a/n - i am alive if you read my other book, trust trust, i'll never forget about you. also it is a pain with Wattpad, like boi why is it so hard to edit. laggy for what?

-dont miss me too much :3-

"Irascible"

having or showing a tendency to be easily angered

6th January 1997

"Have fun in Germany," Fleur whispered against the shell of Athena's ear. Athena continued to pack her papers while Fleur pressed against her back, her arms wrapped around her wife's slutty waist. "Only three weeks?"

Athena turned around, her arms wrapped around her wife's neck, and said, "Yes."

"Please don't come home all battered again."

"That wasn't my fault, my love."

"Please take care of yourself."

"I will."

"Come back to me."

"Always."

A couple knocks on the office door, interrupting their moment. Fleur pulled Athena for one more soft yet deep kiss their breaths exchanged as they pulled apart.

Athena waved her hand, allowing the door to open. Her mother raised her eyebrows, pursing her lips as she tilted her head. The Captain sighed, taking her luggage and Fleur's hand and walking out of the office.

Johnathan was waiting with Juliette and Atlas for the mother-daughter duo. Elaine was already waiting by the travel network with three communications-slash-PR officers. Rosé Blanc and Enzo Auclair are there too as Camille's guests.

"Papa," Juliette chimed, hugging her father. The former minister smiled at his daughters before Christopher entered the ministry with his mother. "Maman."

"Oh, my sweet daughters."

The tension in Camille's body slipped out as she hugged her mother. Juliette rubbed her sister's back while her father ran his hands in her hair.

"Where are my grandchildren?" Enzo voiced.

"Right here!" Damon claimed, smiling brightly, with Enzo laughing at his grandson and pulling him into a hug.

The Auclairs are big huggers.

Athena yawned as she waited for her hug. Camille laughed at her daughter, never letting the words of Arthur slip her mind. Her brother wouldn't be going to this elaborate ball since he needs to run his project and care for his boy, who has been rambling about the ball. He sent word to his youngest sister.

The group spent a little more time with one another before the grandparents hogged Fleur.

"Fleur darling, if you have any quidditch tricks, you come to me, okay?"

"Oui, grand-maman."

"She's the best of our generation."

"Nonsense, I was only there for a couple of years. You should ask Elizabeth too; she was my greatest rival."

"Because of you, we won the World Cup!"

"Oh shush-"

"My wife scored the winning goal, right before England caught the snitch."

Isabelle scoffed, and waved her husband off, and Fleur was already looking up to her because a lot of her plays were adopted from the Auclair.

"Go; you do not want to be late, would you?"

"Maman, I am an auror by trait. We are always late."

Enzo sniffled his laugh, looking at his granddaughter as he avoided his wife's glare. Athena placed another kiss on Fleur's exposed shoulder, leaving a lipstick stain, and smirked as she walked into the portal.

"Take care of my boys!"

Once the group had left Isabelle with her son and grandsons,.

"Grand-maman, we're adults now. With jobs."

"Aw-too bad, your mother said so."

-.-

"Damn," Athena mumbled, seeing the tall building as she entered the portal. The Press was waiting for each minister. There were already camera flashes, seeing that she is the French minister's daughter.

Then, once Camille got through the portal, there was an uproar of camera flashes and people shouting for their attention. The Auclairs had a lot of attention as their press officers dealt with them.

Camille smiled, her eyes sparkling at the feeling of her husband's arrival. She pushed through the crowd, trying to get to her husband. Lucian was so confused as to why there were so many reporters before his wife came crashing into him.

"Oh, my Darling," Camille whispered. Lucian smiled, letting out a deep exhale, and only held his wife tighter.

"My Love, you should have held on longer," Lucian whispered into her wife's ear as cameras flashed and clicked, capturing their moment. Camille made a muffled noise, stating that she didn't mind or care at all. Lucian just laughed and let his forehead rest on his wife's shoulder.

"Hello, you're forgetting about me," Athena grumbled, and Lucian scoffed at his daughter and let go of his wife, laughing as he wrapped his arms around her. "Hey, Pops."

"Don't call me Pops; you call your grandfather that."

"Okay, Father."

"You little shit."

Athena shrugged before letting her father interact with his father-in-law. Camille whacked her husband's cheek for his foul language, making Athena laugh at them. The young Auror left the group to find a certain border and port.

