Chapter 705: The Magical Gardens
Chapter 705: The Magical Gardens
It is said that the Magical Gardens are located somewhere in Europe.
Centuries ago, the International Confederation of Wizards hid the Magical Gardens to prevent poachers and greedy individuals from ravaging and plundering its wonders.
Most wizards are unaware of its existence, let alone its precise location.
Today, knowledge of the Magical Gardens is limited to circles of potion masters and herbologists.
Thus, it was only natural that the Night Thestral-drawn carriage from Hogwarts did not directly head to the Magical Gardens. Their destination was the French school of witchcraft and wizardry, Beauxbatons Academy.
Following tradition, the competing school teams for the Magical Schools Potion Championship would assemble at a temporary base before proceeding together to the Magical Gardens using a special key.
Yes, a unique key was required to enter the Magical Gardens, much like Azkaban Prison in Britain, to prevent wizards from learning its location.
However, numerous wizards had speculated that the Magical Gardens were within French borders or in the forests nearby. Yet, despite the greedy lot's thorough search of France and its surrounding woodlands, they found no trace of the gardens.
This was the information that Professor Slughorn imparted to the duo. Naturally, he was unaware of the exact location, and it was said that those wizards who knew were 'Silent People', sworn to protect the Magical Gardens' secrets.
Nonetheless, Albert suspected that Master Alchemist Hector Dagworth knew the precise location of the Magical Gardens or, at the very least, had the means to access it at any time, a privilege bestowed upon master potion makers.
As the Thestral-drawn carriage arrived in France, dusk was approaching, and the sky was painted a fiery red by the sunset. The carriage soared towards the Pyrenees Mountains, which straddled the border between France and Spain. From the carriage window, one could behold a beautiful French palace nestled amidst the mountains: the castle of Beauxbatons.
Of course, Muggles passing by would only see a thick mist shrouding the area.
Like Hogwarts, Beauxbatons Castle was protected by countless enchantments. This magnificent castle was surrounded by grand gardens and fountains crafted with magic. To Professor Slughorn's bewilderment, Albert withdrew a camera from his Undetectable Extension Charm bag and snapped a few photos of the breathtaking palace below.
The carriage began to tilt downward, and the Thestral-drawn carriage landed on the outermost lawn.
There was no enthusiastic welcome or cheerful French girls to greet them. Instead, they were met by only two individuals, one of whom was an exceptionally tall woman, towering over Hagrid. Albert instantly recognized her as Headmistress Olympe Maxime of Beauxbatons Academy of Magic.
Hagrid stared at Olympe Maxime, deep in thought, and then, as if remembering something, he hurriedly opened the carriage door.
"I thought it would be Dumbledore leading the group."
Madame Maxime, upon seeing the obese old man emerge from the carriage, arched her eyebrows slightly, a mix of surprise and confusion on her face.
Wizards who could understand various languages like Dumbledore were exceedingly rare.
"There was a slight issue at the school, and Dumbledore couldn't get away," Slughorn said, smiling as he kissed the back of her hand.
Madame Maxime didn't seem to mind. She regarded Albert, who had alighted from the carriage and was acting as their translator, without displaying any change in emotion. However, her gaze lingered on Albert for a moment longer.
"Karkaroff has already arrived, and they are resting now. Follow me!" Madame Maxime led the group to a secluded area on the outskirts of the school grounds, where a tent had been pitched.
Yes, a tent.
There was no welcoming ceremony or feast, just a rather modest tent! After all, this was merely a temporary gathering place.
The interior of the tent was surprisingly spacious, with a large table in the center that could seat over a dozen people. On either side were sofas, spaced quite far apart.
The headmaster of Durmstrang Institute, Karkaroff, was speaking with his students. Upon hearing the approaching footsteps, everyone in the tent turned towards the entrance.
"Let's sit down and have our meal first," Madame Maxime suggested. "We were supposed to dine in the Magical Gardens, but when I received the key, I was informed that we could only enter at 9 p.m. tonight." As she finished speaking, a group of house-elves appeared, serving them a sumptuous French feast.
There were a total of eleven people seated at the dining table. Durmstrang Institute and Beauxbatons Academy each had three representatives, while Hogwarts had only two, making them seem a bit out of place. Moreover, one of them was also acting as a translator, drawing curious glances from the ladies in the tent.
