https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-241-Maxim-and-the-Silver-Haired-Girl/12538357/
Chapter 242: Kyle's Bad Habit
Chapter 242: Kyle's Bad Habit
Kyle remained composed and courteous throughout the encounter.
Fuyong, too, extended her hand gracefully. "Nice to meet you. I'm Fleur Delacour."
They shook hands gently.
Though Kyle had not studied French, he found himself understanding Fleur's words as if an invisible translation device was present in the room.
Nico sat by, munching on popcorn with a satisfied smile.
A house-elf, dressed in a racing outfit complete with goggles and a helmet, stood nearby, holding a glass of white wine.
"I've heard of you," Fleur said, appraising Kyle. "You saved over fifty people and became the youngest member of the Order of Merlin."
The news of a twelve-year-old wizard receiving a Second Class Honor from the Order of Merlin had shaken the entire wizarding world, and Fleur was no exception.
In fact, there were only two Order of Merlin recipients at her school, Beauxbatons Academy of Magic, if you didn't count Professor Nicolas Flamel.
Headmistress Madame Maxime, Second Class.
And Professor Victor, the Alchemy professor, Third Class.
Now, a student from Hogwarts, younger than her, had received the Second Class honor, which naturally piqued her curiosity, and perhaps a hint of rivalry.
So, when she learned that Kyle was coming to France to meet with Nicolas Flamel, she requested that Headmistress Maxime bring her along.
For reasons unknown, Maxime readily agreed.
The perks of being an alumna, perhaps.
After all, Flamel was a graduate of Beauxbatons, and it wouldn't be too difficult for the current Headmistress to bring along a student.
However, Fleur's first impression of Kyle was quite favorable.
With a quarter Veela blood running through her veins, Fleur possessed an innate allure that often left a strong impression on those she met, including some of the professors at school.
Yet, Kyle seemed unaffected.
Fleur could sense that his eyes remained clear and focused.
"It's hard to imagine defeating such a terrifying beast," she said.
"Just lucky, I guess," Kyle replied with a half-joking tone. "I just happened to be there with two professors. I acted on impulse without thinking much about it."
"And I'm sure," he continued, "that if you had been there, you would have made the same choice as me."
"Of course," Fleur said, lifting her chin proudly. "Students of Beauxbatons never lack the courage to face danger."
Perhaps it was her Veela charm, but as she spoke these words, her allure seemed to intensify.
Her silvery hair, cascading like a waterfall, appeared to glow, making the surrounding ceiling, with its ocean-like waves, look dull in comparison.
McPhail's heart, which had just settled, began to race again.
But Kyle remained impervious.
The Occlumency he had learned to protect himself from Voldemort's Horcrux was effective against more than just Legilimency; it shielded him from most types of magical mental influence.
And of course, it worked against Veela allure as well.
Moreover, Kyle had been diligent in his Occlumency practice, especially since he was seeking out Horcruxes, ensuring he wouldn't be susceptible to such charms.
Not even a quarter-Veela like Fleur, or even her full-Veela grandmother, would have been able to sway him.
It was a pity, in a way.
As the two seemed to be hitting it off, Maxime's smile gradually faded... or rather, it shifted to McPhail's face.
"Who would've thought, Ollivander?"
McPhail let out a strange laugh, choosing not to expose her true meaning.
"And what about you, Dug?" Maxime glanced at him and said indifferently, "Didn't you say you were going to make a Wake-Up Potion? Why are you still standing here?"
"I'm curious... Are you sure you can still make that complex potion yourself?"
The Wake-Up Potion and the Wakefulness Potion were not simple potions; they took a long time to brew and the process was tedious. If there was a single misstep, the potion could easily go wrong.
Even wizards who frequently dealt with potions couldn't guarantee success every time.
"As far as I know, you haven't touched a cauldron in over a decade," Maxime said doubtfully.
"It's been nine years!" McPhail corrected her. "I was invited to that Potion Competition, and I even presented the trophy to the champion!"
"Oh yes, that one time. You haven't been invited since," Maxime said blandly. "I still have the newspaper from that event. You praised the Sparkling Potion as a vitality tonic and even took a sip... tsk, you certainly stole the show that day."
McPhail's face turned bright red. He stiffened his neck and argued, "I was just... trying to ease their tension, intentionally... How can you say I made a mistake!"
He then rattled off some incomprehensible words about the "commonality of potions" and "livening up the atmosphere."
This caused Nico's smile to widen.
Watching old friends bicker was his second favorite pastime, just after watching operas. He wished Dumbledore were here; things would have been even more entertaining.
On the other side, Kyle and Fleur's conversation was much more amicable.
The two exchanged views on educational issues between their respective schools and made preliminary commitments to mutual progress.
In simpler terms: they were strangers with not much to talk about, so they resorted to discussing their studies.
After chatting for a while, Fleur looked at Kyle's hand, which was holding the box, and asked curiously, "I was wondering why you suddenly brought out a box..."
"Umm... it's a habit," Kyle said nervously, backing his hand behind him and shaking his head repeatedly. "Don't get the wrong idea. This is just an ordinary box that I use to carry things."
"A habit?" Fleur was even more perplexed.
Why would someone from Hogwarts bring a box with them while chatting?
That was extremely odd, and she had never heard of such a custom before.
"Oh, I mean... it's just a little hobby of mine. Don't mind it," Kyle said, growing more anxious.
He was mainly nervous because he had collected so many magical creatures from Hogwarts, and the mere thought of Niu Te had caused him to unconsciously bring out the box.
Fortunately, the real box was with Dumbledore, and the one in his hand was just an ordinary one that others probably couldn't identify.
Moreover, if he had Newt's box and casually stuffed Fleur into it, that would be hilarious.
Though, he probably wouldn't be able to leave Paris alive if he did that.
To ease the awkwardness, Kyle opened the box and took out a handful of candies, offering them to Fleur. "By the way, these are for you."
Fleur subconsciously took them.
"Candies?"
"Yes, I didn't know you were coming, so I didn't prepare a proper gift," Kyle explained. "But these are some of the most popular candies in Hogwarts, and they taste really good."
(End of Chapter)
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