Gabrielle remained in the bathroom as a lookout while Fleur and Harry descended into the chamber. They banished the table and chairs and packed up the tent. They secured the room that had all the Basilisk ingredients that they had Moony store for them and with a final look around they led Buckbeak out and up the stairs which was much easier said than done, but after a struggle they finally managed to coax the noble animal up them.
Once again the window had been banished and no Filch or other unwelcome people were around as Harry and Gabrielle climbed aboard the Hippogriff and took off for the outskirts of the forbidden forest.
"We're on Buckbeak," Harry said to Hermione.
"I'll let Sirius know. He's tired of Skeeter."
"We'll meet you where we agreed."
Gabrielle was happy. As she held tight to Harry she could feel her charm bracelet on her wrist. She remembered the last time they had ridden Buckbeak in getting him in the castle. Her thoughts went to Harry and her life as it had changed in the last few months.
"Arry, can we just fly for a few minutes. It's very beautiful."
"Of course my Angel."
It was twenty minutes later before they landed the Hippogriff in the clearing. They had spent the time overflying Hogwarts and the lake. Hermione was already there with Sirius and Fleur had joined them as well. Once they had clambered off the Hippogriff, Sirius bowed and then climbed on Buckbeak's back. He looked down at his godson.
"Take care you four. I'll see you in a few weeks at the Delacours if not earlier."
"You too Sirius," Harry replied. "And...thanks for everything."
"No. I actually owe you an apology," Sirius said. "Twice I've gone after Peter instead of watching over you."
"You did what you needed to do Sirius," Harry replied. "If he had escaped last night, I'd have been really pissed at you."
Sirius grinned. "I still plan to make it up to you."
"No need."
"Maybe not, but I can sure as hell want to," Sirius replied. "Now if those relatives of yours do give you any problems..."
"I will deal wiz zem if zey do," Fleur said with an intense glare in her eyes.
Sirius gave the French witch a small bow. "Then I leave him in your more than capable hands," He looked at the other two witches as well. "In all of your hands," With those words Buckbeak leapt into the air. Harry and the women he loved watched the two disappear into the night. To Harry and Hermione it brought back memories from a night a little more than a year ago. This time though, they weren't as concerned about him. With the Dementor's kiss order having been lifted, even if was captured, he could escape if he wanted with the emergency Portkey.
"Rita will be back tomorrow night for your interview Harry," Hermione said finally.
Harry rolled his eyes as he replied. "Great, an ideal way to spend a Friday night."
"She's told me she's writing my apology tonight as well. She thought it would give more incentive for you tomorrow night."
Harry just shook his head. "You know, at least she's honest about it," They all knew that Rita would do what's best for Rita. Harry gave Hermione a smile. "It should also be incentive for her to write a pretty good apology as well," He grabbed her hand and brought it up to his lips before looking at her again. "You deserve it."
"It's just going to get lost in all the things about Sirius and Voldemort," She said.
"Non," Fleur said. "More people will be reading ze paper tomorrow zan ever before. Anything connected with 'Arry will be read thoroughly," Fleur put her arm around Hermione. "Though no matter what, ze people who matter are right 'ere."
"That is true," Harry said as he smiled at his bondmates. "Shall we go to bed? It's been a very very long day."
"Can we go back to that room again?" Gabrielle asked.
Harry glanced at Hermione and Fleur before taking Gabrielle by the waist. "I think I'd like that." He said as he started back toward the castle.
It took a while to get there as they needed to avoid teachers and Peeves, while only being able to get two people under the invisibility cloak at a time. Finally late in the night they found themselves climbing into the same large bed as they had the previous night. This time it was Gabrielle who found herself in Harry's arms. Though the young ladies quickly slipped into slumber, Harry found himself lying awake deep into the night. He kept thinking of the prophecy and what Fleur had said about bondmates suffering after the death of the other.
As he laid there holding Gabrielle, he realized if he were back in his dorm he would have gone to the common room and spent time in front of the fireplace. The thought had barely left his mind before a cracking sound emerged and a faint glow appeared in the room. He wiggled free of the women surrounding him and look around. He found that a fireplace and a loveseat now existed in the room.
He crept slowly out of the bed trying to not disturb the women that shared it with him. Finally winning free he crossed the room and settled onto the seat. As he stared into the yellowed flames and listened to the crackling of the fire he couldn't help but feel a sense of despair wash over him. He looked over toward the bed and in the flickering light he could make out the blonde hair of Gabrielle. "I finally thought I could be happy but now I'm going to cause the death of them," He thought. "How can I fight Voldemort and win?"
Again he turned toward the fire and buried himself further in his thoughts and sadness. He was so lost in those thought he didn't feel one of his bondmates wake up and walk over to him. He almost jumped out of his seat when Gabrielle wrapped her arms around him from behind and kissed him softly on the cheek.
"Mon amour," She said quietly. "Why do zis?"
"Do what?"
Gabrielle moved around the loveseat and sat down beside Harry and leaned her head on his shoulder. "You know what. You 'ave been sitting over 'ere believing zat you are...are going to die and cause all of us to die."
"It's true."
"You are just giving up zen?"
"Of course not!" Harry exclaimed in a loud whisper. "But...but how, I mean what can I do?"
Gabrielle pulled back a little so her eyes could look into his. "Zere will be a way. Zere must!" She said determinedly. "Zis is our trapdoor to our future," she held up her wrist that had the bracelet on it. "We 'ave a long way to go on our journey and we...will...find...a...way," Each of the last words were punctuated by her poking his chest with her finger.
Harry couldn't help but smile at her. He first took her finger that had been poking him and lifted it to his lips. Then he wrapped his arms around his youngest bondmate and pulled her into his arms. "Okay Angel, we'll find a way."
After a while the two of them rejoined Hermione and Fleur in the bed and this time Harry managed to drift off to sleep.
....
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