Taming the True Fire (HP)

Catherine pulled on the shorts and tank top her mother had left for her, the fabric feeling uncomfortably tight against her unfamiliar frame. Her body felt different—stronger, as if brimming with new energy—but also heavier and less agile. When she caught her reflection in the bathroom mirror, heat rushed to her cheeks. She had secretly hoped for her breasts to grow a little during puberty, but now they felt far too prominent, leaving her looking overly curvy and seductive. The discomfort was undeniable, especially when she bent down, jumped, or moved too quickly. 

As she walked back to her room, the girl found Louisa seated calmly on her bed, waiting with a knowing expression. The Duchess arched an eyebrow at the sight of her daughter and smiled with mild amusement. "I think we'll need to make you some proper clothes before we leave for France." - she remarked lightly - "Even with the alterations, those are far too small for you now."

The young witch lowered her head, her cheeks burning with embarrassment as tears brimmed in her eyes. Noticing her daughter's distress, Louisa immediately dropped her playful tone. She rose, took Catherine's hand, and gently guided her to sit beside her on the bed.

"I imagine you have a lot of questions." – Louisa said softly, brushing a lock of her daughter's hair behind her ear.

"Did you know this would happen?" – the girl asked gloomily. She paused, startled by how different her voice sounded—deeper, richer, and resonant, like melted dark chocolate.

"Yes and no." – the Duchess replied, her expression turning serious – "My Veela powers awakened when my period started too, but the changes weren't this dramatic. I already looked much as I do now, though I did develop a bit more shortly after. For me, it was a gradual process. You, however, always looked so different from me… different from any Veela, really. I thought you didn't inherit enough of my blood for this to be a concern, thus I never mentioned it."

"So you assumed that because I was ugly, I didn't have Veela powers?" – Catherine asked, her frown deepening.

"Mais qu'est-ce que tu racontes?"[1] – Louisa exclaimed, frustration flashing in her eyes – "How could you possibly think I would ever consider my own daughter anything but beautiful? You didn't resemble me or the typical features of Veela descendants, yes, but that's not about beauty. Even now, you don't look like an ordinary Veela. But I can feel it—the scent that radiates from you. That is undeniable proof your powers are awakening, even if you don't know how to use them yet."

"Scent?" – the girl repeated, a hint of confusion in her voice.

"I call it a scent, but it's actually a complex cocktail of pheromones carried in our blood." - the blonde witch explained, her expression thoughtful as she searched for the right words - "There's always been this misconception that Veelas control men's minds, like Succubus demons do, but that's simply not true. We don't use mind control. What we do is heat up our blood to release the pheromones that drive anyone who finds feminine nature attractive into an uncontrollable desire for us."

"So that's what the Veela's dance does." – Catherine murmured, her brow furrowed in concentration.

"Exactly. Dance is the simplest and most common way we activate it." - Louisa confirmed with a nod, then continued, her tone shifting to something more serious - "We were planning to take you to France, hoping your grandmother could help with your body wasting away. Veelas carry true fire within us, even though we can't wield it like salamanders, phoenixes, or dragons. But if your blood has awakened, it might mean your body can now handle the fire safely. Still, we'll go regardless. You must learn to control your powers. Leaving you to figure this out on your own would be reckless and dangerous."

"Mostly for the boys at school." – the girl quipped with a sly smirk, briefly imagining the stunned faces of the Slytherins when they saw her again.

"This is not a joke, Catherine!" – the Duchess snapped – "Veelas and half-Veelas have been hunted and persecuted for millennia, labelled dangerous and sinful. Men have done unspeakable things to possess our bodies and our powers. You cannot take this lightly! Treating it as a game isn't just disrespectful to the countless women who've suffered—it's also a grave danger to you. Vanity and recklessness could lead you into unimaginable situations!"

"I'm sorry, Mom." – the young witch mumbled, lowering her head, her smirk replaced by guilt – "I didn't mean to take it lightly… I wasn't really thinking."

"I know you're a teenager, and it's inevitable that you have—or will have—your share of heartaches." - Louisa began, regaining her composure - "But you need to be extremely cautious from now on." She hesitated for a moment before continuing, choosing her words carefully. "The thing is… I assume you haven't been involved in… romantic activities meant for adults?"

"Mom!" – Catherine yelled, springing to her feet, her face flushing bright red.

"Wait a minute!" – the Duchess said wearily, raising a hand to stop her – "It's not easy for me to talk about this with you either, but there are things you must understand—things that will be different for you compared to other women."

The young witch blinked a few times, trying to process her mother's words. It took a moment before their meaning truly sank in. "If this is about Veela blood being used for lust potions, I already know about that." - she murmured, avoiding Louisa's gaze.

"I'm not even going to ask why you'd know that, considering I highly doubt it's part of the school curriculum." – the blond woman sighed in exasperation - "But that's not what I'm talking about. There's something else you need to know. Because Veelas have always been targeted by men—some of whom have tried to force themselves on us—our bodies are protected by a certain defensive magic. It's an ancient safeguard, a punishment for those who try to hurt us."

