The Veela Chronicles

The Veela Chronicles: Book One (6/12)

Chapter Six: What's in a Memory?

"Gabrielle! Gabrielle!" Colette's face flushed excitedly she ran down to the beach to greet her roommate. It was a hot weekend in autumn at Beauxbatons and the students were enjoying the afternoon weather, some more lazily than others. The sun glowed brightly over the calm sea, making it especially hard for Gabrielle to concentrate on upcoming finals. "There is another letter for you! I found it on your bed. Look! Maybe it's from him!"

Gabrielle jumped up, tripping over her long legs and scattering sand all over her two closest friends. They gave her curious looks. Gabrielle hadn't told anyone, except Colette, about her letters from Marko. Colette only knew because she had seen the eagle deliver one last week.

"What's that?" asked Gabrielle innocently, quickly regaining her composure. "Another letter from my sister? Thanks so much for bringing it down Colette." "Stupid girl!" she thought. "Why did I have to get stuck with her as a roommate? At least next year I get to chose my own."

Colette opened her mouth to correct Gabrielle, and then clamped it shut as she remembered Marko's letters were secret. "R… right. I knew you were waiting to hear from her. So I brought it down for you."

"Wait just a second," said Jaron, a good-looking boy seated to Gabrielle's left. He and Gabrielle had been friends since their first year at school. "Colette said him -- distinctively. Are you keeping something, or someone, from us Rielle?"

A dark girl sitting across from them raised an eyebrow. Although she had only been friends with Gabrielle for a year, Meria considered herself a trusted confidant. "If you have been holding out on us, you are going to be in so much trouble Gabrielle."

Gabrielle simpered at them. "Don't be silly Meria. It's just a letter from my sister. Colette must have just been confused." She cast a long warning look at Colette. Colette looked back apologetically when, without warning, Jaron snatched the letter out of her hand. "We'll see about that," he said, grinning.

Colette looked mortified as he began to open the letter.

"Give me that!" said Gabrielle, laughing. "It's none of your business." She jumped up to grab it, but Jaron was too tall for her.

"Ahem," said Jaron, as he prepared to read out loud. "Dearest Gabrielle, awww, listen Meria, Gabrielle is a dearest."

Meria laughed appreciatively. "You are so dead Rielle."

Gabrielle jumped up again, but Jaron sprinted a few meters away to stay out of reach.

"Aww," repeated Jaron, this time in a depressed tone. He had glanced at the bottom of the parchment to see who it was from. "It's not from a guy after all. It's from some cousin named Rusa."

"What?" chorused Gabrielle, Collete, and Meria.

Jaron shrugged and thrust the letter at Gabrielle. "See?"

"You are so lucky Rielle," said Meria, squinting up at them. "Don't you dare make me suspect you of hiding a guy from me again! Ever!"

"I told you," said Gabrielle, her heart thudding. She wasn't sure if she was relieved or disappointed. For some reason, she had liked the idea of her friends discovering she had an intriguing, foreign admirer. She promised Marko she wouldn't tell anyone, but if they were to discover it… well, those hopes were dashed. She took the letter from Jaron. "Thanks, Colette. You can go now."

Looking both calmed and contrite, Colette scampered off.

"So what does your cousin have to say?" asked Meria lazily, readjusting herself for maximum sun exposure, not that her skin needed it. "She's the one that got married a few months back, right?"

Gabrielle skimmed the letter over.

Dearest Gabrielle,

I am so sorry you could not make it to my happy day. It was so magical. I felt like Lady Natara, from that old story Grandmother used to tell us. Do you remember that story? I remember you requesting it often when you were young. Anyway, I wanted to thank you for your family's generous gift -- the platinum-gilded sewing table for me and a matching platinum-gilded map desk for my husband. We have put them both in one of our sitting rooms and enjoy time working together at night.

Best regards from your cousin,

Rusa Novak

"Not too much," she shrugged. "It's just a canned response to the wedding presents." She shoved the parchment unceremoniously in her bag.

"Too bad," said Jaron, stretching his legs out in front of him as he lay back down on the beach. "Are you waiting to hear from Fleur then? What has she been up to?" His voice got a little higher these last two sentences.

Meria snorted, "My goodness Jaron, do you still have that crush on Fleur?" His face turned red.

Gabrielle laughed. Jaron has had a crush on Fleur for as long as he's known Gabrielle, as did most of the boys she knew. "So sorry to disappoint you Jaron, but Fleur is taken. She's been carrying on with one of her ex's in Egypt actually."

"What, has she dated all the men she can so now she's going back for seconds?" asked Meria.

Gabrielle's eyes flashed. "Hey!" she said.

Meria dropped her head sheepishly. "Sorry," she said. "I can't keep it all straight. I thought you were in an 'I hate my sister' mood this week."

"Well," said Gabrielle. "I can't say I'm thrilled with her at the moment. She's been in Egypt for a few weeks now, and she doesn't seem to want to come back anymore. It's not like she wanted to go in the first place, but my dad made her. I wanted her to be done with her assignment by winter holiday. However, she's clearly not in such a rush." She thrust her lower lip out in a pout.

"And there is that whole thing about Marko," she thought. "Is Fleur a Seer too or something? Her latest letters have given me all these cryptic warnings about staying away from him. But I never told her he was writing me, and I certainly didn't tell her he visited me that one time! But he's harmless. He wouldn't do anything to hurt me. We're just talking."

Without realizing it, a dreamy look had crossed Gabrielle's face. They discussed all sorts of things, she and Marko. She was tempted to tell Fleur all about him in her last letter, just so she could prove her sister wrong. And there was the simple fact that she wanted so bad to talk to someone about him!

"But no one would understand," thought Gabrielle. "So I can't talk about it. Even Colette thinks he's just some cute guy my own age that I met this past summer, but that my parents don't approve of him. That's ironic though, because my parents love him."

"Oh well," said Jaron, jerking Gabrielle back to reality. "With Fleur gone I guess there is no reason to visit you this summer."

Gabrielle swatted him playfully. "What am I then?"

"I'll tell you what you are," said Meria suddenly. "You are the incredible growing teenager. I swear you have gotten seven centimeters taller this past month."