"Ashryver!" Jodie cheered, pulling the Captain for a hug. Athena chuckled, and gods, hated the attention on them. "Shall we go inside?"

"Gods, please."

"You're becoming French."

"I am French."

"Well, you're more English than you are French."

Athena scoffed, rolling her eyes, and Jodie wanted to help her with the luggage, only for her hand to be swatted away. The Auror waited by the giant doors to see if her group was making their way to them. Camille nodded for her daughter to interact with others since she had high-class Aurors by her side.

"Didn't think they let you come?"

"Oh, sweetheart, my family is quite influential after all." Jodie reminded her, flexing her family ring, and Athena flexed hers. Both the necklace and the ring.

"Darling, mine's even better."

"Yeah, yeah, we all know."

The two women talked to one another, full of laughter and giggles as they attracted attention. The French Ministry had a lot of attention, together with Lucian.

Three-fifths of the Auclairs are here, and half of the Ashryvers are present.

Also, with how famous Camille is, more attention was brought to them.

The way their coats smoothly changed to the Ministry-issued colours, the ones the Aurors always wear for joint missions, as they walked through the hallway, the wizards could only stop and stare, amazed by the so-called spell that no one else had figured out.

Enzo Auclair would very much like to keep it a secret until someone finally has the balls to surpass their ego and ask them.

The Auclairs love to create new spells, and Athena has inherited that.

Their luggage has disappeared from their hands upon changing their coats.

-.-

Fleur sighed deeply. It had been a while since she walked around the streets of Paris alone, without her wife just giggling by her side. Audrey's company could not be compared to her wife's. The Garnier pouted as she noticed the deep exhale from the Veela, clearly missing her wife.

"Were you like this when you were travelling?"

"No."

"Liar."

Fleur glared at her best friend; the woman only had a smirk because she knew how much Fleur hated being caught in her attempts at lying. The silver-blonde fidgeted with her wedding ring as Audrey teased her about it.

"I would prefer to talk to Danielle over you."

"I am pretty sure she is too involved with her gorgeous Redhead. Gods, that man is beautiful."

"You should have seen his brother," Fleur informed, reminded about Charlie Weasley. He was blessed with those genes. Maybe it's because she loves the scars on Athena's skin so much that she learned to appreciate others.

"Man, it's always the pure-blood families."

Fleur laughed in response, realising it was true. The Ashryvers, the Blacks, the Malfoys, the Mckinnons, and the Weasleys are all pure-blood families. And she met the remaining members of the Sacred 29, and they had never been more attractive.

Minus the inbreeding. What?

The Ashryvers never took part in that, of course. Every other family wanted to bear the name, and every other daughter was forced to marry the Ashryver Heir. Then she was forced to have sons.

Michael Ashryver broke that cycle. I fell in love with Elizabeth Black. His son fell in love with Camille. And his grandchildren fell in love with the most beautiful souls he could ever meet.

"Fleur, we should seriously go on a double date."

"What?"

"Girl, I have helped to relieve your stress, but for some reason, there were no double dates."

"Well, have you seen our schedules? Have you seen Athena's?"

"No, but she always seemed like she was done with everything by the end of the day."

"Her insomnia got worse. I don't know how it could get worse, but it got worse."

"How many?"

"It's good if she gets three. Most of the time is an hour."

"Well, on the bright side, we're going to the Toussaint's to get those special ingredients for the little Ashryvers coming soon."

"We are not pregnant."

"Really? I thought there would be little Ashryvers after your wedding night."

"Please, I almost forgot that I was the one who came up with the idea to not have children for the first year."

Audrey turned into a fit of giggles, and Fleur let out a nervous chuckle. Flashes of Athena screaming her name run through her mind, pinned to the soft, silky sheets. Fleur rubbed her forehead, trying to get those images out of her mind. The Veela adjusted her scarf, feeling the heat on her neck. Her best friends were smirking at her struggle.

"Really? Right now? She wasn't even gone for a full day yet."

"You don't understand-" Fleur sighed, feeling the eyes on her. She hated being a Veela sometimes. "Despite being a Quarter Veela, the traits are so strong. I am like an animal in heat with Athena."

"You lucky Veela."

"Oh, shut up."

"No, no, your wife is fabulous with her tongue."

"I shouldn't have asked you."

