Chapter 204
Even without final exams, the Champions still had to attend their regular classes. Today's Ancient Magic class, however, was a little different from usual—there were two new guests in the room.
"You don't seem very welcoming?" Fleur Delacour casually took Malfoy's side, holding Gabrielle Delacour's hand as she sat down beside him.
"Not at all. You're very welcome," Malfoy replied, shaking his head.
"Hello, big brother!" Gabrielle greeted him with a bright, innocent smile. She was dressed in a Hogwarts uniform, then quickly found a seat and sat down.
"It doesn't really suit you," Malfoy remarked, glancing at her outfit. "And if I remember correctly, you're the only one who doesn't need to attend classes. That's a Champion's privilege."
"So I should just stay in the carriage all day?" Fleur raised an eyebrow. "I applied to sit in on classes with Madam Maxime's permission. I also brought my sister along so she can see what future lessons are like."
She picked up a borrowed textbook and flipped through it. Embossed in large golden letters on the cover were the words: Ancient Magic Advanced: The Arrangement and Use of Magic Runes.
"Ancient Magic… Runes?" Fleur repeated, sounding out the unfamiliar terminology in slightly awkward English.
Her everyday conversation had become quite fluent, but academic terms were still new to her.
"Our school doesn't have this subject," she said after a moment, placing the book back on the desk. She pushed it aside, clearly uninterested in opening it again.
"I looked through the seventh-year curriculum," she continued. "Doesn't Hogwarts lack Alchemy? That's one of the most important subjects."
"It does, unfortunately," Malfoy replied patiently. "Every school has its strengths. Nicolas Flamel was a Hogwarts alumnus, so it's naturally stronger in that area."
"Speaking of him, he's incredibly generous," Fleur said with a soft sigh. "I've heard he donated a great deal to Hogwarts—the castle, the grounds… there's even a fountain named after him. He also contributed to our financial aid."
"Boisbatons' funding is slightly higher than Hogwarts', from what I've heard," Malfoy added.
As he spoke, his thoughts drifted.
The Philosopher's Stone was in his possession—how could he not think about it?
Eternal life.
Since gaining a second chance at life, he found himself thinking about it more and more.
Was immortality good or bad?
Some people claimed life was precious precisely because it was finite—that was just a convenient excuse.
Of course immortality was good.
A wise ruler could govern without fearing time. A gourmet could taste every delicacy in the world. A scholar or wizard could pursue knowledge endlessly without regret.
If someone rejected eternal life, it could only mean the price they had to pay was greater than their desire.
Back then, Nicolas Flamel had chosen death—not merely because Voldemort sought the Stone.
"Are you thinking about transferring schools?" Fleur suddenly teased, pulling him out of his thoughts. "I'm sure Madam Maxime would gladly accept you."
"If Professor Albus Dumbledore found out that a Beauxbatons student came here to poach, he wouldn't agree so easily," Malfoy replied with a mock sigh.
"You're right. Even the heir of the Malfoy family wouldn't care about a stipend," Fleur said seriously, as if she had genuinely considered it.
Gabrielle watched the two of them, her delicate brows knitting together slightly as their conversation shifted from casual to subtly competitive.
At that moment, the bell rang.
Professor Bathsheba Babbling entered the classroom, wearing a light green robe and a black-and-white scarf. She stepped behind the desk and surveyed the room.
"As you can see, we have two guests today. I hope you'll all perform well and leave a good impression on our visitors from Beauxbatons."
"I haven't even been admitted yet…" Gabrielle muttered quietly.
"Last semester, we briefly studied the Anglo-Saxon runic alphabet, as well as the ten magical creatures corresponding to the numbers. We also covered some foundational ancient magical scripts…" After a brief acknowledgment, Professor Babbling moved straight into the lesson.
"What a unique subject," Fleur murmured as the class progressed. Despite lacking any prior foundation, she listened with genuine interest.
Many disciplines overlapped, after all—like Herbology and Potions. Master one, and the other often followed more easily.
"Your sister doesn't seem to be keeping up," Malfoy noted.
Gabrielle had already fallen asleep on the desk. He had watched her struggle to keep her eyes open—focus slipping into confusion, then into drowsiness—until her head finally dropped onto the table.
"It's good enough that she gets out for some fresh air," Fleur said softly, gently stroking Gabrielle's silver hair.
"The Care of Magical Creatures class might suit her better," Malfoy suggested.
"I heard there was an accident last year," Fleur said cautiously.
"That was mostly the student's fault. The teacher was partly negligent," Malfoy replied. "Those issues shouldn't happen again. Your sister seems well-behaved—and the professor now is a much gentler person."