"I plan on watching Harry and Fleur in the third task tonight and then next week when the school year is over and Harry has left, I thought Buckbeak and I would take off for warmer climates. After being down here for these months, I could use some sunshine for a while. If everything goes as planned and the invitation is still offered, I hope then to join you and your family later in the summer. As much as Sally and I have bonded over this time I grow tired of his hospitality," He nodded toward the statue of Salazar Slytherin.
"I'm sure you are and course ze invitation is still zere," Alain replied. He turned and looked at his eldest daughter who was holding her bond mate's hand. Letting out a small sigh he turned back to Sirius. "I'm going to do something zat I really shouldn't do, but I feel I must," He reached into a pocket and pulled out a small polished yellow stone and handed it to Sirius. "Zis is an emergency international portkey. My staff 'ave zem when zey travel overseas to insure zey can escape any difficulties zat might arise. Zey are allowed by ze ICW within ze laws of diplomatic immunity. Zey require no wand and no words. You just 'ave to 'old it tightly in your 'and for ten seconds to activate it. It will give you an avenue of escape if you need it."
Sirius looked at the small stone in the palm of his hand. "I don't know what to say sir. Thank you doesn't quite seem adequate," He glanced up at Alain. "Will you get in trouble for this?"
"It could cause me some difficulties if it were to be found out, but, understand zat as much as I would never want an innocent man to 'ave to go through what you are going through, I am doing zis mostly for 'Arry's sake. 'E is part of my family now and I will not allow 'im to lose 'is godfather if I can 'elp it."
Sirius nodded at the man in front of him. "That's even better sir. Knowing that if something does happen to me, that Harry has a family that will look after him is worth twenty of these stones."
The two men shook hands and then Alain motioned toward the table. "What were you two working on when we came in?"
"We've been trying to remove a confundus charm on this map," Remus saw the look in Mr. Delacour's eyes as he watched the dots move on the parchment. "This is something Harry's father, Sirius and I cooked up when we were students here."
"Very impressive," Alain said as his eyes continued to watch the dots in amazement.
"Thank you sir. I'm sure you have heard of Mad-Eye Moody? The famous auror in this country?" At the nod of Mr. Delacour he continued. "I'm not sure if it's been mentioned to you that he's teaching here this year. Well, he had this map for a while and he seemed to not want to be tracked. We found several layers of confundus charms on it," Lupin pointed at a spot on the map. "Here is his office. It seems he confunded it to always show him in there no matter where he is. We thought we had just broken through the last charm, but you can still see him there," What Remus, Sirius or anyone else looking at the map at that time failed to notice was another dot with the name Barty Crouch underneath it had appeared when the last charm had been lifted.
"And it bothers your pride zat ze man did something to ze thing you created and you can't figure out what 'e did?"
"A little, but they," Remus nodded to Fleur and Harry, "are planning on using the map tonight and I wanted to make sure there were nothing else affected on it."
"Use it? 'Ow?"
"Eet shows ze area where ze maze is Papa," Fleur explained. "Ermione will be watching ze map and can 'elp guide us to where we think ze cup will be. We are also concerned zat 'Arry might be in danger tonight. Zis will allow 'er to let us know if someone who doesn't belong in ze maze is zere."
"Danger?" Mr. Delacour asked. "You 'aven't mentioned anything about 'Arry might be in danger in your letters? Is zere something specific?"
"Can I tell 'im?" Fleur asked Harry.
Their eyes looked into each others' for several seconds before he answered. "Of course. But I don't want him to think he needs to do anything else."
Fleur turned back to her father. "Eet seems like 'Arry 'as some kind of connection with Voldemort with 'is scar. Did you read ze article Skeeter wrote where she called 'Arry disturbed?"
"Of course, but with all ze other things 'appening…" Mr. Delacour shrugged at Harry as his voice trailed off.
"I understand sir. I mostly ignored it myself."
"Professor Dumbledore thinks zat ze bond 'as been 'elping protect 'arry from ze connection but on zat day 'e was buying Gabrielle 'er birthday gift."
Alain Delacour instantly made the correct logical leap. He looked at Harry. "Ze potion?"
"Dumbledore thinks so sir. It happened while I was under its influence."
Harry had a good idea that the string of French the elder Delacour was uttering was blaming himself for what had happened. "Sir, there was no way for any of us to know that would happen. So please don't blame yourself. I think overall it was for the better since I now know the connection exists."
Mr. Delacour visibly calmed down at the words of the young man. He took a deep breath and asked the original question again. "Why do you think you're in danger?"
"I...I had a dream or something over the summer that Professor Dumbledore thinks was more of a vision of something occurring. It was of Voldemort planning something that involves me sir."
Apolline Delacour wanted to hug the young man, but a look from her daughter and she knew it wasn't something that would be appreciated at that moment. Alain appeared to be thinking very hard on something. Finally he looked up at Harry. "Why do you think ze connection to Voldemort is through your scar?"
"It burns when he is close or feeling strong emotions," Harry explained. "In the case of the dream or whatever it was, I woke up with the scar burning."
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