"Please, who else would handle your ass? Alexis? I don't think her lover would want that. What about Crystal? You hated-"

"Okay, okay, I was wrong."

"That's right, you whore."

"I will send you to the moon."

"No, you won't, because who else will keep an eye on your pretty wife?"

Fleur rolled her eyes, pushing Audrey away from her as she received a fit of laughter from the Garnier. Her eyes got wider after she recognised an owl flying for her. Karina's owl, Blue.

"Bonsoir, Blue," Audrey whispered, scratching its neck as she took the letter.

"I wish it was a breakup letter."

"Aha! No. It's an invitation to a Quidditch Ball in Romania." Fleur pouted at Audrey as she heard. "Karina is not that type of woman."

"Yeah, she's not-they have a Quidditch Ball?"

"No shit-" Audrey waved the letter in Fleur's face, only to have Fleur snatch it out of her hand to read. "I might quit being an auror once he's gone."

"Don't you like it?"

"I love it, but you know I had more fun being a Seeker."

"Right...hey! Our club seeker said he's retiring in three years."

Audrey's eyes sparkled at the words that spilt from Fleur's mouth. "Then we will double our efforts because I want that spot."

Fleur smiled, encouraging her. The loss of Voldemort is for the sake of the world. She needs her Athena to rest after what he has put her and her people through.

He needed to be gone so that her wife could finally breathe.

:D

"Darling," Camille voiced, getting her daughter's attention as she handed her coat. Athena looked at her, confused, while her Aurors either tried to hold back their laughter or looked in another direction, laughing. "We have chosen you for the duelling."

"W-what? Why?"

"The Sacred One," Lucian teased, running his hand through her hair. His daughter is unbelievably taller than he would have expected.

"Oh, piss off-I didn't want that name."

"Baby, you are the French's weapon. Give them a show. They wouldn't want to mess with France after seeing you."

"Please, they fear you too."

"Yes, now it's your turn. Retired from the dueling scene."

"And you say you're not old?" Athena cackled, quickly running away from her mother as she entered the arena. Unknowingly, it was going to start right away as she watched the surrounding changes.

"Captain Athena Ashryver, the Sacred One, from the Bureau of Aurors, France!"

The Ashryver Heiress slowly turned her head around, slightly annoyed as she stared at her mother. Also, realised that she was the first to step in. Camille was very proud of that small victory, watching as her daughter took a deep breath and turned back around to watch the duelists being announced. Every single country with a recognised governing body was to elect one to fight in the name of their country.

"Lucian Ashryver, Britain's very own Head Department of Magical Law Enforcement." Athena looked at her father, unamused, while he had the biggest grin as he locked eyes with his heiress.

Jodie was chosen for Belgium, and Gods, there was an uproar for her name.

There are several known names and faces that she will have to fight. From the unknown to the Crown Princes and Princesses.

As one man steps into the arena, the grounds slowly change into polished marble, and her heels click as she takes a step to scan the area. Slowly, a giant roundtable built itself, and chairs were slowly added each time another contestant was introduced.

Athena did not hesitate to be the first to sit. Her father ran across the stadium to sit beside his daughter, and Jodie took her other side.

"So," Athena voiced, getting comfortable. Lucian placed his arm on the back of her chair while Jodie poked her dimple. "No one told me about this."

"A little surprise wouldn't hurt, little English."

"Shame, it would be awesome to go against your mom again."

Athena was offended while the three of them continued to chat, and more joined them at the roundtable. Lucian explained the gist of the three weeks they would be spending in Germany. A long event where secrets and diplomatic relations are being shared.

Including some strategies and duelling competitions.

Athena has been named to participate in all of it, alongside everyone at the roundtable.

A lot of the participants were staring at Athena, whether for any sign of nervousness or admiration for the young captain. Maybe both.

She gets a lot of attention as the youngest contestant. Whether it was forced, unbeknownst to her, or how she just decided to go with the flow.

"People have died during this."

"And Mother, let me participate?"

"Because, my dear daughter, you are the one who beat Mother."

"I haven't done that," Athena said, getting distracted by the siren eyes of the Crown Princess of Japan. "-yet."

Jodie smirked, noticing Athena had just caught on to the Princess.

It is always the women who can make her nervous that catch her attention.

"You have a wife!" Jodie exclaimed, her hand coming down on Athena's head. Athena tried to defend herself while Lucian came bearing down on her, which made her panic even more.

