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Chapter 313: An Invitation from Madame Maxime
🕑 Added 2025-03-04 18:04:32 +0000 UTCAfter leaving the sanctuary and returning to the dormitory, Ino also drew back the bed curtains.
He glanced at the clock—7:50 AM.
Unknowingly, he had spent almost an hour in the sanctuary's valley. He cast a quick look at Draco, who was still sound asleep, and then quietly left the dormitory.
Breakfast was served in the Hogwarts kitchen between 8:00 and 9:00 AM.
Although he held the authority of a deputy headmaster, Ino had no intention of overusing his power unless necessary. As long as he was a student, he planned to abide by the rules like any other student. After all, in any story, sticking to the rules keeps one from becoming too irritating.
Perhaps it was because it was Monday, or maybe there were guests in the castle.
In any case, as he arrived at the Great Hall right on time, he noticed with a glance that the four long tables of the school houses were already quite full of students.
...
At the Slytherin table, as soon as Ino sat down, a standard breakfast appeared on the table before him.
The food on the tray was surprisingly abundant.
Not only were there French croissants, jam, and honey, but the breakfast also included a delicious breakfast wrap. This wrap was made with ingredients like tortillas, eggs, bacon, and vegetables, accompanied by salad and ketchup, offering a variety of flavors.
Next to the breakfast wrap was a sliced French sandwich, featuring butter, cheese, fried eggs, and lettuce—a sight that made one's mouth water.
As he looked at the delicious food, Ino silently marveled at the attention to detail before picking up his utensils and enjoying the meal.
Time passed quietly as he ate.
After finishing the last bite of his sandwich, Ino took a napkin and gently wiped his mouth. At the same time, he felt many gazes shifting toward him.
Lowering the napkin, he raised his head slightly. Not far away, a tall girl was gracefully walking towards him.
Those gazes, it seemed, followed the girl's every step.
'Honestly, this is just too much...' Ino sighed inwardly, exasperated.
He didn't need to guess who the girl was—the number one beauty in the original story, Beauxbatons' belle, Fleur Delacour.
What disappointed him was the behavior of the Hogwarts boys; their eyes were practically glued to Fleur.
If they liked her, they should admire her openly. After all, there's nothing wrong with appreciating beauty. But instead, they sneaked glances at her, trying to act discreetly. The most obvious culprits were those at the Gryffindor table—taking a bite of food, sneaking a look, and then pretending to wipe their mouths.
Their attempts at secrecy only made their actions more conspicuous.
The only consolation was that all the boys in the castle were stealing glances, putting everyone on an equal footing, so no one could laugh at anyone else.
...
On the other hand, Fleur, who had locked her gaze on the opposite long table, smiled warmly when she saw Ino lift his head, and then quickly walked over.
"Good morning, Mr. Swinburne! I am very sorry to interrupt your breakfast."
Fleur's English wasn't entirely fluent; it sounded a bit tongue-tied, but her charm made it a minor issue.
"Good morning, Miss. But as you can see, I've already finished breakfast," Ino replied calmly, his eyes openly meeting Fleur's.
She wasn't as stunning as the story described, but she was certainly beautiful. Her exquisite figure, paired with her waist-length silver hair, gave her an air of mystery and an unusual allure.
As Ino observed Fleur, she was also watching him.
Their eyes met, and Fleur found no trace of infatuation in his gaze—only admiration.
And that admiration seemed more focused on her hair than anything else.
This realization left her slightly disappointed, but she also recalled something her grandmother had once told her as a child:
'When a person is untemptable, untouchable, and unshakable, they possess a certain charm.'
Over time, Fleur had come to think of this as a joke, as she had never encountered a man who wasn't susceptible to her allure.
But today's encounter made her realize that perhaps her grandmother had been right after all.
His amber eyes held no desire, only purity and clarity. And this purity wasn't the naivety of a child but the kind that remained after experiencing the world's trials and still choosing to stay pure.
At seventeen, Fleur had some experience with these things, and after a brief moment of eye contact, she naturally looked away. Even in romantic and open France, staring at a boy you just met wasn't considered polite.
"My name is Fleur, Fleur Delacour." After sitting down, Fleur introduced herself.
"Well then, Miss Delacour," Ino nodded slightly before looking across the table. "May I ask if there is something I can assist you with?"
"I'm here to deliver a letter!" Fleur took out an elegant envelope from her pocket and gently placed it on the table. "Professor Maxime asked me to give this to you!"
"Thank you!" Ino replied politely as he looked at the envelope on the table.
He wasn't surprised by the letter from Madame Maxime. As the headmistress of Beauxbatons, she was a figure he might not have met under ordinary circumstances. However, given that Nicolas Flamel was currently busy dealing with his estate, it made sense that they would have some contact.
"I've delivered the letter. If there's nothing else, I'll take my leave now." Fleur stood up and smiled.
She was curious about the boy in front of her, but she also had her own pride.
Hearing this, Ino also politely stood up to bid her farewell. "Alright! Thank you again, Miss Delacour."
He didn't plan to get too entangled with Fleur—not because he feared trouble or didn't find her attractive, but because of the deep-seated tradition and conservatism inherent in England.
A seventeen-year-old woman, already quite alluring, and from open-minded France…
Life isn't a fairy tale, and there aren't always so many innocent and pure things.
...
After Fleur left, Ino noticed that the focused gazes around him suddenly shifted away.
He chuckled inwardly and casually picked up the letter from the table.
Opening the envelope, he was greeted by a letter written in standard cursive English. To be honest, this immediately gave him a good impression.
Before opening it, he had even considered finding someone who could translate French for him.
The letter wasn't long, and as he read through it, Ino quickly understood Madam Maxime's intentions.
A few minutes later.
"As expected…"
Ino put down the letter, finally confirming that Nicolas must have said something.
Otherwise, the esteemed headmistress of Beauxbatons wouldn't have filled the entire letter with courtesy and politeness, even subtly extending an invitation.
Though the invitation was delicate, its meaning was clear. It was essentially a future job offer, inviting him to join Beauxbatons and promising that he could become the professor of Alchemy immediately after graduation.
To be honest, Madam Maxime's sincerity was impressive, but Hogwarts had been quicker.
Although he intended to decline, Ino still planned to meet with the half-giantess headmistress at some point. He also planned to make a copy of the books Nicolas left behind and gift them to Beauxbatons—after all, that had been his original promise.
