "fine, I suppose it doesn't matter anyway" he muttered.

"Harry" Fleur said, only for the emerald eye wizard to look up at her, the intensity of his stare silencing the Veela at once.

"You won't tell anyone" Harry stated, it wasn't a plea, but neither did it feel like an oppressive order. Yet Fleur felt compelled to agree with what the wizard was telling her, it was his secret after all.

"I would never" the Veela replied quietly.

"So what do you think Fleur can do Professor? Can she get rid of the poison?" Harry asked as his head turned to looked at the bearded man, the emotion in his emerald eyes fading away, his posture slouching slightly. The shift in stature threw the Veela off slightly, the young wizard now looking diminished and tired.

"I couldn't promise you such a feat Harry" Dumbledore replied with a sympathetic eye, "my knowledge of Miss Delacour's magic is not as great as I would like it to be. She is an Empath, she can feel the emotions of others, though from what Miss Delacour has displayed thus far it hasn't fully developed yet".

"I haven't felt any emotions" Fleur added, earning the attention of both wizards, "I...I have only felt compelled to find found out what was wrong with you Harry, my intentions were never...". At that Dumbledore's half moon spectacles shone a deeply critical glare making the Veela rethink what she was going to say. "I had no wish to make you uncomfortable or hurt you in anyway".

"With time I believe Miss Delacour's ability will grow, but for now pushing for a result may only harm our guest" Dumbledore expressed patiently, "Miss Delacour I ask that you consider aiding Mister Potter when your Veela magic had developed further".

Fleur nodded numbly, full aware of the younger wizard watching her, it wasn't like she could say no.

"Then I think I shall take my leave, no doubt you would like to discuss amongst yourselves without my presence" the old Headmaster stated, the twinkle in his eyes returning mischievously. Before Fleur or Harry could make any form of comment Dumbledore had already risen from his summoned stool and parted the privacy curtain. The Veela was tempted to follow in the Headmaster's wake, the feeling of being out of place rising within Fleur with every second she remained seated.

However when Fleur turned to look back at Harry the sensation slid away. The young wizard's complexion had deteriorated further, the bright colours that were expressed in his eyes had vanished and his skin looked cold and worn. Guilt formed like a sinking stone in the Veela's chest, her earlier thoughts of leaving feeling traitorous after seeing Harry's frail appearance.

"Are you in pain, do you want me to get Madam Pomfrey?" Fleur asked Harry, her voice low and concerned.

"It'll pass" Harry replied, the rustic tone returning to his voice, "Madam Pomfrey can't do much for me anyway".

"Why is that?" the Veela questioned, confused by the wizard's response.

The young wizard grimaced for a split second before he focused his gaze at the French witch, "I'm already on everything that Madam Pomfrey can give me without breaking some sort of wizarding law, and the pain will pass in a bit, it's always like this when I wake up".

"Oh" Fleur muttered, as much as she wanted to help the suffering wizard there was little that she could actually do to aid him,

"So what's it like to be an Empath?" Harry then asked, the sense the young wizard desired to change subject was obvious but Fleur wasn't going to ignore such a wanted shift in conversation.

"I only learnt about it yesterday" the Veela conceded, "and as Dumbledore said, it hasn't really begun to affect me yet. I admit that I wasn't comfortable with the focus I placed on you, I'm sorry if it upset you in anyway, I had no control over it".

"To be truthful it was more annoying than anything else" Harry answered with a nervous smile, "I thought it was bit weird how you wanted to be my friend as soon as we had both been announced as champions, part of me wondered if you were trying to pull my leg or something, to throw me off".

"I wasn't lying to you about wanting to be your friend Harry" Fleur retorted, her voice more enthused than it had been for the last hour, "you seem nicer than the other boys I've met in this cold country, it would be a shame for you to ruin that assumption".

"I didn't mean… no Fleur I..." the young wizard stammered, the smallest amount of colour returning to his cheeks as he spoke.

