Chapter VII

Beauxbatons Academy

The Train rolled sedately along the underwater track, no one had said or done anything but stare at the water all around the train. As the train began to become almost still, the track rose and the train crept onto the land, sluggish with a gasp of steam at the end.

"Whoa!" James yelled, his smile widened as he saw the other's faces. Everyone seemed to be holding their breath a bit, as if it mattered. "That was-"

"Stupid!" Lily shouted back, "What if we'd left the windows open or something? They could at least have told us they were going to, I can't believe that!"

Straight away she stormed out of the compartment and stomped down the hallway with almighty thuds and grunts. The train shuddered to a start again and the Gryffindors were left in silence.

"Well I thought it was amazing," Amanda laughed. "But you know what this means don't you?"

"What?" said James

"We're in France."

- - -

The train had picked up it's speed again and was tearing through the French countryside like a wild dragon, the towns and villages whizzed passed them, and Lily had been sulking all the way there. The train was opened again and everyone had gone to mingle in the Slytherin Compartment, Lily had stayed in Gryffindor again.

But before long, the train slowed as they went through a looming forest, the train darting and dodging trees. The forest became pitch, with only the ghostly silver train tracks and frequent glow of eyes or lanterns in the trees.

"Hinkypunks." Agora stated as she peered through the window, "Must be marshland here then,"

Everyone else ignored this, and carried on talking about the stories they'd heard about Durmstrang and Beauxbatons, wondering just how different they would be.

- - -

The train eventually sprung out of the trees, and into a large meadow, the students gazed in awe as Beauxbatons slowly came closer to the train. A castle like nothing they had seen before, for this wasn't a winding and ageing old mound of stone like Hogwarts; this was a palace.

Not just any palace, but a palace fit for all the kings, queens, emperors and royalty of all over the world. All the students gasped and 'ahhhed' as the train promptly circled the outer palace, revealing monument us gardens with fountains and statues. The pathways and bridges were all in good repair, unlike the rickety old places in Hogwarts; everything seemed new and glorious, and as the train came to a slow halt near what seemed to be the entrance of the palace, they could see hundreds of students all in pale blue silk shoulder capes and hats. All craning to see who had just arrived, and many more various than they had at Hogwarts too. There were those with olive skin and darker hair; presumably from Spain and Greece, those with fairer complexions seemed to be generally French, and also a mix of things which they had not expected. The most outrageous of which was a massive girl that must have reached ten feet easily, as well as the shimmering women who danced and wandered about uninterested between the staff and students.

"Nymphs!" Amanda beamed, "I heard they served the meals and sung and danced for the school's entertainment!"

"I wish I lived in France!" came the still awe-struck James. He was still glancing at the figures on the marble steps. The train had stopped completely now, and Dumbledore had called for all students to assemble in the Hallway; without their belongings.

The students all tore themselves away from the windows and the girls went to check their appearance in the large bathroom mirror. The Hallway was filled with the noise of anticipation, and as James and Remus joined the row of students, Prof. Dumbledore and Prof. McGonnagal marched from their adjoining carriage and walked passed the students.

"Now is the time that we greet our new friends," Dumbledore spread his arms as he stopped and turned to face the crowd, "We will have no misbehaviour and I would like everyone to follow me in pairs. Any questions will be answered when we are all comfortably inside."

He turned again and the great door hissed steam outwards, leaving the students to exit in a cloud of mist.

They walked up the white marble steps silently, taking in the sights and sounds of the French countryside. The air was pleasantly warm for an autumn day, and the slight breeze was refreshing after a long trip

"Professor Dumbledore!" cried a man at the top of the steps. The two embraced and chatted quietly in French. He wore what looked like a muggle suit, dark pinstripes that made him look tall and slim. His shoulders were covered in a shoulder-cape, pinstriped and the same cut as the students, his right hand was covered in a dark grey glove, but his left held an ornate cane; long and black with a bronze upturned hand as a handle.

The two men embraced, though Remus noticed that they did not seem exactly friendly. The students now had taken their attention from the Hogwarts train and them, to a lucid lake of crystal waters that was now bubbling and thrashing in it's centre. The Hogwarts students all turned as well now, and saw a large pole emerge from the tower of churning water. Then a crow's nest with a rather wet witch holding to the pole for dear life, finally, as the pole grew taller, a large galleon-ship bounced upwards and settled softly on the rippling lake.

