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Chapter 59: The Eve of Freedom
🕑 Added 2025-06-09 10:50:50 +0000 UTCAuthor's Note:
Sorry for the delay... this chapter fought me hard. Writing a 5v1 and making it sound good turned out to be way harder than I expected. But here it is! At least I hope it's good lol.
A massive thanks to Delta105 for the Elias/Kiba armor concept. I realized I didn’t explain it properly in the chapter since I focused mostly on the BB, so let me do it here: This specific armor can momentarily absorb objects and inherit their properties. Not at full strength, so it’s not overpowered, but it’s very versatile. For example, while Kiba didn’t do it in the chapter, he could’ve absorbed a sword that boosts speed and then created another sword with a different buff while keeping the other one, even if it’s slightly weaker than the original.
The Rias/Iris armor, courtesy of Hiram, can fill itself with the user’s magic and take on its elemental properties, attacking semi-independently like a magical symbiote. The catch? It consumes a lot of energy, and fast, so sustained use can be risky.
Lastly, the Hermione/Akeno armor, thanks to Cody Boyd, comes with three spell slots. Once a spell is loaded into a slot, the wearer can activate it just by thinking, without draining their own magic, since the armor pulls energy from the environment. The drawback? There's a delay between activations, so timing is key.
Celestial Ascendancy
Chapter 59: The Eve of Freedom
Grimmauld Place, Britain.
Elias Black.
“Now that we’re all together,” I said with a soft smile, glancing between Iris and Sirius, who looked at me in confusion, “there’s something I’ve been meaning to do for the two of you.”
They exchanged a look. I sighed and continued.
“Do you remember when I went out with Rias before we left for Japan?” I scratched the back of my neck. “Truth is, I’d been hunting a few things for a while.”
I scowled slightly, trying to figure out how to explain without mentioning Iris’s scar. She’d be furious if she knew I was hiding something from her, but I was certain that telling her would only make things worse.
Iris had finally begun to smile again and finally started enjoying herself after everything that happened in the graveyard. I didn’t want to ruin that. Not until I had answers. So, instead, I decided to give her something she could actually appreciate.
“What are you talking about, Eli?” Iris raised an eyebrow.
I exhaled slowly. “So… have you ever wondered how Voldemort survived after supposedly dying in Godric’s Hollow?”
“Dark magic, I’d assume,” Sirius snorted, then narrowed his eyes. “You know how, don’t you?”
“I do,” I nodded. “And you’re right. It’s really dark stuff. It’s called a Horcrux. It works by tearing your own soul apart and hiding the pieces inside objects. Those objects become nearly indestructible and can even possess people if they get too close.”
The room fell silent. Sirius and the girls looked disgusted. Arcturus studied me with narrowed eyes. I caught the question in his expression and gave a small, grim shake of my head. He sighed and gave a barely perceptible nod.
“Why didn’t you tell us any of this sooner, Eli?” Hermione asked quietly buy firmly.
“I didn’t want to worry either of you,” I said, shaking my head. “We’ve been through enough already, and I was more than capable of handling a few artifacts.”
Iris crossed her arms and gave me an annoyed pout but sighed. “Fine. But explain everything. Properly. And also, how did you even learn about this?”
Yeah. That was a question I couldn’t answer truthfully for obvious reasons.
“I found out through Pranitha,” I chuckled. “She’s incredibly skilled in soul magic. And based on what she’s told me, she’s not someone you’d ever want to cross.”
“Oh, definitely!” Hermione nodded eagerly. “She’s been teaching me a bit over the last couple of days. I’m going to grill her for more once we’re back.”
“Never change, love,” I chuckled, ruffling her hair. “Anyway, back to the point. I believe there are six Horcruxes out there. That means Voldemort split his soul into seven pieces, if you include the bit still in him.”
“I’ve been hunting them down ever since I learned about them. The first one was destroyed during our second year.”
“The diary,” Hermione gasped. I nodded.
“Exactly. Good catch, love,” I grinned. “According to Pranitha, Horcruxes can only be destroyed with basilisk venom, Fiendfyre, or the Killing Curse.”
