Chapter Twelve
Bienvenue en France!

A/N: unless otherwise noted, assume everyone in the French locations is speaking French. It has been decades for me since I took lessons in the language so I won't butcher the language by trying to translate it all!


It was good to be the Queen of Beauxbatons, Fleur Delacour mused as she and her clique walked through the halls of the palatial château after dinner, on their way back to the student wing.

Even though she was still a sixth year, no-one dared go against her and her group, not even the Head Girl. And that was only right... not only was she a Veela, she was also the best student in most subjects, only DADA kept her from getting a perfect O in all subjects, and she was the cheer-leading captain for the Beauxbatons Quidditch team. And starting this year she had also become president of the student council. Yes, life was good.

"Erm... Miss Delacour?" a nervous voice to her right sounded. With an exaggerated sigh she turned to face the speaker, a third-year boy whose name she couldn't be bothered to remember.

"Why are you talking to me, little boy?" Fleur's clique giggled, and the boy looked like he wanted to be far away from her... just as he should.

"The... the Headmistress would like to see you in her office, she sent me to get you... I apologize..." the boy was shaking a bit, what little courage he had had gone under the glares of four upper-year girls including the subject of most boy's wet dreams at the school, Fleur.

"Bon. Off you trot then," she dismissed the boy. Turning away from him and not giving him another thought, she addressed her clique. "Amélie, Juliette, Charlotte, I'll find you in a little bit. Madame Maxine has called for me." Parting with a kiss on the cheek of each girl, Fleur left the group to head for the Headmistress Office.

Unlike at some lesser quality schools, the Beauxbatons Academy was located in the palace of the same name, located in a magically hidden valley in the Pyrenees. Like the Palace of Versailles, which it greatly resembled, it had at one time been a noble's hunting lodge, but had been extensively rebuilt and extended over the centuries. The current-day Beauxbatons had long, open corridors framed by pillars connecting the various main structures, and the various classrooms had large windows open to the beautiful vistas of the mountains and valley.

Beauxbatons did not have Houses like Hogwarts had, instead there were multiple classes for each year group, evenly split to have an equal number of boys and girls. Currently there were ten per year, numbered A through J.

All student housing was in the same wing, with boys and girls firmly separated. Each student had their own bed and locker, and shared a room with one to three others of the same class, with the entire year sharing a bathroom. All the seven years' corridors were reached through a common room usually just called "the girls' room" or "the boys' room", which in turn were connected to a third, larger common room, which was shared between the boys and the girls intended for intermixing as well as study sessions, it being directly connected to the Beauxbatons student library.

The Prefects were exclusively sixth and seventh year students, one from each year for each class, and they were expected to act as guardians for the younger students, with the teachers mostly staying out of the dormitories except for the occasional patrol.

The teachers had their own apartments on the palace grounds, with attached offices. It was to these offices Fleur was now walking, enjoying the golden afternoon sun peeking through the large glass windows as she stepped through the corridor leading to the teacher's apartments where the Headmistress" office was also located.

"Fleur, thank you for coming," Madame Maxime's deep baritone voice greeted her favourite student as she stepped into the office.

"Of course Madame Maxime," Fleur responded with a smile, then she took in the other people present. "Papa! What brings you here?"

Monsieur Delacour stood up to catch his daughter as she rushed towards him to hug him. "Bonjour my Flower, I am very proud to hear you are doing so well here. Please, take a seat, we have a favour to ask of you."

A slight blush on her face, Fleur sat down in the free chair next to her father, crossing her legs out of habit. There were two others besides her Headmistress and father in the room: two younger girls, one blonde and one with red hair. The blonde looked excited, the red-head had a surly expression on her face. To Fleur's surprise, they were holding hands.

"Let me introduce the others present," Madame Maxime started. "These two are Jamie Crochenydd and Mia Farmer, who will be starting at Beauxbatons today."