"Yeah Gabrielle," Jaron said. "You are growing faster than me. What's up with that?"

"Mon dieu!" Gabrielle said. "Could you two be any more accusatory today? Cut the dramatics. People our age grow. I assure you it's perfectly normal."

"Your hair too," mused Meria. "It's grown a few inches, hasn't it? Is that a Veela thing? I bet it's a Veela thing." She tugged her own brown braids as if to command them to grow longer too.

Gabrielle shrugged. "Maybe. It's probably just related to my growth spurt. Metabolism and all that." Her eyes glinted mischievously. "Or maybe it's growing into a super rope to tie you two up when you start getting all mean to me."

Meria and Jaron smiled innocently at her. Gabrielle burst out laughing. "I don't know why I put up with you two."

"Oh, you love us," said Jaron, pulling her into a bear hug.

"I do," said Gabrielle, grinning at her best friends. "I don't know why, especially when you keep secrets from me."

"What secrets?" asked Jaron, wounded.

"I know you like Colette," Gabrielle answered.

"Whoa!" exclaimed Meria.

"What?" he shrieked, pushing her away. "I do not."

"Yes, you do." Gabrielle said this with the utmost certainty, surprising herself. "Where did I get that from?" she thought. "Jaron has never acted weird around Colette. He didn't just now. And he's never mentioned it. But I know he likes her. How do I know that?"

Jaron was stammering now. "How can you even think that? I mean, sure, she's pretty."

"Whoa!" screeched Meria.

Jaron glared at her. "And she's thoughtful. And smart. But I don't like her!"

Gabrielle and Meria glanced at each other then gave him their best 'who do you think you are fooling' look.

"Ok, I do like her!"

The girls erupted in laughter.

"Zut alors," he muttered, grabbing his forehead with both hands. "You aren't going to tell her, are you? I can barely admit it to myself. How the hell did you know?"

"Relax Jaron," said Gabrielle, giving him a knowing look as she placed her hand protectively on his shoulder. "Just feminine intuition. Your secret is safe with us, right Meria?"

"I didn't have that intuition myself," said Meria, mock bowing to Gabrielle. "But I do know how to keep a secret."

Gabrielle yawned. "Well, at least I'm good at something. My parents have been getting on my case for my 'lack of academic achievement.' I should get back to my room for some studying."

"Yeah, me too," said Jaron. "I should get to your room for some studying."

Meria kicked some sand at him. "You wish! Colette's probably at the library anyway."

Jaron looked thoughtful. "You're right. One of you lend me a book?"

Meria shrugged and help open her bag. Empty.

"Why do you even carry that?" asked Jaron in disbelief.

"Because the color looks better against my skin than these stupid uniforms," she replied, grinning.

Laughing, Gabrielle handed over a book on charms. "Will this do?"

Jaron looked it over critically. "Perfect. I really should get me one of these."

Meria stood up. "Come on Jaron, I'll walk with you. I need to go to the owlry anyway."

Jaron nodded. "See you later Gabrielle. If you see Colette, don't you dare tell her anything!"

"I won't. Bye Jaron. Bye Meria. See you two at dinner."

"Bye Rielle."

Gabrielle watched her friends walk off, then started off toward her room. She frowned a little when as she remembered Rusa's note. Gabrielle barely remembered the story of Lady Natara. She didn't remember it as one of her favorites. She certainly hadn't thought about it in a long time.

"Let's see, I think Lady Natara was from some far off land. Africa or someplace. And she and her love sacrificed a lot for each other before they could be together. But when they were together, they were the happiest couple in the world. Hmm. That sounds like it would be Fleur's favorite story, not mine. She and Fleur were little at the same time, not Rusa and I. Stupid Veela got us mixed up. And I can understand Rusa being happy, but it's not like she sacrificed anything to get Viktor Novak." Gabrielle felt a pang of distain for her cousin, which she quickly tried to diminish.

"Still, it was nice of her to thank me for the gift even though I had nothing to do with it. It's nice to be appreciated for something. All my parents seem to care about are my grades, and Fleur is so fixated on Bill she can barely think about anything else."

Gabrielle opened the door to her room. Colette was inside. Gabrielle's friends had guessed wrong; she hadn't gone to the library after all.

"Gabrielle! Gabrielle! Look, another letter came for you. I know this one is from him. That same eagle delivered it."

"What? Where?" Gabrielle shrieked, slamming the door shut behind her and throwing her bag down on the bed.

"Right here," said Colette, pointing to the bedside table. "I would have brought it down to you, but I didn't want a repeat of what happened. I am so sorry about that."

"Oh, I'm so sorry I was rude," Gabrielle said apologetically. She picked up the letter and waved it around. "It's just that I really need to keep him a secret. I can't risk my parents finding out about him. And both Jaron and Meria's families know mine."

"Of course," said Colette. "I want you to know that you can trust me with this."

"I know Colette," she replied, although she didn't know. She spared a susicious look at her roommate. What if she had already opened the letter? If not this time, but another time?

Colette sat down on her bed and leaned forward eagerly. "So? What does he have to say?"

Gabrielle smiled, bit her lip, and sat nervously down on her bed. "Let's see." She opened up the envelope.

"Wait, let me shut the window to make sure no one's listening," said Colette, getting up. Neither she nor Gabrielle noticed the subtly scented vapor coming from the envelope. Gabrielle read silently.

Dearest Mademoiselle Delacour,

Bonjour! I hope my letter finds you well. It was lovely receiving your last letter to me. It arrived just as I was in a particularly frustrating business negotiation. I was able to play off the distraction as potent information I was waiting for, so my business partners got scared and gave into all my demands straight away. So, I should really thank you. You have impeccable timing, as always!

In that letter you asked me about my Sileni heritage. I would be delighted to tell you about it. As you know, I am half Sileni and half human, as you yourself are one fourth Veela and three fourths human. And, like you, my human genetics allow me wizarding skills. My Sileni half also gives me magical traits, much as Veela does for you. Have you come into any of your Veela powers yet Gabrielle?

