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(P).(A).(T).(R).(E).(O).(N)
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pounded him on the back.
"You actually went in there?" Ron spluttered. "I heard only magical creatures go in there like vampires."
Harry raised a brow.
"Have you seen my café on the magical side?"
They shook their heads.
"Only that once when we came in just as you were closing, and we came in the muggle side this time." Hermione blushed.
"Well I'll have you know that at least half of my customers are magical creatures including vampires, hags, veela, werewolves, goblins, and dwarves."
Ron and Hermione stared a moment.
"You still didn't tell us how you got your wounds." Hermione said sternly after a pause.
"I played a game where you duel with knives for the last part. Then there was a brawl." Harry grinned. "Goblins are wicked with knives."
Hermione glowered at him and demanded a more in depth explanation. Soon The Bazaar came up but surprisingly Ron knew more about it then Harry. The three chatted for a good hour before Hermione decided they had to all go to the new cinema.
.-.
Harry hummed to himself as he rolled the dough into a small ball and placed it on the sheet.
"Harry, a customer is asking for you."
Harry blinked up at Leonard but sighed and quickly washed his hands. He stepped into the café to find Lucius Bloody Malfoy. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. When he opened his eyes he found Lucius smirking at him.
"What do you want?" Harry asked between clenched teeth.
"Green tea." Lucius smirked. "And a slice of that marvellous looking cheesecake."
Harry calmly got his order.
"And for you to join me." Lucius smirked.
Harry counted to ten in his mind but calmly joined the man. For a few moments there was silence as Lucius added some sugar and milk to his tea. He sipped at it before picking up his fork delicately and taking a bite of the cake.
"Splendid." He hummed. "Do you do any of the cooking here?"
"I make all the desserts." Harry allowed reluctantly.
He had no reason to answer, but then again he had no reason not to answer.
"Then you are an absolutely wonderful cook." Lucius said smoothly. "I had a bit of the cake Narcissa bought for her ladies tea party and it tasted very good also."
Harry tilted his head at the compliment but said nothing. When Lucius finally set his fork down and returned to his tea, blue-silver eye scanned him.
"What are you doing Harry Potter?"
"It's Harry Black at the moment. You can call me Black."
"And you can call me Lucius."
"Of course Mr. Malfoy." Harry sneered. "And that question is very broad. At this moment I'm sitting here."
Lucius chuckled.
"I meant, what are you doing running a café Harry?"
"Black. And I'm running a café because I want to."
Lucius snorted. Harry decided he had better things to do and stood.
"Mr. Malfoy." He tilted his head.
Then he stored back to the kitchen and muttered angrily as he started once again on his cookies.
.-.
"You look tired."
"Hmm?" Harry lifted his head sleepily.
Loraine was hanging a couple of clothe items on the line she'd set up as a clothes line.
"I am." He said after a moment, yawning. "Pepper-up potions are what have kept me going all day."
He basked in the soft light of the evening, reclining back in the soft lawn chair.
"I have no idea what a pepper-up potion is but it sounds like Doctor Pepper mixed with 7-Up."
Harry snorted softly. Then he was grabbed from behind and hauled to his feet. He shot a glare at Dee who smirked.
"Take another of your mixed soda's and change cause we're going out to a club!"
his wife walked off talking to a servant.
"If I may ask sir, this is more then a birthday isn't it." He asked.
Alexander blinked then chuckled and pat his shoulder.
"Yes, it is." He grinned. "We have invited a great deal of young men from good families to this party. We're hoping my daughter Fleur will choose one."
"An arranged marriage." Harry frowned.
"No." Alexander shook his head. "We're just trying to get one of them to capture her attention in the hopes she will agree to it."
"Ah." Harry said thoughtfully.
Then he spluttered.
"Is that why Lady Declour invited me?!"
Alexander gave a booming chuckled and clapped his shoulder again.
"Yes. We tried to invite men only from well off families, but Apolline insisted on dragging you. At the time we had not known you were from an old Clan. She had told me that you had thrown off the veela charm like it was nothing and you were humble but magically powerful and magically tolerant. Our daughter is quarter veela and has some of the charm. We do not wish to have her marry a fool only captured by that charm. She is a strong willed girl and would not do well with a man who did not respect women either. Apolline watched you closely at your café and even questioned some of your staff. They had only good to say of you." Alexander smiled. "Now come. The party is already happening out back.