“I’ve destroyed two more,” I continued. “Slytherin’s locket, which my father stole and hid here at Grimmauld Place. And Marvolo Gaunt’s ring.”
“I actually have another one... Ravenclaw’s Diadem, but I’ve kept it hidden. I’m trying to figure out a way to cleanse it without destroying the object itself.” I smirked. “I thought it might make the perfect birthday gift for you, Mione.”
Hermione’s eyes widened. She squealed and launched herself at me, wrapping her arms tightly around my torso and burying her face into my chest.
“Thank you, thank you, thank you,” she whispered over and over, shaking her head with a grin.
I rubbed her back gently, smiling fondly. Then I looked to Iris, who was watching me with warm, loving eyes.
“There’s one more I know the location of,” I said after Hermione stepped back, the big smile still on her face warming my chest. “And I need Sirius’s help to get it.”
“Huh?” Sirius blinked. “Me? What could I possibly do, Pup? You seem to be handling this just fine without me.”
Arcturus scoffed. “The Horcrux is in the Lestrange vault at Gringotts. Now that you’re a free man, you can finally claim your lordship. Once you do, you can invoke the clause in the marriage contract to reclaim everything Bellatrix placed in the vault, on behalf of the House of Black.”
“You knew about this and didn’t tell me, you old bastard?” Sirius glared.
“You couldn’t do anything as a fugitive, you idiot,” Arcturus rolled his eyes.
“Fine, fine. I’ll handle it,” Sirius muttered, then smirked. “But you owe me. You’re taking the Lordship later, Elias. I’m not dealing with all that shite longer than I have to. Besides, I don’t think I’ll ever have an heir of my own.”
“Sirius,” Iris said sternly before wrapping him in a gentle hug. “Don’t say that. You’re healthy and in your prime. Who knows? Maybe you’ll meet someone through all of this.”
“I don’t know, Pup,” he murmured with a half-smile. “Azkaban took a lot out of me. I don’t feel the same fire I once had.”
“Maybe we should ask Fleur to take you to her Coven,” I chuckled, nudging his shoulder. “Let’s see how long that mopiness lasts after that.”
Sirius let out a loud guffaw, clutching his stomach as he laughed. But I saw the flicker of interest in his eyes.
Heh. Some habits really don’t die.
I clapped my hands sharply, twice. The resulting gust of wind rustled all our robes. I grinned.
“We got a little off-topic,” I said, amused. “So, back to the point. Rias and I destroyed the Gaunt ring and purified the Horcrux within. And get this, there was a stone left behind. Completely untouched. No matter what I threw at it, the thing wouldn’t break.”
“Like, your all, all?” Iris gaped.
“My everything,” I nodded seriously and looked inside my pocket.
I showed my companions the rock, and each of them looked at it intently, but no one realized what I was holding.
“This, as it turns out, is the resurrection stone,” I grinned, “And this is my gift for you two. But remember. The dead do not belong to the living.”
With that being said, I turned it three times and thought of Iris’s parents and smiled, seeing Iris and Sirius freeze in their place as smoke began rising from the floor.
Two shades, more full than I had expected, appeared in front of me, with their backs toward my girls.
The man was tall, with messy hair, unlike mine, and shorter. He was calm but alert, looking at me curiously. The woman beside him had fiery hair and a posture that somehow radiated both kindness and wit. I recognized them instantly.
And so did the others. I smiled at the pair and winked.
Iris made a strangled sound, her hand shooting to her mouth as she stepped forward shakily. Sirius didn’t move at all. He looked like he’d been hit by an incarcerous to the chest.
“Prongs…?” he whispered in a choked voice.
At the sound of his name, the man turned. His light brown eyes moistened, and I was surprised how life-like they were. “You’ve aged terribly, Pads.”
Sirius laughed and whimpered at the same time, tears already streaking down his face. “Fuck you,” he croaked.
Lily turned as well, and the second she laid eyes on Iris, her expression softened into something beautiful.
“Iris? Oh, my baby girl,” she breathed.
