Chapter 1- Getting Her Letter and Going Shopping
"Good morning, mother," Alice greeted to her mum, leaning down to kiss the woman's cheek. "Good morning, father," she repeated to her dad, leaning down to kiss the man's cheek.
"Good morning, darling," Alice's mum, Anna, greeted back. "Miss. Carole made breakfast. Sit."
She did as she was told and ate her chocolate croissant, fresh fruit, and fromage blanc (cream cheese). She poured the warm water into her mug, stirred the tea bag around, and took a sip. She grabbed her book from the bookshelf near the table and started reading as she ate the bright red raspberries and dark blackberries that she always saved for last.
It was the beginning of summer, bright and sunny, which meant breakfast was on the sun room located in the back of the house. The room overlooked the large wine vineyard behind the house along with the orchards that were blossoming with fruits and vegetables.
"So darling," Anna said, interrupting Alice's reading. "It's a beautiful day. How would you like to go to the village market to sell goods with me? We can grab lunch at that restaurant you like so much and get some pastries."
"I'd like that, mother," Alice replied. "I'll get dressed after breakfast."
Anna smiled fondly at her daughter before going back to the morning newspaper. Her father was flipping through a wizarding newspaper he had delivered to their home everyday. Her father, Frank, spent a lot of time on his vineyard.
"I have a tour late today," he explained to his wife and daughter. "So I will be home late. A man would like to propose to his girlfriend and so they're having dinner in the vineyard."
"That sounds so romantic, father," Alice sighed dreamily.
"Sir, the post is here," Miss. Carole, the maid and chef of the house announced.
"Thank you Miss. Carole," Frank said to Miss. Carole.
He flipped through the post before stopping at one, large, light blue envelope. It was a familiar envelope, one he'd seen his three sisters get when they were eleven. They looked nothing like the black envelope he, himself had gotten years before along with his two sons and three brothers.
"Alice, I think you have mail," Frank said, handing the light blue envelope to his only daughter.
She frowned and opened it carefully, gasping when she read the letter. Dear Miss. de la Fontaine, the letter read, we are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted into the Beauxbatons Academy of Magic. Here at Beauxbatons, we expect only the best from our students. Attached is a list of expectations and schools supplies you will need. Term starts on August 1st, please be outside your residence by 10 o'clock am in full uniform. You are not to be a minute late, if you are, the carriage will not stop. You will be able to visit your family for one week for Christmas Holiday from December 20th until December 27th. The second part of term will begin on January 3rd. Thank you. Beauxbatons Academy of Magic.
The items you will need are listed below:
5 sets of everyday uniforms
7 sets of Herbology uniforms*
5 sets of weekend uniforms*
3 sets of holiday uniforms*
3 sets of formal uniforms*
For Astronomy with Miss. Celeste David: telescope, star chart, Stars and Planets reference books (only the first two for first years), quills, black and midnight blue ink, and parchment.
For Charms with Miss. Cassandra Abel: a wand, the Standard Book of Spells, Achievements in Charming, Quintessentials: A Quest, black ink, at least three quills, and parchment.
For Defense Against the Dark Arts with Miss. Fleur Jacques: a wand, The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection, blue, black, and red ink, parchments, and quills.
For Flying with Miss. Flore Farve: a broomstick of choice, broom cleaning kit, The Noble Sport of Warlocks, and Quidditch Through the Ages.
For Herbology with Miss. Rose Bellerose: dragon-hide gloves (preferably black with initials sewn on them), earmuffs (preferably brown with initials sewn on them), Herbology uniform, dragon dung compost (can send in with name from July 1st-July 30th), mooncalf dung (can send in with name from July 1st-July 30th), One Thousand Herbs and Magical Fungi, Flesh Eating Trees of the World, wand, green ink, at least six quills, and water-proof parchment.
For History of Magic with Miss. Jasmine Lemarie: History of Magic, Greatest Wizards in the Twentieth Century, parchment, quills, and red, black, blue, and a color of your choice ink.
For Muggle Studies with Miss. Gabrielle Vincent: Home Life and Social Habits of French Muggles, Home Life and Social Habits of British Muggles, Home Life and Social Habits of American Muggles, parchment, quills, and red, black, blue, and a color of your choice ink.
For Potions with Miss. Iris Victors: cauldron, brass scales, phials, the ingredients for one potion**, Magical Drafts and Potions, wand, black and blue ink, quills, and parchment
For Transfiguration with Miss. Isabel Roux: a wand, Beginners Guide to Transfiguration, plenty of parchment, quills, and any color ink.
*You may choose what these look like.
