Secrets of the Animagi

Chapter 11 - Roasted Duck and Tired Owl

Fleur almost knocked Harry over as she rushed past him to greet the three Ravenclaws.

"Why didn't you tell us you would be here, Fleur?" asked Juno.

"It eez a nice surprise to be greeted by a friend, no?" asked Fleur in return. "Madame Maxime asked me to give you her ree-gards. She will join us at din-air."

Remembering the other guests, Fleur greeted each in turn. Harry couldn't imagine that the Beauxbatons students held much affection for Slytherins, yet she greeted Malfoy and Ursula just as warmly as she did the others. He saw Ron's ears turn red when Fleur stood on tiptoe to kiss him on each cheek. Even Hermione looked delighted to be greeted by their platinum-haired hostess. Perhaps she wasn't entirely immune to the Fleur's Veela charms.

"Your English is much better Fleur," said Harry after she had greeted him affectionately.

"Oh yes, Professor Dumbledorr was kind enough to write me a letter of introduction. I spent zee sum-air translating for zee Ministry of Magic. I learned much of your countree, but I mizzed my family zo much. Now, I am an as-ees-tant instructor of languages here at Beauxbatons."

She now addressed the entire group, "Eef you are ready, I will show you our academy."

She opened a tall wrought iron gate decorated with crossed wands of the Beauxbatons crest. Harry could now see that there was much more to the academy than the semicircle of villas he'd glimpsed from the Portkey site. As Fleur led them through the meticulously landscaped gardens that wound between the buildings, she explained that they had indeed arrived just outside of the servants' compound instead of at the main entrance at the orders of Madame Maxime.

"She eez afraid for the safety of zee students. She has been quite different since she returned from her travels with Hagrid," said Fleur. "I think she mizzes him just a little."

As the group neared a limestone mansion, Harry saw a few students walking along the garden paths or sitting on stone benches half hidden by flowering shrubbery. At this time of day, the grounds of Hogwarts would be bustling with activity as classes ended. Before he could ask Fleur, she spoke as if she had read his mind.

"Most of the students have returned to their quarters to revise and then zhey change robes for din-air. I hope you are not feeling unwelcome."

"No, it's very nice here. Very peaceful," said Harry.

"You will change your mind soon, I think. You have yet to join us for zee evening meal. Zee students, zhey are quite lively. "

~~~~~

It had been quite a long walk from the servants' entrance to the students' resort-like dormitories. Fleur had explained that students weren't sorted into houses as at Hogwarts. Instead, students were grouped by year in rambling, single-storied limestone buildings. Settling into the suite of rooms he would be sharing with Ron, Malfoy and a small group of Beauxbatons fifth years, he couldn't help but miss the view he'd always enjoyed from the Gryffindor tower. The pleasant and seemingly endless gardens of Beauxbatons were no substitute for the wild countryside beyond Hogwarts.

The climate however, was a definite improvement. No wonder the Beauxbatons students were always complaining about the cold at Hogwarts thought Harry. It was blissfully warm compared to the Scottish highlands. He'd shed his cloak within moments of arrival only to find he was still too warm. The notion of sitting through months of classes in inappropriate clothing was too much. Figuring Ron wouldn't be of much help and seeing as the Beauxbatons students were conspicuously absent, he decided to seek out Malfoy.

"What is it, Potter?" snarled Malfoy as he unpacked his trunk. "Don't tell me you're pining for your pathetic tower already."

"Not as much as the bright sunlight stings your dungeon dwelling senses," retorted Harry. "I was going to ask what material you thought best for this climate."

"Do I look like Madam Malkin? Pink shot silk for all I care. Pansy told me you've got strange taste in robes."

"Sorry I asked. I should have noticed all the Death Eater winter wear in your trunk."

"It's basic black, dim wit."

"Right, how thoughtless of me."

They had just commenced a staring match when Ron interrupted them. "I thought I heard your voice Harry," he said. "You two are going to scare off all our suite mates."

"We're done here," said Malfoy icily.

"You know you could have asked me, you git," said Ron quietly as he guided Harry across the suite. "Mum sent me a spell for transfiguring our robes last week. She said to concentrate on the weather when performing it. Would have mentioned it earlier, but did you see those girls when we walked in? I don't think Fleur is the only one with Veela blood in her veins."

~~~~~

Upon returning to his room, Harry was surprised to see a slim, brown-haired boy sitting on one of the beds. "Welcome to Beauxbatons," he said. "My revision group was meeting in the library; otherwise I would have been here when you arrived. Name's Luc, by the way."

