Chapter 81 — Arrival in Germany
Chapter 81: Arrival in Germany
"Purpose of your visit?"
After celebrating the New Year, we traveled to Germany the next day, where this year's Duelling Championship was being held. On the Apparition platform, we were met by Aurors in full combat gear.
"Draco Black, with my mentor Filius Flitwick, as well as our family and friends. Here to compete in the Duelling World Championship."
"Ah."
The Auror gave a good-natured smile.
"Last year's champion. Good to see you. Your bouts last year, and the nerve you showed in issuing those challenges, had my colleagues and me talking for a long time."
"Pleased to hear it, sir."
I gave a polite nod. I saw the Auror hesitate slightly.
"Is something the matter?"
"Well... I have a daughter. She's only nine, but your performance genuinely sparked her love of duelling. I was wondering if you might possibly..."
"An autograph?"
"Yes."
He nodded, a little abashed.
"You know, I have a better idea. We've already reserved a box, so you're welcome to bring her along. I'll not only sign something for her in person, but take a photograph with her as well."
The Auror's eyes widened.
"Mr Black... thank you."
The gratitude in his voice was entirely genuine.
"Not at all."
I shook my head.
"Encouraging young minds is our duty. I'm more than happy to help a young lady find her footing on a new path."
He gave a grateful nod, then quickly collected himself.
"Red door for you and your mentor. Your companions should go through the green door and wait for you there."
"Thank you."
I nodded to the Auror.
"But before we go, could you tell me your name and your daughter's? I'll let security at the box entrance know to expect you."
"I'm Greg Schulz. My daughter is Gretta Schulz."
"I'll remember."
I nodded to him, and Flitwick and I headed in the direction he had indicated. The moment we stepped through the door, a small translation artifact was pressed into our hands.
"Please wear this for communication with staff."
I gave a faint smile.
"I have my own. As does my mentor."
The young woman behind the door nodded and gestured for us to continue to the registration desk.
"Mr..."
The man behind the counter looked me over and almost immediately offered a slight smile.
"Draco Black and his mentor, Filius Flitwick?"
"Exactly."
I gave a brief nod.
"As you are last year's champion and are competing in the same age group, eleven to twelve, I am required to ask: do you wish to compete under general conditions through the qualifying rounds, or shall I enter you directly into the quarter-finals?"
Flitwick had warned me about this, and that champions were expected not to let pride stop them from starting at the beginning.
"General conditions."
"Very good."
The man visibly relaxed and entered our details into his scroll, then nodded to us both.
"You're registered. Your first bout is the day after tomorrow. Here is your copy of the bracket. And on a personal note, Mr. Black, I know I'm supposed to remain impartial, but I'll be cheering for you."
"Thank you. I'll do everything I can to make sure you and the rest of my supporters aren't disappointed."
"That's all I ask."
Flitwick and I left the registration room and stepped into a spacious hall, where I quickly spotted both mothers and the rest of our group.
"Well, we're registered. Now we only need to wait for the Delacours."
I smiled. We had agreed to meet the family today, around...
I raised my wrist to check the time and caught sight of a figure approaching quickly behind me in the reflection of my watch face. A moment later, two hands covered my eyes.
"Guess who?"
"I really couldn't say."
I made a show of thinking it over.
"Could it be Gabrielle? Have you really grown that much in the few months since we last saw each other?"
Someone nearby giggled.
"No."
There was a cheerful lilt in the blonde's voice.
"Second guess?"
"Apolline? Don't tell me you're pretending to be Fleur. I won't argue, you really do look more like her sister than her mother..."
More laughter followed, this time from slightly further away and very clearly not from the girl covering my eyes.
"No. Third guess?"
"Er..."
I put on an air of bewilderment.
"Jean? What on earth has happened to you in the last six months?"
The man laughed outright, and Fleur took her hands away and spun me around to face her. She was trying very hard to look aggrieved, but her eyes betrayed her completely. She was thoroughly enjoying herself.
"Draco."
She attempted a reproachful tone, then abandoned it entirely and laughed.
"I'm so glad to see you."
"I'm glad to see you too. How is my little Flower?"
"Yours, is it?"
She raised an eyebrow.
"Mine, mine."
"Hmph."
She gave a quiet snort, but my words had clearly pleased her.
"Right..."
Jean moved to interrupt our reunion, but nobody was listening. Gabrielle, who had entirely run out of patience, simply launched herself at me, wrapped both arms around my neck, and hung there.
"Big brother!"
