The Disgraced of the House of Black - A Multi-Character Fanfiction - Part One

80. The Triwizard Tournament

"Now, remember," a cool, placid voice said in French from the front of the room of students dressed in blue, "This is not a simple spell, but it is what is required of you in order to become one of the students selected to go to Hogwarts in October. There is absolutely no reason that, with dedicated effort and concentration, that cannot include every one of you."

Professor Lyra was slender with skin as pale and clear as water with lips a soft shade of pink and hair the colour of the moon. Her pale lashes were covered in dark mascara, bringing out her startlingly green eyes. She was one of the most beautiful people at Beauxbatons Academy. Many students were well convinced she had veela in her, but this was a rumour she had never once been informed of.

She was dressed, as she always was, in a dress of pale green silk that perfectly matched her emerald eyes. It coiled loosely around her throat, creating an elegant collar of green, just barely obscured by the ringlet curls of her white-blond hair tied in its signature braided bun at the top of her head, ringlets cascading around her cheeks and forehead. From the collar, a panel of the elegant fabric fell, leaving her shoulders bare above the elegant billow of her long, ethereal sleeves, split just at the elbow and revealing her pale skin through the folds of cascading fabric below. The rest of the dress fell almost to her feet, stopping midcalf at the front and a few inches beyond the heel of her black heels.

When the lesson had concluded and the students had all gone, Lyra was unsurprised to see Madame Maxime entering the classroom. How she had not expected her was beyond her.

"How many, do you think?" she asked anxiously.

"Many show great promise," Lyra replied confidently. "But out of them all? I can only promise fifteen."

"And you are always too hopeful," Madame Maxime muttered.

Lyra raised an eyebrow at her.

"Don't give me that look, Lyralle," Maxime chided. "You believe too much in them."

"No, I expect success and they give it to me," she stated firmly.

"Your accent grows stronger when you are bristled," Madame Maxime remarked fondly.

"Wonderful," Lyra replied sarcastically, wishing the English accent would stop impeding her French.

Even after spending twelve years at the school, her English accent still dominated her French even as the French had begun to dominate her English accent.

"I must speak with you about the Tournament," Madame Maxime said finally.

"Yes?" Lyra replied, perking up with interest.

"Lyralle, I do not just wish for you to make the selection, I wish for you to come with me," she said finally.

"Me?" Lyra said in surprise. "Madame Maxime, I am deeply honoured and flattered beyond all imagination, but...why me?"

Madame Maxime was silent a moment before she admitted, "You have a gift, my dear. The students adore you, not just when you were a student, but even more so now as a teacher. You have loved and nurtured these children as I was never quite able to. You are a far better teacher than I ever was."

"Madame," Lyra said softly, shocked at her confession.

"You care for them, Lyralle," Madame Maxime said with a smile. "Not to mention, you were top of your class and more than capable of helping me continue to teach them throughout the year. Please, come. The other instructors will manage Beauxbatons very well without us."

"As you wish, Madame," Lyra said with a gracious smile. "If you wish me to come, come I shall."

"Thank you," Madame Maxime said, smiling fondly down at her.

.

"Ah, thank you," Eliana said in relief, relieving Professor Sprout of her large load of bubotuber pus at the end of the first day of classes. "I've already had three today asking for some."

"I thought you might," Professor Sprout admitted, wiping her hands as Eliana moved the store into the large cupboard in the Hospital Wing. "I had my fourth years extract them as a good introduction to the year. I'll tell you, your little girl might be the most natural Healer I've seen in years. She knows her way around most magical plants better than nearly everyone in the class. Course, she never quite outscores Neville, but then, who can."

Eliana smiled as she saw Professor Sprout glowing with pride.

"Sad thing, what happened to his parents," Eliana said with a sigh. "I knew his mother, you know. We were in the same year, had similar friends. Lily knew her well. Shame the poor boy never knew them."

"It'd have been better for him if he had," Professor Sprout sighed. "Not to speak against his grandmother, but she seems to have caused more problems than its worth, though I will say, he seems to get much of the support and help he needs from your girl."

"Oh, yes, she's very fond of him," Eliana said with a smile. "I suppose at first she felt for him, but now, I do believe them to be friends."

"No doubt of it," Professor Sprout confirmed with a warm smile. "All class period after I've finished instruction, they sit in their corner talking and laughing together. I can't even reprimand them because they're always talking about plants. They're precious. I don't have favourites, but if I did...Be sure to let me know if there is anything more I can do for you or Poppy."

"Of course," Eliana replied kindly. Frowning slightly, she admitted, "With the Tournament, I fear to think what may be needed from us."