Iris couldn’t answer. She just surged forward and threw herself at her mother. To my shock, and maybe ours too, her arms didn’t pass through.
Iris's tears sprang forth once she closed her arms around the shade of her mother, with Lily whispering sweet nothings into her ear.
The spirits weren’t supposed to be solid, not really. But the Resurrection Stone pulsed faintly in my hand, and for that moment, for her, they were enough.
I didn’t know how the stone worked, but it surprised me more by the second.
“I missed you,” Iris sobbed, pressing her face into Lily’s shoulder. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry I couldn’t…”
“Shh.” Lily hugged her close, brushing her hair gently, tears in her own eyes. “You were just a baby. None of this is your fault. It was our choice, and we would make that again without thinking. You were our gift, baby.”
James approached Sirius, and for once, my godfather looked like the boy he must’ve been. Lost. Haunted. A stark reminder of our first meeting in the shrieking shack.
“I should’ve died for you,” Sirius whispered. “I should’ve been there.”
“You did enough, Padfoot,” James said simply, placing a hand on his shoulder. “You always did. Azkaban didn’t take that away. Nothing ever could.”
Sirius closed his eyes and bowed his head, clutching James’s wrist like a life-line.
James pulled Sirius, and the four of them hugged like it was their life-line, and I smiled contentedly. It was such a beautiful moment, and I didn’t want to intrude.
I stepped back quietly, the Resurrection Stone warm in my hand.
Beside me, Hermione sniffled. Arcturus had his arms crossed, but his eyes glistened with surprising emotion as he stared at the scene in front of us.
“Is this what you meant?” Hermione asked softly. “Giving them closure?”
I nodded. “They deserve it.”
She didn’t speak again, just reached out and gripped my hand tightly.
“You’ll get your moment later, Old man,” I said softly to my great grandparent, “Let them enjoy the peace.”
Time skip, 2 weeks later.
Elias Black.
“Ugh,” I groaned as I pushed myself off the floor, feeling the sting from that hit. “Good job, Rias,” I smirked, then vanished from my spot and reappeared behind Koneko, landing a frozen kick against her back and sending her flying.
With a casual wave of my hand, a torrent of blue fire surged after her like a heat-seeking missile. Koneko bared her teeth, ears twitching in irritation as she coated her hands in touki and smirked.
The torrent froze mid-air with a sharp crack, Gasper squeaking from far behind, standing near his King, who gave him an approving nod and smiled proudly.
Koneko vanished from sight again, something she’d started learning not that long ago. She was surprisingly talented in senjutsu, or whatever the hell she was using.
I didn’t fully understand how it worked, but she’d spent some time with Sai when he visited last week and picked it up quickly. It turns out he had some sort of relationship with the Youkai.
I sharpened my senses and frowned. I was still holding back. No Aetherium, just in case, and that meant my ability to sense hidden targets was limited. It was the only method I had without outright cheating.
After a few seconds of fruitless scanning, I gave up with a groan.
“Rho Aias!” I shouted on instinct, the hair on the back of my neck standing up a second before a serpent made of Holy Lightning crashed against the seven-petaled barrier.
“Good try, my dear Akeno!” I called out with a grin toward the flying girl.
“Ufufu~” she giggled behind her hand. “Oh my, you actually thwarted my attack, Eli. Woe is me.”
I narrowed my eyes suspiciously, but before I could say anything clever, I froze.
The serpent hadn’t broken through the shield... but instead slithered down it, curling across the floor and forming a net beneath my feet.
The shock hit me all at once.
“Ahgh!” I gritted my teeth, lightning coursing through my body and rattling my bones.
Thinking fast, I froze the ground in a hundred-meter radius around me. Ice cracking beneath my boots.
“Eeep!” a voice squeaked nearby as Koneko reappeared, now visible, and crouched just a few feet away. She glared at me with a pout, then slammed her touki-coated fist into the ground.
The resulting shockwave blasted me off my feet.
While I was still flying back, courtesy of the adorable Koneko, I caught a shadow in the corner of my eye and grinned.