"Nice to meet you," the blonde girl said with a smile. She had very short hair, almost a crew cut, and her smile didn't quite free her teeth as if she was ashamed of them, Fleur noticed, but from what she saw there was no reason for this.

"Hi," the red-haired girl mumbled. She wore her hair in a tight braid, and looked very unhappy to be there. She was also sitting with her legs straight, rather than crossing them as a lady should. Fleur frowned a bit at this and her too informal greeting.

"Nice to meet you both," she said to the two, then turned to her Headmistress again, a questioning look on her face.

"I see you already guessed why I called you here Fleur," Madame Maxime said with a slight laugh. "As Miss Crochenydd and Miss Farmer are new to France and this fine institution, they will need a student mentor. Would you be willing to make sure they get settled here?"

Fleur hesitated, did Madame Maxime expect her to take care of two brats? She looked to her father for support, and saw he was looking at her expectingly.

"Oui Madame, I will," she decided. If this was important to her father somehow, she would not let him down!

"Thank you Fleur," Madame Maxime looked happy. "Girls, go with Fleur please, she will show you to your dormitories and introduce you to your year-mates."

Fleur stood up at this dismissal, and gave a slight curtsy to her Headmistress. The younger girls also rose from their seats, and while the blonde copied Fleur in giving the Headmistress proper respect, the red-haired girl just stood up and walked to the exit.

–-

"Are you sure they will be fine Jean?" Madame Maxime looked worried, as her favourite led the two new students out of the office.

"They are intelligent and know what's at stake, and especially Hermione... or Mia I should say, is very competitive. I have no doubts they will do well."

"I am more worried about the Potter boy," Madame Maxime looked at the door the three had just left from. "I understand why it is important he... she hide like this, but still, putting a boy in the girl's dormitories? You can imagine the scandal I will face should the truth come out."

"Harry is a trustworthy young man Maxime, and remember, Mia is with him. I have no worries she'll keep him from doing anything bad. Remember we already have a story in place to prevent him from embarrassing or getting embarrassed in the worst ways."

"I suppose you're right Jean, still, maybe we should have told your daughter the truth, so we have eyes inside the dorm as well?"

"I still don't think that would go well. While I love my daughter, I know she is not the best person to keep something like this a secret. See it as a good thing: if Jamie has to deal with Fleur's special gifts, the chance he'll get caught up in something we do not wish with another girl is even less likely."

"Poor boy," Madame Maxime snorted, "but I'd be lying if I didn't admit this was very funny in a way!"

–-

Fleur led the two through the long corridor connecting the teacher's apartments to the rest of the school, the two younger girls hurrying after her to try to keep up with her longer legs. Once they entered the school building proper, Fleur led them into an empty classroom, where the Runes elective was held during the day time.

"Why are we stopping here? Aren't you supposed to take us to our dormitories?" the blonde girl started.

"We need to talk about things first, little girls. Take a seat," Fleur interrupted her, and sat down on a chair facing two others. She was pleased to see the "little girl" remark annoyed her new charges as they sat down. "You, Farmer was it?" the blonde nodded, "I take it you two are English?"

"Yes... we are originally from there," Hermione answered. "Why?"

"Just checking. Well Farmer, you seem to know to behave at least, but you, whatever your name was," she rounded on the red-head, "Have you no manners? Madame Maxime is the Head of our School, and deserves your respect."

"It's Crochenydd," the red-head bit back, "It's Welsh. And how do you mean respect? I didn't do anything wrong!"

"Myrddin," Fleur sighed. "You do not see or do not want to see? When we see the Headmistress or any other teacher, we stand and do not sit until they do. When we are allowed to leave, we give a curtsy before going. We do not greet others with "hi", but use "pleasure to meet you", or something similar. And we certainly don't sit like that," she indicated her position, once again her legs uncrossed.

"Oh... sorry," the Welsh? girl answered, quickly crossing her legs. Fleur noticed the blonde giving the other girl a look of disapproval as well.

