Catch Me If You Can
Chapter Thirty One ll So Unlike Home
======
Beauxbatons was not a castle. It resembled something like a castle, but it was not. There was a wide block of square land, concrete, in the centre. Surrounding three sides of the square was the school. The fourth side was the entrance. It all seemed to be built out of pearly white marble.
A prissy place, if James ever saw one.
"Welcome to Beauxbatons!"
Lily almost leapt out of her skin as a beaming young lady (in her early twenties) jumped at them.
"You are 'ze exchange students from 'Ogworts?" another girl asked; she looked around seventeen. She was wearing robes of maroon, and had a badge pinned to them.
They nodded cautiously.
"Well then, how was the trip?" asked the lady before. She had a huge, wide smile, and the others were taken aback at her non-French accent.
She seemed to be able to read their minds. With a flick of her blonde hair, she said cheerfully, "I used to go to Hogwarts, and I wanted to teach when I graduated, but Dumbledore suggested that I did it in a different country for a better experience."
"Andromeda!" Sirius cried suddenly.
The blonde haired girl looked confused, "Sirius! Wow, what are you doing here?!"
"Exchange trip," Sirius leapt forward and hugged his cousin tightly.
The others looked slightly confused, and Lily was sized up with a new fear. She was in a different place, a different country, where there were different people, different culture, different tradition...
She wanted to go back home.
"Vell yes, very vell..." a seventeen-year-old boy with dark curly hair, standing beside the girl, looked quite impatient.
"Oh, sorry," Andromeda laughed, "Ahem. This is Sophia Bourlon--" the regal brunette who had spoken before smiled and curtseyed, "--she is the Capitaine Girl -- Head Girl --, and this is Jacques Kacel, Capitaine Boy -- Head Boy."
The impatient-looking boy inclined his head.
" 'Ze rest of 'ze school 'ave been waiting for your arrival," Jacques said formally, "In 'ze 'all of Regals--"
"Wait a minute Jacques," Andromeda interrupted breathlessly, "There are supposed to be eight of them -- just let me count them --"
She quickly murmured numbers as she counted their heads.
"Alright, there's the eight of you! Now, our Headmistress is Madame Lafille, and she will welcome you once you enter the Hall of Regals -- that means the Hall of Feasts -- and not everyone in the school speaks with French accents; in fact, the majority speak fluent English so don't be too surprised."
Andromeda smiled warmly at them.
"Yes, vell are you ready?" Sophia asked.
"As ready as we'll ever be," James said hazily, and they began walking past the rainbow fountain that was spurting out glittery water, towards the Hall of Regals.
The Hall of Regals looked very much like the Great Hall back at dear Hogwarts, except that it was built out of pinky-white marble rather than stone. It was squeaky clean and shiny, and ice sculptures (or something that resembled ice) of creatures hung everywhere. The flames on the walls were not of fire, but of something rainbow and beautiful. The light came from something else, something that couldn't be seen.
There were seven long tables going vertically down the hall, and one horizontal long table at the front. The teachers sat there, and the students sat on the seven tables.
Everyone fell silent and watched the eight foreigners stumble in nervously.
"There are no Houses at Beaux," Andromeda said quietly, as she led them to the front of the hall, "So the students sit in their year. You may sit at the deux year -- second year -- table once the feast starts. But Madame Lafille wants to make a speech of warmth and welcoming first."
Lily gulped, and Anna looked at her sympathetically. The two squeezed each other's hands.
"Welcome to Beauxbatons!" a middle-aged lady had stood up at her place at the teacher's table. She was thin and looked rather fragile and delicate. Her hair was pale blonde, she had misty blue eyes and her high cheekbones were a faint pink. But she bore a smile so sincere that the eight from Hogwarts were tempted to grin back.
"I 'ope you vill enjoy all zhat Beauxbatons 'as to offer," Madame Lafille said softly, but her voice could be heard throughout the silent hall, "Our Capitaine Boy and Capitaine Girl vill be pleased to 'elp you out wit anytink you find complicated. Our students vill also be pleased to 'elp you out."
