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“Fleur, what do you think of this one?”
Catherine took a dress from the rack and held it in front of herself.
Fleur praised it without hesitation.
“Girls are terrifying.”
Aurelian sat listlessly in a chair at Madam Malkin’s Robes for All Occasions, head propped on one hand, eyes hollow as he watched Catherine and Fleur try on outfit after outfit.
Early that morning, Elaine had violently woken him and ordered him to take Catherine and Fleur to see Diagon Alley, the largest shopping street in Britain’s wizarding world.
At some point, Catherine and Fleur had become close enough to talk about almost anything.
“Catherine, Fleur, are you still not finished?”
After a while, Aurelian, bored nearly out of his mind, finally could not help speaking.
“Just a moment, Master Aurelian.”
Catherine had grown up with him and immediately heard his impatience.
She gathered a pile of clothes and pulled Fleur toward the counter to pay.
“Aurelian, where are we going next?”
After leaving the clothing shop, Fleur held Catherine’s arm and asked.
Their purchases had already been placed in Catherine’s bag, which had been expanded with an Extension Charm.
“Let us get something at Florean Fortescue’s first.”
After thinking for a moment, Aurelian led Fleur and Catherine to Florean Fortescue’s Ice Cream Parlour.
He bought three ice creams, and the three of them sat down to rest.
“Fleur, you start at Beauxbatons in September, do you not?”
While they were resting, Catherine suddenly asked.
“Yes.
My parents both graduated from Beauxbatons, and I have already received my acceptance letter.”
After answering, Fleur seemed to think of something and looked happily at Aurelian.
“Uncle Miles and Aunt Elaine graduated from Beauxbatons too.
You should receive Beauxbatons letters as well.
When that happens, I will be your senior.”
“Then we will have to ask our senior to take care of us.”
Catherine answered playfully.
“What?
Aurelian, what do you mean?”
Fleur and Catherine both looked confused by his sudden remark.
“I still have not decided whether I will attend Hogwarts or Beauxbatons.”
“Aurelian, why?
Uncle Miles and Aunt Elaine both graduated from Beauxbatons.
Why would you…”
Fleur grew anxious and started asking at once, but Aurelian raised a hand and stopped her.
“Fleur, I know what you mean.
But whether you admit it or not, Hogwarts remains the best of Europe’s three great wizarding schools.”
When Fleur looked ready to argue, he lifted his hand again.
“I am not saying Beauxbatons is poor.
But Albus Dumbledore, the most powerful light wizard alive, is Headmaster of Hogwarts.
That alone makes Hogwarts worth considering.”
“I understand.
But I still hope you and Catherine will come to Beauxbatons.”
Once she heard Dumbledore’s name, Fleur understood his reasoning, but her mood fell visibly.
Catherine looked at Aurelian with reproach and began comforting her.
“This is still three years away.
It is too early to worry about it now.
Fleur, how about this?
To congratulate you on starting school soon, I will give you a gift.”
Seeing Fleur look so down left Aurelian at a loss.
After thinking for a moment, he suddenly came up with a way to cheer her up.
“What kind of gift?”
Fleur looked curious.
“Come with me.”
Aurelian gave her a mysterious smile, then led Fleur and Catherine out of Florean Fortescue’s and into a quiet corner of Diagon Alley.
“Phoenix.”
He called into the air.
The word had barely left him when a phoenix cry sounded.
A flash of fire followed, and an extraordinarily magnificent bird appeared before them. The source of this chapter is novelping.com.
“Is that…”
“Phoenix.
The phoenix who formed a contract with me.
Fleur, hold out your hand.”
Aurelian stroked the bird’s head lightly and explained.
Fleur, still puzzled, stretched out her right hand.
“Phoenix, you understand what I mean.
Please.”
Aurelian looked at Phoenix.
The bird pecked his head lightly, then flew in front of Fleur and opened its beak.
After a moment, a drop of golden blood slowly flowed out and fell onto Fleur’s palm.
It sank into her body at once.
The instant the golden blood entered her hand, Fleur vaguely felt a connection form with something.
Phoenix, having finished, drooped a little and landed back on Aurelian’s shoulder.
“Aurelian, what was that?”
Fleur looked at what had happened in confusion.
“Thank you, Phoenix.
Go back and rest.”
Aurelian did not answer her immediately.
He stroked Phoenix’s feathers with some distress, then let it leave.
“That was a phoenix contract,” he explained once Phoenix had gone.
“It is not the same as the contract I share with Phoenix.
You cannot summon Phoenix through it, but you can use it to send messages to me.”
“Catherine has the same contract with Phoenix.”
“So that means it will be much easier for us to stay in touch.”
Fleur’s earlier disappointment vanished.
Excited, she threw herself into Aurelian’s arms.
“Thank you, Aurelian.”
“Happy now?
Then let us keep walking.”
Aurelian looked at Fleur’s bright smile and felt the sight clear away his fatigue.
The three of them continued wandering through Diagon Alley, while Fleur and Catherine’s bell-like laughter rang through its streets and lanes.
I hope you enjoyed this chapter.