"Now then, as you'll have heard, I am Fleur Delacour. You may address me as Miss Delacour. I will call you two Farmer and Galles since I have no desire to remember that weird last name of yours," Fleur saw to her satisfaction that "Wales" didn't like that one bit.

"You will not bother me with trivialities, and if I tell you to do something, you'll do so without complaint. Farmer, make sure Galles learns some proper manners, and we won't have any problems. Galles, learn to behave like a proper young lady soon, and I'll let you two have some freedom. Am I understood?"

"If you think for even one second that –" "Wales" started, but was silenced by a kick against her feet by the other girl.

"Understood Miss Delacour, we'll not be a problem," Farmer instead answered, "won't we Jamie?"

"Understood," "Wales" muttered.

"Bon. Then let us go to the dormitories, you are third year students correct?"

"Yes, we both are," Farmer confirmed.

"It is an hour to dinner, so your year-mates should be working on their homework now. I will bring you to them, you can pick out your beds and then see if they will be willing to help you get ready for tomorrow's classes."

Fleur rose, as did the younger girls, and she led them through the corridors to the student wing.

–-

"The château's layout is very straightforward," Fleur instructed the two as she walked in a steady pace. She heard their feet clattering as they ran to keep up with her.

"All the classrooms are in this building, you'll learn where each class is located soon enough. If not, ask your fellow students. We take a right here to the Student Wing, if we were to go left through this corridor, we'd pass a few other class rooms before we arrive at the Dining Hall and school main entrance. Breakfast is from half past seven to nine, when classes start. Attendance is mandatory. "Lunch is from half past twelve to half past one, and is optional. Some of your classes may extend through the first half hour of lunch so keep that in mind. Following lunch you will have your afternoon classes, until five, when dinner starts. Dinner ends at six thirty.

Curfew is at ten, and you'll be expected to be inside the student wing from that time unless you have an evening or night class, tutoring, or detention.

"You will not go into the boy's side of the dormitories, or try to get a boy in the girl's side. And in the shared common room, any romantic activities will be with clothes on, and you are not to bother any students trying to work."

Fleur looked back, and saw the two girls were holding hands as they ran after her.

"The same rules apply to the girl's common room and your sleeping chambers, if you two are thus inclined."

Fleur saw them release their hands quickly and a blush appearing on their face, with a satisfied smirk. She didn't have anything against close girlfriends, but these brats would soon learn that being made the responsibility of the Beauxbatons Queen would not be an easy ride and she would tease them if she wanted to!

"Well, here we are," she stopped in front of a large door, which was opened by a gentle push. "Farmer, Galles, welcome to Beauxbatons."

Hermione and Harry stepped through the doors after her, arriving in a large room filled with tables and lined with shelves containing books, objects which Hermione recognised as being useful for several classes, as well as what appeared to be the wizarding kind of board games. Several of these were in use at the tables. There were easily over two thousand students present, and while the dominant language was French, they also heard Spanish, Italian, and even some Dutch being spoken.

"Did Madame Maxime tell you which class you are in?" Fleur asked after she let them take in the sights a bit.

"Err... 3H I think it was," Harry spoke. Fleur nodded, that made sense, she was the Prefect for the "H" classes already.

"Bon." Fleur led them through the hustle, most students automatically giving her space as she passed, and shooting interested glances at the two girls following the stately blonde. Fleur led them to a table near the back, where about twenty students were working on their homework.

"Pay attention squirts," Fleur got them to look at her, "you have two new students starting today, lately from England. Make sure they get settled, and find out how far behind they are Farmer, Galles, introduce yourself. I'll be with my friends, only come find me if you have a serious problem. Ta ta!"

Fleur walked off, happy to get rid of the two for now.

–-

"Hello girls," a brown-haired boy greeted the two new students, "I am Jacob Vanhoogene, that's Michel, Julie, Antoine, Vittorio," he continued listing the names of everyone at the table until he noticed it passed by the newcomers without really registering.