"What kind of punishment?" – Catherine asked, her curiosity piqued – "They burn to a crisp?"

"Much worse." – Louisa replied with a dark smile – "They are destined to never love anyone else but the Veela."

The girl frowned, confusion clouding her features. "So… the punishment for raping a Veela is that the man falls in love with her?"

"No!" – the Duchess said, shaking her head firmly – "You can't create love with magic. But you can seal love away. That's what happens. Men who force themselves on a Veela lose their ability to love anyone else ever again. Of course, that doesn't mean they loved the Veela in the first place."

The young witch's green eyes narrowed in thought. "Let me get this straight—whether or not a man is in love with a Veela, if he forces himself on her, he can't love anyone else afterward?"

"Not quite." - Louisa said, taking a deep breath before explaining further - "Veelas aren't meant to reproduce in the same way humans do. So if they choose to, the defence magic takes effect every time."

Catherine's eyes widened in shock as the realisation hit her. "Wait—you're telling me that even if I'm in a relationship, and I willingly choose to… share my body with someone I love, they're still going to be cursed?"

"Yes." – her mother replied quietly, her expression unreadable – "This is why I had to warn you. It's not just about protecting yourself, it's also about responsibility. You have to understand that this magic could destroy the life of someone you genuinely care for if things between you don't work out in the end."

The girl fell silent, her mind racing as she tried to process everything. Minutes passed before she finally spoke, her voice tinged with hesitant hope. "Are you sure this applies to me too?" - she asked - "I mean… I'm only one-quarter Veela."

"I don't know." – Louisa admitted, her tone thoughtful but honest – "In general, this defence has appeared in girls with the same amount of Veela blood as you. But your case is unusual—your appearance is unique, and the McMahon heritage likely complicates things further."

Catherine looked away, her face flushed with embarrassment as desperation crept into her voice. "Do you think Grandma might know for sure without… testing it?" - she hesitated, then continued, her words tumbling out - "I already have enough issues with relationships as it is… How could I ever hope to have someone by my side? What do I even say? 'Oh, hey, just a heads-up, I carry a demon sealed inside me, and by the way, if we ever sleep together, you'll never love another woman!' Who's crazy enough to sign up for that?"

"We'll ask your grandmother when we arrive. You don't need to rush anything." - Louisa replied gently, though her heart ached for her daughter. Catherine's pain and insecurities struck too close to home - "Believe it or not, there are people who won't be scared away, even by something this dramatic. If someone truly loves you, they'll stay."

"Maybe I don't care!" – the girl shot back, rebellion flashing in her green eyes – "So what if they can't love anyone else? That's not my problem!"

The other witch smiled faintly, shaking her head. "You can say that now, but I know you, ma fille. You're not the kind of person who hurts others without a second thought."

Catherine stared down at her feet, feeling a little foolish. After a brief pause, she looked up and asked shyly, "Mom… how did you know Dad was the one for you?"

Louisa's expression softened, her memories flickering behind her eyes. "It took me a while." - she admitted - "It wasn't easy to believe he truly loved me—the real me, flaws and all. But your father is… surprisingly stubborn when it comes to what he wants. He was persistent, patient, and eventually, I just knew it. Even if I was wrong, I knew the risk was worth it because I couldn't imagine my life without him. In the end, I accepted it—he was my destiny, and I was his."

"It sounds a bit vague…" – the young witch grumbled unhappily – "I've never just knew anything."

"You're far too young for that anyway!" – the Duchess smirked, her teasing tone earning an annoyed glare from her daughter - "Don't look at me like that! Your father nearly had a heart attack when he saw you earlier—imagine if you brought a boy home! Give him some time to adjust."

"Don't worry, I'm not planning on bringing anyone here." – the girl muttered, her voice tinged with a hint of disappointment - "Not that he's interested anyway…"

Louisa raised an eyebrow, equal parts amused and curious. 'She's got a crush on someone from school.' - the Duchess thought – 'I wonder who it is.'

"Things are going to change now." – the blond witch said carefully, her tone shifting to one of caution – "Your new appearance will draw a lot of attention—wanted or not. It might seem exciting at first, but it can become exhausting and frustrating when you're constantly questioning whether people are treating you a certain way because they genuinely like you or because they want to have you for themselves."

Catherine fell silent, staring at her mother as the weight of her words settled over her. "I'm sorry, Mom." - she finally said, her voice sincere - "I never thought about how hard it must have been for you. I guess I've been so wrapped up in my own misery that I didn't stop to consider what others were dealing with."

Louisa smiled as she stood up. "Don't worry about it. That's why I'm the parent and you're the child. We've already expected far too much from you as it is." - she paused and glanced over Catherine's ill-fitting clothes - "I'll grab the measuring tape and make you a few new outfits. You can't go around looking like this… And I'll need to calm your father down—that might take a while."

As the witch left the room, the black-haired girl remained seated, deep in thoughts. Her gaze drifted to the tall mirror, where her reflection stared back, unfamiliar and unsettling. 'I should have been more careful about what I wished for.' - she thought bitterly, studying the face she barely recognised, trying to come to terms with the changes.

[1] "Where is this coming from?"