Like Veela witches transfigure into birds, Sileni witches and wizards always transfigure into horses. In many of the old histories, Sileni are represented by horses. Sometimes we are confused with Centaurs, but the differences are vast so Centaurs are quick to put a stop to any comparisons! And like Veela, our powers are set during puberty. Sileni are usually seen as older, mature, and distinguished people. Many Sileni end up as teachers, scholars, and tutors. However, we aren't all a bunch of old coots. Some of our race are notorious tricksters.

Our magic is old, and not entirely understood by others. It's heavily related to nature, and potions and brews are our specialty. Of course, not being full-blooded Sileni, I was not raised in their ways. I know some, but have instead taken to the other occupation preferred by Sileni -- strategist and peacemaker. The Sileni understand much and are wise beyond our years. I hope to use this power for good - to understand what is going wrong with the world, and how to best to fix it.

But perhaps most interesting to you and I is the unique relationship between the Veela and the Sileni. As you know, we have a complimentary relationship. Veela need Sileni to produce more Veela. It's quite fascinating, especially because we don't have the same requirements of you. But Sileni see this as a gift. We are happy to play our part in the creation and maintenance of such a beautiful race of people. I think it takes a special sort of Sileni though, to know that he shall father no sons. Like much of the world, many Sileni underestimate the strength, wonder, and value of daughters. So most Sileni choose not to make permanent marriage contracts with Veela, instead giving them a daughter before settling down with a Sileni woman.

Well, I hope that was enough information to keep you entertained for a while. Now I shall bring up the more serious subject you addressed in your last note.

You told me about a friend of yours who was having nightmares about a past event from her childhood. I may be able to help, or I may not. It depends on your friend. In most cases, I would recommend a Pensieve, which allow you to examine your thoughts and memory at will. However, these are difficult to come by as each Pensieve is created by the witch or wizard using it. I'm afraid it's very advanced magic.

However, if your friend is Veela, like you, or Sileni, like me, then they can create a makeshift Pensieve using nature itself. It only works for those like us because we are tied to nature to a greater degree than the typical witch or wizard, by our very being. It's that old magic again. All you have to do is collect some water from under a full moon - the more natural the water, the better. For example, use the water from a lake, ocean, river, or rain, not a faucet. Then have your friend concentrate hard on the memory he or she is trying to recall. Then the memory should appear in the water. It is that simple. The memory will be accurate and crystal clear. There is one catch however. The memory can only be recalled once. Your friend will never be able to recall it again in conscious memory. The memory can, from that point forward, only be recalled by using the same water. Another person (tied to nature) can call up the memory and reinstate it to its original owner. So I urge you, use this magic with caution. If the memory is really bothering your friend, and it isn't too serious, perhaps it would be best for them to view it once to make peace in their subconscious, then forget it forever or trust it to another.

Well Gabrielle, I must return to my duties. I hope to hear from you soon.

Regards,

M. K.

Gabrielle clutched the letter to her chest, thinking hard. Colette's eyes were open wide. "Well?" she prompted.

"Oh, he's doing well," answered Gabrielle, recalling that Colette was part-Veela as well. "He promised to help me with some magic, and this letter contains the instructions for making a Pensieve."

Colette's eyes almost popped out of her head. "What?"

"Yes," said Gabrielle excitedly. "Would you like to try it? You are a much cleverer witch than I."

"Oh Gabrielle, you just don't try. You have it in you to be much more clever than me."

Gabrielle raised her eyebrows in desperation. "But I'm afraid I would mess it up. Can you just try it first? I could read the directions to you, and I'm sure that would help me understand them so much better."

"Well, of course I will Gabrielle. What do we have to do?"

"When is the next full moon?"

"Five nights from now."

"I'll let you know then." Gabrielle tucked Marko's letter back in its envelope. She waited until Colette had left the room for dinner before she took a small box out from under her bed. She grabbed her wand and performed an elaborate unlocking charm. She placed Marko's letter carefully with all the others. Before closing the box she inhaled deeply.

"Oh Marko. You are just too wonderful, and you don't even know it. You have given me the means to make Colette and Fleur forget what they know about you. Then we can get on with our relationship in peace."

***

Fleur stood in her yard, enjoying the hot sun. She had finished work for the day. To her never-ending shock, her job had worked out quite well, at least for the time being. The first surprise was receiving an owl from her father, telling her he was glad she managed to insert herself into such a useful position. The second surprise was that the position was useful. She managed to report back to her father on one-half of the names he had given her. Evidently, it was more than he had expected. As long as she gave regular reports, no matter how mundane they seemed to her, her father had left her alone. Fleur still had her misgivings about the man she worked for - Denis-Henri, but even he seemed harmless.

And then there was Bill, the biggest surprise of all. Fleur was amazed at how seamlessly they fell back into old habits. Most of them anyway. The past few weeks have brought a lot of laughs, but seemed to stop just short of intimacy. Fleur shook off the sadness this brought her. What did she expect from him anyway? For things to pick up exactly where they left off? They hadn't seen each other in years.

Before her thoughts could continue in this direction, an owl bearing the Beauxbatons crest flew up to her, dropping a letter on her head. She opened it eagerly and scanned its contents.

"Is this a good time or should I come back later?" The voice came from her right.

"Bill!" Fleur twirled around to face him, smiling. "Just give me a moment to finish reading this letter from my sister."

Bill nodded. "Take your time," he said, dropping into a kneel.

Dear Fleur,

Hi! I have so much to tell you. I wish you were coming home soon, but you must like something about Egypt. Or a certain someone. And that's just fine. It's nice to know where I stand. Ahem.

Fleur involuntarily looked at Bill. He was busy building something out of the dirt from her yard. He had been doing this ever since he showed her how to call the Sun Boat. Fleur was convinced that something else must be able to take form from the sand, so Bill had been trying to find it. Her smile grew bigger.

"I think it just works in the moonlight Bill."

He looked up at her, grinning. "You never know. You never know."

Anyway, what did the thank you note you got from Rusa say? Mine was babbling about Lady Natara. She's so pretentious. Polite, but pretentious.

Fleur snorted. She had not received anything from Rusa. She had half expected a howler, screaming at her for ruining the perfect wedding reception. But it was more Rusa's style to scheme rather than scream.

