Chapter 409: Madame Maxime
Chapter 409: Madame Maxime
After returning from Diagon Alley, Felix tried using the Patronus on the monster statue outside the Headmaster's Office again. This time, there was no obstruction, and he was able to meet Dumbledore.
Walking into the office, the portraits of former Headmasters snored in their frames, while Dumbledore was intently staring at the Pensieve.
Felix was surprised to hear Rita Skeeter's voice, slightly echoed. Her two-inch-long, blood-red nails flashed in the Pensieve as she said slyly, "Oh, Dumbledore, you know, my book is about to be published..."
Dumbledore murmured, "That's not a good idea... Felix?" He looked up, stirring the silvery substance in the Pensieve with his wand, causing Rita Skeeter's face and her vibrant long nails to disappear.
"Headmaster Dumbledore, you've been quite busy lately, but I didn't expect you to be meeting with her", Felix said with a smile. "Are you thinking of writing a biography? If so, asking her for help is not a good idea."
This was in response to Dumbledore's muttering when he first entered.
Dumbledore chuckled, his beard trembling. "There are many ways to leave a mark—magical portraits, the memory in the seventh classroom, or simply living in people's memories... but I doubt a biography would be one of them."
Felix shrugged, fiddling with a silver instrument on the desk, which emitted a soft clinking noise and puffed out wisps of smoke.
"Did you find anything useful?"
"Well, aside from a few memories proving Voldemort was a nasty child... there isn't much worth noting. Also, I visited the seaside cave you mentioned. I must say, Felix, you were quite rough; all I found was a ruin."
They then discussed the Shield Charm, and Dumbledore showed some interest, but he soon looked a bit weary. Felix took the hint and offered to leave.
"If you can, keep an eye on Madame Maxime, Felix", Dumbledore said as Felix turned to go.
Felix furrowed his brow. "Is she a suspect?"
"No, of course not", Dumbledore said softly. "I trust she won't become Voldemort's pawn. I'm concerned about whether she can be our ally..." He added, somewhat troubled, "Hagrid has been rebuffed by her recently."
...
It was nearly the end of the month when Felix saw Hagrid again.
As December approached, the weather grew increasingly cold, especially after last night's rain and sleet, which left the ground covered in patches of blue ice. The students, wrapped in thick cloaks, struggled through the courtyard.
Felix followed the crowd to the edge of the Forbidden Forest, where the Beauxbatons carriage was visible in the distance. A few students were nearby, creating a transparent ice slide and sliding down from a height. Not far from them was Hagrid's Hut.
A witch in a scarf sat quietly by the carriage, holding a golden egg. Upon seeing Felix, she ran over happily.
"Professor Hup!"
"Miss Delacour?" Felix glanced at a strand of silver hair peeking out from under the scarf and asked.
"It's me", Fleur said, pulling back her scarf and smiling. "Madame Maxime is waiting for you."
The carriage was not crowded, resembling a mobile inn with over a dozen spacious rooms and a central living room similar to a common room at the school. The interior was warm and inviting, decorated with the distinct style of Beauxbatons. Besides the large clusters of pink and blue flowers, Felix noticed a magical fountain that sprayed ice-blue mist, mingling with the scent of fragrances.
Fleur led him through a door adorned with the Beauxbatons crest to the dining area of the carriage, where Madame Maxime was having a meal. She wiped her mouth with a blue napkin and waved her hand. "Please sit, Felix... Fleur, join us."
Fleur sat demurely at the edge of the table, eating her meal. She had gathered her silvery, shiny hair to the left side of her neck, listening to the conversation around her.
Felix thanked them and, through the small, round window, he could see Hagrid's bulky figure moving back and forth in front of the Pumpkin Patch, teaching a group of students.
"Strange, how anyone could like those things... what are they called again, Blast-Ended Skrewts or something?" Madame Maxime sniffed, using a fork much larger than Felix's, adorned with blue patterns, to point at the distant, blurry landscape.
"Blast-Ended Skrewts", Felix said, scooping up a piece of seafood. He guessed it was brought from France, as he had never seen this type of fish before, but there was very little of it. The soup was mostly made with fish from Black Lake, whether provided by Hogwarts or caught by the Beauxbatons students, he wasn't sure.
Madame Maxime seemed distracted and uninterested. "I have no interest in magical creatures."
"I happen to know a magical creature expert, oh, not Hagrid, another one, Mr. Newt Scamander", Felix said. "He's retired now, but his stories from his younger days are quite fascinating. I've had many conversations with him."
Actually, Felix had been talking to a memory construct of Newt in Classroom Seven. Felix had recently discovered that he had a unique advantage in building relationships with these memory constructs.
While memory constructs resemble humans, they are not truly human, more like ghosts. One clear difference is that they lack a sense of taste, only able to recall the flavors of past meals. Felix, however, could conjure up elaborate feasts in his mind—exclusively for ghosts and memory constructs. Over the years, Newt had grown particularly nostalgic for the Hogwarts kitchens, and Felix learned many interesting details from him.
For instance, how Newt was expelled.
Felix recounted some of Newt's adventures. Unlike the typical "wizard battling dragons" stories that Madame Maxime and Fleur usually heard, Newt's experiences were filled with a deep understanding and love for magical creatures. He rarely used violence against them but instead tried his best to befriend them.
"Anyway, he rescued that poor Thunderbird from an Egyptian trader and eventually returned it to America..."
"Mr. Scamander has a heart of gold. Animals have more genuine feelings; I was narrow-minded", Madame Maxime said emotionally, her large glass of gin already empty.
"What happened next?" Fleur asked eagerly.
"I don't know", Felix shrugged. "Perhaps it was a romantic love story. He met a lady, and I imagine they might be playing a game of tossing meatballs to Mooncalves now."
Then, he steered the conversation to the current state of werewolves in France.
"I know what you're talking about", Madame Maxime replied. "The Wolfsbane Potion, a remarkable invention. Our Ministry of Magic imported a batch, but it was quite expensive... so the Minister is negotiating with you to buy the potion's formula."
She said this with a hint of dissatisfaction. "Your Minister is like a shrewd businessman, demanding quite a lot from us."
"He disrespected Madame Maxime!" Fleur exclaimed sharply.
Felix glanced at Madame Maxime, who shook her head slightly, her eyes welling up. He couldn't help but wonder what Fudge had said or done, but wisely decided not to ask.
The three of them then ate in silence, with Madame Maxime occasionally glancing at Hagrid's Pumpkin Patch. In the distance, a large Blast-Ended Skrewt's tail emitted a burst of sparks, causing a student to lurch forward and slide across the snow.
"Oh!" Madame Maxime laughed.
(End of Chapter)
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