The ship itself was a very dark brown, with red and bronze emblems painted on it's side. The witch in the crow's nest was frantically waving her wand about at the deck, and now wizards and witches were emerging on the deck, and all enchanting the sails of the ship to billow into an eerie life. For the ship had obviously seen better days, the rope and cloth was decaying and torn, and the wood seemed rotting.

"That's Durmstrang Institute then," Lily sighed, "A little over-dramatic I think."

"Oh come off it," James turned to face her, whilst still trying to keep an eye on the lively shipmates, "That was totally amazing!"

Lily simply turned her head and sighed again. But the portholes in the ship were now opening, and a large wooden bridge emerging from the ship's side as it neared the bank of the lake. The bridge connected and two doors opened to reveal a large black hole, only to be suddenly filled with light, as the headmistress and students emerged.

From this distance, the students all looked large and square, but as they neared the palace of Beauxbatons, James saw that they were just wearing large and heavy fur cloaks about their shoulders. As the three schools stood silently at the steps of Beauxbatons, the three head teachers went and met each other. It seemed that Durmstrang Institute had also brought a secondary teacher, who stood at the head of the students now.

Strangely, she had a long and thick lilac veil over her head, hanging from a wide-brimmed lavender hat. She wore a tight jacket of deep blue, and a ruffled skirt of purple, her black laced boots protruding below. She turned and raised gloved hands to the students there, who instantly straightened and stopped talking, some sneered at the frightened looking Beauxbatons students.

"Come along," Prof. McGonnagal suddenly called back, and a shocked huddle of Hogwarts students began to trudge up the smoothly polished steps towards Dumbledore. The Beauxbatons students had returned inside, and the Durmstrang lot were also climbing the steps on the opposite side.

At the top of the steps, Prof. Dumbledore and the Durmstrang Headmistress were standing, chatting about their schools. It seemed that they had never met before, and were both quite curious as to how the other thought things should be done.

The Durmstrang woman was quite short, with broad shoulders, even without her fur cape. Her hair was drawn into a tight plait that was spiralled on her head into a bun. Her square little face pointed at the nose, and a black beauty spot sat neatly in the corner of her cheek. She smiled a grin at Prof. Dumbledore and went back to her side of the steps now.

"We will all be introduced after we have gone in," Prof. Dumbledore was with them again, "But we have been asked to wait until the students of Beauxbatons are seated for dinner before we go in. Are there any questions you would like to ask before we go in?"

"Sir?" Amanda had raised her hand, she waited for a nod of approval, "Does everyone here speak English?"

"Yes Miss Knowall, we have all agreed that we will converse mainly in English. This is because that the European Ministries of Magic have language lessons in all schools. All the students are taught English, and many speak a few more languages too."

"Professor?" Georgina now raised her hand. Dumbledore nodded, "When will we start lessons and what will the arrangements be?"

Dumbledore laughed, and saw a few of the students do the same, "My dear girl, all things of that nature will be discussed inside, you will have no concerns about any lessons or exams that you will need to work on."

"Sir?" now Anna Jacob had a hand raised. "Where will we be staying?"

"Ah," Dumbledore smiled again, "We will actually be sleeping in the Hogwarts Express, which I am sure will be adequate once we have altered it slightly. As for seating arrangements in lessons and mealtimes, I believe that we may sit wherever we wish in the hall. As I have said though, the timetables and lessons plans will be explained inside"
"Most lessons that you will have will be taught by the Beauxbatons Academy staff, though, any classes that you attend that are not taught here will be taken by myself or Professor McGonnagal. You will also have the option I believe, and I strongly suggest that you take it, to be taught subjects and with teachers who are from Durmstrang Institute. This could be a valuable experience for all of you."

"I trust that we are all satisfied and will now follow the Durmstrang students into the Feast Hall."

The Durmstrang lot had indeed began to move into the school, striding solidly like an army. Dumbledore and McGonnagal followed with the Hogwarts students.

Lily and Amanda walked side by side through the massive metal doors, gazing about the marble-tiled floor and walls of the Entrance Hall. There was a large stone staircase spiralling up through the centre of the room, and small statues scattered about the hall. It was empty and quiet, and they were both curious as to where all these doorways would lead, but for now they followed the group round a corner to another set of magnificent steel doors. The doors opened, and the Durmstrang group marched on in, followed by Hogwarts.

