Chapter 425: The Broken Chair
Chapter 425: The Broken Chair
Headmaster's Office—
"Are you sure?" Dumbledore said solemnly.
Felix nodded seriously.
"Leave the rest to me, Felix." Dumbledore took on the responsibility.
"You have a plan?" Felix asked in surprise. "Albus, there's never been a precedent for this. The snake is already dead. I can't make sense of anything at the moment. With enough time, there might be a glimmer of hope..."
Dumbledore replied calmly, "I understand." Felix picked up on the unspoken meaning of "that's enough" and took his leave. He felt that Dumbledore was considering something different, but the available information was too limited. However, as he had said before, he wasn't ready to give up. The soul was an important magical topic.
But with almost zero accumulated knowledge, the chances of making significant progress in a short time were slim.
Felix stood by the window on the eighth floor of the castle, lost in thought: "Instead of focusing on the soul, I should consider Voldemort. At least there are three clear paths to deal with him, each worth trying—destroy the Horcruxes, eliminate the lingering soul, and capture Voldemort after his resurrection."
He stood high up, gazing at the faint lights flickering at the edge of the Forbidden Forest, unaware that at that very moment, an interesting adventure was unfolding on the Beauxbatons carriage—
The carriage lights were almost out, leaving only a dim nightlight. Fleur pushed open the door and slipped out of the room, her steps light. She held a golden egg in her hands and tiptoed toward Madame Maxime's private bathroom. As she passed a bedroom, the door creaked open. Jacqueline Bourgeois, in her nightgown, stepped out.
"Fleur? What are you—?" Jacqueline was stunned, watching Fleur, who was holding the golden egg and moving cautiously along the wall.
Fleur cursed inwardly and quickly covered Jacqueline's mouth. "Shh! Don't wake Madame Maxime..."
Jacqueline blinked obediently.
When Fleur released her, she curiously examined Fleur, her gaze lingering on her bare feet for a few seconds.
"You're not even wearing shoes?"
"I don't need them. The whole way is carpeted, and I'm sticking to the wall to avoid being seen..." Fleur lifted her head proudly, and Jacqueline's expression grew increasingly strange.
"Come with me to a good place." Fleur decisively changed the subject.
In fact, after the first task, she had barely spoken to the other two champions, finding them too timid. The other two champions also felt they hadn't performed well and were often dejected.
They walked to the end of the carpeted corridor, arriving at the largest room at the back. The dark brown oak door alone was ten feet tall.
"Isn't this Madame Maxime's—"
"Of course, I know", Fleur said, carefully approaching the door and whispering the password. The door silently opened a crack, and she slipped inside, leaving Jacqueline stunned.
She was too familiar with this...
Before Jacqueline could react, a hand reached out from inside and pulled her into the room.
The room was a luxurious bathroom, with the floor and walls covered in silver tiles. A large chandelier hung from the ceiling, casting a soft light. Besides the usual fixtures, there was a huge, separate shower area at the back. Fleur handed the golden egg to Jacqueline and stood by the glass door of the shower, her eyes sparkling.
"Fleur, even if you want to take a bath, you don't need to sneak into Madame Maxime's bathroom", Jacqueline said worriedly. If they were caught, they would be in big trouble.
"Don't worry, I've been here more than once", Fleur said, shaking her silvery hair and smiling brightly. "Let me show you the luxurious bathtub."
She pushed open the door, and a misty, fragrant air greeted them, the scent of Madame Maxime's preferred perfume. A large, pool-like bathtub dominated the space, and a gilded mirror stood on the wall near a golden-framed makeup mirror. Two large white towels, about the size of bed sheets, hung from metal hooks.
"I've been looking forward to the end of the day", Fleur said happily.
She quickly slipped out of her nightgown, revealing a one-piece swimsuit, clearly prepared in advance. Fleur stretched a few times and then dove into the water like a fish, swimming for several meters before resurfacing, her elegant hair glistening.
"Come on, Jacqueline", she invited, her voice echoing pleasantly off the empty walls.
Jacqueline shook her head, holding the golden egg and occasionally glancing at the door, fearing Madame Maxime might come in at any moment, though by all accounts, she should be asleep.
