When the girls returned a little later, Fleur was dressed more... appropriately; she was wearing her unaligned Hogwarts uniform in readiness of her Sorting at dinner. This time when she sat, she sat next to Harry. Both other girls sat opposite.
Fleur's eyes sparkled when she smiled at him and took his closest hand in hers. "Thank you, 'Arry."
"I was happy to go along with that little... ceremony," he said. "But, what did it all really mean?"
"It means my magic recognises both of us have accepted my life debt to you. I'm now bonded to you through the debt," she explained.
"That was a bonding ritual?" he exclaimed.
"I was already bonded to you. This was more a ceremony than a ritual," she explained. "One that had a magical component."
He huffed and said, "A ritual, by any other name―"
"I understand," she said. "But, it was still necessary for me."
He sighed and frowned at both his other two girls. They now knew he was annoyed at them both, just as he knew they'd effectively pulled the wool over his eyes on this.
It would be something they'd discuss between them after dinner. And they both clearly knew that.
_‗_
―==(oIo)==―
ˇ
At dinner, the now eight sat together at the Hufflepuff table again. That House, at least, were being more accepting.
However, before dinner was served, Madam Marchbanks moved around to the front of the dais where the Sorting Hat already sat on it's Sorting stool.
Before she stopped to speak, she already had silence. Anyone with eyes could see that Fleur was currently wearing an unaligned Hogwarts uniform and knew what she and the Sorting Hat's 'attendance' meant.
"For those who have not already figured out what is going on," she began in a clear voice, "We have a Sorting to get through before we all eat."
"Sitting among you and currently at the Hufflepuff table is Miss Fleur Delacour, late of Beauxbatons Institute of Magic, but still the current Beauxbatons Champion for the Tri-Wizard Tournament. Miss Delacour is here because of a unique magical event that developed between her and Lord Potter at the conclusion of the Second Task.
"In saving Miss Delacour's life, magic deemed Miss Delacour owed Lord Potter a life debt."
That had a few people gasping and immediately chatting with their seat mates.
Marchbanks firmly tapped her cane on the floor of the dais three times, causing loud bangs each time. It got her the silence she wanted.
"As I was saying," she snapped, before staring around the room. "Miss Delacour found herself owing Lord Potter a life debt. For one of Miss Delacour's heritage, it is literally a matter of life and death.
"Lord Potter's family, together with other members of the Potter-Longbottom Alliance, researched as much as possible for a way for Miss Delacour to be free of the debt without harm to her. They were unsuccessful.
"As a result, Lord Potter was not willing to allow Miss Delacour to perish, when he could do something to save her life. As such, he has accepted the life debt owed to him by accepting Miss Delacour in concubinage.
"Because Miss Delacour is now a concubine of Lord Potter, she has transferred to Hogwarts from Beauxbatons. However, as she only has a few months remaining of her Beauxbatons education, she will not be formally attending Hogwarts classes, other than to audit them. Instead, she will be studying with private tutors to complete her Beauxbatons education. She will also be sitting her NEWTs in France this summer.
"For the duration of her stay with us, Miss Delacour will be housed in Lord Potter's quarters in the Lords' Quarters wing. However, Hogwarts rules still require her to be Sorted into a House. That is the reason the Sorting Hat joins us, tonight."
She gave that a few moments before she gestured to Fleur. "Miss Delacour, please join me and be Sorted."
As Fleur rose and made her way to the dais, the noise of students quietly chatting about this development, rose.
Marchbanks moved slightly to her right and lifted the Hat from its stool in readiness.
Having it already explained how it happens by Harry, Hermione and Daphne, Fleur stepped up onto the dais in front of the stool, smoothly pivoted and sat. A moment later, Marchbanks lowered the Hat onto her head.
"Ahhh... mmm..." said the Hat. "Interesting..."
A few moments later it bellowed, "RAVENCLAW!"
And Marchbanks lifted the Hat back off as Fleur beamed in delight, looking back at Harry. The Ravenclaws were clapping in pleasure. However, so were the Heirs.
As she stood her robes, tie and under-uniform changed from unaligned to Ravenclaw colours.
"And now we represent all four Houses," said a grinning Harry to the others, just as Fleur returned to sit between Daphne and Hermione.
Both girls were quick to wrap her in a hug from each that turned into a three-way group hug.
No one could see the look of hate on Draco Malfoy's face as he was sitting with his back to them.
_‗_
―==(oIo)==―
ˇ
Back in the new apartment, after first making the mistake of returning to the first apartment, the group sat talking for a while before Tracey left for the Slytherin dorms and the three Longbottoms left for their own apartment. Again, as per his orders, a disillusioned Dobby followed Tracey.
With a curious expression on her face, Fleur asked Harry, "You 'ave your elf follow Miss Davis to make sure she safely gets back to 'er own dorms?"
"Yes," he firmly replied. "There are too many mini Death Eaters in this school for my comfort. That is, too many who are the children of known Death Eaters. I would not put it past any of them to ambush Tracey as a way of getting back at me.
"Her friendship with me places her at higher risk. Therefore, I see it as my duty to ensure she is safe. I do the same with Daphne's younger sister, Astoria, also a Slytherin."
Daphne asked, "What do you know of the events that led to me becoming a concubine of Harry?"
"Very little," the old girl replied. "It is considered family business, so Papa never investigated further than to learn the overall effects of it."
Hermione frowned and asked, "Your father investigated it?"
"Oui," she replied. "Papa is the... in your terms 'ere... Deputy Minister for Magic for Wizarding France. It is part of 'is job to watch and know what is important in other nearby countries. The concubinage of Heiress Daphne Greengrass of the Noble and Ancient 'Ouse of Greengrass to Lord 'Arrison Potter of the Noble and Most Ancient 'Ouse of Potter and Heir Tertiary of the Noble and Most Ancient 'Ouse of Black is an important 'appening. Another, of course, was the earlier betrothal of the same Lord to a muggleborn witch named 'Ermione Granger."
Hermione sat back and said, "Hunh! That actually makes a lot of sense."
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