Before the man could respond again, Fleur stepped forward smoothly, releasing my arm briefly as she placed a slender hand delicately on my chest, gazing up at me affectionately before turning a cold stare toward the two drunks. "Mon amour is far too polite, messieurs. Allow me to make things perfectly clear-if you persist in troubling our dear maman, my sister and I will not hesitate to personally ensure you regret it."
Gabrielle immediately nodded firmly from my other side, her sweet, melodic voice dripping with disdain as she added, "Oui, Fleur speaks the truth. Leave our mother alone immediately!"
The two drunk men's eyes slowly shifted away from Apolline, landing on Fleur and Gabrielle instead. They both paused, blinking dumbly for a second, before their expressions twisted into leering, drunken grins. Their bloodshot eyes raked hungrily over Fleur and Gabrielle's slender bodies, lingering rudely on the generous curves beneath their snug dresses. One of them licked his cracked lips slowly, making a disgustingly exaggerated show of it.
"Bloody hell," he slurred loudly, nudging his companion clumsily with his elbow. "Would you look at that? Looks like we got ourselves three gorgeous sisters here!"
The other wizard let out a crude, approving chuckle, his gaze greedily fixed on Fleur's chest. "Merlin's balls, you're right!" he drawled, stumbling slightly as he leaned closer. "Now these two look even more fun than their lovely sister over here! Come on, darlings, ditch the limp-dick pretty boy and come join us instead. We'll show you a far better time!"
A surge of anger shot through my chest at their disgusting words. I could feel my demonic instincts flare dangerously close to the surface, my magic thrumming heatedly beneath my skin. They could insult me all they liked-I honestly didn't give a damn-but the moment they started talking that way to Fleur and Gabrielle was when they crossed a very clear line. My jaw clenched involuntarily, my fists tightening slightly at my sides as I prepared to step forward and teach these idiots a lesson.
But before I could even move, the two drunken morons decided to make things infinitely worse. Without any hesitation, each of them reached out greedily, attempting to roughly grab hold of Fleur and Gabrielle's delicate wrists. Their motions were awkward and clumsy, their eyes unfocused and blurry from alcohol.
Oh, these idiots had no idea what kind of colossal mistake they'd just made.
Both Fleur and Gabrielle jerked sharply backward, instantly pulling their arms out of reach of the men's grubby, sweaty fingers. I felt Fleur's petite body stiffen dramatically beside me, her vivid blue eyes narrowing dangerously into icy slits. Gabrielle's normally sweet and cheerful expression morphed quickly into pure fury, her pale cheeks flushed deeply pink in anger.
Veela were extremely protective of themselves and those they loved, and both Fleur and Gabrielle clearly considered themselves mine. Someone attempting to touch them without consent was the absolute worst possible trigger. When Veela women got mad, things around them had a bad habit of bursting into flames. Literally.
I felt the sudden spike of magical heat radiating off both sisters at the same moment. Instantly, the drunk men's long wizard robes ignited, bright orange flames licking up rapidly along their sleeves and chests. Even their tall, half-empty glasses of firewhiskey flared up violently, the strong alcohol igniting dramatically into twin bursts of flame. Both men shrieked instantly in pain and terror, staggering wildly as they slapped ineffectually at their burning clothing. The intense heat startled them, and within seconds both idiots lost their balance and crashed heavily onto the wooden floor, shouting and thrashing awkwardly.
"Huh," I muttered dryly, watching them roll around helplessly. "And here I thought wizards wouldn't know a muggle thing like stop, drop, and roll."
Laughter erupted loudly from the rest of the pub, patrons clapping and cheering as the two drunk morons continued flopping about pathetically on the ground. I glanced over at Madam Rosmerta behind the bar, meeting her gaze directly. She looked completely unsurprised, merely letting out a weary sigh and nodding knowingly at me, as if silently thanking me for at least attempting to keep things from escalating too much.
A soft rustling noise beside me drew my attention back to the table. Apolline slowly rose from her seat with effortless grace, pointedly ignoring the two fools rolling around on the pub floor and howling miserably.
My eyes helplessly followed her movements, watching the impressive bounce of her large breasts beneath her tightly fitted dress. I couldn't help briefly comparing them mentally-I'd spent enough intimate time with Rias to have a very accurate frame of reference-and honestly, I was fairly certain Apolline was just as well-endowed as my fiance.