"Sorry, I guess it's a little much to take in for now. What brings you two here, and what were your names? Farmer and Galles was it?"

"It's Crochenydd," Harry sounded annoyed. "Jamie Crochenydd, and she's Mia Farmer. We were moved here because our parents decided to move to France suddenly. I don't know why Fleur keeps calling me Galles."

"Honestly Jamie, that should be obvious," Hermione sighed. "Crochenydd is Welsh, and Wales is called Pays de Galles in French."

She looked away from the red-haired girl and smiled at the boy that had greeted them. "Err, yeah. So I'm Mia, she's Jamie... pleasure to meet you all, I hope I can pick up your names soon enough."

That broke the ice, and the newcomers were quickly surrounded by their new classmates.

–-

The two English students were talking with Jacob and a few others about Transfiguration class, when a chime sounded. Almost immediately the rumour in the room quieted, as students began to pick up their stuff and clean up.

"Curfew starts now," Jacob explained to the two. "I guess I'll see you two for breakfast, have a good night!"

"Night Jacob, Michel, Vittorio, err.. others," Hermione stumbled, getting waves and smiles in return.

"Follow me then," the girl who had introduced herself as Julie commented. They had learned that she was from the French part of Belgium, and was a Quidditch fanatic, so Harry and she had instantly struck up a friendship.

With about three thousand students, Beauxbatons had over ten times the number of students Hogwarts did, and as a result there were more Quidditch teams as well: twenty full teams which played in an inter-school competition throughout the year, as well as several unofficial teams which played pick-up games. On top of that, there were games of Quadpot and other sports. The school had two full Quidditch fields complete with stands for viewers, as well as a number of sports fields for non-competition use.

The girls passed through the girls' room, which unlike the shared common room was mostly used for "girl talk" and relaxing, and were led to the third year sleeping area where they passed through the door marked with an ornate letter "H".

"Oh, I see you two will be sharing a room," Julie commented, as she noticed a new door. Opening it, the girls saw two beds side-by-side, with unopened trunks in front of them. There were six other doors where the other seventeen girls of their year had their beds, and the English duo noticed they were definitely in use as the walls behind them were hung with tasteful posters or letters, and many had photos on the bed stand.

"You should unpack those and store them by your locker," she instructed the two transfers. "I don't know how they do things in England, but we're supposed to keep our beds made up and our dorm rooms clean."

After the duo was done unpacking the essentials, the other girls got back to talking with the newcomers, hanging around in the bedroom shared by Raquel, a Spanish girl; Anna; and Julie.

"So why did you two change schools in the middle of the year?" Raquel asked them.

"Err... we had to move here with our parents. It's sort of complicated," Hermione answered after a brief pause.

"Are you two related?" Anna, a French girl asked.

"No! She's my– I mean we are best friends," Harry was quick to answer.

"All right girls let's give the newbies a break," Julie said with a laugh. "You two should get into our own bedrooms, the Prefects will be by soon and then it'll be light out."

"Jamie, go, now," Hermione bit to her friend, as Julie began lifting her shirt up.

"Oh... right," Harry rushed out the room, blushing.

"What's up with that?" Anna wondered, taking off her top and bra.

"Oh... Jamie is very erm... body shy," the blonde girl stammered. "I... I'd better check on her."

"She's weird," Anna commented to her dorm mates as Hermione rushed out of the room. "I don't think she's told us the whole story."

"Oh let her be, it's probably just stress from moving and switching schools," Julie threw a pillow to Anna, "you are the weird one anyway!"

"You take that back Jules!" Anna laughed, throwing the pillow back.

–-

Inside their new bedroom, Hermione walked in on Harry changing, and found her friend struggling to reach the clasp of the bra.

"Honestly Ha– Jamie, still not figured it out?" Rolling her eyes, she helped her take the garment off.

"It's not as easy as it looks," Jamie grumbled. "Look away will you?"

