The judging for the "Free Transmutation" segnt concluded with a shockwave of awe. As the crowd gradually dispersed, the excited low hum of discussion still lingered in the great hall.
As Mada Maxi departed, she shot Fleur a aningful glance before striding away with her usual steady, imposing gait.
Fleur understood imdiately. She followed, heading toward the Headmistress's office.
The Headmistress's office at Beauxbatons was spacious and magnificent. Sunlight stread in through the windows, casting bright patches of light across the tapestry carpet.
Mada Maxi was already seated in her exaggeratedly large chair. She gestured for Fleur to take the armchair opposite her.
With just the two of them in the room, the fire in the hearth burned quietly, emitting the occasional soft pop.
Mada Maxi threw out a question that sounded a bit abrupt:
"Fleur, in your opinion... if we speak solely of prestige and status, which side is stronger: Hogwarts or Beauxbatons?"
Fleur was slightly stunned. Her long lashes lowered, and she didn't answer imdiately.
Yet, the answer to this question was actually quite obvious.
One wizard's na would appear almost instantly in any thought process regarding this issue—the greatest wizard of the century. Which school's headmaster office was he sitting in right now?
"Of course, it is Hogwarts." Mada Maxi provided the answer herself. Her tone was calm, holding no resentnt, but rather a hint of teasing. "Even if they do have to replace their Defense Against the Dark Arts professor every single year. Oh, and that latest one, Mr. Lockhart? He didn't even last half a year... Hehe..."
With no outsiders present, facing the student she valued most—soone she regarded almost like a daughter—Mada Maxi dropped much of her usual majestic deanor, appearing relaxed and candid.
"If we discuss history and foundation, Hogwarts and Beauxbatons were founded around the sa ti. Over the centuries, both have produced countless outstanding figures. It is hard to distinguish a superior."
"But looking only at the present, Beauxbatons indeed lacks a top-tier wizard capable of aweing the world. Hogwarts has Albus Dumbledore. His power and prestige are truly unmatched in today's magical world."
Maxi leaned forward slightly, her gaze burning as she looked at Fleur. "Child, I trust that with your discernnt, you must see it. Lucien Grafton's future is limitless. The last person to completely change the wizarding way of life was the inventor of Floo Powder. But the impact Lucien will have on the magical world in the future will be far more extensive and profound. He is so young! Young enough to possess infinite possibilities..."
Fleur's heart seed to skip a beat. She vaguely sensed the direction of the Headmistress's conversation, but she still asked hesitantly, "Mada, then you an...?"
"What I an is," Mada Maxi sat up straight, "find a way to... well, abduct Lucien and bring him to Beauxbatons."
"Abduct... abduct him?!"
This phrasing was too blunt, perhaps even carrying a shade of illegality. Fleur's eyes widened instantly as she looked at her Headmistress in astonishnt.
Had she heard that correctly?
"Mada, is... is that really appropriate?" Fleur felt her cheeks heating up, unsure if it was from surprise or sothing else. "Lucien is currently a properly enrolled student at Hogwarts!"
Although, the mont she heard the proposal, Fleur's heart did throb uncontrollably—if Lucien ca to Beauxbatons, wouldn't that an she could see him every day? They would have so much more ti together...
However, Fleur quickly snapped out of it. Wouldn't doing this invite Dumbledore to co knocking on their door? That man was the strongest wizard alive!
Although she hadn't t Dumbledore in person yet, Fleur had grown up listening to his legendary deeds.
Mada Maxi, however, smiled faintly, looking as if she had a plan.
"As long as the transfer is of Lucien's own free will, then even if Dumbledore cos later to ask for an explanation, we have nothing to worry about."
"Albus Dumbledore's power is indeed rare in this world, but he happens to be a wizard who strictly adheres to rules—he is even bound by them. Dumbledore would never use his peerless magical power to forcibly oppress or violate the free will of others."
In fact, Maxi had a more important reason—or rather, a "trump card"—in her heart: Lucien's teacher, Nicolas Flal himself, seed to prefer having his beloved disciple in a safer, purer environnt for learning and growth.
However, it wasn't convenient for her to reveal this reason to Fleur at the mont.
Sensing Fleur's hesitation, Maxi continued her persuasion. "You must have heard about the incidents at Hogwarts in recent years. Dark wizards sneaking in, professors with potential ntal instability, even harboring an Azkaban escapee in disguise... and recently, the scandal about keeping a dangerous, lethal thousand-year-old Basilisk..."
As Mada Maxi listed these "feats"—each of which had appeared in wizarding newspapers or triggered Ministry investigations—one by one, Fleur's complexion paled slightly.
There was no helping it; these were all facts!
And the majority of these incidents were caused by that revolving door of Defense Against the Dark Arts professors at Hogwarts.
Mada Maxi softened her voice further.
"Child, you wouldn't want Lucien to continue staying in such a 'dangerous' school for another few years, would you?"
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