And that was certainly saying something.
Apolline stepped around her table and approached us with an amused smile on her full, perfectly formed lips, her hips swaying enticingly as she moved. Her vibrant blue eyes sparkled with playful humor, clearly entertained by the spectacle her daughters had just created in her defense.
"My heroes," she said teasingly, placing one delicate hand lightly over her generous chest and giving an exaggerated sigh of relief as she regarded the three of us. "Truly, what would I have done without such gallant rescuers?"
I chuckled quietly, unable to hide my amused grin at her playful theatrics. Fleur rolled her eyes affectionately at her mother's teasing, and Gabrielle giggled softly from my other side, leaning comfortably against me once more now that the immediate threat had been handled.
"Honestly, maman," Fleur replied smoothly, though a hint of fond exasperation tinted her elegant voice. "You could easily have handled those drunken idiots yourself. But we simply couldn't allow such disrespect toward our family to go unanswered."
Apolline tilted her head slightly, her beautiful features softening as she gave both of her daughters a warm, affectionate smile. "I know, my darlings. And I do appreciate your help, truly-even if it was slightly... dramatic." Her gaze slid toward me, her eyes gleaming with open curiosity as she studied my face carefully for a moment. "And this handsome young man must be the famous Harry Sitri I've heard so very much about?"
I nodded politely, offering her a respectful and genuine smile. "That's me. It's a pleasure to finally meet you, Mrs. Delacour. Fleur and Gabrielle have spoken so highly of you."
...After nearly an hour of some of the most shameless and explicit questioning I'd ever experienced, I finally stepped out of the Three Broomsticks and into the cool evening air of Hogsmeade, feeling warmth still lingering stubbornly in my cheeks.
Honestly, I'd always thought myself pretty open and difficult to embarrass-after all, with a mother like Serafall, I was used to blunt, inappropriate humor-but even I hadn't expected a conversation quite like that with Fleur and Gabrielle's mother.
Apolline Delacour certainly didn't hold back. When she'd said she wanted to get to know the young man who had captured her daughters' hearts, she apparently meant it in every possible way. Her initial questions started innocently enough, standard parental concerns. Where had I grown up? What was my favorite subject at school? What were my plans for the future?
Yet somehow, the conversation had escalated quickly and dramatically.
"So, Harry," she began smoothly, her brilliant blue eyes never leaving mine, "my daughters seem exceedingly happy with you, and I'm very glad to see it. However-" a mischievous smile tugged at the corners of her full lips, "there is something important I'm rather curious about."
"Of course, Mrs. Delacour," I replied politely, completely unaware of the trap I was about to step right into. "Ask me anything you'd like."
Her smile widened slightly, her eyes sparkling with playful amusement. "Well then, in that case-tell me, are you keeping Fleur and Gabrielle fully satisfied in the bedroom?"
I nearly choked on the butterbeer I'd been sipping, coughing slightly as my eyes widened in surprise at her sudden boldness. Fleur and Gabrielle giggled softly on either side of me, obviously quite enjoying my rare moment of flustered embarrassment.
"M-Maman!" Gabrielle scolded teasingly, though her tone indicated she wasn't truly bothered by her mother's invasive questions. "You can't simply ask Harry something like that so suddenly!"
Apolline merely laughed gently, leaning back in her seat and giving her younger daughter a calm, amused look. "And why not? If the three of you intend to be together permanently-and given your recent revelations, I certainly believe you do-then surely I have the right to know if my beautiful daughters are being properly cared for in every way."
I took a steadying breath, clearing my throat awkwardly and deciding honesty was probably the best approach here. "Well...I like to think they're satisfied," I answered, attempting a confident smile, though I was sure my cheeks were now bright red. "I certainly haven't heard any complaints from them."
Fleur immediately leaned in closer, her elegant features lit up by a warm, enthusiastic smile. "Non, Maman, he is being far too modest!" she said insistently. Her hand came to rest affectionately on my thigh beneath the table. "Harry is incroyable. More than we ever dreamed of."
Gabrielle eagerly nodded her head, her silver-blonde hair bouncing softly against her shoulders. She leaned forward slightly, smiling happily at her mother as she added without any hint of embarrassment, "Oui, Fleur is right! Harry takes care of us wonderfully. And the sex-"
I could tell half the pub was listening at this point... I was used to all the stares at this point with all the beautiful women in my life.