This hall was much larger and grander than their Great Hall, and instead of four long tables were many round tables and chairs, reminding them all of fancy restaurants. Music hummed from the corners of the room, and Amanda first noticed the nymphs that danced, sung and played instruments beautifully upon raised stages. She brimmed with excitement.

There were several tables in the centre of the room that were empty. Obviously laid out for the two visiting schools, whilst four additional places were set at the curving long table for the staff. The teachers lead their students to appropriate tables and left them to join the staff.

As they sat in the centre, black and crimson in a sea of pale blue, even the scary looking Durmstrang students seemed uneasy now. After all, the home students who now surrounded them and were all staring in whispers.

"Settle down!" the man in the pinstripe suit was stood at the long curved table. Everyone turned in silence. "I would like to first greet our two guests this evening, those from Durmstrang Institute, and those from Hogwarts School. A polite wave of clapping chimed all around them.

"I of course, am Prof. Magnus, headmaster of Beauxbatons Academy of Magic. We want you all to feel welcome and study with us, but more importantly compete with us for the title of Triwizard Champion!"

This caused a much louder cheer, and many of the French students stood to clap. They then saw that the Triwizard Cup was positioned on an ornate pedestal in front of Prof. Magnus' place. It seemed that the Hogwarts was the only of the three that wasn't frighteningly enthusiastic about the cup.

"But before we get anywhere near discussing that, I must first address our guests. A few rules and warnings that I am sure will not be strange to you. Firstly, it is not permitted for students to be outside or wandering the school, out of hours. Also, I probably do not need to tell you not to go anywhere near the forest that surrounds the school grounds at all. The school is perfectly safe, although I cannot say the same for the forest."

"As well as this, currently, the Quidditch Pitch is also out of bounds as we are preparing it for the Triwizard Tournament. Please adhere to any instruction that the staff of any of these schools gives you, and you need only ask either any of the nymphs who reside with us, or any of the prefects of our school."

"I know that you must all be anticipating lessons," he said into a murmur of tuts and coughs, "So it is important to know that your teachers will give you your timetables and maps of the school that we have already prepared. After a tour tomorrow, you will start lessons the day after. As for our own students, any changes to your lessons will be posted in the common rooms."

"We also have an impartial judge of who the three champions should be, which we will be revealing after everyone has settled, in a few days it will be time to decide, those of you from Beauxbatons know as we have discussed, you must be sure before entering yourself. But for now, we must eat."

He beckoned to a few nymphs around the room, smiling, they waltzed back and forth with large trays of food and drinks, without a falter they danced around with perfect balance and served the students and staff.

The spread was amazing, much more formal than at Hogwarts, but still very magical. The students ate and chatted amongst themselves, whilst drinking wine that was on every table.

"Hey! I don't think we're supposed to be drinking wine," Lily stared into the rebellious eyes of Isabelle.

"It's legal over here actually," she sniped, "So why don't you get off your high horse and-"

"Shhh!" Georgina hissed at them, she saw the wary eyes of Prof. McGonnagal staring at the minor scene. She picked up the bottle of wine and looked questioningly at Prof. McGonnagal, she conferred with Dumbledore who smiled and nodded at Georgina. After this, Isabelle grinned smugly at Lily, who went into another sulk.

"Have you seen that huge girl?" James whispered at Remus, they were both sat at a table with a now friendly Agora Oppingham and Anna Jacobs, as well as two other Hufflepuff girls. Severus Snape had sat as far away as possible from the people at the table, his nose in a book.

"Be quiet," Remus whispered back, "I think she's probably half-giant. Like that boy in our school, though he's a few years younger than us, so maybe you just think he's big naturally."

"We have a half-giant in our school?" James looked shocked, "Why didn't anyone tell us?"

"Because Dumbledore thinks that there are more important things to life than what people are, do you expect him to announce every muggle-born or-"

"I get your point." James smiled.

"Apparently," Agora had leaned over to them in a huddle with the other girls. "That teacher that is with the Durmstrang lot is a vampire." she said sinisterly

"The one in the veil?" said James.

