Beauxbatons Academy of Magic
L'ACADEMIE DE MAGIE DE BEAUXBATONS
"Plus Forts Ensemble"
Stronger together
Part 2: The Four Founders of Beauxbatons
The Four Founders of Beauxbatons Academy of Magic
Much like the founding of Hogwarts, Beauxbatons Academy of Magic began because four friends wanted to create a sanctuary of learning for young witches and wizards. This time in France.
Cateline Flamel (nee Gidie)
Born: summer of 1238
Died: winter of 1458
Children: 2, Nicolas and Adeline Flamel
The founder of Melusine house, Cateline Flamel (nee Gidie) was born, and lived in, the Western coast of France – now modern day Brittany. Born to a lord and lady, Cateline enjoyed all the privileges of a noblewoman. She grew up in court, learning languages, painting, playing music and was passionate about the arts. She was particularly talented at painting and swimming.
Cateline was said to be the most beautiful woman in France, due in part to her half-Veela ancestry from her mother. She was a deeply private person who preferred to be by herself or be with her family. Incredibly wary of strangers, she rejected marriage proposals everyday from her fifteenth birthday.
In the winter of 1255, Cateline met Estienne Flamel during a religious service at the Sainte-Chapelle in Paris. Estienne pursued her and Cateline rejected his advances It was a long courtship and Cateline quickly gained a reputation for being difficult and snobby.
Her family visited his chateau in the spring of 1262 and he announced that he had built her a lake after learning that she loved to swim and fish. Enamoured and flattered by Estienne's gesture, Cateline accepted his proposal and they were married in the summer of 1262. In the summer of 1265, Cateline becase pregnant and in the winter of 1265, their first son, Nicolas Flamel was born. Cateline suffered five miscarriages until Adeline Flamel, their only daughter, was born in 1282.
Intelligent, creative, and with a love for beautiful things, Cateline designed the Beauxbatons chateau and gardens with the input of the other three founders. She taught the arts and music classes at Beauxbatons at her death, and could often be found swimming in the lake between two mountains, or strolling the gardens with her husband.
Cateline regularly drank the elixir from the Philosopher's Stone and lived a long and fulfilling life with her son and husband. She died in 1458 after she contracted dragon pox whilst on a trip to Romania with her husband.
Estienne Flamel
Born: winter of 1230
Died: spring of 1459
Children: 2, Nicolas and Adeline Flamel
The founder of Reynard house, Estienne Flamel was born in Switzerland but lived in the Eastern forests of France – modern day Dijon. Estienne was an illegitimate child of a wealthy, but childless and widowed, Swiss duke and a household servant. He spent the first six years of his life living with his mother in western Switzerland – modern day Geneva – until his mother died and he was told to live with his father.
Estienne's father was one of the wealthiest men in middle age Europe and he lived in luxury as the duke's son and heir. Legitimised by the Swiss Prince at the time, Estienne was given a premium education and learned to be frugal and ruthless when it came to his finances; although his mother's influence never left him and he was exceedingly generous too. His father died when in 1248 and Estienne sold all the Swiss properties and relocated to the east of France.
Estienne loved hunting, jousting, hiking, duelling, fencing, gambling, reading, travelling, and chess. He was often accused of cheating during jousting tournaments due to his unbeatable winning streak. He was once almost assassinated by the henchmen of the Duke of Normandy due to rumours that he and the Duchess had had an illicit affair.
In the summer of 1262, Estienne married Cateline Gidie and later had two children with her: Nicolas and Adeline. His only daughter died from the Black Plague. His son would become renowned as an alchemist and being the only known creator of the Philosophers' Stone.
Chivalrous, wise, and determined, Estienne suggested that they open a school for young witches and wizards to be housed and be taught the ways of magic. He brought the other two founders together with him and his wife and in the winter of 1262 and the planning of Beauxbatons Academy of Magic began. Estienne and his wife were the major financiers and together with Blanchefleur and Sebastien, the four of them carved a chateau out of white marble in the Pyreneese mountains.
Estienne spent the rest of his life serving as the Headmaster of the school until his death. He was known for spending his time chatting to his students, shooting game in the spring, or strolling the grounds with his wife Cateline.