Albert was handsome, suave, and exuded a calm and pleasant aura. As the current International Wizard Chess Champion, he naturally caught the attention of the ladies present, who sneaked glances at him.
Who doesn't appreciate a handsome man?
Even if he's not yours, he's still a pleasure to look at.
During the meal, Albert noticed a pretty girl in a light blue silk robe waving at him.
And the two Durmstrang Institute boys, who had been staring at her, followed her gaze and shot Albert hostile glances.
Unfazed by their animosity, Albert remained nonchalant. After all, they were all competitors, and it was their problem if they were foolish enough to be swayed by the other team's charm.
"You know quite a few pretty girls," Isabelle remarked in Albert's ear.
"We met at Mr. Drakul's wedding. I believe she's Miss Louise's relative," Albert replied without hesitation, noting the French girl's obvious Veela heritage.
"I'm surprised you remembered," Isabelle said, her eyes sparkling with a smile.
Albert suddenly regretted answering the question. He should have pretended he didn't know her.
"Her name is Alice, and she seems to have taken Louise's boyfriend," Albert murmured, his voice low enough for only Isabelle to hear.
"You're in big trouble!" Isabelle exclaimed.
She glanced up at Alice, and their eyes met in mid-air, almost sparking with tension. Isabelle merely nodded slightly before looking away.
With just a glance, Isabelle could see through Alice's scheming. She found it amusing and knew that Alice's attempts would be futile, something Albert had likely already guessed as well. However, she had no intention of helping him out of this mess. It was a good lesson for Albert to learn about the maliciousness of others, especially since he tended to charmingly flirt with attractive girls.
Hmph! She wasn't blind to the fact that all the girls in the tent had been sneaking glances at Albert.
It wasn't until after dinner that Albert understood the trouble Isabelle had warned him about.
Two pretty girls from Beauxbatons Academy of Magic approached Albert and invited him to take a tour of their school, their smiles warm and friendly.
Upon seeing Alice's enchanting smile, Albert even seemed to be momentarily dazed, but he quickly regained his composure and nodded in agreement, suggesting that everyone go together.
The smile on Alice's face froze.
Albert's proposal was well-received by the group, as they still had a few hours to kill. Madame Maxime didn't object either, so she let her students show the others around, allowing them to admire the sights of Beauxbatons.
"I'm Mary. Louise mentioned you in her letters. She said you would definitely participate in the competition and make Alice regretful," one of the French girls whispered to Albert while Alice was busy enchanting the two Durmstrang boys.
"Maybe it's because I already have a girlfriend," Albert replied diplomatically.
"I know, and I don't mean anything by it," Mary said, her expression turning strange. She glanced at Isabelle and added, "You'd better be careful of Alice's allure. That woman is an expert at using her charms to lure men, only to discard them later."
"I have faith in Albert," Isabelle asserted.
"Your French is very fluent," Mary noted.
"Thank you," Albert replied.
The group toured the school, admiring the fountain funded by the Le family. The statue in the fountain depicted the couple in their youth, and it was named after them.
It was said that this fountain was a popular dating spot for Beauxbatons couples.
"I've heard the legend of this fountain. They say the water has restorative and beautifying properties," Albert remarked, his eyes curious as he looked at Mary.
"Those are just exaggerated rumors. Take a sip, and you'll see it's just ordinary water," Mary explained with a laugh.
Albert used a paper cup to scoop up some water from the fountain's source and took a sip. It tasted no different from regular spring water.
As it neared nine o'clock, the group gathered at the outskirts of the school. Madame Maxime took out a wand and instructed everyone to hold on to it. She then took out a pocket watch and began a countdown, waiting for the exact moment when the door key would activate.
At the count of one, Albert felt an irresistible force pull him forward, lifting him off his feet.
Countless scenes seemed to flash before his eyes, but he couldn't make out any details.
After what felt like an eternity, Albert finally felt his feet touch the ground again. No one had fallen, but their faces showed that the journey with the door key had been less than pleasant.
"Couldn't they have found a gentler way?" Professor Slughorn grumbled, clearly not a fan of the travel method.
"Hogwarts, Beauxbatons, and Durmstrang teams," a wizard's voice called out nearby.
The group found themselves at what appeared to be a village entrance.
Two wizards stood before them, one holding a large gold pocket watch while the other smiled and reached out to take Madame Maxime's wand. "Welcome to the Magical Gardens," he said warmly.
Everyone looked around, their eyes wide with surprise.
(End of Chapter)
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