“Sorry for this, Elias,” Kiba said, frowning as he slashed downward with a sword from his Sacred Gear.
My eyebrows twitched and I decided to be mean.
I sent a wave of fire toward him, only for my eyes to widen as his sword greedily absorbed the flames.
Staying calm, I drew Durindana and blocked his strike. I twisted mid-air, grabbed his leg, and yanked, twisting his foot with a satisfying crack and earning a pained shout. Then I hurled him away like a ragdoll.
“Stop with the chivalry bullshit, Kiba! How many times do I have to tell you?!” I snapped angrily, already conjuring a one-ton block of ice in the air right above where he was going to land. He deserved the stomp for this bullshit.
“Fuck, sorry!” he shouted in alarm just before his body slammed into the ground, creating a crater.
Koneko darted toward him, her hands glowing, but to my surprise, Rias beat her there.
“Abyssal Crimson Death Spiral!” Rias yelled at the top of her lungs, slamming her bastardized version of this world’s Rasengan into the block of ice and vaporizing it in a flash.
“Oh, for Merlin’s sake, that’s the cringiest thing I’ve ever seen,” I gaped at her.
“Shut up!” Rias barked with flushed cheeks . Then she puffed her chest proudly. “It’s Narbuto’s special move, and now I’ve made it mine!”
“Oh god,” I muttered in horror. Anime in this world was… unique. Holy hell, what had they done to my goat?
I shook the thought away and smiled brightly, clapping my hands in genuine praise at her peerage.
Iris, Hermione, Asia, Sona and Pranitha began clapping, and much to my surprise, Grayfia imitated them.
“That was awesome!” Iris cheered with sparkling eyes. “I wonder if I can copy that move with magic.”
“Iris, dear,” Hermione laughed, “I want to say no just to keep you from using it on Draco next year.”
Grayfia watched Rias and the others in silent awe. She wasn’t one to show much emotion, but I’d noticed the small cues. Sona, meanwhile, had buried her face in her hand and was shaking her head.
“I think it’s time we turn up the heat,” I grinned at Rias. “I suggest you all stop holding back. I can heal you to perfect condition with a wave of my hand, and I will use that to beat the ever-loving hell out of you.”
Just to hammer the point in, I did it. Fully healing every member of her peerage. Then, I did the same to myself.
Rias twitched in exasperation and I winked.
“Alright, team,” she exhaled, PoD licking the edges of her aura as her power surged. “Let’s take our vengeance!”
Hell yeah, that's the spirit.
One by one, they moved.
Akeno was the first. A pulse of magic radiated from her body as the armor activated, forming slowly over her with layers of black-and-silver plates etched with runes. The chestplate shimmered like obsidian, dark as her own wings.
From her back, wing-shaped conduits sparked with holy lightning, twitching with stored ambient magic.
I narrowed my eyes as I watched her aura settle. That armor allowed her to slot spells in advance and then unleash them without a single chant or gesture. The downside? A delay between each use. So, no true rapid-fire, but deadly in a rhythm. And considering how smart she was…
Dangerous.
Rias followed.
Her own armor shimmered into place. Deep crimson, cracked with veins of pure Power of Destruction. It was like a symbiotic mantle, tendrils of PoD crawling along her arms and shoulders, ready to lash out. She looked regal if you ignored the sheer danger she emitted.
Next, Koneko moved with firm steps. She positioned herself in front of Gasper, her new gauntlets, a gift from Sai, humming with stored touki. She didn’t say a word; she just raised her arms and nodded. Her duty was clear. Protect the only weak link, who, hilariously, also was their biggest bet.
Behind her, Gasper’s eyes flickered as his aura expanded. It was still clumsy, but I felt his magic probing at me, trying to grab at moving pieces. My arm. My leg. A shoulder. He was no longer attempting to freeze me. He was aiming to freeze individual parts, which, if timed right, could screw me over even worse than a full-body stop.
Smart brat.
Finally, Kiba stepped forward. He stared at me quietly.
Then nodded once, even with his conflicted face.
