Chapter 331 — Amnesiac Female Patient
She was looking for a copy of The Daily Prophet—the one the red-haired Weasley had been reading while spouting nonsense.
There would definitely be news related to Malfoy.
Finally, she found a younger student in the common room and took the newspaper from him.
Her eyes quickly swept across the page.
These were today's headlines.
"Proud Beauty Escapes the Clutches of Evil — Miss Fleur Delacour Has Recently Returned Home and Is Currently Receiving Treatment at the Magical Injury Hospital. May the Friendship Between the Wizarding Worlds of Britain and France Last Forever. Meanwhile, the Kidnapper Draco Malfoy Remains at Large."
Pansy put down the newspaper, somewhat annoyed.
She didn't care whether that woman who looked so much like a Veela lived or died.
She had gotten excited for nothing again.
As for Fleur's current situation, it wasn't particularly optimistic.
She had become a caged bird that had lost its freedom.
It was an ordinary, somewhat sweltering afternoon.
The Delacours and their youngest daughter had finished lunch, and Mr. Delacour was sitting quietly at the table, reading the latest magazine.
Gentle sunlight streamed through the windows, sprinkling a layer of golden dust across the smooth tabletop and giving the entire house a relaxed and peaceful atmosphere.
The Champs-Élysées was prime commercial land for Muggles, but for wizards, building additional houses there was as easy as waving a wand.
Hidden within that narrow strip of greenery was a space that seemed to have been created out of thin air, with tall buildings constructed for wizards to live in.
Madame Delacour was quietly washing the dishes in the kitchen.
The atmosphere was somewhat oppressive.
Ever since Fleur had been "coerced" away, laughter had become rare in the house.
Gabrielle was sitting on the sofa, quietly looking through a picture book.
Her slender legs swayed back and forth.
Suddenly, her attention shifted away from the fantastical fairy tale.
"Perhaps it's the Aurors again, coming to comfort us."
Ever since Fleur had been "kidnapped," officials from the French Ministry of Magic had frequently visited them, along with Madame Maxime.
Mr. Delacour put down his magazine and prepared to open the door.
The wooden door opened.
Mr. Delacour froze.
"Fleur?" he murmured.
Their eldest daughter was standing at the door, wearing a thick black trench coat with several tears in it and a pair of tattered jeans.
Her skin had a healthy, wheat-like complexion.
She looked travel-worn and exhausted.
When faced with something utterly shocking, people sometimes smash whatever they happen to be holding simply because they are too bewildered to react normally.
Madame Delacour slowly and calmly finished washing the dishes.
Then she muttered to herself, "If this is a dream, then I'll wake up soon. Let it continue a little longer."
She simply couldn't believe that her daughter had returned home so easily.
She clearly thought she was hallucinating.
"Mum, what are you muttering about?"
Fleur looked at them in surprise.
"Gabrielle, your sister is back. Aren't you happy?"
She reached out and ruffled Gabrielle's soft, silvery-white hair.
Her younger sister had already run over to her side and was looking her up and down.
"Why are your eyes all red?"
"I think I only missed a day or two?"
Fleur tilted her head, pretending to recall something.
"A day or two? You've been missing for months, sister."
Gabrielle emphasized every word.
"So long?"
A look of astonishment appeared on the girl's face, and her captivating blue eyes were now filled with confusion.
"Let me think about it."
Fleur's expression became confused for a moment.
But she decided to do something else first.
She felt extremely uncomfortable all over.
"Mum, is there hot water in the bathroom?"
Fleur asked as she deftly found her slippers in the shoe cabinet and bent down to put them on.
"You're really back, Fleur?"
Only then did Madame Delacour truly realize that her daughter had returned and that this wasn't a dream.
She rushed over, still wearing her apron and not caring about getting it dirty, and hugged her daughter tightly.
"I'm sorry to have worried you, but I didn't want this either. The Beauxbatons carriage overturned."
Fleur was somewhat at a loss, unable to understand why her family was so agitated.
She gently patted her mother's back, offering words of comfort.
The Delacours looked at each other in bewilderment.
Fleur's mother, in particular, was a beautiful young woman who clearly remembered everything she had seen at Hogwarts. Fleur's evasive answers gave her a bad feeling.
Mr. Delacour then gave his wife a subtle look.
He was telling her to stop asking questions.
"Let her rest for a while. Fleur must be very tired."
Mr. Delacour nodded.
Fleur's mother then hurriedly pushed her daughter toward the bathroom.
Her father quietly walked over to the magnificent marble fireplace in the living room and slowly leaned forward, sticking half his head into the flames.
"Gabrielle, after your sister finishes her bath, spend some time with her," Fleur's mother told her.
Gabrielle nodded obediently.
Fleur looked puzzled, wondering why she was suddenly receiving so much attention.
However, her desire to clean herself outweighed her confusion.
She felt filthy.
All she wanted now was a good shower.
As soon as she stepped into the bathroom, the sound of rushing water filled the air.
About half an hour later, Fleur reluctantly left the bathroom.
Gabrielle carefully watched Fleur emerge from the bathroom wrapped in a towel.
The girl seemed quite content.
Fleur dried her wet hair with a towel, then took Gabrielle's hand and returned to the room with her.
"When I wasn't home, did you misbehave?"
Fleur sat on the edge of the bed.
"No. I've always been very obedient."
Gabrielle nodded obediently.
"Why are Mum and Dad behaving this way?"
Fleur began asking about the reason behind their strange behavior.
But before Gabrielle could answer—
The wooden door was suddenly pushed open.
A middle-aged woman in a white robe barged into the room.
She wore frameless spectacles and had a serious expression.
Fleur could also see her parents seemingly peeking out from behind the door.
"Who are you?"
Fleur asked in surprise.
"Excuse me, are you Miss Fleur Delacour?"
"Yes, that's me."
Fleur nodded.
"I am Bona Ebel, the attending physician in the Curse Injuries Department of the Magical Hospital in Dijon, France. This is my identification card. According to your father, you may have been injured by a curse."
"Your memory may have been affected."
The woman spoke seriously.
"I'm perfectly normal!"
Fleur shook her head.
"It certainly seems that way at the moment. However, this appears to be an alteration of some of your memories. For your health, I hope you will cooperate with my examination."
"Little sister, could you please leave for a moment?"
The female doctor asked Gabrielle to leave.
Gabrielle saw her parents waving to her from outside the door, so she quietly left.
She was still very sensible.