I learned something neat at school the other day. I learned how to make Pensieve! Not the big complicated kind famous wizards use, but a small, natural kind. All you do is take some water from a lake or river under a full moon. Then you concentrate really hard on the thought or memory you want to recall. And it appears! As simple as that! Who knew? But once you make one Pensieve, you have to keep it for any other memory you want to remember. So, if you want to try this out, make sure you keep the water. But, you are probably smart enough to make a real Pensieve anyway.

"I'm pretty sure moonlight is the key Bill. Gabrielle is actually studying its magical properties right now. I should tell her about the Sun Boat."

Bill was studying his creation. It refused to take shape and kept crumbling in his hands. "Maybe you can tell her about this. Maybe she could help."

Fleur burst out laughing. "And what would that be anyway?"

"Let's call it the 'Mysterious Sand Pile of Crispus," Bill said, his eyes twinkling.

I have a serious question to ask you too. The other day, my friend Jaron and I were joking around, and suddenly I knew, beyond the shadow of a doubt, that he liked my roommate, Colette. I can't explain how I knew, I just did - and I was one hundred percent certain. The strange part is, he hadn't given any clues or signs that he liked her. But when I insisted, he admitted it. Isn't that weird? Has anything like that ever happened to you before?

The smile faded from Fleur's face, replaced by a puzzled frown.

"Something wrong?" asked Bill, standing up and brushing his dirty hands on his pants.

"Actually, yes. This is quite wrong. At the very least, it makes no sense." Fleur was frowning harder now. "I mean, it makes sense, but it wasn't supposed to happen for a while."

"What wasn't supposed to happen?"

"Gabrielle," said Fleur, gesturing at the letter. "It could just be a coincidence, but I think she's come into some of her Veela powers early."

"Early?"

"Oui, early." Fleur reread Gabrielle's last paragraph. "How could this be?"

"Alright," said Bill. "I don't understand. What kind of powers? Why don't you start at the beginning?"

Fleur looked at Bill, considering how much she could tell him. His eyes stared back at her questioningly. "It's a Veela power," she said slowly, "to explicitly know the romantic intentions of those around you."

A strange look flitted across Bill's face. Fleur flushed a bit.

"And Gabrielle is experiencing it with her friends. Except, she's too young. This particular power doesn't onset until a Veela's 16th birthday, and not a day earlier. Gabrielle is only 13."

"Is it possible she just guessed?" asked Bill. "From what I remember, kids can be pretty transparent with their feelings."

"It is possible," replied Fleur. "But from her description here," she gestured at the letter again. "it seems that she had no reason to believe it whatsoever. And the way she felt it, I know what that feels like. I really think she's experiencing this power."

Bill frowned. "Well, if it is a Veela power, what could have caused it?"

Fleur shook her head. "Logically, only that Gabrielle aged three years in the past few months. But that's crazy."

"Is it? Can you think of any reason why Gabrielle would have performed any sort of aging magic?"

"Mon Dieu!" shrieked Fleur. "It's Marko! She has a crush on him. But why would she think she could age herself up to a point where a relationship is even possible? She wouldn't dare!"

"Whose Marko?" asked Bill. He watched Fleur warily, for a passionate look had just come over her eyes. Fleur thought wildly for a moment that he may even be jealous.

"He… he's just this jerk that my family knows. Gabrielle met him this past summer. He is much, much too old for her however. Not to mention plain evil." Fleur hadn't spoken of Marko to Bill, even after running into him when she first got her job. She tried so hard to put Marko out of her mind. She also didn't want Bill to think she had another serious suitor running around, as abhorrent as he may be.

"I've actually had a few run-ins with him since then as well," continued Fleur. "It's a long story. A really long story."

She felt Bill's eyes boring into her.

"He… says he wants to marry me. But I won't. He's awful. He probably just says it to annoy me."

If Bill was surprised she was getting married offers, he didn't show it. "What makes him so awful Fleur?" Bill asked softly.

Fleur looked at Bill. He looked so serious and concerned! "Oh, that's a long story too. Let's just say he is just the type to prey on Gabrielle if he knew she had aged herself up. I need to concentrate on her right now. You see, I know she has feelings for him. I can tell. I could tell straight away."

"Your Veela power?"

"Yes," Fleur looked down on her feet. "And I know her feelings haven't gone away. I just thought they would. It was just a crush - perfectly normal for a girl. But for some reason, her affection for him has gotten stronger these past few weeks. I need to set her straight. I have to tell her everything." Fleur looked up at Bill again. "Will you help me?"

Bill was silent for a moment. Fleur could tell he was thinking hard, but of what, she could only guess. "How?" he finally asked.

So much emotion was packed into that one word.

"Why don't we go inside," she said. "There is a lot I need to tell you." "And," she thought, "We should have that conversation we've been avoiding. We need to know where we stand with each other. Where, if anywhere, this relationship is going. I simply don't know what I can ask of you."

Bill nodded and followed her in.

"Why don't I start at the beginning?" Fleur said, once they were seated.

Bill grinned. "Which beginning?"

Fleur laughed nervously. "Be brave!" she told herself. "How about the very beginning - after I broke up with you?"

Bill nodded and grimaced slightly.

"Oh God, he's still hurt by that. I had no idea," thought Fleur. "Veela power can only detect desire, not hurt." Out loud she began.

"You know I wasn't that happy in Britain. I mean, parts were good. Meeting you was good. It was more than good. Being with you was wonderful. You have to know that Bill."

"It was wonderful," he said simply. Fleur swallowed and continued.

"But, it wasn't enough to make up for everything else. It couldn't negate all the bad things I was feeling. I was homesick. My education had ended miserably. You had that crazy dark wizard running around trying to kill everyone… And I just felt so hopeless about everything. Staying in Britain wouldn't have been fair to me, and it wouldn't have been fair to you. You were doing so much, helping Dumbledore and your family. I would have just dragged you down."

Bill opened his mouth to protest but Fleur cut him off.

"Non, I would have dragged you down. So I left. I had to do something. I'm so sorry that I hurt you, but I couldn't stay there a moment longer. I went back to my family. I returned to France."

