"Mum!" Ginny complained. Her mother had taken to reading the anti-Veela articles out loud to her family trying to convince them that she was right. "See they say right here that a Veela visiting from..." and "Here's another spot where it says that they..." were heard frequently. Ginny finally stomped up the steps and returned shortly with the book Fleur had given to her.
"Mum, read this," She said as she handed it to her mother.
"What is it?"
"It's the real Veela story," Ginny explained. "Fleur gave it to me."
"And what were you doing around her?" Molly questioned her youngest child.
"Gabrielle is my friend," Ginny replied honestly. "Her sister, Hermione they all are my friends," Ginny took a deep breath to control her temper before she lashed out at her mother. "Mother you have to do something..."
"Of course I do," Molly replied cutting her daughter off. "I'm trying to tell everyone that we need to get Harry away from them."
"NOT that," Ginny exclaimed exasperatedly. "I mean you. I know that Harry is in love with Gabrielle and she...LET ME FINISH.." She cut her mother off when she opened her mouth to speak, "Gabrielle is in love, truly in love with Harry."
"It's just a crush dear," Molly said. "He's much too young..."
"NO!" Ginny yelled as she almost lost her temper again. "Mum, he's not. you might want to keep trying to think he is the same boy that first came here three years ago but he's not. He's fought Voldemort..." When her mother's eyes went wide, she continued. "Yes VOLDEMORT..Tom Riddle the evil being that possessed me. He's fought him a lot of times now. Mum..I owe Harry my life, but he didn't save me because he loved me, he saved me because it's who he is. Yes I had a crush on the Boy-Who-Lived and I could have fallen for the real Harry Potter very easily, but he has the one he loves."
"Just give it time dear, I'm sure when he comes over he'll see that you're a much better catch," Molly said. "Maybe I can teach you how to make a small love potion like I did when I was a young girl. You remember me telling you about it last year."
Ginny's eyes went wide. "NO!" She exclaimed. "NEVER! Read the book mother; read it or I truly doubt you will ever see Harry in the Burrow again," She turned and stomped out of the kitchen.
Molly looked at the book in her hands. 'Veela, the truth amongst the lies' She sat it down on the kitchen counter and picked back up her Witch Weekly magazine and continued to read the article that she had been reading.
*** July 7th 1995 ***
The next few days flew by for the bondmates. They sent Hedwig off with letters to Professor McGonagall about the possibility of Harry taking up Runes instead of Divination and one to Professor Berceau about Hermione. They continued running and each day it became slightly easier. They were all determined that when they met their instructor face to face they were going to be able to say they did their best.
On Wednesday an owl arrived from Professor McGonagall stating that she would discuss the switching of subjects with the Headmaster when she got a chance and follow up later in the summer. She explained that it would give him time to see if he could make enough progress to proceed to the fourth year class.
It was also on Wednesday that Dudley tried to get back at Harry. He'd been watching the freaks run every day and the last two had shown a pattern even his small brain could see. The two older girls always ran ahead while Harry hung back and ran slower with the younger girl.
"If I can get Harry away from the older one who can do magic.." He thought. "I'll show that young bird how a real man fights," Visions of him standing over the bloodied body of his cousin brought a smile to his piggish face as he watched the freaks once again walk toward the road in preparation for their run. He laced up his trainers and started on a leisurely pace toward the alleyway on Magnolia Crescent. They always passed through there along their route and it was far enough along that the two older girls would already be ahead.
Dudley waited and as expected, Fleur and Hermione came out of the alleyway first. He was standing behind a hedge and neither saw him as they passed by. He quickly ducked into the alley and saw his cousin and the other girl running toward him. He stood in the middle of the alley with his arms crossed and waited.
Harry and Gabrielle stopped short of Dudley expecting something was up. A quick mental shout to Fleur and Hermione brought them to a halt and they started back.
"Don't let him see you yet," Harry told them. He then spoke to his cousin. "Move Dudley."
Dudley grinned maliciously. "You've go no one to protect you now."
"Going to crap in your pants again?" Harry asked. "What did good old Aunt Petunia say to that?"
"Shut up Freak," Dudley snarled. "I know that freak girl did something."
"Zat's my sister," Gabrielle said angrily. "She was only protecting 'Arry."
"Well you freak sister isn't here is she?" Dudley replied smirking. "And now I'm going to show you what a real man can do."
"Ze only man in zis alley is 'Arry," Gabrielle replied. "You're nothing but a fat pig. If you lay a finger on my bondmate, if 'e's to good to 'urt you, my sisters and I will."
"Big words from such a small girl," Dudley chuckled. "Maybe once I take care of him.." He pointed at Harry, "you and I can go somewhere."
"If you think you can hurt me Dudley go ahead and try," Harry replied calmly as he stepped in front of Gabrielle. "I didn't have a wand last year when Aunt Marge floated away did I? What about the zoo and the snake? Did you know I can talk to them...snakes I mean? Want me to tell one that your bed would be a nice warm place to sleep? Now are you really sure you want to make me angry?"
All of sudden Dudley didn't feel so confident as he thought about a snake in his bed. His chest deflated a bit as he swallowed nervously.
"Let's go Gabi," Harry said and started to guide her past his cousin. Years of being a seeker left Harry with excellent peripheral vision even with his glasses. He noticed the shift of his cousin's weight and without thinking he reacted. He pushed Gabrielle away and ducked Dudley's massive fist all in one motion.
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