"Harry."

"Pleased to meet you. Wait! Not the same Harry from Hogwarts who escaped the Dark Lord and bested our champion at the Triwizard Tournament? You look so normal, except for that scar, I mean."

Harry decided the change the subject, lest Luc was thinking of starting a fan club. "Pardon my asking but you aren't French, are you? I know I haven't cast a translation charm yet."

"The students here come from many countries, but they all must be fluent in French. We hardly speak anything but at home in London, as Mum's a Parisian. Dad's a Muggle, so we didn't mix with too many wizards. When it came time, she didn't think twice about sending me here. It's the family school. I don't think anyone else from my old grammar school turned out to be one. A wizard, that is. Ready for dinner?"

Harry cast the Lingua Charm upon himself and followed Luc to the dining hall. Built of limestone as the dormitories were, it glowed a delicate rose pink in the setting sun. Pleasantly decorated with tinkling fountains and colourful mosaics, it was more like a restaurant than a school facility. Students sat at tables of eight, waited upon by human servants. Harry thought Hermione would be pleased to discover the lack of house elves.

"Harry, I believe you're sitting somewhere over there," she said, pointing vaguely. "They've put place cards on the tables, apparently to encourage mixing."

Hermione didn't look like she needed much assistance with that matter as she chatted gaily with the group of Beauxbatons students at her table. He hoped his dinner companions would be equally entertaining. It was obvious from the tastefully decorated room that they would not be treated to Hogwarts-style Halloween diversions.

Attacking his first course after listening to a warm welcoming speech by Madam Maxime and an eloquent response by Professor Browne, Harry felt as if he hadn't eaten in days. He wondered if wizarding schools didn't charm the plates to encourage gorging on special occasions. Exotic though the food seemed at first, it was perfectly suited to the atmosphere of Beauxbatons from the escargot, to the lime granita, to the roast duck drizzled with Bordeaux sauce. Harry didn't speak a word to the others at his table until dessert. Even then, he found it hard to tear himself from the velvety chocolate mousse.

"Harry, if you're quite through?" Luc was staring at him with a raised eyebrow.

"I'm sorry, you were saying?" asked Harry. He decided not to lick his spoon after all.

"We wanted to know more about the professors you've brought along. Word is that they'll teaching some of our classes."

Harry briefly described his chaperones, glossing over Professor Browne's deficiencies. At the very least, he'd been a decent instructor of Charms and Transfiguration.

"So, your friend Malfoy. Is he worth knowing?"

"Friend is hardly the word I would use. He's tiresome, but mostly harmless if you know some good curses. None of you are Muggle-borns are you?"

The others stared at him as if he were a particularly slow species of terrestrial invertebrate. Harry wondered if there was a particularly noxious morsel of food lodged in his teeth until he remembered his first conversation with Luc. He wanted to sink under the table, but Professor Browne had expressly forbidden that behaviour during their two months of etiquette lessons. A wizard of culture and integrity had to take responsibility for their social faux pas.

"Right, sorry. Should have remembered that. Anyway, just steer clear of that subject with Malfoy. He's a bit, er, single-minded."

"Then he will get along splendidly with Guillame," said Luc with obvious distaste as he pointed to one of the boys at Malfoy's table. "He's a piece of work that one."

Harry studied the young wizard in question briefly; noting that he looked significantly less stupid than Malfoy's Hogwarts cronies did. It was not a happy thought.

~~~~~

Harry stared at his daily schedule the next morning. Professor McGonagall wasn't joking when she said each Hogwarts house would be represented in as many Beauxbatons programmes as possible. He had been assigned to the Defensive Strategies Programme, whereas Ron and Hermione had been selected for the Husbandry and Horticulture and Antiquarian Studies Programmes, respectively. There was no mention of Animagic study, but he was sure that Professor McGonagall wouldn't suspend lessons for long.

"At least we'll still have a few classes in common," said Harry.

"It's a shame we still have to study History though," said Ron. "You don't suppose it's taught by a ghost? They've got a centaur teaching Astronomy."

"Did you not listen to Fleur during the tour?" chided Hermione. "All classes are taught by corporeal beings. What I find most intriguing is the Fine Arts requirement. It's too bad that it doesn't apply to students once they are old enough for to specialise. I would have liked to try my hand at fencing."

Ron was quick to disagree. "Personally, I'm relieved that we won't be taking such courses. My marks are shoddy enough as it is. Could you see me in a dance class?"