"Hello, Gabrielle. Still as energetic as ever."
"Yes!"
She was absolutely delighted.
"Jean, you were saying? Oh, hello to you as well, Apolline."
"Yes, I was going to suggest we find rooms."
"Of course."
I adjusted Gabrielle's position slightly so she was sitting on my left forearm rather than strangling me, and we all made our way to another desk, where a member of staff explained the hotels in the magical district and which ones offered the best service. We were assigned a guide who led us to a hotel where we took our rooms, or rather, effectively bought out half a floor, given the size of our group.
That evening Fleur came to my room without any ceremony, though she did bring Gabrielle, who had clearly invited herself, along with Penny.
"I wanted to clarify a few things."
"Of course."
I nodded.
"You're proposing a three-way declaration of intent, with the option to dissolve or extend it?"
She watched me carefully.
"Yes. You and Penny both know I like you, and the longer I spend with the two of you, the clearer it becomes that I simply couldn't choose between you. So the only option that works for me is a three-way agreement."
"And the extension clause?"
Penny looked at me.
"You're not seriously expecting us to agree to that?"
I sighed.
"Girls, very dark times are coming. I mean that quite literally."
"I know. Father has already told Mother, Gabrielle, and me about the information you sent through him to the Departments of Mysteries, and not just the French one, from what I gather."
"Yes."
I simply nodded, not rushing her.
"The Convergence of Worlds. Very little information to go on, no one knows what to do about it, but you think differently?"
"Not different exactly."
I sighed.
"I simply prefer to act rather than talk in circles, unlike politicians. Your father probably feels the same way, but he's constrained by his position and his superiors. The best he'll likely manage is improving the Aurors' combat readiness, perhaps upgrading their protective equipment and issuing potions. The bare minimum, really."
Fleur gave a measured nod.
"I'm not bound by any of that. We've already purchased several homes surrounding our own, demolished them, bought the land from the Crown, and brought in specialists to build residential blocks in their place, all according to the latest developments in magical construction. After that comes the work of warding and sealing the quarter. Eventually I want to expand it to at least fifty houses. And I want it to house ordinary people as well as wizards."
"Draco, do you actually understand what you're proposing?"
"Breaking the Statute?"
"Yes."
Fleur sounded tense.
"My dear, the Statute is going to collapse on its own within a few years. The breaches will become impossible to hide from civilians, and governments will announce our existence themselves and call on magical law enforcement to operate openly. We won't have enough people to work in dedicated groups, but assigning one wizard to support a Muggle unit will be possible."
Fleur sighed.
"How did we end up talking about this instead of our actual betrothal?"
"It's all connected. The extension comes precisely from the fact that the Convergence is coming. It will sharply reduce the planet's population. We'll need people to pass the family's knowledge on, and the more the better. And I rather doubt either of you wants to give birth every year."
Penny gave a small shudder.
"Absolutely not. I have no intention of becoming Molly Weasley."
I gave a quiet snort.
"So the expansion of the betrothal is first and foremost about increasing the number of wizards, second about ensuring your wellbeing, and third about potential alliance-building. A well-chosen marriage can go a long way towards establishing new relationships."
"Damn it, you can't even argue with that."
Fleur closed her eyes.
"All right. I'll tell Father and Mother that I have no objections to the agreement. But before I sign it..."
She looked at me intently.
"You need to show the world you're a force to be reckoned with. At a minimum, two championship titles this year."
"As you wish."
I nodded to Fleur, then looked at Penny, who was biting her lower lip.
"I'm with you regardless of her decision."
She nodded in Fleur's direction.
"Unlike her, my parents have no resources at all. Marriage to you will keep them safe. So..."
"Is that the only reason?"
Fleur looked at her in surprise.
"Of course not. It's just... family is everything, and I won't pretend that knowing my parents will be safe isn't a very large part of my decision. But I also won't deny that I find Draco entirely agreeable. So yes, I agree right away. When do we sign?"
"Well… we could do it now, actually. I already have it prepared in three copies."
I took out the agreement and handed copies to Penny and Fleur, then picked up my own and signed it immediately. Penny skimmed through hers and signed as well. We exchanged copies and signed each other's copies.
"Oh, to hell with it. As if I'm going to let him go to you alone!"
And Fleur signed hers as well, then traded documents with us so that all three copies bore all three signatures.
"Well then, my brides-to-be, I propose we celebrate."
I produced several bottles of a sparkling drink labeled Junior Champagne, and the girls laughed.
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