The students smirked at each other. Their uniforms were robes of navy blue for the boys, and dark maroon for the girls.
"Please be seated, my dears," Madame Lafille smiled.
Lily, James and the others all looked around aimlessly, until Andromeda directed them to their seats at the deux year table.
Quite a few of the students smiled at them, but others just scowled.
Madame Lafille said a few more words, and the tables were then filled with food. It was nothing like what they served at Hogwarts.
Identifying what seemed to be roast potatoes with creamy chicken casserole, Sirius and James immediately began to dig into that. Lily settled for a creamed corn soup, and the others tried to look for food they knew.
They enjoyed eating and talking amongst themselves, ignoring the odd looks and stares the Beauxbatons students were giving them. One of them stood up and walked over to Lily.
"Hello, my name is Cloudeia Littleton," she introduced herself politely; she had no trace of a French accent. Her hair was pale blonde and her skin was pale white.
"Hi," Lily said uncertainly, "I'm Lily Evans."
One by one, they introduced themselves. Cloudeia's eyes widened when she was introduced to James.
"James Potter! You're Alex Potter's son, aren't you?" she exclaimed.
James nodded reluctantly.
"Wow," Cloudeia seemed a little awed. Then she introduced some of her own friends, whom they soon took a liking too.
"Oh my God, who is that?" Sirius' fork slipped onto the tablecloth and he stared at a girl sitting at the next table.
James, Peter and Remus all looked up, and gasped. Who Sirius was looking at must've been the prettiest girl in the entire world.
"Ah," Cloudeia said knowingly, shaking her head, "Louise Rouvre. She is part Veela."
Anna and Di began laughing at the boys' goggling. Paige sat quietly and ate her dinner, but Lily looked rather annoyed.
"So -- vat iz 'Ogworts like?" one of Cloudeia's friends, her name Cassandra Netill, asked.
"Oh--" Lily stopped scowling at the boys and turned to the group of girls, "It's really nice. Of course, not at all like Beauxbatons, but still very nice, you know..."
Cassandra nodded slowly, "I 'eard zhere iz a poltergeist zhat wrecks everytink."
"Oh really?" Lily said distractedly, "No, no -- that's not exactly true. He's a bit of a clown and a prankster but still--"
Anna noticed Lily's sullen look, and began laughing harder.
"Snap out of it, you guys!" she said loudly to the Marauders, "Especially you James -- you're making Lil jealous!"
"They're -- what?!" Lily exclaimed, looking horrified. Di and Anna were killing themselves with their laughing, and Paige looked up with a grin.
Remus, Sirius and Peter continued staring, but James snapped out immediately. He turned and grinned at Lily.
"Aww, I'm sorry my precious little flower," he said imploringly, "Of course, no girl will ever become as important to me as you a--"
"AHH!" Lily leapt up away from him. James grinned in satisfaction as the redhead ran away and then sat down beside Paige.
"Oh Li-i-ily," he began calling ever so sweetly.
"Stay - away - from - me - Potter," Lily said, looking scared.
James merely smiled at her.
The feast continued on merrily, and Lily was beginning to recover from the 'James attack' when a group of tall, good-looking, well-built boys straggled over.
"Hello there."
Anna and Di, who were sitting opposite Lily and Paige, choked. Lily looked at her friends oddly, then slowly turned her head to see what they were staring at. She paused as her eyes met the eyes of another boy.
"Hi," she said blankly.
"I'm Sebastian Valvic, and pray tell, who you are?" the ringleader of the group smiled at her, and Lily felt a little woozy. He was definitely good-looking; he had hazelly green eyes and dark curly brown hair.
"Lily," she said testily.
"Lily," Sebastian repeated softly. The boys behind him smirked significantly.
Sirius was laughing silently.
Sebastian was looking up and down Lily, his eyes darting everywhere. Everyone seemed to have stopped eating to look.
