hmm.. interesting. A new twist on the "Harry gets a harem" story. I look forward to the intelligence of Hermione, the deviousness of Fleur, the kookyness of Luna, and the earnestness of Harry as they make their way to France. And then what? Shall they take Hogwarts by storm (figuratively, of course)? What will Gabby make of her sister's new friends? How will their relationship affect their development? And how will Dumbles attempt to use this to his advantage?
-Kat
Author's response
Thank you!!
Well, the more I've thought about it, the more I've decided that they can't reach France on their own. Too many issues with passports, and even Veela powers have some limits. It was cute in Rors' original fic, where everything moved so fast that you never really thought about how Fleur got Harry to France (or at least I didn't ;-), but at the pace I'm taking here it just wouldn't work.
Should be lots of intelligence, deviousness, kookyness, and earnestness, in any event. They'll probably go to France with M. Delacour, who's fairly well understanding and inclined to leave them to their own devices as they bond. (The father of a quarter-Veela--and Fleur's technically more like 5/32 Veela, in this world--tends to regard her freshly picked mate as something more akin to a co-worshipper, adoptive son, and/or fellow-sufferer. ;-)
I've not decided yet if they'll attend Hogwarts or Beauxbatons. It will probably come down to which school is more willing to accommodate them as far as sleeping quarters and Luna's age.
Gabby's reaction is going to be interesting. We'll see. (The one thing I would say, just to be sure everyone understands, is that Harry's "harem" is just as much Fleur's, Hermione's, and Luna's as it is his. Gabby will not be joining them, cos I find incest very squicksome.)
Their relationship... well, we'll see. It's an odd thing--in a sense they're somewhere between engaged and married. I'd say that being awash in Fleur's pheromones and magical aura might make everyone go through puberty a little more quickly than they would have done, otherwise, but I'm not sure yet. They're all going to learn and grow quite a lot--Harry will have skills that canon!Harry never got close to, in terms of language, deportment, dancing, fencing, etc. I don't want to make him too Marty Stuish, but let's say that if there _were_ to be a Yule Ball, which I'm not saying there will be, a number of girls would be, after dancing with Harry, asking Fleur if there might be any way she'd see her way clear to adding them.
Dumbles is going to be interesting. I think I'm going to go with thoughtlessly-manipulative!Dumbles, rather than Evil!Dumbles, but he's definitely going to have much less influence and power over Harry. McGonagall will probably become a trusted friend and something like a surrogate aunt, in a way that she never did in canon, and may well change her own mind about some of Dumbles' strategies and tactics.