She stood there for a moment, watching Fleur's agile swimming, like a beautiful mermaid. Her silver hair and graceful neck were barely visible through the mist, and the natural charm Fleur exuded made her feel envious.
Jacqueline held the Golden Egg, her arms feeling a bit sore. She looked around and chose a beautiful recliner—this recliner shared a common feature with the other furnishings in the room: its size. She placed the Golden Egg in the center of the chair and then lay down herself.
"Huh?"
This trip had revealed something different. She propped herself up and felt around below, her fingertips touching a layer of soft yet resilient air. She felt as if she were lying on a fluffy cloud, but without the worry of sinking in.
"Madame Maxime sure knows how to enjoy herself", Jacqueline couldn't help but think. The students' bath didn't have anything like this.
She laid her body fully on the recliner, resting her head on a log-shaped pillow. She had expected it to be hard, but it was just as soft as the air layer beneath her, cradling her head in a comfortable way. She seemed to hear singing in her ears, and her tense nerves naturally relaxed.
She felt as if she were in the clouds, so comfortable that she was almost asleep. She didn't know how long it had been—
"How is it? This chair is very comfortable, isn't it?" a voice seemed to come from above. Jacqueline was a bit dazed for a moment. Who was speaking? She opened her eyes and saw Fleur wrapped in a large towel, her deep blue eyes looking at her.
"Fleur, you're done. We should leave—", she hurried to get up, but Fleur pressed her head back down.
Fleur also lay down beside her, letting out a contented sigh.
"This chair is so comfortable, I wish I could sleep on it forever. Unfortunately, it's not available for sale", she complained. "I've been waiting for nearly a month, and Future World Company still hasn't announced any news."
"This is a product of 'Future World' Company?" Jacqueline asked softly. Even she had heard of this name, as the company's branch had opened on the busiest magical street in France, named Future World Store 3.
"That's right", Fleur closed her eyes and said lazily. "The owner of Future World Company is Mr. Felix Hep. You've met him; he's the Ancient Runes Professor at Hogwarts and also a trustee at Beauxbatons."
Jacqueline's eyes widened.
After lying comfortably for a while, Fleur picked up the Golden Egg, examining it from all angles. "Have you figured out the secret of the Golden Egg?" Jacqueline asked. The Golden Egg had always been with Fleur, and the other two champions rarely had access to it.
"Not yet", Fleur said. She had been very anxious, but each time she sat on this "Cloud Chair", she felt as if all her worries disappeared. She spoke slowly, with the distinctive lazy tone of French.
"I heard from François (another champion) that Madame Maxime plans to intervene..."
"I know", Fleur said, her delicate nose wrinkling as she placed the Golden Egg on her body. "She's already told me, but I refused. I want to solve this secret on my own."
Jacqueline looked at Fleur enviously. Perhaps in Madame Maxime's eyes, Fleur was the only truly qualified champion.
"Click."
A sharp sound reached their ears.
"What was that?" Fleur asked alertly.
Jacqueline shook her head, straightening her body like a frightened deer, looking toward the bathroom door. The chair no longer gave her a sense of security, and she said with a quiver in her voice, "Could it be Madame Maxime...?"
"That's unlikely", Fleur's expression was hesitant, but she was also a bit uneasy. She lifted her long neck and listened carefully for a while. "Don't worry, there's nothing. I've been here several times, and Madame Maxime's schedule is very regular."
Jacqueline reluctantly lay back down.
"How wonderful~"
"Yes", Jacqueline agreed. Whether it was the feeling of lying on the chair or the improvement in her relationship with Fleur, it was all good for her.
They lay quietly for a while, and in a daze, another sound came—
"Click."
"I heard it again", Jacqueline said.
"Maybe it's just your imagination", Fleur said, one hand caressing the Golden Egg, her eyes closed.
A steady voice suddenly sounded from above them, with a tone of annoyance and amusement. "It's not your imagination. I'm sure it's the sound of my chair."
"Is that so..." Fleur smacked her lips. "I don't think so."
"Madame Maxime! What are you doing here?" Jacqueline's terrified cry echoed in her ears.
Fleur was a bit confused. Who was Jacqueline talking to? Madame Maxime? Who is Madame Maxime?