Now Fleur grimaced. "But that didn't work either. I had all my family's hopes and dreams. I was the smart one. I was the beautiful one. I was supposed to be up there with the best of the best. And I failed. They could barely stand to look at me."

Bill reached out and took her hand, but didn't interrupt.

"So the years go by. I'm still failing. Except now I'm failing on whole new levels. I am embarrassing my family on whole new levels. I had high hopes for Gabrielle though. She's everything to me. I hoped that she would succeed where I failed. She had her 13th birthday this summer, which is important for Veela. At her birthday party, Marko showed up."

"At a Veela party?" asked Bill.

"Yes. And no, men are not allowed," said Fleur, anticipating his next question. "He showed up anyway, that arrogant bastard. He feels entitled to everything. He thinks he can get away with anything."

At this Fleur's voice began to break.

"I hadn't seen him in years. At first, I didn't even know if it was the same man. But it was. It was the same man that murdered my aunt."

"Wait, what?" cried Bill.

"He murdered my Aunt Viveka! I was there. I saw everything!"

"When? Where? What happened?"

"It was a long time ago," said Fleur. "I was ten and visiting my Aunt Viveka and my Uncle Arnold. It was in their house. Marko worked with my uncle. I remember him dropping by at the strangest times. And I was never allowed to interrupt my uncle when Marko was over. Anyone else I could interrupt, but not Marko. I was told he was to be a very important man."

"That afternoon, Marko and my uncle were closed up in a room for hours. It all seemed more secretive than usual. I remember I was so bored. I was so mad at them, for making me bored all afternoon. I had on a new green dress that day - the kind that twirled out when you spun. I was so excited. I couldn't wait for my aunt to get home from work so I could show her."

"Then she came home. I went running to see her. She laughed and told me to wait at the top of the stairs, so I wouldn't hurt myself running down them. She came up to greet me. At the same time Marko came out of the room. He frowned at me and hissed at me to stay back."

"My aunt reached the top of the stairs, greeting all three of us at once. And… and then…"

"It's okay Fleur," murmured Bill, caressing her hand.

"He pushed her. He just reached out and pushed my aunt down the stairs." Tears were streaming down Fleur's face now. "Just like that. He pushed her. And she fell. She died right away."

Bill pulled Fleur directly into his arms, rocking her gently. She didn't sob, but kept the tears carefully controlled so she didn't lose it. After a while Bill asked, "Did your uncle see?"

"I don't know," said Fleur, her voice muffled. "I don't remember what happened after that. Everyone was rushing around and standing still all at the same time. I think I was screaming. Someone was. It wasn't my uncle. And it sure wasn't Marko." She suddenly pulled back from Bill, anger entering her voice.

"He was never charged. Both he and my uncle maintain it was an accident. That Aunt Viveka slipped and fell. They told me Marko was actually reaching out to stop her from falling. My family actually thanked him. I eventually learned to keep my mouth shut about the whole incident. No one believed me."

Fleur took a deep breath. "And the years went by. I never ran into him again, until Gabrielle's birthday."

"What was he doing there?" asked Bill.

"I don't know," said Fleur. "It couldn't have been good. At the time, I thought he was may have been looking for a Veela to mate with."

"Mate with?" Bill shook his head incredulously at this choice of words. Then comprehension dawned. "Is Marko a Sileni?"

"Partially," said Fleur, her words bitter despite her admiration for Bill's breadth of knowledge. "Gabrielle, she was smitten from the start. I thought she was just rebounding from another crush. That evening my cousin Rusa announced her engagement to Viktor Novak."

"That same sounds familiar," said Bill.

This time Fleur smiled at him. "You really do know a lot about the world, don't you?" Bill blushed.

"Yes, Viktor Novak - the personable war hero in Kosovo. A Sileni, as well as one of the public face that Marko hides behind. He doesn't seem to mind other people getting the glory, as long as he still holds the power."

"Maybe he was spying on Rusa," offered Bill. "Scoping out the competition for Viktor's ear, so to speak."

Fleur shrugged. "Who knows. I think it's something more than that. He went out of his way to talk to me. And then later at Rusa and Viktor's wedding, he did it again. He went out of his way to antagonize me. And here as well. I ran into him when I was applying for that job."

Bill frowned. "So after all these years, he suddenly keeps showing up everywhere you are."

"He's not just showing up," said Fleur. "He's after something. He says he has to marry one of us, either me or my sister."

"Your sister?" Bill allowed his disgust to show freely. "It's disgusting enough to say that about you, knowing how much you hate him. But your sister is just a kid! He can't be serious."

"I didn't think so either," Fleur motioned to the letter she still held in her hand. "I thought he was just saying these things to make me mad. He certainly wasn't feeling any desire towards Gabrielle or myself - I would have been able to tell. But now with Gabrielle aging herself up - I just don't know what to think."

"Alright," said Bill. "Let's take this one step at a time. At the party, what did he say to you?"

Fleur considered. "Not too much. It was mostly his attitude that annoyed me. He made a few references to our uniqueness: his, mine, and Gabrielle's, due to our mixed heritage. He knew our names, and the names of my parents."

"Our meeting at the wedding was worse. At least Gabrielle was not there. He came up to me, and asked me to dance. I refused and he… said some rude things about the role of Veela and went away. A little bit later I was talking with my parents. Marko came up and asked me to dance again. I refused. He managed to look hurt and appalled, it was a nice act, and my parents were horrified at my rudeness."

Now Fleur blushed. "So I got mad, and I'm afraid I started acting like a child. I started yelling at all three of them. They were so ridiculous."

"Did they care so much about who you chose to dance with?" asked Bill. "Wait, forget I asked. I have interfering parents too."

"At least yours always mean well," Fleur continued, remembering the Weasleys fondly. "It was horrible. Everything just escalated. Right in front of everyone, he started lecturing me about duty, about honor, like my honor was somehow linked to Marko," she spat out the name. "And he called me a spoiled little child and reminded me that it wasn't unusual for Veela to be married off when they were 15-years-old, and that I was lucky to have avoided that.

Bill furred his brows. "Your dad is a Muggle, right?"