"Really, it's not as if I haven't seen it before," the former brunette said with a giggle, but turned her back as the red-head undressed further. "You pervert, were you going to watch until she had her top of before you left?"

"I was just not paying attention," Harry countered. "You should know by now I'm not like that.

"Oh, and you can turn around again if you like."

"Oh Harry, I know," Hermione sighed. "Anyway I told them you are very body shy, so want to be alone to dress and undress."

"Ah thanks, that will work. But why are you here then?"

"Prat," his friend said with a giggle, looking him over. "Are you sure you can keep your form through the night?"

"Hope so, but I'll be under the covers anyway and I can always change back in the morning should I slip."

"Right... now I can't keep helping you with everything... so pay attention Potter," the "smartest witch of her age" got a blush on her face.

"Crochenydd, remember? We've got to be careful not to slip up names, Mia Farmer."

"Prat," Hermione huffed. "Are you paying attention?"

"To what?" Harry asked, then his eyes went twice as wide, as Hermione lifted her shirt over her head revealing her bra-clad breasts.

"Not a word..." she said in a low tone, then in a lecturing tone: "Now see how my bra closes in the back?" She turned around, showing her back to her friend. "It's very easy to unhook, just reach back like this," she did so, her arms reaching around her back, "and lift the hooks from the eye. Your bra has two of them."

Before her friend's eyes, she freed the bra straps, letting them fall open against her sides, the cups only barely still covering her mounds.

"N– Now fastening is the same way," she reached back again, "just hook each clasp in the right loop, like this." The bra was closed again.

"Err... I've err.. tried that, it's hard," Harry said after a small pause.

"You've got to practice then," Hermione replied, still blushing. "But in the mean time I'll show you another way..."

She turned around, so her back was facing her friend.

"Now you'll first want to free your arms like this," she let her arms slip through the arm holes.

"Th– then... move it around like this..."

Slowly, she moved the bra around until the cups were on her back. Harry looked on intently, not daring to make a sound as he got a glimpse of her chest.

"Ne– next... you simply unhook it like this..." Still keeping her eyes closed, her actions followed the words, "and you're done... putting one on works the same way, first clasp it, then move it to the proper place, then put your arms in. Got it?"

She didn't wait for a reply, but quickly caught her bra before it fell, and rushed to get her pyjama top on. She felt her face burn as she did so, then once everything was properly hidden again she turned around again, still blushing.

"Turn around now, I need to get undressed further..." Harry turned fully, facing the wall, and the rustle of clothes made it clear Hermione was rushing into her pyjama bottoms.

"Okay, you can turn back now," she said after a minute or so.

"Hermione, thank you," Harry said with a smile. "You're really my best friend." She rushed in to hug him, and just as her arms wrapped around him, he added "and beautiful too."

Hermione froze in place, then returned the hug, squeezing tightly. "Good... goodnight Harry," she blushed deeply, and stepped away to get in her own bed.

"Night Hermione," Harry said in a somewhat higher voice, blushing deeply as well.

By the time Fleur came by to check on the pair as part of the light's out check, both were deeply asleep.


A/N: Very much a filler chapter with perhaps too much exposition on Beauxbatons, but we know so little about the school I wanted to sketch how I see the school here. To make up for it I'll try to get the next chapter out sooner, where stuff will be happening again, and we'll look in on the adults.

Looks: Hermione ("Mia") has short hair now, like her actress Emma Watson did after the HP movies. The pixie cut works for her, and combined with the blonde colouring and shrunken front teeth it is a real new look for her.
Harry ("Jamie") of course is unrecognisable for Dumbledore and his cronies in his girl form.

As for names:
Mia Farmer: Mia from Hermione, Farmer is a translation of Granger (originally a farmer, or farming steward).
Jamie Crochenydd: Jamie from James, his middle name, and Crochenydd is just Potter in Welsh.

They're not airtight disguises, but should be enough to throw off Dumbledore as he'll be looking for a boy and girl pair, not two girls.