Fleur watch with mirthful eyes as Harry worked himself up over his small blunder, "calm down Harry I was pulling your leg, I know you didn't mean it".

"Are you like this with all your friends?" Harry said, his face still hot from the Veela's teasing.

"Only the ones I like" Fleur replied with a smile. Though at the mention of word, Fleur recalled the two students who had been standing at the door to the hospital wing.

"Before I came in here there were two students standing at the door, they said they were your friends. I thought you weren't on good terms with them?" Fleur questioned, noticing the small frown emerge on the wizard's face.

"One of them was ginger and the other had really curly hair?" Harry asked simply, as though he had been faced with this sort of question before.

Fleur nodded, slightly unnerved by how accurate the young wizard was being.

"I guess I wasn't telling you the whole truth about my friends" Harry muttered with a small amount of guilt, "they err… they don't know about me being bitten by the Basilisk, and because I'm not in their lessons anymore they got suspicious. So when they found out I was taking part in the Tournament it seemed like too much of a coincidence. I don't blame them really".

"Why haven't you told them, Hermione seemed very worried" Fleur pointed out, though she wasn't about to scold the boy about being a bad friend she wasn't above being curious of Harry's reasoning.

"So that they wouldn't have to worry" Harry explained with a serious tone, "I don't want them to get upset or scared, I'd rather they just get on with their lives than be concerned for me".

"It doesn't look like they are getting on with their lives, Hermione put a tracking charm on you" the Veela stated before she sat forward, "Harry if I was able to find out what was wrong with you then surely they will. Don't you think they would prefer to hear it from you rather than their headmaster?"

"No" Harry challenged, a small amount of life returning to the small wizard, "Fleur I don't want them to know alright? I'd prefer them to be suspicious of me than to know the actual truth".

Fleur cocked an eyebrow at Harry's determined face, it was clear he cared for his friends but she couldn't understand his desire to leave his friends in the dark.

"They aren't blind Harry, they can tell something is wrong" Fleur argued before her tone softened, "everyone can see you are in pain, wouldn't it be better to share it with someone?"

"I shared it with you, didn't I?" Harry said rhetorically, his cheek annoying Fleur somewhat.

"Not by choice" the Veela muttered, though her line of thought was disrupted by the young wizard's grunts as he moved away from his place on the hospital bed and stood up, his movement slow and stilted.

Fawkes, who had been watching the exchange with intelligent eyes took flight, circling Harry several times before landing on his shoulder. Fleur also stood up, worried that the young wizard would just collapse again.

"Don't you think it would be better to stay and rest?" Fleur asked as the young wizard made his way towards the split in the privacy curtain, "I'm sure Madam Pomfrey would tell you as much".

"If I followed Madam Pomfrey's advice I wouldn't leave my bed" Harry replied flippantly before he stopped and looked at the perched Phoenix, "come on Fawkes I'll be fine, you can go".

A beautiful shrill emanated from the magical creature's beck, the sound enrapturing and sorrowful to Fleur's ears. Yet despite Fawkes's verbal refusal, the Phoenix removed himself from Harry's shoulder and returned to his wooden perch by the bed. Fleur had half a mind to stun the rebellious wizard and return him to his bed, he looked in no state to be walking around after just fainting, yet the heavy stone in her chest stopped her from moving, Fleur felt like she had already interfered with Harry's life enough as it was.

To quell the civil unrest between her head and her heart, the Veela pulled her wand out and followed Harry past the white curtains. The Veela then quickly pointed her Rosewood wand at the departing wizard, muttering quickly in her native tongue. The results were instantaneous as she felt a warm pulse run from her wand up her arm. Hermione may have placed the charm on Harry, but that didn't mean Fleur couldn't tag along.

Fleur had rarely known exhaustion. A combination of a carefree and peaceful life meant the Veela had never felt the energy draining feeling before, but as the French student collapsed on her bed she felt as though the sensation had been with her her whole life. A clumsy hand reached out to the back of Fleur's head, undoing the hairband and allowing the platinum gold to unravel, her silky blue hat already discarded in the corner of her room. With the same hand, the Veela ran her hand through the soft strands, the faintest of frowns emerging as she found a single knot.