"No, the one who was wandering about in broad daylight!" Kiara Hubble had a notoriously bad temper, always thinking she was better than everyone else. "Of course the one in the veil!"

But she was now adjusting the veil. The sky had grown dark outside, and she had realised this, as well as a few other students in the hall who were now staring at her. Her gloves were the first to be removed, showing pale but beautiful hands, black nails to boot.

And as she unwound the lilac veil from her head, they saw a long flow of blonde hair fall. Her face was white and perfect. Quite round, she resembled a china-doll, with cherry lips and dark eyes and eyebrows. Her lime eyes flashed about the room.

"A vampire!" James almost shouted. Luckily there was too much noise and music in the hall for anyone to notice this. "Are they crazy?"

"Don't be a fool James," Remus was looking stern. For of course he was an authority on misunderstood races in the Wizarding world. "Vampires are just like anyone else. They just get a bad reputation for their need for blood, like werewolves I suppose." that last comment dropped a squeezing foot onto James. He shrank into his chair.

"Anyway, isn't that-" Remus was staring now

"Reeva Vollow." Severus had raised his head now that the conversation had turned to his favourite subject; The Dark Arts. His arching nose and greasy black hair hid his face, but he was staring at Remus with a knowing eye.

James was about to say something nasty, but again felt the foot upon his. "You know about her?" Remus smiled.

"Of course, who doesn't?" Severus sniped. "Miss Vollow is the foremost activist for Vampire Rights, she has taught at Durmstrang Institute for years and is generally accepted as the face of the public vampire community."

"But they can't do magic can they? I mean, their classed as Dark Creatures aren't they?" Agora seemed to have lost her dark expression of drama. She was as much out of 'the know' as James was.

"Not in some places," Remus added, "In Estonia they have a huge supporting. Vampires have been trying to live 'in the light' so to speak for a few years now. They're just like us except that they feed on blood instead of food or drink."

"Ew!" Anna Jacob looked away in disgust. James laughed.

"Then how come everyone else in Estonia isn't dead, moron?" Kiara Hubble had once again tried to shed light on her side of the story.

"Because they don't have to kill do they, besides, they can drink from animals too." Snape once again returned to his book. Kiara screwed her face and turned her head dramatically, Severus did not notice this.

"Excuse me," an athletic boy had come over to the table and was leaning over Agora, his rugged accent was accompanied by flopping brunette hair and an angular face, "I only wanted to borrow the wine."

"Certainly you can," Agora grinned coyly, "Might see you around?"

"I hope so." he replied with handsome smile. He reached for the wine and took the bottle slowly passed Agora. She giggled at him and began to whisper to Anna Jacob again.

The rest of the night passed merrily, as students and staff chatted about schools, until the evening drew to a close with the teachers collecting their students to the train, as they walked down the marble steps, they saw that the gravel paths that led all about the grounds of the school were lit all along with oddly glowing toadstools, the Hogwarts Express stood quietly just beside one such path.

The compartments were split now, a wall had appeared at the back, which was now concealing the two bedrooms for the Gryffindor students. The students received their timetables and school information booklets and went straight to the bedrooms.

Two red and gold trimmed beds now sat in the small bedrooms, and James and Remus went and sat on them, gazing intently at the booklets and lists.

"We can do Dark Arts classes," Remus was thinking aloud.

"Don't you mean Defence?"

"No, look at the Durmstrang one." He pointed at the battered looking black, red and bronze leaflet on James' bed. "It says that in Durmstrang they teach people to accept the Dark side of magic, like vampires. We can get taught by Prof. Vollow, that's the vampire, about trying to work with the Darker side of magic, as a way of understanding it. I'm signing up for that!"

"You want to practice dark magic?" James almost fell off the bed. His friend was now telling him that he wanted to be evil.

"No, no. This isn't about being bad James, it's about dealing with darkness as a way to balance with it and understand it, know thy enemy and all that."

"You just want that vampire to talk to you about werewolves," James snorted.

"Her name is Prof. Vollow James, would you like me to call you, 'that wizard', or maybe you want to call me 'werewolf'?"

"Remus, I'm sorry, I didn't think that-"

"No, you didn't think." And with that, Remus climbed hastily under his sheets and left James in silence. James sat and read through the rest of the Durmstrang booklet. Maybe he should take the Dark Arts class too.