"I think you're my type," he said quietly, a smile spreading across his lips. A blonde-haired boy standing almost beside him grinned.
Lily had not expected that.
"Excuse me?!"
James looked furious.
Sebastian gave a glance at his friends that seemed to say "English people".
"In other words... will you go out with me?" he asked charmingly.
Lily stared at him.
What an odd boy... she thought pityingly.
"I'm sorry," she said with fake sincerity, "I'm only staying at this -- school -- for a fortnight, and long distance relationships don't work out for me."
Sebastian looked taken-aback; evidently, he had not been expecting that answer.
Sirius snorted.
Sebastian and his friends all glared at him.
James, Anna, Remus and Di were grinning their heads off.
Cloudeia and her friends stared, open-mouthed.
Paige looked a little miserable.
"What?" he finally said, his voice a little edgy. Sebastian's hazel-green eyes bore into Lily's pure-green ones.
Lily looked at her friends; a plain look that said, "French people".
"In other words... NO," Lily said clearly.
Sebastian stared at her, obviously trying to overcome his shock.
Then a pleasant smile broke his face, "Alright then, Lily. I'll just have to keep on trying, won't I?"
Before she was aware of anything, he had lent down to give her a kiss on the cheek.
Then they walked away, heads held up high.
Lily blinked.
"Y-Y-U-U-UCK!" she shrieked, after letting what had happened sink in. She grabbed a napkin and began wiping her cheek vigorously.
The Marauders were laughing.
"No way Lily," Cloudeia gasped, "Those boys -- they are the hottest boys who have ever trod on this ground," she said, her voice half-mournful and half-admiring.
"I've seen hotter," was Lily's skeptical remark.
"How can you say they're -- they're hot?!" Di said in disgust, "They are so arrogant! Did you see that look on what's-his-name's face?! It was like he expected Lily to fall onto the ground and start kissing his feet."
The Beauxbatons girls exchanged glances.
"Well, they're used to that treatment," Christina Anglais said loftily.
"Ahhh," Di, Anna, Paige and Lily glanced at each other. At the same time they said, "Aaarrogaaant."
The boys smiled at their theatrics.
"Anyway, I see you 'ave met Mademoiselle Black," Cassandra said in her soft French accent.
"Ah yeah! She's my cousin," Sirius said happily.
"Ooh," Lily caught on, "You mean Andromeda?"
"It's lovely to see you youngin's talking about me!"
Andromeda swooped down on them, a huge beam on her face. She placed herself beside Sirius.
"Salut Mademoiselle," the group of Beauxbatons girls chorused happily. Evidently, Andromeda was a popular teacher among the students.
"Bonjour," Andromeda smiled at them pleasantly, "Though I don't know too much about the 'Mademoiselle Black'."
Sirius immediately frowned, "What d'you mean?"
Andromeda sighed as she reached over for a breadroll, "I knew this would come up soon -- Sirius, pass me the butter will you?"
Sirius passed the butter, and then went back to interrogating his older cousin.
The others were all looking up in interest.
The blonde sighed again as she buttered her bread. She put it down.
"Sirius, I'm engaged."
SPLAT.
"AHHHH!" Lily shrieked as Sirius spat pumpkin juice all over her.
"You're -- what?!" he shrilled, while Paige handed napkins to Lily.
"Engaged," Andromeda repeated.
"You should've gotten engaged at another time," Lily murmured, glaring murderously at Sirius.
"Engaged?!" Sirius was almost yelling, "To who?!"
"None of those delinquents my dear sisters are getting married to," Andi said defiantly, "Ted Tonks, Sirius. He's Muggle-born."
Sirius gasped, "Definitely your choice."
"Of course!" she said heatedly, "Sirius, my dear mother and father were arranging me to get married to Anthony Dolohov. Anthony Dolohov. Absolutely no way!"
"How did they react when they heard your choice?"