"Yes, but he thinks he knows everything. And when he doesn't, he makes it up. No Veela in my family has ever been married off, much less at age 15!" said Fleur indignantly.

"What did Marko do during all this?"

Fleur rolled her eyes. "He just stood there giving me a 'your parents really know best' type of look."

"And you still didn't get that… desire vibe?" asked Bill.

"Not even a little bit," she answered.

"And you saw him again here?"

Fleur nodded. "I was waiting to speak to Denis-Henri. It turns out he was in a meeting - with Marko. Once he saw me he stayed with Denis-Henri, so I had to ask for a job in front of him. Well, Jen beat me to that, but the humiliation was the same. Denis-Henri offered me a clerical position, but Marko started going on and on about my skills and assets."

Bill's face turned deep red.

"After the meeting," Fleur continued, "He followed me outside. He grabbed my arm and pulled me around the side of the building. He told me there that he had to marry Gabrielle or I. I slapped him and he eventually let me go. He told me he'd be in touch," she finished dully.

"Has he?" asked Bill.

"Not yet," she answered. "But it's only been a few weeks. He hasn't come by the office. I tried to look up his file there, but I couldn't find one. But it's probably one of the 'specialty' files that only Denis-Henri and Jen have access to. I've been working on the secondary accounts." Fleur reflected on this. Jendayi had warmed up to Fleur, as much as her guarded demeanor allowed. Fleur felt bad for the woman. Everyone else in the office seemed to underestimate her and paid her little heed. Maybe she could use their budding friendship as a means to find out more about Marko. She told Bill this.

"That sounds like a good start," said Bill. "Be careful though. You don't want her tipping off Denis-Henri, unless you think he could help as well."

Fleur shook her head. "I don't think so. Whatever Marko is doing here, what he is doing all over Europe, it has to do with more than me. I think my family, and Denis-Henri's business, are just pieces of the puzzle."

"How can I help you?" Bill asked. "I do want to help you Fleur. I mean, I don't know where I stand with you, but I want you to know that I respect you, and you can trust me." He cleared his throat. "I think you know what else I feel about you as well."

"I do," answered Fleur softly. "And I feel the same way. It's just that…"

Bill stiffened and pulled his hand away.

"No," said Fleur, taking his hand back in hers. "Come back. I just want to make sure Gabrielle is okay. I may have to work on that, and not us right now. I know I messed up really bad last time, just leaving you like that. I don't want to do that again. To you or myself."

"But we are different now Fleur. Everything is different. And I can help you with Gabrielle. There is no reason we can't be together while we work, is there?" Bill asked.

"I still feel so lost Bill. That hasn't changed at all," thought Fleur. The words wanted to come out, but she couldn't say them. "How can I be with you when I don't even know what I am doing? I can't tell what you see in me, so I think it must be something not real. At the same time, I have to do what I know is right. And I know being with you makes me happy. Don't I deserve to be happy? If we like each other, why shouldn't we be together? Isn't that enough?"

She stared at Bill, her confused emotions trapped inside. She couldn't understand how reason and logic could be at such odds. She was terrified to start a relationship, and terrified to stop it in its tracks. These thoughts kept going and going, canceling each other out until one tiny thought popped out.

"I am here now. Maybe this is meant to be."

"I just don't want anyone to get hurt Bill," Fleur said simply.

"If we stick together," said Bill "no one will be."

Fleur smiled at him. "I think you're right," she said. Bill smiled back then leaned over and kissed her. After a few happy moments, Fleur reluctantly drew away.

"I'm sorry," she said softly. "I need to find out what's going on with Gabrielle. I have an idea, but it needs to be done tonight."

"Tonight?" asked Bill, caressing her hair. "Would your idea somehow require something special, like tonight's full moon?"

Fleur smiled so hard her eyes crinkled. "You always were smart. That's exactly it. Do you think you could bear to spend the night with me near some moonlit water?"

Bill grinned back. "Try and stop me," he said, pulling her back into his arms.

***

Gabrielle and Colette scurried along the empty halls of Beauxbatons. It was night and Colette clutched her telescope, a handy excuse to use just in case they were stopped. They slipped though the door without incident, despite Colette's misgivings.

"I told you Colette," whispered Gabrielle. "It's fine. You know I've snuck out before to meet Meria and Jaron. As long as you have a good excuse, it doesn't matter if you get caught. We'll just explain to Madame Maxine that I talked you into giving me extra astronomy lessons. She'll be so thrilled that I'm showing an interest in classes that she won't care we were out of bed." Gabrielle tossed her hair impatiently. "Besides," she added, "I've heard Madame Maxine is an incredibly heavy sleeper. She won't wake up. And all the other professors are scared to wake her up. We can handle any of them, right?"

Colette's white face reflected both the heavy moonlight and her fear. She nodded but kept silent.

"Come on, this way," Gabrielle led Colette to an area of the beach that was hidden by a small pile of rocks. Satisfied that they were hidden from view, Gabrielle dumped her bag in the sand. She took out a medium-sized bowl. It was something she made in her "Magical Materials" class. Thin shards of onyx and beryl accented the clay basin. Gabrielle had fastened them in deep star patterns. She had always been very proud of its beauty.

"Gabrielle?" Colette's thin voice piped up from the shadow of a particularly large rock. "Are Meria and Jaron coming tonight?"

"No," said Gabrielle, rummaging through her bag for the Pensieve directions she had copied down, minus a few important details that Colette didn't need to know about. "Why?"

"Oh, no reason. I was just wondering if they would be here, that's all."

Puzzled, Gabrielle turned and looked at Colette. "Mon Dieu!" she thought with utter certainty. "Colette likes Jaron." She opened her mouth to say as much, and then shut it as she figured it didn't matter. What mattered was making Colette forget she knew anything about Marko.

"Here," she said, waving the directions and handing Colette the bowl. "It seems pretty straightforward. Just fill the bowl with water, and concentrate really hard on the memory. Because you are so smart, I know that you'll have the concentration thing down. But maybe you should pick an ordinary memory, just in case."

Colette frowned as she kneeled down to fill the bowl. "What do you mean, ordinary?"