Groaning quietly as she sat up again, Fleur looked about for her hairbrush, the idea of using magic falling through her mind. Soon enough Fleur's eyes fell on the simple instrument, and the battle to stand up begun.

Eventually Fleur managed to will herself upward long enough to grab her brush and settle back on her bed, the act not as terrifying as the fatigued Veela had first thought.

The first stroke paved way for more, the simple act slowly releasing the balls of tension that had built up in her ligaments. A soft sigh passed Fleur's lips as she sat the brush down on her bedside cabinet, only for a yawn to follow, though the idea of getting up to disrobe wasn't that attractive of a prospect for Fleur, not after finding such a comfortable position to sit in.

Even with hindsight Fleur had no idea that the day's events would leave her so tired, it wasn't physical but rather mentally exhaustion, something her Mother had always said was the more lasting than the former.

But learning the truth behind Harry's secret had left Fleur feeling more than fatigued, she felt awful. The self-hatred still ran strong within the Veela, she had no right to know what she now knew especially as she had planned to blackmail the poor wizard. Thankfully Harry and Professor Dumbledore were unaware of Fleur's previous plan, and it would forever remain in the past, she held no desire what so ever to bring it up ever again.

For now Fleur would focus on the Tournament she had only a few days ago been so enthused about, but now that dream was tainted somewhat, the magic had been sucked out of it now. Before the idea of an underage wizard preforming in the Tri-wizard Tournament was something that would have made Fleur laugh at for the sheer imagery it evoked, it was now painfully different.

Harry was strong, he had to be to endure Basilisk venom coursing through his veins. Even the thought of the bite mark on his arm was revolting for Fleur to think about. But Harry would have to contend with the Tournament and the effects of the Basilisk venom, such a thought was not a warm one for Fleur to think about, if anything it was worrying to think about.

A loud knock on Fleur's door brought the Veela out of her thoughts and back into reality.

There was only one person who would have the audacity to knock on her door, and that was Madame Maxime. Fleur sighed in annoyance as she realised she would have to let the half-giantess in.

"Come in" Fleur groaned in French, her speech slurred slightly.

However what came through the ornate door wasn't the Beauxbaton Headmistress, instead a blur of dark brown and silk blue came racing through, tackling the Veela onto her back on her bed. Stunned by such an action, Fleur only responded when she heard a high pitch giggled emerge from her attacker, the sound a familiar one causing the Veela to roll her eyes.

"Melanie, get off of me" Fleur ordered as her friend continued to hold onto her for dear life.

"Surprise!" the brunette chuckled, her voice muffled, a side effect of her burying her head into Fleur's hair.

"I'll set fire to you, will that get you to let go?" Fleur asked, knowing what the answer would be.

The pair of hands that were clamped at her sides were released, the weight pinning Fleur to her bed was removed as her friend stood up.

"Nice to see you too Fleur" Melanie sulked, her hands on her waist as she looked down at Fleur.

"What are you doing here? I don't remember seeing you get on the carriage" Fleur questioned, knowing that Maxime had seemingly singled her out and left all her friends behind at Beauxbaton.

A sheepish smile appeared on the Witch's face, "well you see… I didn't get on the carriage" Melanie muttered weakly, "I umm… overslept".

"Oh?" Fleur said, unsurprised by Melanie's response, she could sleep through anything.

"Don't be so rude Fleur!" Melanie exclaimed, her face genuinely depicting a hurtful appearance.

"So how did you get here Sleepyhead?" Fleur asked, ignoring her friend's act.

"Portkey" Melanie replied, the pain leaving her expression as soon as she realised Fleur wasn't buy her ruse, "but don't think I haven't heard Fleur, you're our champion".

Fleur braced herself for what was to come.