"Why is everyone just staring at me?"

"You are the youngest participant in history."

"Really?" Athena stared at the glass of water in front of her, and she was thirsty, unsure if she should drink it. Lucian drank from her cup first before giving it back to her, telling her that he trusted them. "What about Mom?"

"She was a year older, and you're not going to ask about me?"

"I assumed you were 30."

"You damned daughter-I was 28."

"Eh, close enough."

Lucian scoffed in response, while Jodie cackled at the two of them. Athena made sense of everyone with their magic; she could tell what kind of magic they had been using and surrounded with while Lucian talked to the man on his other side and Jodie relaxed in her seat, also blabbering nonsense to Athena.

"Okay! You must be wondering why we are seated at a roundtable-especially for the newcomers," the host chimed while Athena turned to look at her mother, who gave her a shit-eating grin that she inherited. "We give you the power to make your own rules and discuss them among yourselves."

With that opening, the hosts apparated somewhere else while they realised that their voices were amplified so everyone could hear one another. Athena decided to let everyone talk to one another, argued as they cursed one another. Lucian had a little fun with that.

Only one interesting thing caught her attention.

"I suggest," an Italian Auror eyes Athena, sitting across from her. "We should take one component that none of us have from Athena Ashryver. The Auclair's blessing. To level the playing field. So the spell would be placed by anyone else but the French and the British."

Athena grinned as the audience rose in an uproar while Camille and Juliette smirked, interested to see what Athena's next move was.

"Aye," Athena voiced, her hand raised in agreement, before chuckling to see all the surprised faces. "Leveling the playground, are we not? Are you that afraid of my blessing? And what? Taking away my one advantage is going to weaken me that badly?"

"Cocky for a kid."

"Cocky for someone being called The Sacred One," Athena rebutted, her hand still raised as she waited for someone to agree. Reminding everyone what they named her. "Hey, I didn't name myself; you did. I choose who put up the spell, only fair no?"

Lucian raised his hand, and Jodie said, "Aye."

The Ashryver messed up his daughter's hair, sitting proud as more and more raised their hands in agreement with the rule. Athena swatted his hand away with a smirk, fixing her hair. She locked eyes with the princess again, only to find her smiling and her hand raised.

"This will be more interesting than the other years," Lucian sighed, with Jodie nodding in agreement.

-.-

"Groups first, huh?" Athena questioned, realising she had to find people to make her group, and she looked over to her dad and friend, who were already walking over. "Group?"

Lucian sucked in a breath, and Athena's shoulder sagged as her head fell over. "Sorry, kiddo, you're suffering with me."

"Really?!"

"Please, top 8 groups, and I want to duel my daughter in the end."

"I, well, want to survive as long as I can." Jodie nervously laughed, pulling on her ear while Athena's face had smugness written all over it. "Hey! I did well without you before, and I would rather have my teammates not be idiots. There are a lot here."

"Sorry, Captain, can I join you?"

"Well, Princess, I always dreamed of fighting alongside a princess."

The Japanese Princess giggled at her words, and she received a nod from the Captain before her father whacked her head. Jodie pinched her sides, annoyed at Athena's casual flirting.

"This is not flirting!" Athena scowled, knowing what they were thinking.

"Hm, I think it is Captain. You have a lover?"

"I do. What do you want to know?"

"Who is this lover? And do I maybe have a chance?"

"Her name is Fleur and you do not. I'm hers and don't you need heirs?"

"I see, I see-Heirs? We have our ways. If you need any help, I'll help."

"Are you still flirting with the Crown Princess of Japan in front of your father?"

"It's not flirting. Father, you have been out of the scene, we know."

"I will disown you."

"I'm your favourite daughter."

"You're my only daughter."

"Point proven."

"You little shit," Lucian pulled Athena into a headlock and embarrassed her in front of the Princess, who was laughing at their behaviour. Athena started running the moment she managed to get out, and Lucian chased after her. "Come here!"

"Normal day?" The princess asked while also getting attention from everyone.

Jodie laughed as she looked back. "From the look of the French Minister, I think so too."

Camille was walking into the arena, trying to mingle with people and also to handle her husband and daughter. Both are being a nuisance to everyone.

It turns out that no one else would like to join the Sacred One's team. They would like to remove her from the competition, along with the Princess.

-oop-