**Potions must be brewed and sent in by July 15th for a grade.
Note: All students must have extra reading supplies for all classes that relate to that class (ex. Cheering Charms for Charms, Basic Hexes for the Busy and Vexed for Defense Against the Dark Arts). Also, all students must have either a frog, a owl, or a cat. Muggle clothes must also be provided for field trips to muggle towns.
Alice passed the list of things to her mother and her mother read over everything as well before passing over the paper to her father. The three of them were quiet for a long while before Alice's mother spoke up.
"You'll need a lot of things," she commented.
"I will," she agreed with her mum before flipping through the expectations.
They seemed simple enough for Alice. Keep your grades above Acceptable, and don't go to the muggle village without permission. There seemed to be a million things she had to do. She had to do a packet of work for each class, though it's not like she minded at all. She was excited to go to Beauxbatons. Her two older sisters, which both were now out of wizarding school, got green letters instead of light blue.
"I remember when I went to Beauxbatons," Anna said, smiling at her daughter. "It was a co-ed school, boys and girls. Then they decided that they didn't want boys after Harry Potter killed Voldemort and made the school so difficult to get into."
Alice felt proud that she accomplished something that neither Lili or Maeva was able to do. You were very accomplished in the wizarding world if you went to Hogwarts or Beauxbatons. Alice stood up, lightly kissed her mother and father's cheeks, before heading to her room to get washed up and dressed for the upcoming day.
"We're going to get your supplies today," her mother said when she reentered in muggle clothes.
"We're not selling today?" she replied, frowning.
"Not today and Miss. Carole is making your favorite for dinner," her mother replied back, smiling at the young girl.
Alice smiled and nodded before going with her mother to the car which would take them to the Wizarding Market, Violet Market. The two drove down and the first place they went was to Madame Brodeur Clothes Shoppe.
"Hello, Madame ," Alice said politely to the woman at the counter. "I'm here to get my Beauxbatons uniform fitted."
"Name, please," the woman replied, looking down at a piece of light blue paper.
"Alice de la Fontaine," she replied.
"Ah yes, Miss. de la Fontaine, come with me. Will you be getting your other uniforms here as well?" she questioned.
"Yes, please," Alice replied, after confirming with her mother.
"Madame de la Fontaine, would you go look at some acceptable formal wear for your daughter?" she questioned before shooing Alice behind a heavy velvet curtain to an area where there were mirrors on most of the wall with three of four places where the same heavy velvet curtain was hanging.
"Are you excited to start school?" Madame Brodeur asked while hurrying to the rack of light blue uniforms.
"I am," replied Alice softly.
"Now would you do me a favor and put on this slip?" Madame Brodeur asked, going through one of the velvet curtains to give Alice some privacy.
Alice put the white, silk slip on and waited patiently for Madame Brodeur to reenter the room. When she did she did the measurements and wrote them down on a piece of parchment. She then went back out and came back with a light blue uniform.
"Perfect fit," Madame Brodeur said once Alice had it on. "Now Beauxbatons likes long hair either in a low ponytail on your left shoulder or a braid down your left shoulder," she explained.
She got the rest of her uniforms and they were folded gently in light blue boxes and sent to the de la Fontaine household. Next, Alice and Anna were on their way to the wandmaker, Monsieur Dubois.
"Hello Madame de la Fontaine," greeted the old wandmaker. "I was expecting you with Alice soon. How's your wand, still good?"
"Still perfect," Anna replied, smiling fondly at the old man.
"Now, Alice, I'm Monsieur Dubois," he smiled, a twinkle in his eyes. "Are you here for your wand? What school?"
"Beauxbatons," Alice stated proudly.
"Congratulations, first one from your town since your mother," he smiled fondly at Anna before hurrying to the back.
Monsieur Dubois threw a bunch of wands on the counter in front of him before handing one to her. As soon as her hand touched it, the sink in the corner or the room exploded. Monsieur Dubois shook his head and handed her another one. In result, the pencils that were sitting in a cup on the desk shoved themselves in the ceiling. Monsieur Dubois shook his head again and handed her another one. As soon as she touched it, a light glowed from the end of it.
"You and your mother have the same core," Monsieur Dubois chuckled. "Ten inches, chestnut, unicorn hair, unbending."
"Wow," she stared at her wand before staring at her mother who was beaming at her.
They paid for the wand and headed to the book shoppe where they got all the books she'd need, plus some. Alice proudly walked through the streets and to the restaurant they'd be eating at. She got Coq au Vin (chicken in wine sauce) and chocolate mousse. Once they'd gotten all her supplies, they returned home where she got started on her homework and later had her celebratory feast.