I beamed, proud of the idiot. Without a word, I reached into my soul and pulled out the jagged form of Excalibur Transparency.
“Catch,” I said softly and tossed it to him.
The air changed.
Sona stiffened where she stood in alarm. Grayfia’s expression faltered for a second. She took a step forward without realizing it, her eyes flicking from the fragment to Kiba. The temperature dropped a few degrees.
It was their first time seeing this.
Kiba caught the sword. And it began to burn him.
His hands trembled slightly. He hissed but held it anyway. And then, slowly, his Sacred Gear began to glow. A hum echoed in the air. And I grinned in disbelief, no matter how many times I saw it or even heard the supposed explanation.
“Balance Breaker: Sword Birth, Light Devourer!” he shouted, and the world sang.
Multiple swords burst from the ground like radiant light, each infused with both darkness and stolen holy power, somehow. The Excalibur fragment pulsed within his grip, no longer hurting him, no longer resisting. It was part of him now.
It had been a surprise to all of us, and it started when I showed them my armor sets about 10 days ago.
I didn’t know how much hatred Kiba had for the Excalibur sword, and I had left it in the open, and he saw it.
It was a mess, with me having to stop him firmly in place once he almost attacked me because of it. Rias explained his situation, and I calmed down, listening to his whole story.
It was a sad one, and luckily, I had a way to make him find peace. Once he had calmed down a bit, I explained the resurrection stone and offered him the artifact to speak with his departed friends. I tried my best to ignore the crying dude, but something particular happened.
I knew that I wasn’t an expert on Sacred gears, but from what Rias explained, when someone had a… sufficient emotional moment, they can unlock something called Balance Breaker, and for Kiba, his goodbyes with his friends' shades were more than enough.
His balance breaker, for the lack of a better word, resonated with the Excalibur transparency and somehow was able to merge both things and create the abomination he was using now.
A perfect blend of Holy and Demonic power. If faulty. He needed the fragment to even begin his transformation, and he couldn’t use it for long.
I raised an eyebrow, impressed. He’d gotten better.
“Not bad,” I muttered, bracing myself just in time to not get bisected.
The first slash came in a blur, and I parried it with Durindana. Kiba vanished. I twisted mid-air and deflected the second strike from behind. The bastard was fast. And getting faster.
Honestly? I was feeling proud of his progress.
Then, the rest joined in.
Akeno’s armor shimmered, and I felt the tug of her magic right before her spells snapped into place. A burst of holy lightning cracked through the air and slammed into my ribs. I didn’t dodge... I wanted to feel the difference between her regular magic and the armor’s enhancements.
Just as I suspected, the armor attack had the same potency as usual. No visual cue. Just thought and timing. Impressive, but not invincible.
I tried to step back, only for Gasper to freeze my leg mid-movement.
“Cheeky,” I laughed right as Kiba zipped in again. He feinted right, just in time for a PoD tendril from Rias to slam into my side and try to bind me.
I hissed at the burn, actually feeling it. So, I cheated.
A brief flash of Aetherium shattered the tendril and gave me just enough of an opening to escape.
Koneko was holding her position, protecting Gasper while scanning the field.
And despite the pain lancing across my chest, I found myself smiling.
“Okay then,” I grinned, raising a hand.
A ripple of healing energy pulsed through me, closing the wounds in real time. I didn’t even need to focus anymore.
But they didn’t let up.
Kiba and Akeno pressed in. He cut through my elemental attacks with precision while Akeno delayed her lightning just enough to bypass my senses. One bolt hit me dead-center in the back, and even I had to grunt.
Holy lightning wasn’t a joke.
Then came Rias.
The tendrils lashed out like a dozen tails. I summoned Rho Aias with a flick of my wrist, gritting my teeth as the shield trembled under the fourth impact. And there were a dozen more coming.
“Damn,” I muttered, finally feeling the strain. “You guys got serious.”
“Now you get it!” Rias shouted between breaths, a fierce grin on her face. “This is what it means to trust your team!”
There was one issue, though. The armors were energy intensive. It's not sustainable for long.