Harry nodded idly and followed. Indeed the party was already started.
The back yard had tents spread round with tables beneath, some with snack foods, some with chairs to sit around, and a few covered in presents. An open area had people dancing with a band a few feet away playing some more classical music. The whole yard was filled with young women and young men.
"She is coming of age. Seventeen yesterday." Alexander said softly. "So the party is quite large."
Harry noted that there were very few people over thirty and few under fifteen. Harry looked to be the youngest, but then again he looked older then fourteen so others could be younger but not look it.
"May I take your bag sir?"
Harry blinked and found a well dressed house-elf shifting at his feet. Harry pulled a few things out of said bag and stuffed them in his pocket before handing the bag to the elf with a thank you. Harry turned to find Alexander gone. He sighed and decided he might as well join the party, even if he was hesitant.
.-.
Harry found himself under a beautiful tree a ways away from the music sipping at a glass of punch as he watched the twirling dancers. He was just out of their sight and shaded from the burning sun.
"What are you doing? Don't you want to dance with my sister?"
Harry blinked over at the small girl that had wandered into the shaded area from a small path from one of the gardens and was speaking French to him. Harry once again silently thanked Griphook for the earrings. The girl looked about nine or ten with blonde hair and stunning blue eyes. She looked like her sister. If her sister was who Harry thought.
"Miss Declour." He greeted.
She sulked.
"Don't call me that. My name is Gabrielle. What's yours?"
"I'm Harry Black." He smiled.
"Okay. Why aren't you dancing with my sister? All the guys want to dance with her. They want her to marry them."
Harry chuckled at her expression.
"I don't want to marry your sister. I'm young and I am most definitely not looking to get married any time soon."
"Oh." The girl blinked.
Then she plopped down on the bench against the tree's trunk and looked sullenly at the party.
"Why are you not down dancing?" He asked.
"No one wants to dance with me." She blinked. "I'm too young they said."
Harry offered a smile and she returned to glaring at the party.
"You are mad?" He questioned calmly.
"Yes." She nodded. "It's my birthday today and no one has said anything. But they've all said happy birthday to Fleur, and her birthday was yesterday."
Harry winced, knowing how that felt. He took a seat next to her on the bench and silently watched the party knowing that if he said happy birthday now she'd be just as upset thinking he said it more out of pity.
"Your hair is loose."
Harry blinked and found Gabrielle looking at the end of his braid. He grasped it and found his elastic was indeed gone.
"It was probably Lucas. He likes to tug girl's hair ribbons out."
"I'm a guy." Harry spluttered.
She giggled at his expression, trying to hide said laugh behind her hands as her eyes lit up. Harry untangled the rest of his braid and ran his fingers through his long hair. Hands grabbed his hair and he attempted to turn.
"Sit still." Gabrielle scolded.
Harry did so and quickly realized she was re-braiding his hair for him. A few minutes later she patted the ends and smiled at him.
"There, all braided and tied."
He pulled the end of his braid around and found a large deep blue ribbon holding it closed in a large bow. He offered an amused smile and watched as she pulled her second pigtail out, making it easy to see where the ribbon had come from. She handed him her second ribbon and turned her back to him. He quickly saw what she wanted and gently ran his fingers through her long golden hair before gathering it up and starting to braid.
.-.
Harry snuck off from Gabrielle as she was watching her sister being presented her gifts. Everyone was sitting around and as she opened their presents she would offer polite thanks for each gift she pretended was what she had always wanted. Harry made his way to the area behind a tree and grabbed a stick off the ground and started to draw in the dirt. Two minutes and two flashes of smoke later he had what he needed. He somehow found an elf and got his satchel back, delving into it's depths to pull out what he was looking for.
Loving the story so far? There's a whole world of magic and mystery waiting for you with over 85+ chapters still to come! By supporting my Patreon.
You not only get early access to new chapters but also exclusive content, behind-the-scenes insights, and special perks just for fans like you.
Join us on this enchanted journey and help shape the future of the tale. Your support makes all the difference—discover more and become part of the adventure today!
http//patreon.com/BLAKE025
(P).(A).(T).(R).(E).(O).(N)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~