"I'm so proud Fleur" the Witch gushed with such enthusiasm that made Fleur want to gag, "you've wanted this for so long, you haven't stop talking about this since it was announced at the beginning of the year".

"I am aware Melanie, I was there" Fleur pointed out.

"Oh no missy" Melanie interrupted with a waggle of her finger, silencing the Veela, "if I've had to get the brunt of it at Beauxbaton, you're getting it now".

"Or you could leave, here I'll help you" Fleur stated, her wand coming out and pointing menacingly at the offending Witch.

The chocolate brown eyes of Melanie grew larger at the sight of Fleur's wand, she had been on the receiving end of one of Fleur's curses before and she knew what it felt like with agonising detail.

"OK you win Fleur" Melanie said in a panicked fashion, her hands raised in defeat, "what's got your hair in a twist? You're not usually this bitchy".

"I'm never bitchy" Fleur denied with a frown.

"Yes you are, you're just too stuck up to admit it" Melanie countered with an innocent smile, the Witch quickly moving over to sit besides the Veela.

Fleur took a moment to ponder her friend's words. The seemingly harsh words they spoke between each other wasn't anything new, rather it was a way for them to have fun at each other's expense, though Melanie had a way of hitting a bit too close to home sometimes.

"So come on, what gives, why are you so wound up?" Melanie asked as she tapped the Veela's shoulder with her own.

"It's just the Tournament Melanie" Fleur lied, "I'm not used to surprises, especially ones that could kill me".

"Pfft, like a contest would kill you Fleur" Melanie replied, rolling her eyes at the Veela's comment, "you'll do fine, you're at the top of most classes Fleur, stop fretting".

Only Fleur wasn't worried by the Tournament, neither Madame Maxime or Professor Dumbledore would allow for the Tournament to go ahead if there was a legitimate chance of death occurring. No, it was the fact an underage, ill student was to take part, that was what was worrying Fleur, and the more she thought about it only made it worse because she could think of no way to help him.

"Hey remember that time you taught me the Reductor curse?" Melanie continued, not noticing her friend's silence, "I swear you were showing off when you did it first time".

Fleur looked at Melanie with a growing realisation

"Of course I remember, you nearly destroyed Beauxbaton" the Veela smiled, a wonderful thought growing in the back of her mind. Fleur didn't know what the Tournament task were going to be, but she could practice, and she could practice with Harry, maybe teach him a few spells. It wouldn't make up for his lack of experience, but the idea in it of itself set some of the Veela's anxiety to ease.

"They fixed the classroom in the end" Melanie pointed out, "but that's not what I meant, you're talented Fleur, you'll win this Tournament without breaking a sweat".

"I'll take your word for it Melanie, even if I know you're wrong" Fleur replied calmly, though she felt a better knowing she had at least one friend to talk to during her stay at Hogwarts, even if that friend was Melanie.

"Anyway, why don't we get something to eat, I'm starving" the Brunette commented as she stood up, practically dragging the Veela as she went, "you can tell me all about what I've missed".

Fleur had the distinct impression that she held no say over what was going to happen next.

"Miss Delacour, I'm under the impression you aren't trying" Julien drawled as he inspected his nails with a lazy eye, his use of the French tongue slurred and dreadful.

Fleur would have quite happily replied with a long string of curses that would have appalled her Mother, but her instructor's full body binding curse made it hard for her to breathe let alone talk.

"Now Miss Delacour we shall try again" the French man instructed, "please do pay attention this time, I do not waste my time in this distasteful country for your enjoyment". With a flick of his wand the curse was released and Fleur was able to suck in a desperate breath, yet she knew she couldn't remain on the floor. Shakily the Veela rose, sweat dripping down her face.

Julien's training regime had changed, Madame Maxime wasn't able to attend all of Fleur's training sessions and Julien felt it necessary to move onto another task, Fleur was frustrated beyond belief that she hadn't succeeded in her first exercise, if only because of the condescending looks the slimy toad of an instructor gave her made Fleur want to burn him alive.