I chuckled, lowered my stance, and gripped Durindana tighter.
“Fine. Then I’ll take you all on properly.”
No point in letting them get cocky.
In a flash, I appeared beside Koneko. She barely had time to widen her eyes before I froze her in place.
A shadow tried to bisect me. It was weak, but I smiled proudly.
“Nice try, Gaspy.”
The little Dhampir blushed, squeaked, and immediately transformed into a bat to fly away. Laughing, I followed, weaving through Akeno’s blasts and Kiba’s slashes.
I caught the twitching bat mid-air and cradled it in my hands.
“You’re out, Gaspy,” I said, shaking my head with a fond smile. He turned human again and pouted, sitting next to me.
I ducked just in time to let Kiba’s blade sail overhead. He was grimacing now, his movements slowing. The Balance Breaker was draining him.
“Better luck next time, Kiba,” I grinned and gave him a taste of his own medicine.
With Durindana in hand, I flowed through his strikes with ease, punishing each mistake with minor cuts across his blind spots. Eventually, panting and exhausted, he dropped to one knee. The Excalibur fragment blinked out beside him.
“You need more magic power,” I said simply, patting his back and slipping the fragment back into my soul.
I took a calming breath and appeared beside Akeno, who was flushed with effort... and maybe something else.
A bolt of lightning came down from the clear sky and hit me square in the chest. I tanked it with a smile, letting my divine energy flow freely to heal the damage.
“Will you give up, or do I have to make you, A-ke-no,” I purred.
“Make me,” she whispered, biting her lip.
I chuckled. “Incarcerous. Fulmin.”
Two spells hit true. Her body trembled, straining against the magical bindingsm but they were too much, even for her.
“And there’s one,” I sing-songed, turning toward Rias with a grin.
She huffed but stepped forward firmly. Her armor flared to life, over two dozen PoD tendrils erupting from her back as she charged power in her hand.
The familiar orb of destruction began forming. I sighed, giving her a pleading look.
“Please don’t call out your attack.”
She rolled her eyes.
“Abyssal Crimson Death Spiral!” she shouted, hurling the swirling mass of PoD.
Smirking, I sidestepped and grabbed her wrist mid-lunge, swinging her around and slamming her gently into the ground. Her own attack detonated a crater beneath her, leaving her flat on her back.
Kakashi knew how to look cool.
“You get too into it, Rias,” I scolded lightly, kneeling beside her. I healed the self-inflicted wounds and tried very hard not to stare at her now-missing shirt and the very impressive chest it failed to protect.
“Ufufufu,” she giggled, catching my gaze. “I think I know how to beat you in our next spar, E-li-as~.”
I laughed. “Good luck, then. I wonder how you’ll manage it.”
She was more competitive than she liked to admit. Just to prove it, she grabbed my arm and pressed herself against it before finally stepping away.
I could already hear Iris wolf-whistling… I will never hear the end of this.
-Scene-
I smirked, watching Rias and her peerage drag their feet toward the spectators. They were exhausted, covered in dirt and healing bruises, but they couldn’t hide their smiles as the applause echoed around them.
The first one to move was Asia, bless her heart. I had already healed everyone, but she didn’t care. She called forth her Sacred Gear and cast another round of healing magic, her hands glowing softly. Only after finishing did she nod in satisfaction.
“I just wanted to make sure,” she squeaked when she noticed me watching her from the sideline.
“You’re too good for your own good, Asia,” I said, shaking my head with a warm smile. “Never change.”
She blushed and stood beside me as Iris and Hermione moved in to check me over. Not that I needed it, my body was already healing itself. The only scars still lingering were the ones from Rias and Akeno’s attacks, thanks to their special properties. Honestly, I welcomed it.
Just meant I needed more training. I doubted the marks would last forever.
“Good job, team,” I said, clapping my hands again. “Sure, I beat you. But let me say this... I’m proud of all of you. You’re completely different fighters from who you were two weeks ago. That growth? That’s all you. Be proud of it, and keep working toward your dreams.”
Rias smiled warmly and nodded. “Thank you, Eli. But I doubt we could’ve done it without you.”
