Chapter 31: Embracing the Delacours
Appoline immediately smiled a wide and happy smile, as she snuck quietly towards the door. Very suddenly and without any warning, she yanked open the door, startling a little girl and scooping her up in her arms. Without further ado, Appoline began kissing the girl's face all over, even as she marched back into the room and settled back into her seat. The somewhat stunned little girl looked around the room questioningly from her place atop her mother's lap, before she began rattling off a lot of very fast French to both her parents and Fleur.
Harry noticed that Dumbledore could understand the little girl's words, at which point he became quietly but intensely jealous.
"This is Gabrielle Delacour," announced Adrien, in English. "She is my youngest daughter." Turning towards Gabrielle next, Adrien smiled warmly at her. "Do you think you can use some of that English you've studied with Fleur, to speak to our guests?"
Gabrielle nodded and began to speak English very, very slowly. "I am... being Gabrielle... and who... am you?" (Oh wow that was cute!)
Both Dumbledore and Harry started smiling because to do literally anything else would've been impossible. Gabrielle was just as disarming as both her elder sister and her mother, but only because she was unrelentingly adorable. Harry could only assume that she was completely spoiled rotten by absolutely everyone that laid eyes on her. She was like a miniature of her older sister, only she had lighter blue eyes that just screamed the words innocent and happy at the top of their lungs. Harry would've hugged her like a teddy bear in that moment had he been completely suicidal.
Dumbledore turned towards the little girl while adopting that look of paternal approval that he seems to do so well. "I am Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore at your service, young Lady." He gave a small courtly bow before returning to his seat. "Feel free to just call me Albus."
Harry immediately gave his Headmaster a sidelong look paired up with an arched eyebrow. Just Albus huh, he thought to himself… Looking back at the angelic (because that is the correct word) little girl, he spoke very, very slowly for her benefit. "My name is Harry Potter. I am very pleased to meet you."
The little girl had barely even reacted to Dumbledore telling her who he was, which is why Harry was quite surprised when he finished introducing himself. Gabrielle's face instantly turned a bright pink and then she exploded into rapidfire excited French to both her sister and her parents. She appeared to know exactly who he was...
This time it was Dumbledore's turn to look at Harry with an arched eyebrow. "I thought I was the one with a Chocolate Frog Card around here."
Harry could only shake his head despite the grin of amusement that was forming on his face. "It's because you have too many names of course... They're easily forgotten."
Both Harry and Dumbledore scoffed at that and some of the tension that had built between them eased.
"I suggest," Adrien began slowly, "that we move into the Dining Hall and have some lunch. The arrangements may take a while to figure out, and I want to free you from the risky confines of your magically binding oath. I also need my wife to explain to me how she can help you."
While easing out of his chair, Harry grimaced because his stomach chose that exact moment to grumble both loudly and angrily. Harry was reminded of a rather pressing need that might end up massively inconveniencing their brand new friends. It seemed impolite to burden the Delacours with his nutrition needs, so he had some arrangements to make. Thankfully, the Delacours were already staring at him because of his unbelievably loud stomach. "Uhhh. Is it okay if I call my house elf to bring me my lunch? I have some pretty specific dietary needs right now, and I'd prefer that I don't immediately become a massive burden to you all."
Adrien looked curious as he rose to his feet and walked to the door. "Oh? What are these dietary needs?"
"I need to eat an entire day's calories with every single meal all day and take special nutrition potions on top of that," Harry replied sheepishly. "I wouldn't want to burden you with all of that, so I'd like to have the food brought to me."
Adrien pondered that and then smiled at the boy standing in front of him. "Perhaps I can allow that just this once Harry, as we don't have food of that caliber prepared for you. But... We are good hosts, so in the future we will be feeding you."
Harry nodded gratefully. "I appreciate that sir. I've grown almost three inches in the past three weeks and that kind of rapid development requires a ton of different foods. The process of growing that fast has been quite uncomfortable to say the very least."
Everyone in the room minus "Albus" looked completely floored at what Harry had just oh so casually explained.
Adrien was the first one to come back to himself this time. "Okay then young man, let's move on to the Dining Hall..."
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