For now they were training under the rules of a traditional duel, and with the amount of times they were resetting, Fleur was beginning to think her spine would rebel and pop of her back the next time she bowed.

Julien was the one who began the duel, a shining red bolt shooting its way towards Fleur, only for the Veela to catch it upon her wand and whisk it to the side. The Veela responded instantly, bright pink sparks dazzling the older wizard as he side stepped the spell, a look of consideration passing his features before he turned and retaliated with several different spells, each one a blur as Fleur either dodged or blocked.

"Come now Fleur, you cannot win by dancing about the battlefield" Julien called out after his latest plethora of spells narrowly avoided hitting the Veela's body.

The fire in her veins growled with infuriation at the mockery she was being faced with, but Fleur couldn't allow herself to become tempted by her Veela magicks, they were dangerous and she didn't know whether she could reign them in if they were allowed to wreck havoc.

"Bombarda" Fleur said viciously as she pointed her wand at the lanky man, the shock in his eyes a delicious sight for the Veela to behold.

Julien managed to jump out of the way of Fleur's charm, falling a hairsbreadth away from the spell as it collided with the wall behind him, the carriage interior shaking and groaning as the exploding charm was absorbed with some measure of difficulty by the layers of spells and wards placed on the carriage.

"Are you mad woman?!" Julien called out angrily, "you are to use duelling spells, not charms meant for demolishing buildings!"

"I'm sorry Julien, it was as slip of the tongue" Fleur replied in a not so innocent manner, her smile fake yet convincing.

Her instructor however was less than amused, Julien whipped his wand about with a violent swish, a trio of fast moving bolts hurtling towards the Veela. Fleur had no time to react to Julien's unblinking counter-attack, the wizard's spell slamming into her stomach. Any cry of pain that Fleur wanted to give out was stolen as the breath left her lungs, leaving her pale faced and squinting in pain as she held her now badly bruised stomach, the after effects of Julien's magic sending shivers through the Veela.

Only when the pain had subsided to a manageable extent did Fleur open her eyes, which made her only back away in surprise as a stern faced Julien walked towards her with an uncomfortable energy. Fleur gulped nervously as her back hit the carriage wall, the greasy haired man still approaching. Soon enough all Fleur could smell was the overwhelming stink of Julien's scent and all she could see was his revolting face. Just as the Veela thought the disgusting man couldn't get any closer, he placed a hand on the wall near her head.

"Miss Delacour" Julien muttered quietly, the way he said Fleur's name makingthe Veela cringe, "your behaviour has been an annoying attribute of yours since we have met".

"What do you think you are doing?" Fleur questioned with barely contained rage, Julien's behaviour was beyond outrageous.

"Setting the record straight" the Frenchman breathed, his voice sickening to make Fleur want to throw up.

"First of all you will stop with this rebellious behaviour" Julien instructed, "you will do as you are told and you will not question me, are we clear?"

"Why should I do anything you say?" Fleur replied, the temptation to set Julien's manhood alight growing with each passing moment.

A small object jabbed its way into the Veela's lower chest, the touch making Fleur look down at the intruding presence. When she saw Julien's wand pointed straight at her, Fleur realised that this action was the wizard's answer and her mouth went dry with fear.

"I assume your silence means you understand?" Julien said rhetorically as he pulled his wand back slightly, the wizard catching the meaning behind Fleur's growing eyes, "if you do as I say you won't be hurt little Veela, and you'll win the most prestigious tournament in the Wizarding World".

"Why are you doing this?" Fleur questioned behind gritted teeth.

"Because your Headmistress is paying me quite a fortune to make sure you succeed, I intend to produce results" Julien replied with ease before he tilted his head, "and because you need to be taught a lesson in humility".

"Go to hell" Fleur swore defiantly, only for a blinding hot swipe to be dealt to her cheek, a blistering pain erupted from where Julien had hit her.