Andromeda sighed again, "I haven't told them. They're not invited to the wedding. I met Ted's parents, and they're lovely."
Sirius was quiet.
"I'll break the news to them after I get married. Then they can go and kick me out of their house, but it'll be too late," she said, smiling with satisfaction. "My dear mum will blast you off the tapestry," Sirius said, raising his eyebrows.
"Like I care!" she scoffed, "As far as I'm concerned, they're not family. Sirius -- you of all people should know."
"I know, I know, and believe me, you're my idol for rebelling against your parents, but still! It's dangerous," Sirius bit his lip.
Andromeda just laughed, "Dangerous... Sirius, I stopped being scared of them when I was six. I really don't care anymore. However, it's a different situation for my younger sisters..."
She sighed deeply.
"Who are Bellatrix and Narcissa getting married to?" Sirius asked at once.
"Bellatrix..." Andromeda sighed, "Always an evil one at heart. Rodulphus Lestrange, Sirius. Bella almost shot through the ceiling with excitement. Urgh -- her taste in boys, honestly..."
"And Narcissa?"
"Narcissa, such an innocent, sweet child," Andi sighed again, "Marcus Malfoy's son, Lucius."
"Malfoy?!" James and Sirius yelled at the same time.
"Good Lord, that is seedy," Lily was pulling a face.
"You all know Malfoy?"
"He goes to our school!" Anna explained heatedly.
"Ah yes, Slytherin?" Andi asked dully.
"Definitely, but then, so is Narcissa and Bellatrix," Sirius sighed.
"What House were you in, Andromeda?" Lily asked.
"Gryffindor," she answered instantly, "My parents were close to chucking me out of the family when they heard. I can assure you, blood is nothing..."
Everyone was quiet for a while, and it seemed like there was now a sleepy feeling hanging over all the students.
Madame Lafille dismissed them, and Andromeda led the Hogwarts students to the Visiteur Chamber. It was a bit like the Gryffindor common-room, with two staircases leading either up to the boys' room or the girls' room.
Once Paige had finished unpacking, she went to bed. Anna, Di and Lily went down to the common-room and had a game of Exploding Snap. Lily kept glancing at James (that remark he had made during dinner had pricked a slight realisation for her), and she was quite perplexed that James seemed to look back every time. It made her even angrier when he gave her a roguish wink and smile, and she blushed.
What was happening to her?
The Marauders were up to something. They were bent over, concentrating on a large piece of parchment that Lily knew was definitely not homework.
When Lily yawned and announced that she was going to bed, the others chimed in a 'good night' for her. When she was halfway up the stairs, James attacked her with a huge hug, causing her to scream and topple down the stairs.
"Three cheers for our favourite couple!" Sirius called, and the others laughed and cheered.
Lily glared at them, but to her surprise, James merely smiled and gave her a peck on the cheek.
"Urgh! Don't - do - that!" she screeched at him, pushing him away.
James feigned hurt, "Don't do that Lily -- or I'll do this again--"
He leant forward and bestowed a quick kiss on her forehead.
"AHHHHHH!"
Lily leapt around the room screaming, and the others laughed at her theatrics.
The redhead shot one last glare at 'that blackhaired boy' before tearing up the stairs back to her room.
"Aw man, that was hilarious," Sirius said, still laughing, "Tell me James -- are you only 'toying' with her or do you actually -- you know -- like her?"
Di and Anna strained their ears to listen.
James grinned mischievously and shrugged, and they went back to the making of the Marauder's Map.
But as they continued to work, Anna swore she heard James murmur.
"I
like her..."
======
---->A/N: I am quite happy at my French names, like the 'Hall of Regals' and the 'Visiteur Chamber'. =] All thanks to my French teacher and my French textbook, of course! Oh, by the way, I may have mixed up the Bulgarian accent with the French one, so please pardon that. Lol. I watched Rugrats in Paris last night and I picked up a French accent sort-of-ly from that evil lady. Kimmy is so cute. =]--MSQ.