Chapter 647: Beauxbatons
Chapter 647: Beauxbatons
After shaking hands with Liam, Lucius seemed much more relaxed. Over the next few moments, he began to share some stories about the European Pureblood Families with Liam and Hermione, demonstrating his willingness to cooperate. As a clan that continuously married into various European Pureblood Families to avoid inbreeding, the Malfoy Clan indeed had a deep understanding of the Pure-blood Wizards in Europe.
"——That's the general situation. During our visit to Beauxbatons, we will primarily encounter members of French Pureblood Families. I'll introduce you to the others when we see them."
"Thank you, that's more than enough", Liam said earnestly. Lucius Malfoy's explanation had filled in the biggest gaps in his knowledge, as he previously had no way to understand the complex relationships between the Wizarding World's clans.
"You're welcome", Lucius said, leaning on his staff as he stood up. "This is part of my role in this mission, within my responsibilities. I'll go rest for a bit now. If you need anything, feel free to find me." With that, he turned around the sofa and pushed open the door to the lounge, walking inside.
True to his form as the head of a Pureblood Family, Lucius knew he wasn't particularly welcome among Ryan and the others, so he gracefully excused himself, leaving the dimension to Liam and Hermione.
They traveled in silence, and at two o'clock in the afternoon, after a four-hour flight, they finally arrived at the designated location near Perpignan: a clearing in a mountainous forest. As soon as they stepped out of the carriage, Liam saw a smaller, light blue carriage pulled by two Thestrals waiting for them. A young wizard in a blue silk robe stood there, greeting them.
"Welcome, guests from Hogwarts", the male wizard said in French, then extended a hand in a welcoming gesture. "Please board the carriage. The journey from here will be completed by Thestral-drawn carriage. Beauxbatons will ensure your carriage remains intact until your departure."
"It seems not every school is as willing to share its secrets as Hogwarts", Hermione remarked curiously as she examined the luxurious carriage, her gaze finally settling on the heavily decorated exterior. "This carriage doesn't allow you to see the outside at all."
"Of course not", Liam said, picking up a beautifully crafted cream pastry from the table and taking a bite. "In all of Europe, only our Hogwarts is an exception. The founders swore to spread their knowledge, making Hogwarts' location public in the Wizarding World. This reflects an open academic attitude."
The distance between the designated location and Beauxbatons was not far, and after just a few minutes of flying, they arrived at their destination. The carriage landed smoothly, and the door opened automatically. Beauxbatons Academy of Magic stood before them.
Unlike Hogwarts' castle-like architecture, Beauxbatons consisted of several palace-style buildings. These structures were primarily built with red bricks and gray granite, adorned with numerous intricate statues and gilded iron railings. The roofs were deep blue, with extensive gilded decorations, giving the entire complex a grand and opulent appearance.
They were now standing in a plaza within an L-shaped building, the entire plaza paved with black and white marble tiles. At the center of the plaza was a small white marble fountain, with a bronze base gilded and intricately carved, supporting several golden mythological statues.
"Nicolas and Perenelle Flamel, 1427", Liam read aloud from the golden bronze plaque embedded in the marble.
"Yes, that is one of our most famous alumni, Nicolas Flamel, who donated this fountain", the Beauxbatons upper-year student guiding them said, puffing out his chest. "To this day, we offer the best Alchemy courses in all of Europe. Even on a global scale, only the Eye of Horus in Egypt, the House of Wisdom in Babylon, and the China Sorcerer Academy in China can compare."
At this point, the young man paused and looked at Liam. "I heard that as a Board Member of Hogwarts, you are also skilled in Alchemy. Could you spare a moment to share your knowledge with everyone?"
"Of course", Liam nodded. "By the way, where are we headed now?"
"Headmaster's Office. Madame Maxime is already waiting for you there." Following the young male wizard up the white marble staircase to the fourth floor, Ryan and the others entered the Headmaster's Office of Beauxbatons.
Ryan and the others had visited Dumbledore's Office many times. If Dumbledore's office gave the first impression of mystery, then Madame Maxime's office gave the first impression of sheer size.
Yes, the most immediate feeling one got from this office was its vastness. For example, the high-back chair that could comfortably seat two people, along with the enormous matching desk, and the elegant but somewhat imposing woman herself.
"Nice to see you, Liam." As the champion of the last Triwizard Tournament, Liam had left a deep impression on Madame Maxime. She immediately recognized him. "I never expected that in just over two years, you would have grown to this level."
"It's just a special situation", Liam said straightforwardly. "To be honest, it's a very unfortunate situation. I would rather be a regular student, worrying about my N.E.W.T. exams, occasionally strolling by the lake with my girlfriend, instead of being tasked with such an important mission."
"Yes, the current situation is indeed dire", Madame Maxime straightened up and spoke seriously. "That's why I'm having this conversation with you in private, and specifically avoiding the representatives from the British Ministry of Magic who are downstairs."
"I appreciate your decision", Liam said. "However, what can we do when the French Ministry of Magic decides to remain neutral? Since the start of the school year, we have been fighting alone, with only minimal supplies from China."
"I apologize, but the French Ministry of Magic's primary responsibility is to protect our people", Madame Maxime said calmly. "To avoid spreading the conflict to our land, some compromises are sometimes necessary."
"Of course, I understand your traditional stance", Liam nodded. "This war is indeed our war. However, I must point out that the Dark Lord's ambitions extend far beyond Britain. If we can't hold out, their next target will be obvious."
"We understand that, and I certainly do", Madame Maxime said, raising her voice slightly and speaking earnestly. "That's why I hope Beauxbatons and Hogwarts can establish a connection and collaboration."
"Thank you!" Ryan and the others bowed deeply to Madame Maxime from the heart. They knew that while this wasn't an official act of the Ministry of Magic, as the only magic school in France, Beauxbatons' actions could represent France's stance on the current conflict in Britain.
Although the French Ministry of Magic had chosen to avoid getting involved in the war and tacitly supported the British Ministry of Magic in London, to prevent Voldemort's next expansion, the French Wizarding World decided to provide some assistance to Hogwarts through the connection between Beauxbatons and Hogwarts.
For the next 20 minutes, the four of them engaged in a heated discussion about the details of the aid. Thankfully, they managed to reach a mutually satisfactory agreement before leaving.
(End of Chapter)
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