The students crowded around the castle, gazing at it in awe. It was almost
as large as Hogwarts, but far more magnificent. Rows on rows of columns
surrounded Beauxbatons, and the castle itself was made of smooth, silvery
marble that glittered in the cold night. The Hogwarts students could see
hundreds of lights on inside the school. Some of the younger Beauxbatons
students were peering out at them through shimmering glass windows, staring
at them as they made their way to the school in horse-drawn carriages.
When they reached the gates, Timothy and his friends, slightly apart from the others, stood near a marble pillar while a young, French witch with long, silvery blond hair, gave them directions.
"Hello, and welcome to Beauxbatons! My name eez Madame Tessier, and I am zee headmistress of Beauxbatons Academy of Magic. The Hogwarts students will now please follow me to the guest chambers where zay will stay zis year. Tomorrow, all students will be given course schedules for this year at Beauxbatons." She smiled at the large crowd and turned to head into the castle, but a loud noise to her left made her, and the rest of the crowd of students, stare at the lake that had started to sound like an approaching stampede. "Ah, the Durmstrang students are almost here!" she said happily. The lake began to bubble and froth, and the sound grew louder. A whirlpool appeared, and from it came a mast. Soon, the rest of a ship followed, as the Hogwarts and Beauxbatons students could only watch in astonishment.
* * * *
Irina was pleasantly surprised by the magical ship the Durmstrang students had used to travel to Beauxbatons. It was a tradition, according to the Headmaster. The ship was magically steered of course, with sails that turned on their own as the wind changed.
On the third day at sea, Headmaster Smirnov came on board from his cabin, for the first time on the trip. Although he said that he had been busy preparing for the Triwizard tournament, Irina had the distinct impression that he had been violently ill, and couldn't help noticing the faint hint of green on his face as he walked on deck.
"We will be arriving at Beauxbatons Academy in a few minutes. Go below deck and prepare for disembarking," he said, glaring at them. Students looked at each other questioningly. The ship was in the middle of the sea; how was it possible that they were anywhere near Beauxbatons? "Well, what are you all waiting for? Get below deck!" he shouted. Everyone hurried to not be the last one on deck with a very angry Headmaster.
Irina began gathering her belongings together, and just as she was finishing up, she felt an odd rattle go through the ship, followed by a whirring sound. She looked out the porthole window and gasped.
The entire ship was underwater and seemed to be sinking at a rapid rate. Brightly colored fish swam by the window, which could see quite clearly through the water. Soon the windows became darker as they reached the depths of the water- but it kept sinking. A moment later, the ship rolled over like a great dog and turned upside-down. It continued sinking, but Irina couldn't help noticing that it seemed to be ascending rather than descending now. Also, she didn't feel as though she were upside-down.
All of a sudden, the ship came to a halt. Irina glanced out of the window, and saw that the ship was out of the water. A rapidly darkening sky was above them, and in front of them, the huge palace of Beauxbatons stood.
Durmstrang had arrived.
* * * *
Jean-Philippe looked through the window of his dormitory where nine other fourth year boys were fast asleep. He stared, amazedly, at the lake where, seconds before, a ship had appeared.
He knew he should be asleep, and looked over his shoulder nervously at the closed door, which led to the main hall for fourth year students. Madame Renaudin, the ghost of the fourth years, always patrolled the halls at night, but it seemed that she had gone to visit one of her many friends on another floor, because Jean-Philippe heard nothing moving in the hallway.
He glanced out the window once more, and noticed that Madame Tessier was speaking again, probably telling the foreign students where the guest quarters were.
From behind him, a voice muttered sleepily, "What are you doing Jean- Philippe?" Jean-Philippe glanced over his shoulder guiltily, and saw Jacques staring at him. "Get back in bed; you'll get us in trouble!" Jacques leaned back and promptly fell asleep.
Jean-Philippe grinned and climbed back in bed after closing the light blue silk curtains. You could always count on Jacques to follow the rules.
All he had to do now was wait for morning, when he would get to meet the foreign students.
When they reached the gates, Timothy and his friends, slightly apart from the others, stood near a marble pillar while a young, French witch with long, silvery blond hair, gave them directions.
"Hello, and welcome to Beauxbatons! My name eez Madame Tessier, and I am zee headmistress of Beauxbatons Academy of Magic. The Hogwarts students will now please follow me to the guest chambers where zay will stay zis year. Tomorrow, all students will be given course schedules for this year at Beauxbatons." She smiled at the large crowd and turned to head into the castle, but a loud noise to her left made her, and the rest of the crowd of students, stare at the lake that had started to sound like an approaching stampede. "Ah, the Durmstrang students are almost here!" she said happily. The lake began to bubble and froth, and the sound grew louder. A whirlpool appeared, and from it came a mast. Soon, the rest of a ship followed, as the Hogwarts and Beauxbatons students could only watch in astonishment.
* * * *
Irina was pleasantly surprised by the magical ship the Durmstrang students had used to travel to Beauxbatons. It was a tradition, according to the Headmaster. The ship was magically steered of course, with sails that turned on their own as the wind changed.
On the third day at sea, Headmaster Smirnov came on board from his cabin, for the first time on the trip. Although he said that he had been busy preparing for the Triwizard tournament, Irina had the distinct impression that he had been violently ill, and couldn't help noticing the faint hint of green on his face as he walked on deck.
"We will be arriving at Beauxbatons Academy in a few minutes. Go below deck and prepare for disembarking," he said, glaring at them. Students looked at each other questioningly. The ship was in the middle of the sea; how was it possible that they were anywhere near Beauxbatons? "Well, what are you all waiting for? Get below deck!" he shouted. Everyone hurried to not be the last one on deck with a very angry Headmaster.
Irina began gathering her belongings together, and just as she was finishing up, she felt an odd rattle go through the ship, followed by a whirring sound. She looked out the porthole window and gasped.
The entire ship was underwater and seemed to be sinking at a rapid rate. Brightly colored fish swam by the window, which could see quite clearly through the water. Soon the windows became darker as they reached the depths of the water- but it kept sinking. A moment later, the ship rolled over like a great dog and turned upside-down. It continued sinking, but Irina couldn't help noticing that it seemed to be ascending rather than descending now. Also, she didn't feel as though she were upside-down.
All of a sudden, the ship came to a halt. Irina glanced out of the window, and saw that the ship was out of the water. A rapidly darkening sky was above them, and in front of them, the huge palace of Beauxbatons stood.
Durmstrang had arrived.
* * * *
Jean-Philippe looked through the window of his dormitory where nine other fourth year boys were fast asleep. He stared, amazedly, at the lake where, seconds before, a ship had appeared.
He knew he should be asleep, and looked over his shoulder nervously at the closed door, which led to the main hall for fourth year students. Madame Renaudin, the ghost of the fourth years, always patrolled the halls at night, but it seemed that she had gone to visit one of her many friends on another floor, because Jean-Philippe heard nothing moving in the hallway.
He glanced out the window once more, and noticed that Madame Tessier was speaking again, probably telling the foreign students where the guest quarters were.
From behind him, a voice muttered sleepily, "What are you doing Jean- Philippe?" Jean-Philippe glanced over his shoulder guiltily, and saw Jacques staring at him. "Get back in bed; you'll get us in trouble!" Jacques leaned back and promptly fell asleep.
Jean-Philippe grinned and climbed back in bed after closing the light blue silk curtains. You could always count on Jacques to follow the rules.
All he had to do now was wait for morning, when he would get to meet the foreign students.