Estienne regularly drank the elixir from the Philosopher's Stone and lived a long and fulfilling life with his wife and son. After Cateline's unexpected death in 1458 due to dragon pox, contracted in Romania, Estienne stopped drinking the elixir and settled his affairs until his death in the spring of 1459. His fortune and belongings passed down to his son, Nicolas.
Nicolas later built a magical fountain in the gardens of Beauxbatons and enchanted its' water to heal and beautify its' drinker. The fountain was dedicated to his parents and was in the garden directly parallel to the fountain dedicated to Nicolas and his wife, Perenelle.
Blanchefleur Allard (nee Ferrand)
Born: spring of 1240
Died: 1348
Children: 4, Guarin, Piers, Melisende, and Roland
The founder of Fae house, Blanchefleur was born, and lived in, the Southern marshes of France – modern day Camargue. Blanchefleur was born to a progressive lord and lady and was permitted to spend time with the peasants and servants on their land. Blanchefleur enjoyed horse riding, gardening, archery, and hunting. Her father trained her in swordsmanship and jousting, and Blanchefleur trained in fencing everyday.
The mischievous witch was known for playing tricks on her father and handmaidens – often to her mother's dismay. She never took anything too seriously and was generally depended upon to keep things lighthearted and fun. She could be found exploring the Camargue marshes, playing with animals, collecting plants and daydreaming.
In the summer of 1265, Blanchefleur was enjoying her break from teaching and met Crespine Allard during a hike with her father in the marshes near her home. Crespine was a pre-enlightenment revolutionist and was a baron from Paris. He attracted the young woman with his progressive views and the two married in the winter of 1267, in the outskirts of modern day Bordeaux. They were the first known non-magic and magical married couple in middle age France – and continue to be mentioned in historical textbooks for being a revolutionary couple.
Upon learning of Blanchefleur's magical abilities, Crespine accompanied her to Beauxbatons and became one of the first non-magic people to ever set foot in the grounds. Estienne and Blanchefleur encouraged him to teach about the non-magic way of life due to rising non-magic and magic peoples' relations. Crespine pioneered the first ever non-magical peoples' history and social sciences class.
In the summer of 1269, a year after Crespine started teaching at Beauxbatons, he and Blanchefleur welcomed their first child, a son named Guarin. Eighteen months later, their second son, Piers was born. In 1273, Blanchefleur gave birth to twins, a son, Roland, and their only daughter, Melisende.
Blanchefleur continued to teach the magical creatures and plants classes at Beauxbatons, and also served as deputy headmistress alongside Estienne until she died of the Black Plague in 1348. Crespine died at the age of seventy in 1301.
Sebastien Toussaine
Born: spring of 1223
Died: summer of 1359
Children: 0
The founder of Abraxas house, Sebastien was born, and lived in, the Northern forests of France – modern day Givet. He was the eldest of the four founders and had a close friendship with Blanchefleur due to their equally restless dispositions. Sebastien was neither nobleman nor lord and was born to a humble house servant and stable keeper.
Sebastien and his family served under the noble family of Gaudin, who ruled the town of Givet. In the spring of 1240, Sebastien fell in love with the daughter of Gaudin, Elain. He was banished after her father found out and he spent a large part of his early life roaming around France, where he met Blanchefleur and became friends with her.
He was a keen breeder of both magical and non-magical horses. He is hailed as being the first known wizard to successfully breed Abraxan horses, an achievement that he accomplished by breeding an Aeonan with a palomino. He would go on to create the following breeds of magical horses: the Granian, a Scottish water horse, the winged Irish cob, the long-living Arion, and a Swedish winged mule.
Sebastien never married and instead focused on breeding horses and caring for his collection of exotic pets and animals. He is one of only two known people to have successfully domesticated a Demiguise – alongside Newton Scamander, a famed magizoologist.
He loved horse riding, carpentry, cooking, travelling, hiking, and hunting with Estienne and Blanchefleur. A talented transfigurator and potioneer, Sebastien taught both subjects at Beauxbatons until his death in 1539. He was known for his immense strength, resilience, and sense of fraternity – all qualities that were evident in his horses.
WC = 1,593