~~~~~

Harry was surprised to see Ellen sitting with Padma in the back row of the Duelling classroom when he arrived five minutes before nine o'clock. "Aren't you supposed to be with the other sixth years?"

"I hope so eventually," she replied hesitantly. "They've placed me here until after evaluations at the end of the week. It's the same for Ursula and Cho in the Husbandry and Horticulture Programme."

"I'm sure you'll do well," said Padma. "Duelling isn't unknown at Hogwarts. And Investigative Skills? Who hasn't spent hours in the library just to finish one of Snape's weekly assignments?"

"Psychology though-"

"Maybe surviving double classes with Slytherin counts for something," said Harry. "In any case, it's nice to see more than one familiar face here." To his disappointment, none of his companions from the previous evening were present.

~~~~~

On Monday morning, Hedwig swooped into the dining hall just as Harry was beginning to eat his toast and jam. Everyone seemed to follow the progress of the white owl as she landed upon his table and distributed two letters and a package to the Gryffindor students. After determining that none of the letters were too embarrassing to read aloud, they were more than happy to share the tidbits of news with each other.

Dear Hermione,

Crookshanks is doing well, according to Parvati. There was a slight run-in with Trevor the day you left. Did you know that an angry toad is fiendishly difficult to remove from a cat's tail? I didn't realize those small jaws could close so tightly. I guess we were right when we assured Neville that his pet did have special qualities.

Tell my brother 'hello', and Harry too.

Ginny

~~~~~

Harry & Ron-

Ravenclaw did a bang-up job against those Slytherin sods today. They won one hundred and seventy to sixty. We're all set to play Hufflepuff next month.

Any cute girls at Beauxbatons? Part-Veelas don't count.

Hagrid introduced us to fire crabs this week. Quite dull, actually, apart from the incendiary hazard. Still haven't figured out why they're called crabs.

Tell Hermione her cat's a menace.

Seamus & Dean

~~~~~

Ickle Ronniekins,

Hope Harry doesn't mind we took advantage of Hedwig's impending flight. Please find enclosed a complementary assortment of Weasley Wizard Wheezes. Consider them our Halloween treat to you (a bit belated). Included are order forms for your new friends to use.

Tell Juno she is dreadfully missed in Double History. Should she try to guess why, remember we told you nothing about exams last year.

Your friend Seamus is a bit too enthusiastic on the pitch now that he's made the team. Keeps catching the Bludgers in practice. Angelina said it wouldn't be fair to aim the next ones at his head.

Make us proud,
Fred and George Weasley, Purveyors of the Extraordinary

~~~~~

Harry had to snicker just a little as he tied letters to Hedwig's leg the next afternoon. Ron and Hermione had asked him to send their notes with Hedwig in order to be efficient. However, they had neglected to seal them and he sat at the desk peering into the contents of the envelopes. He promised himself that he would seal them afterwards to prevent the letters from being lost in transit.

Dear Parvati,

Crookshanks has a cage, please use it. Also, I seem to be missing a book. Did I leave it on my bed?

Padma sends greetings but can't write due a duelling injury. I'd complain that my classes aren't nearly as exciting as hers are, but you should see the library!

Hello to the rest of the dormitory,
Hermione

~~~~~

Seamus-

Keep your eyes on the Quaffle and your hindquarters on your broom.

Harry's been learning swordsmanship, while I get stuck writing a treatise on kneazle breeding. It's so unfair.

Best of luck next month,
Ron

~~~~~

Lastly, there was his own letter to be sent to Hogwarts. He had considered writing to Sirius but decided it would be unwise if anyone else were to see the letter before it was delivered.

Dear Hagrid,

It's nice here, I guess. My Psychology instructor says I am remarkably well grounded considering my life to date. Perhaps I should pass the evaluation on to the Daily Prophet. I'll leave out what he said about my love of Quidditch. It made my face feel rather hot.

Did I ever tell you how much I miss your classes? All we seem to do here is practice duelling. With swords, no less. The instructor says we have to master classical techniques before we can use our wands to take short cuts. I think she just likes to see how close we can come to cutting off each other's appendages.

Sincerely,
Harry

As Harry watched Hedwig take off, a second owl glided though the window, lightly brushing his shoulder with its wingtip. This time, the note was from Professor McGonagall announcing the resumption of Animagus training. True to her word, she had reserved a secure location. It was unlikely that the sessions would attract his friends' unwanted attention this time. How many students could possibly be wandering the grounds after curfew on Wednesday nights?