Fleur suddenly opened her eyes and met a towering, imposing figure with sharp eyes. She let out a scream and sat up abruptly. "I-I-I'm sorry, Madame Maxime. It's all my fault. I shouldn't have sneaked in and used your chair..."
However, Madame Maxime did not hear Fleur's apology clearly, as the bathroom was dominated by another sharp, ear-piercing scream. The Golden Egg had fallen to the ground when Fleur suddenly sat up, hitting the indentation and bouncing off.
The Golden Egg emitted a terrifying screech as it rolled, tracing a stubborn arc under the watchful eyes of three people before plopping into the water with a splash.
Fleur was momentarily stunned, but then she stood up obediently and said earnestly, "Madame Maxime, I'll go fetch the Golden Egg right away." Without daring to look at Madame Maxime's reaction, she jumped directly into the spacious bathtub.
On the shore, Madame Maxime's face was stern as she asked Jacqueline, "Was it Fleur who dragged you here?"
"No, no, we decided to come together", Jacqueline stammered. "This is our first time—"
Madame Maxime snorted. "It might be your first time, but I doubt it's Fleur's. I've long suspected she had her eye on my Cloud Chair." She was a bit annoyed, but not at Fleur—no, it was Hagrid who had been bothering her.
Lately, every time he came to feed the Thestrals, he would ask her, in a roundabout way, if the Cloud Chair had any damage. He even loudly proclaimed that he was skilled at repairs and could help if anything was broken.
Madame Maxime was furious, feeling that Hagrid thought she was too heavy and might break the chair.
She couldn't sleep tonight, not only because Fleur was being stubborn and insisted on cracking the Golden Egg's secret herself, but also because of Hagrid. In her irritable state, she decided to come and lie in the bathroom for a while.
Little did she expect that she would have an unexpected gain.
Seeing Fleur's head emerge from the bathtub, looking at her with a pleasing expression, Madame Maxime sneered. She was determined to use this opportunity to persuade Fleur. There was nothing to be ashamed of, as she didn't believe Karkaroff would keep his promise of fairness.
After the first task, anyone who still trusted Karkaroff's words was a complete fool.
There was a saying that cheating was a tradition in the Triwizard Tournament, but the timing was crucial. This was the perfect moment. "Madame Maxime! I, I've discovered the secret of the Golden Egg!" Fleur's excited cry startled her, and she looked at Fleur skeptically.
"It's true, I'll sing it for you—find us where our voices sound, we cannot sing on land. When you search, remember these keys: purple represents strength; blue represents wisdom; gold represents, represents—"
Fleur began to sing, her voice beautiful and mesmerizing. Madame Maxime and Jacqueline couldn't help but listen intently, but halfway through, Fleur suddenly faltered. "Uh, sorry, I forgot the rest. How about you both come down?"
Half a minute later—
The three ladies lifted their heads from the bathtub, shaking out their hair. Madame Maxime fell into thought. "So that's it. I thought it would follow the four elements, with the Golden Egg representing life, and life meaning fire..."
She sat down on the chair, pondering the clues provided by the Golden Egg. Soon, she also thought of the only place at Hogwarts that fit the criteria: the Black Lake.
"Rumors say the Black Lake is home to many creatures—merpeople, the Giant Squid, Grindylows..." Fleur said softly, massaging Madame Maxime's shoulders.
"But do these three creatures represent wisdom, strength, and growth?" Madame Maxime disagreed. "There must be something else. These are just obstacles for the champions. You need to consider underwater survival and underwater spellcasting. As for wisdom and growth... that's not something you can guess."
"You're absolutely right; I never thought of that", Fleur said with a charming smile.
Madame Maxime rolled her eyes but decided not to press the issue since Fleur had figured out the Golden Egg's secret. "A little to the left", she instructed, and Fleur smiled even more broadly.
"Crack—crack—crack—"
The chair beneath Madame Maxime suddenly emitted a series of rapid, sharp sounds. The layer of air beneath her flickered twice and then vanished.
The three women stared at each other in shock, Madame Maxime's expression the most surprised.
Did she really break the chair?
---
(End of Chapter)
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