The sound of a door opening and the telltale stomping gave Fleur a glimmer of hope as she watched her Headmistress enter the room. Madame Maxime gave a dismissive look at the situation at hand, Julien leaning over Fleur, her hand covering the area that had just been struck.

At that exact moment Fleur thought Maxime would retaliate against the instructor, but instead the half-giantess merely raised an eyebrow, as though she was curious and not enraged with what so clearly had occurred.

"Julien I must take Fleur, the training session is finished for today" Maxime declared, her voice heavy, any hint of anger or outrage that Fleur had wanted to hear in her Headmistress's voice was painfully lacking.

The instructor nodded, his thin form moving away from the shocked Veela. Fleur shot both Julien and Maxime questioning gazes, why wasn't her Headmistress questioning what had happened, why wasn't she defending her?

"Fleur come now" Maxime gestured, the half-giantess already beginning to move out of the training room. Julien gave Fleur a knowing look, which was all the Veela needed as she sped towards the closing door, anything was better than staying in the same room as that disgusting toad.

The Veela did as Maxime instructed and followed her closely, confused as to where the last few minutes had actually just occurred, though the sting of Julien's back hand provided enough proof that it had. Maxime slowly led Fleur through the winding carriage, past a few onlooking students, Fleur hiding her bruise with her hand without even knowing so. Even though she was partially dazed, Fleur held enough wit to notice when Maxime had led her out of the Beauxbaton carriage completely, the Veela's shoes becoming muddied on the wet Hogwarts soil.

"Madame" Fleur called out as Maxime continued to move, the half-giantess aiming for the small shack near the edge of the looming dark forest.

"What is it Fleur?" the Beauxbaton Headmistress questioned irritably.

Fleur flinched at the bite of Maxime's words, an action that did not go unnoticed by the half-giantess.

"I am sorry Fleur, what is that matter?" Maxime questioned, her voice now more restrained as she moved closer to the Veela.

"Why… why did you say nothing in the training room? You saw what Julien had done" Fleur questioned, confusion and pain running tandem through her voice as she spoke.

Maxime pursed her lips before she let a sigh escape, "you must understand Fleur, this tournament, it is of the utmost importance that you win it" Maxime explained, her features hardening as she spoke, "If you fail then you will not just be disappointing our school, but also our governors".

"The governors, is that all you care about?" Fleur asked, outraged by Maxime's answer, "you would allow Julien to beat me, just so you can get a shiny trophy? Is that all I am to you?"

"You are my student, and you will do as I say" Maxime replied stiffly, "my job is on the line and I won't allow a stuck-up Veela to be my undoing, if this behaviour of your continues I will see fit to just expel you".

Fleur began to shake with silent fury, she was not some show horse trained to be led, she was a Delacour, she was a Veela!

"My parents will learn of this" Fleur vowed as she stared daggers into the half-giantess's face.

"Your parents cannot do anything, and who would trust the word of some Veela over that of the Beauxbaton Headmistress and France's most renowned duellist?" Maxime questioned critically, her words stabbing sharply into the Veela.

Fleur was starstruck, her own Headmistress thought it acceptable for someone to beat her own students if it meant she would keep her job. So thrown off but such a revelation Fleur didn't hear what Maxime said next, all of sudden Fleur regretted putting her name in the Goblet of Fire.

A/N:

Nothing witty to say really, I'm appreciating all of the reviews and such from you guys and as a small tidbit I will be making corrections when I've finished the story, so for now forgive me for the rough edges, I'll try and iron them out. Though I will point out I don't have a beta, I just write and edit by myself. (Please don't ask to be my beta reader, I don't want one thank you very much).

Though I want to add something with regards to this last section of this chapter, I'm kind of wary with what I am doing with Julien and Madame Maxime. I don't want to make it seem unrealistic (he says in a story about magic), but at the same time writing abusive elements can come off as either unrealistic or just bad. If you guys have any feedback that would be greatly appreciated.

See you all in a fortnight.