"Oh, you know," Gabrielle tried to sound nonchalant, dropping down next to her. "Something simple that doesn't mean much. Just in case something goes wrong. You don't want a messed up memory in your Pensieve, do you? Why don't you concentrate on something like…" Gabrielle tilted her head in mock thought, "when you saw Marko's eagle deliver my letters? And then if it does work, we can relive it again and again!" Gabrielle squirmed in excitement that was not faked.

Colette giggled. "Okay. I suppose I owe you that much, for trusting me with your secret." She stared deep inside the bowl.

Gabrielle felt a pang of panic as she watched Colette. "What is something goes wrong? What if she's thinking about some other memory? Oh god, what if she's thinking about Jaron? He would be crushed if she mysteriously forgot all about him." She forced herself to calm down and think happy thoughts about Marko. "This will work. It has to work."

It didn't take long. Colette looked up from her Pensieve, blinking at Gabrielle. She looked around, a confused expression on her face. She then looked dubiously at the bowl in her hands, as if she didn't know how it got there.

"It worked!" thought Gabrielle. "She doesn't remember!"

"W…what am I doing here?" asked Colette.

"Oh silly," said Gabrielle, thinking fast. She had a cover story for this moment, but recent developments gave her an even better idea. "I shouldn't have dragged you out so late at night. You fell asleep!"

"Asleep?"

"Yes. Don't you remember? You asked me to give you a special skin treatment, because you wanted to impress Jaron," Gabrielle said smoothly.

At this, Colette jumped. "Impress Jaron? But I never told you…"

"That you liked him? Oh Colette," Gabrielle chided her roommate. You told me five days ago, in our room after to came down to deliver a letter from my sister. Remember?"

Colette bit her lip, a gesture she had picked up from Gabrielle. "That's right, I did tell you. I must have." She shook her head. "I'm sorry. I must be a lot sleepier than I thought. I've been studying a lot lately. I've been kind of stressed."

"Of course you are," Gabrielle soothed her. "Let's get you back to bed." She took the bowl from Colette and deftly dumped the contents back in the sea. "We can do this another night."

"I'm sorry, what were we doing out here?"

"Getting sea water at night. It's the best base ingredient for my special moisturizing cream. You have to use it right away though. If you're too tired now, we can do it some night when we don't have classes the next day."

Colette nodded in agreement. "Do you really think Jaron would notice?"

"Specifically? No," Gabrielle tucked the bowl and directions back in her bag. "But better skin definitely adds something to your overall appearance. It works for me, doesn't it?"

Colette suddenly looked horrified. "Does Jaron like you?"

Gabrielle scoffed. "Don't be silly. He just thinks of me as a friend. And I think of him as a friend."

"But you like someone. I know you do." Colette bit her lip again.

Gabrielle quickly stood up. "Of course I do! Viktor Novak!"

"That's right. You have been in love with him for forever." Colette visibly relaxed. She picked up her telescope and began tiptoeing back to the palace.

Gabrielle smiled. "Once you really know love, it's hard to stop," she said softly.

***

That night, Fleur and Bill walked to the Sihor River, holding hands and enjoying a leisurely pace.

"So tell me about this plan," said Bill. "And why it requires one of your cooking pots."

Fleur laughed. "I would have liked to use something nicer, but it couldn't be helped. Gabrielle wrote to me about creating a very basic Pensieve using water found under a full moon. I thought if I could make one, and sort out the memory of Marko murdering my Aunt Viveka, I could sneak back to France by Floo and show it to her. Then she'd have to believe me, and she'd stop this obsession with Marko."

Bill scratched his chin. "A basic Pensieve? I've never heard of that."

"Neither have I," Fleur admitted. "But Gabrielle learned about it at school. You take the water, concentrate hard on a memory, and it goes into the Pensieve. You are supposed to keep the water though, because if you try it again with different water, it won't work."

"I don't know," said Bill, frowning. "It sounds like something that would be very old magic, but don't you think you should do some research before you try it? There has to be a reason something so simple isn't more widespread."

"There's no time Bill," Fleur looked at him earnestly. "Gabrielle is already aging herself up. I just need the Pensieve for this one memory. Then I can it prove to her. I can prove it to anyone! Marko is nothing but a scheming murderer who belongs in prison."

"And you won't wait a month?" said Bill, in the tone of one who knows the answer. "Or not even. Maybe you could make yourself a typical Pensieve by then."

"Non. I will not allow Gabrielle to harm herself any longer. This has to be done now." Bill could see her eyes flashing in the dark. He nodded resignedly.

"Okay. I'll help."

Fleur rewarded him with a big smile. "Thank you."

They reached the shore and Fleur took out the cooking pot. "See?" she said. "It even comes with a lid. Handy."

Bill watched as she looked up the sky to confirm the full moon. She leaned over and dipped the pot in the water.

"Here we go," she said. "Time to recover the memory of my aunt's death.

Bill reached out and grabbed her arm. "Wait," he said.

"I said no Bill."

"No, not that," he replied. "I just want you to sit down with me. This upset you enough when you lived through it the first time. I want to watch your back."

Fleur smiled apologetically and settled down on the sand. Bill placed his arms around her protectively.

"Are we set?" she asked tenderly.

He kissed her in response.

Fleur took a deep breath and peered into the water. She willed her mind back to that dreadful day and soon found herself standing on the staircase. She felt something squeeze her from behind. She turned but only saw a small version of herself, standing eagerly at the top of the stairs. The younger Fleur bounced up and down in excitement, her plaits swinging.

"Bonjour darling," came a voice from below.

"Aunt Viveka!" Fleur's voice echoed the child's.

The older woman smiled graciously. "Stay there. I'll be right up. I don't want to explain a big bump on your head to Philippe and Lisbeth!" She took off her headscarf and placed it on a small table before starting up the stairs.

"Aunt Viveka! I have a new dress on! It goes out when I twirl, see?" The younger Fleur swirled around to demonstrate.

"That's lovely dear. My skirt does that too." Fleur's lip began to tremble as she saw her aunt approach the top of the stairs. The younger Fleur just giggled and twirled some more.