“Bah,” Iris waved her hand and turned toward her. “Don’t inflate his ego, any more and he’ll float away.”
Hermione giggled and nodded. “Still, Eli’s right. This scars are proof of how far you’ve come," she caressed the healing wounds tenderly.
“I have to agree with the wizards, Lady Rias,” Grayfia interjected with a rare, faint smile. “Lord Sirzechs is proud of you... and a little jealous he couldn’t be here to see it himself. Even though I doubt he expected this much growth.”
“Thank you, Grayfia,” Rias said, her eyes softening as she smiled brightly.
“But my congratulations aren’t the reason I came today,” Grayfia added, her tone shifting. The faint smile faded as her usual composure returned. “Your parents are aware of your efforts, and they approve of your newfound resolve. That’s why Lord Gremory has taken it upon himself to formalize your intentions.”
She paused and everyone leaned in slightly. “In two weeks, the Rating Game for your engagement will be held. Lady Rias’s peerage… versus Lord Riser’s.”
I wasn’t sure what kind of reaction Grayfia was expecting from Rias, but she clearly didn’t expect silence.
Rias simply nodded, squared her shoulders, and murmured, “Two weeks, then…”
Her voice steadied. “I… no... we’ll be ready. Send my thanks to my parents. Tell them I’ll see them then.”
Silken Circle Coven
Gordes, France.
Iris, Hermione, and I appeared in a flash of fire just outside Fleur’s house. Ash took flight and perched atop the mansion’s roof like a guardian.
She was a big girl now. I trusted she’d return if anything went wrong, or at least alert me through our bond.
The front door creaked open.
But instead of my beautiful French Veela greeting us, a smaller blond Veela darted out with a grin so bright it could power a city. She babbled in rapid-fire French, and Mione’s translation spell struggled to keep up with the speed.
“Hello,” I greeted with a smile, crouching a little. “You’re Gabrielle, right?”
“Uhm, uhm!” she nodded twice. “Fleur’s still getting ready, and I wanted to meet you before she kicked me out!”
“Oh?” I chuckled, ignoring the girls muttering “Awws” behind me.
“Are you Fleur’s boyfriend?” Gabrielle asked, eyes wide with excitement.
I crouched to her level and gently patted her head. “You could say that, Gabrielle. It’s not formal, but I like your sister very much. And for as long as she’ll have me, I’ll stay by her side.”
“Not only him,” Iris chimed in with a smirk, and Hermione immediately flicked her nose.
“Not to her sister, idiot,” Hermione sighed, rolling her eyes.
“OHHHH!” Gabrielle squealed. “You four are together?!”
“That’s right, you insufferable little thing,” came a voice I’d missed more than I’d admit.
It was warm... Sweet.
My Fleur.
“Are you happy now, Gaby?” she called down from the top of the stairs. “Or do you want to interrogate them a bit more?”
I smiled and stood, eyes locking with hers.
She was radiant, and her smile lit up the entire entrance hall. I didn’t think, I just walked toward her, Iris and Hermione trailing close behind.
She stepped down, slipped her arms around mine, and kissed me.
It wasn’t long. But I felt everything she couldn’t say at that moment.
“I missed you, Eli,” she whispered, her breath caressing my cheek, then she smiled wider. “No… I missed all of you.”
She let go and turned to Iris, repeating the gesture with equal warmth. My raven-haired girlfriend blinked at her, dazed and smiling like a fool.
“And you, my little bookworm,” Fleur teased gently, opening her arms.
Hermione hesitated for a beat, then returned the hug and gave Fleur a quick kiss on the cheek. “I missed you too, Fleur,” she said with a quiet smile.
“Oh, that’s precious,” came a playful voice from the window, accompanied by a soft laugh.
Fleur groaned. “Come on,” she huffed, grabbing my wrist and Hermione’s. “Come meet my mamie before she embarrasses me further.”
Comments
InfinityReads99
I do plan to write a proper rating game, so stay tuned.
Iori Daemona Angel
I hope they fry the KFC combo.
