AN: Hello fans of Harry Potter! I'm incredible excited (and somewhat nervous) to present to you all my first ever work of fanfiction! This idea came to me one night and I thought it would be fun to publish it for all to see. I welcome reviews that can help me improve my writing/the story, but kindly ask that there are no needless flames and profanity. With that in mind enjoy!

Disclaimer: I own no part of the Harry Potter franchise, that right belongs to JK Rowling.

Harry Potter and the Life of a Veela

An alternate reality of Harry's 4th Year.

Chapter 1: Time for a Change

Harry sat at the edge of the Black Lake with 'his' knees held close to 'his' chest while he stared off into the distance contemplating his life to this point. In what looked like the most promising year for a sense of normality, not that such a thing existed in the wizarding world, every hope for that disappeared in a manner of months. He laughed to himself when he realized that he ignored the many glaring warnings that proved that him and normality would never be friends. The first warning he ignored was the strange dream he had of who he believed to be Voldemort discussing some sort of evil scheme with Wormtail and a man Harry had never seen before. His second warning came when the man he didn't recognize led a Death Eater attack on the Quidditch World Cup, leaving the image of the dark mark in the sky and many smoldering tents in the man's wake. Harry's third and final warning should have been when headmaster Albus Dumbledore announced to the students of Hogwarts that the school would be host to the exciting, and deadly, Triwizard Tournament. Harry believed that he was free from being roped into such an event as one had to be seventeen to enter, but of course that blasted Goblet of Fire had to spit his name out, even after it had already chosen one participant from each of the three competing schools, on Halloween night just a few days ago. To make matters worse he was now the focus of hatred from not only the visiting students of Beauxbatons and Durmstrang, but also that of the local students of Hogwarts and his best mate Ron.

Of course, none of that compared to the situation, and cause of Harry's self-reflection, that he was in right now. Harry's problem was simple to see, but hard to understand. This problem was that rather than his reflection in the lake being the familiar visage of Harry James Potter, which was that of a scrawny, somewhat short, emerald-eyed, glasses wearing, dark and untamed haired fourteen-year-old boy, it was that of the average height, quarter veela, silver-blonde haired, and blue-eyed seventeen-year-old Beauxbatons female student Fleur Isabelle Delacour. Harry's thoughts then drifted to the event that occurred just two days ago that would forever change the course of his life.

It was a cool November day at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry as fourth-year student and unexpected Triwizard champion Harry Potter made his way back towards the Gryffindor common room after spending the day trying to forget the events of the previous night. Harry hoped to avoid as many students as possible and then wait out the remaining hours of the day in the comfort of his bed. He thought it best to sneak in right before dinner, as both the halls and Gryffindor tower would be at their emptiest. However, his hope would never be as he came face-to-face with none other than Beauxbatons champion Fleur Delacour. Harry mentally cursed his luck as she was one the last people he wished to see.

"Excuse me, but could you please let me pass.", Harry said in an attempt to get her to move so he could continue his journey.

"Why zould I?", was Fleur's short and rather cold sounding reply.

"Well you're blocking the hall."

"Zo?"

"I need to get through there to get back to my room."

"Zoo bad, I like eet 'ere."

"Can we please not do this? We're making a scene."

And a scene they did indeed make. Every student near the two champions focused upon them and waited to see what would come from the tense situation. But whatever direction Harry and Fleur's conversation would have taken remains unknown, as the two soon became the target of many hexes fired from the crowd. While they were intended to strike Harry, the inexperience of many of the castors caused Fleur to end up in the line of fire as well. What happened next can best be explained as an unexpected result of various unknown hexes, residual protective magic from a sacrificial mother's love, and the natural defensive magic of a veela. After a bright flash of light, those present were left with the view of a passed-out Harry and Fleur. Fortunately for the unconscious pair, Hogwarts headmaster Albus Dumbledore chose that moment to arrive and prevent any further harm to the two.

"What could have driven you all to strike out at other students?", the headmaster questioned those present; knowing full well that he would get no response.

"Someone please fetch Madam Pomfrey. I fear that these two may be in a worse condition than they appear."

"I would be happy to headmaster! It should only take me a few minutes, that is of course if the nargles don't slow me down.", answered a rather strange third-year Ravenclaw.

"Please do so Ms. Lovegood. As for the rest of you, you are all to return to your houses and await punishment for your actions. That is unless any of you wish to confess to the attack on Mr. Potter and Ms. Delacour?"