A door opened and Fleur could hear voices. Marko and Uncle Arnold came out into the hallway. Marko looked every inch the ambitious young man. His face lacked the craggy appearance it possessed now, but still held the smug, arrogant look.

"Bonjour darling," called Aunt Viveka to her husband. He smiled widely at his wife in greeting.

"Come away from the stairs Fleur," Arnold said. "You're going to fall."

The child ignored him and kept spinning. Marko frowned and began walking towards her. "I'll get her," he mumbled. He reached his arm out just as Viveka reached the top stairs.

And he didn't push her.

"Aunt Viveka!" Fleur shrieked as her aunt's fancy heel caught the last step. Marko's eyes widened. He stretched out his arm and grasped the edge of Viveka's coat. Fleur watched in horror as the coat came off in his hand and her aunt fell down the stairs. She could hear her own screams, and those of the child, echo in the hallway.

"No!" Fleur turned away, unable to watch her aunt die. She felt the same pull from around her waist. For a desperate moment, she thought Marko was now pushing her down the stairs. She screamed, but no one seemed to hear her. He voice faded into her thoughts.

"But he didn't do it," she said out loud. "He didn't push her. She just fell."

Fleur crumpled up into a ball as her uncle fled down the stairs to tend to her aunt. Marko picked up her screaming younger self. She watched as he carried her into the nearest room. She felt herself get lifted up too. Everything spun and white splotches ruined her vision. She frowned in confusion and the memory vanished. Soon all she could hear was someone calling her name.

"Fleur. Fleur! Are you okay? Come back to me."

She blinked up at the voice. "Bill?"

The frantic look in his eye diminished a bit. "I'm right here baby. It's all right. You are back now. It's just a memory."

"A memory?" Fleur sat up straight and shook her head to clear it. "What's going on? Were you digging in the sand again? Why do we have a cooking pot?"

Bill paled and grabbed the pot from her, carefully covering it. "What do you mean? Don't you remember?"

Fleur cocked her head at him. "Remember what? I feel a little bit dizzy. Have we been drinking?"

"Oh my god," said Bill.

"Oh dear," she said teasingly. "That means you haven't drunk as much as me. Why kind of a gentlemen are you, to let me go on like that." She slapped him lightly.

"Fleur. Please, tell me you remember."

"Remember what Bill?" Fleur frowned at him. "Wow, I think I sobered up now. That was quick."

"Fleur. Listen to me. You weren't drinking. You made a makeshift Pensieve to retrieve a memory."

"A makeshift Pensieve? I can't make a Pensieve."

"You did Fleur. Or, something like a Pensieve anyway. I saw you - with the cooking pot. You were mentally sucked in. You witnessed it. I could tell by what you said. Do you remember anything about your aunt's death?"

"My aunt's death?" Fleur said incredulously. "None of my aunts are dead." She paused a moment. "Wait a moment. My Aunt Viveka died. I remember her funeral. It was very sad. I was very angry."

"Before that," prompted Bill. "Do you remember anything about the way she died?"

Fleur took her lower lip in her mouth. "She fell down the stairs, didn't she? It was a horrible accident. That's what they kept telling me at the funeral."

Bill rubbed his eyebrows. "Yes, I think she did. But you were there. You saw the whole thing. You don't remember that." His voice fell flat.

"I wasn't there when my aunt died." Fleur looked at Bill strangely.

"What about Marko. What do you remember about him?"

"Marko?" A look of scorn crossed her features. "That big jerk whose been bothering Gabrielle and I?"

"Yes," Bill finally looked somewhat relieved. "That Marko. What do you remember about him?"

"Well, he crashed my sister's birthday party. And we got into an embarrassing fight at my cousin's wedding. And he's even been annoying here in Crispus. I told you all about him though, earlier tonight."

Inspiration struck Bill. "The letter! Do you remember the letter from your sister?"

"Of course I do. I remember all of Gabrielle's letters. I actually have it here in my pocket." Fleur's face changed from confusion to panic. "She was in trouble. She's been aging herself up because she has a crush on him. I need to help her!"

"Fleur, read the letter again. Before you do anything else. Please."

Dismayed at Bill's demeanor, she complied, taking the letter out and reading it silence. Her fingers started to tremble as she reached the end.

"A natural Pensieve," she said. "Why don't I remember that?"

"Because it's not a true Pensieve Fleur. We tried it, here tonight. You recalled your aunt's death, because you thought Marko pushed her down the stairs. You thought it was murder, and you wanted to prove it to everyone, especially your sister."

Fleur looked at him, her blue eyes brimming in tears. "I thought?"

Bill hung his head. "It doesn't mean that Marko is a nice guy, or that he isn't up to something now. But, it does seem like your aunt's death was an accident. You said so yourself."

"What did I say?"

"You said he didn't do it. That he didn't push her. That she fell."

"And this Pensieve?" she gestured towards the pot. It seemed ridiculously innocent there in the moonlight, just an ordinary cooking pot. "It erased my memory because I remembered wrong all these years?"

"I don't think so," he answered. "I think it would have erased any memory you tried to recall."

"Why would Gabrielle tell me about it? Why would they teach her such a thing at school?" Fleur was hurt. "What if she tried it herself? I have to let her know!"

Bill jumped up with Fleur. "Yes, you are right. We need to research this too. I honestly don't think this was anything Gabrielle learned from class. From someone in school, maybe. But class? No."

Fleur nodded, fighting the impulse to run to her sister straight away. "We can research now. The libraries are open all night, non? Then I can owl her first thing in the morning."

"Right, some libraries are open. We need to hold onto this water though. There is probably a way to recover the memory, or that warning wouldn't exist at all. We'll find it. Don't worry. We'll find out what's going on." Bill hugged her reassuredly.

Fleur had her doubts. "I probably just messed it up myself. I should have known better than to mess with old magic. I can't even handle new magic. I can't even handle my own memories. How am I ever going to get Marko out of our lives?" But she took Bill's hand and the two of them started off back towards the city.

End Chapter Six

AN: In Chapter Seven, Fleur and Bill try to figure out exactly what's going on with Gabrielle. Rusa finds out first, and uses the knowledge for her own gains.