Gabrielle continued as grinned shamelessly at me, she glanced briefly at Fleur, "Well, to put it simply, Harry is incredible in bed, Maman. His cock is huge-bigger than anything Fleur or I have ever even seen in adult videos."
"Oui," Fleur immediately agreed, completely unfazed by discussing such private details with her own mother. She smiled warmly at Apolline, a faint blush coloring her lovely cheeks as she added softly, "And Harry's stamina is equally amazing. He can go all night long without tiring. He leaves us completely satisfied every single time."
I stared at both Fleur and Gabrielle, astonished they were so comfortable saying such outrageously explicit things in front of their mother. They were both smiling brightly at Apolline, their eyes shining with genuine pride and affection as they openly praised my performance.
"Oh my," Apolline murmured quietly, lifting one elegant eyebrow as her eyes flicked toward me again, appraising me openly. The amusement and curiosity in her expression had suddenly shifted, replaced now by a subtle but unmistakable glint of interest-lustful interest, even. Her gaze slid slowly down my body, openly assessing me in a way that sent a heated shiver down my spine. "How very intriguing..."
Apolline seemed to consider carefully for a few seconds, her eyes lingering thoughtfully on my lips, before she finally smiled again-though this time, her smile was more flirtatious than merely playful. "You know, it's so reassuring to hear my girls have found someone who can fulfill them in every way," she continued smoothly, her voice taking on a silkier, more sensual edge. "After all, a Veela woman's passions are strong-and few men have the ability to truly satisfy her fully. It is wonderful to hear you've proven yourself more than capable of that, Harry."
I shifted awkwardly beneath her intense gaze, struggling to maintain my composure even as Fleur and Gabrielle each pressed themselves proudly against my sides, clearly enjoying their mother's reaction.
Yet even as Apolline openly flirted with me, my mind automatically shifted toward what I knew about her personal situation. She was definitely married, yes-but from what Fleur and Gabrielle had privately shared with me, things hadn't exactly been smooth sailing between their parents lately. Their father had been furious about Fleur and Gabrielle's decision to become devils and join my peerage, going so far as to refuse to speak to them altogether. His harsh reaction had clearly wounded both sisters deeply, creating a painful rift in the Delacour family.
It left me wondering exactly how strong-or weak-Apolline's marriage truly was right now?
Given the openly appreciative looks she continued sending my way throughout the rest of our conversation, I think I knew that answer.
I had left Fleur and Gabrielle behind with their mother. Today was definitely turning into one of the more eventful afternoons of my life-and that was really saying something, considering how unusual my life was already.
Meeting Apolline Delacour had been a unique experience, to put it mildly. But the next meeting I had scheduled promised to make things even more uncomfortable, and that was something I was not exactly thrilled about.
My destination was a smaller, more private cafe tucked away from the main street in Hogsmeade, a place known for quiet conversations and discreet privacy-the perfect setting for a very awkward family revelation.
I was meeting Nymphadora Tonks' parents, Andromeda and Ted, for the first time today.
Honestly, it was long overdue. Ever since Tonks quit her job as an Auror without warning, her parents had apparently been flooding her inbox with shocked and increasingly concerned messages, demanding to know exactly what was going on with their daughter. I couldn't exactly blame them for being worried. After all, Tonks had abruptly gone from a promising Ministry career to suddenly becoming Narcissa Malfoy's personal teaching assistant at Hogwarts-a complete one-eighty in her life path that probably had them baffled.
Of course, Narcissa and Andromeda's relationship as sisters was complicated, to say the least. Calling it rocky was putting it mildly. They had barely spoken in years, and even though Narcissa had made a couple of cautious attempts to reconnect recently, I knew that bridging the gulf of resentment and hurt feelings between them was not something easily done overnight.
And now we were going to have to tell Andromeda and Ted the truth about their daughter wasn't human anymore, but a reincarnated devil, and a member of my peerage.
More awkwardly still, Tonks had insisted she didn't want to hide her romantic relationship with me from her parents. So yeah, there was also the small issue of them finding out that their daughter was now dating me-someone who was also notorious for his harem at this point and also involved romantically with her Aunt Narcissa.