With no one coming forward to take the blame, Dumbledore watched the courtyard empty of everyone but himself and the two victims. Dumbledore then turned his attention to the unconscious form of Harry, concerned for what may have happened to the boy he viewed as a surrogate grandson. While Dumbledore was limited in what he could do for the young boy, it pained him to see Harry subjected to any form of pain. How Dumbledore wished that the ministry would have let him, or any of Harry's parents' close friends, raise the boy; then perhaps he would have had a true childhood before being forced to face the remnants of Voldemort. The minister Cornelius Fudge, after seeking council with "upstanding citizens", otherwise known as pureblood Death Eaters who bribed their way out of Azkaban, denied any such request and claimed that the only just solution was to have Harry's aunt and uncle raise him. It was with a heavy heart that Dumbledore left an infant Harry on those magic hating muggles' doorsteps almost thirteen years ago; all the while knowing that it was a ploy by those "upstanding citizens" to stunt Harry's magical growth. Lack of ministry interference could have also allowed Dumbledore the ability to have protected Harry from some of the horrible events of his previous school years. For example, if the ministry had not attempted to fire him when it did two years ago, he could have assisted Harry in the Chamber of Secrets. Dumbledore now swore to himself that he would do everything in his power to not only help Harry survive the tournament, but also the upcoming war with Voldemort's followers he knew was on the horizon.

The headmaster's guilt trip came to an end when the school's head healer Madam Pomfrey arrived at the scene.

"You called headmaster?", questioned Pomfrey.

"Indeed, I did Poppy. It would seem that Harry and Ms. Delacour were unfortunately the victims of some rather upset students' attempt to remove the former form the Triwizard Tournament.", responded Dumbledore.

"Any idea of what they were exposed to?"

"Alas, all I know is that it was a combined effort of many mid-level hexes. Ones strong enough to harm, but not to kill."

"At least that's a start. I will however need to move them to the infirmary in order to run a more in-depth examination."

"That would be wise. I must now inform Madame Maxime of Fleur's injury. And Poppy, please notify me if Harry's condition changes."

"I will Albus. After all, I also care for his wellbeing."

With that, Dumbledore made his way to the Beauxbatons carriage to inform Madam Maxime of all that occurred in the courtyard. At the same time Pomfrey levitated both injured students to the infirmary to begin her diagnostic; one that would go down as her most surprising to date.

Once Pomfrey finished scanning the two students with her wand, she was ready to read the results and administer the proper treatment. She didn't expect that the results would show that Harry and Fleur had not only almost depleted their magical cores, but that they now possessed each other's core. Pomfrey was shocked beyond belief. Never in recorded history has there been a successful exchange of cores, much less one where both participants survived. With this in mind, Pomfrey had no idea what the extent of the effects were or how to reverse what had happened. She concluded that the only person who would have any hope of answering these questions would be the headmaster himself. As such, Pomfrey summoned a house elf and instructed it to inform Dumbledore that he was needed. Pomfrey prepared for the long night ahead that would be filled with endless research, all the while wishing that Harry could make it one year without needing her services.

Dumbledore had just returned to his office after delivering the unfortunate news to the Beauxbatons headmaster. To say that Maxime was displeased would be the understatement of the century. It still shocked him that one could scold another for over four continuous hours without repeating one's self, but the half-giantess found a way. Dumbledore hoped that Pomfrey would have news, preferably positive, shortly. It was only due to many past experiences of hardships that he was holding himself together. At least he was until one of the school's house elves appeared in his office to inform him that Pomfrey had determined the problem but believed that only with his help could she devise a solution. This didn't improve the headmaster's confidence, for if one of the world's best healers couldn't find a cure, how could he preform such a feat? While he is one the world's strongest wizards, Dumbledore would be a fool to claim that he was above Pomfrey in the medical arts. With a sad sigh, Dumbledore left his office and prayed that anything he experienced in his past could be useful to helping Harry and Fleur.

At the same time that Dumbledore made his way to the infirmary, Harry's closest friends Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley did the same. While things were strained between Ron and Harry over the latter's selection as a Triwizard champion, Ron wouldn't be able to forgive himself if he let his jealousy keep him from ensuring that his friend would recover. When Dumbledore reached the infirmary, he was meet with the sight of two of his students arguing with Madam Pomfrey.

"What do you mean we can't see Harry?!", Hermione hollered.

"Given what happed to Mr. Potter and Ms. Delacour, I'm not allowing any students near them.", Pomfrey retorted.

"But we're his friends!", yelled Ron.

"No exceptions Mr. Weasley! Now kindly remove yourselves.", Pomfrey stated rather forcefully.

"Ah Poppy what problem are Ms. Granger and Mr. Weasley causing this evening?", asked Dumbledore.

"These two don't seem to understand that Mr. Potter is not to have any visitors until I am sure he is on the proper path to recovery.", answered Pomfrey.

"There is no need to bar these two from seeing Harry. Please let them pass."

"But headmaster..."

"Poppy", Dumbledore's tone then grew soberer, "these two are the closest thing Harry has to family, and as such, have every right to support him in his time of need. I ask again, please let them pass."

"Very well Albus. Ms. Granger, Mr. Weasley, you are welcome to stay as long as you like."

"Thank you.", was the response of everyone present.

Pomfrey allowed the trio to enter the infirmary before she returned to her two patients' bedsides. Nearly seven hours passed without any change in the condition of Harry and Fleur, and the mood of the visitors began to shift farther towards fear. Fear that neither of the two injured champions would awake. Just as Ron and Hermione were about to leave for the next day's classes, both exhausted as neither could sleep, they heard a groan of pain come from Fleur's bed.