Le Sorcier Européen
Special Report – March 20th, 1994
A Rumor Becomes a Scandal: Rumors of Romance Between Mademoiselle Delacour and the White Matriarch
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By: Étienne Marclay, Senior Correspondent
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Few matters in the European wizarding world ignite as much interest as the affairs of its noble families. The powerful houses that shape politics and commerce are often shielded from rumor by their influence, and yet, when whispers become too loud to ignore, even the strongest names may find themselves pulled into the relentless light of scandal.
Such is the case now, as Le Sorcier Européen has, after weeks of inquiry, gathered extensive testimony and rumor concerning what some are calling "the affair of Beauxbâtons": a purported romantic entanglement between Mademoiselle Fleur Isabelle Delacour, age sixteen, daughter of the prestigious Delacour family of Marseille, and Mademoiselle Eira White, age thirteen, the only surviving member and current matriarch of the House of White.
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{The Whispered Beginnings}
Reports first reached this newspaper shortly after Valentine's Day, when students at the Beauxbâtons Academy of Magic allegedly witnessed scenes that, in their telling, "went beyond the normal closeness of schoolgirl friendship." Several anonymous sources—students from both the Papillonlisse and Ombrelune houses—claim to have seen Mlle Delacour and Mlle White walking hand in hand through the Academy's gardens, seated together in secluded corners of the library, and, in one particularly striking account, "sharing a kiss upon the lips, not as sisters or friends might, but as lovers."
At the time, these tales were dismissed by many as the fertile imaginings of adolescents in a boarding school environment. Friendships at Beauxbâtons are often intense, and the Academy, with its grandeur and secrecy, has long been fertile ground for tales of romance, rivalry, and intrigue.
But rumors, once seeded, grow like ivy. By the first week of March, more and more testimonies reached us, not only from students but—more disturbingly—from parents who claim their children had written home about the peculiar intimacy between the two young ladies.
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{The Families in Question}
That these rumors would merit such attention is owed not to mere curiosity about schoolgirl infatuations, but to the names attached.
The House of White, though based in Britain, is among the most ancient and powerful of wizarding families, tracing its bloodline back to the Anglo-Saxon conquest. Once diminished by tragedy, the family regained prominence through the young heiress, Eira White, who inherited her family's titles and estates following the untimely deaths of her grandfather , Elijah White, and other kin. The British Ministry of Magic has, in recent years, treated her with deference despite her youth. Pure-blood circles across Europe, too, watch her carefully, for she is—whether one admires or envies her—the living future of House White.
The Delacour family, though not as old as the Whites, has risen in prominence over the past two centuries through diplomacy, trade, and its famed beauty and magical charm, attributed in part to veela ancestry. Fleur Delacour, their eldest daughter, has long been spoken of as a future jewel of the family, admired for her talents and graces even at a young age.
That these two names should be spoken together in whispers of romance is thus no mere idle gossip—it is dynamite in the fault lines of European wizarding politics.
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{An Inconvenient Age and Gender}
Criticism of the rumored relationship has come swiftly and harshly from many pure-blood families across France and Britain.
The first objection, and perhaps the most loudly voiced, is the matter of age. Fleur Delacour is sixteen, already a young woman approaching her final years at Beauxbâtons. Eira White, however, is barely thirteen, only just completing her third year at the Academy. For those who uphold rigid expectations of propriety, the three-year difference is cause enough for disapproval.
But it is not the difference in age that has caused the loudest cries of outrage. It is the fact that both young women are of the same sex.
"Two young witches experimenting with closeness in school is one thing," remarked a member of the influential Rosier family, who requested anonymity but whose views echo those of many in French pure-blood society. "But for the matriarch of the White family to openly take interest in women—it is catastrophic. If such a disposition proves true, then she imperils the entire continuity of her house. The Whites are already fragile; if she does not marry, the line dies."
Others were even more blunt. Lord Edgar Flint, writing in the British Daily Prophet, declared:
"This is not merely a childish scandal. If true, it would represent the deliberate end of one of our most ancient families. Mlle White must understand that she holds her family's future in her hands, and she has no right to treat that sacred duty as though it were a schoolgirl's passing fancy."
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{Madame Maxime's Silence}
In pursuit of clarity, Le Sorcier Européen sent letters of inquiry to the Headmistress of Beauxbâtons Academy, Madame Olympe Maxime, requesting comment on the matter. Our reporters asked whether the Academy condones intimate relations between students, and whether she could confirm or deny the claims of public displays of affection between the two young ladies.
Madame Maxime declined to grant an interview, issuing only a curt reply through an assistant:
"Beauxbâtons does not discuss the private lives of its students with the press. The Academy's responsibility is to their education and well-being, not to gossip."
Her refusal to comment, while consistent with the Academy's tradition of privacy, has only fueled speculation. "If there were nothing to hide, why not deny it outright?" asked Madame Dupuy of the Montmorency family, speaking at a recent gathering in Paris.
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This newspaper has attempted to secure evidence beyond student testimony. Unfortunately, Beauxbâtons is well-protected by wards that prevent unauthorized entry, and no journalist has been able to observe its grounds directly. Unlike Hogwarts, where scandalous photographs occasionally leak, Beauxbâtons guards its secrecy zealously.
Nevertheless, several enchanted sketches were allegedly smuggled out by students. One depicts two young girls seated closely together at the edge of the garden pond, with one leaning toward the other in what might be a kiss. Another shows them walking hand in hand down the marble corridor near the dining hall.
Our editors examined these sketches but could not authenticate them. They may be genuine; they may also be clever forgeries or exaggerations by mischievous students. For this reason, we have chosen not to publish them.
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{The Silence of the Heiress}
Repeated letters were sent to Mlle White at Beauxbâtons, as well as to the White family manor in Paris. No response has been received.
Her silence has been interpreted by many as confirmation. "If it were false, would she not deny it?" asked one member of the Avery family in London. "The absence of denial is the same as admission."
Others counsel caution, noting that at thirteen, Mlle White is still a child. "She may not even understand the implications of what is being said about her," remarked a sympathetic observer from the Ministry of Magic in Britain. "To thrust a child into scandal because she held hands with a friend is monstrous."
And yet the weight of her name means her silence cannot last forever.
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{The Bloodline Question}
At the heart of this scandal is not romance but bloodline.
The White family is rare among pure-blood houses in that its line depends upon a single young heiress. Were Mlle White to take a husband and bear children, the family would continue. Were she to reject this path, whether for personal preference or for other reasons, the White line could end.
"It is unthinkable that a family of such antiquity should die out," thundered Lord Shafiq at a recent gathering of the Sacred Twenty-Nine in Britain. "If she will not do her duty, then Britain has lost one of its pillars."
French families, too, echo this concern. "The Whites have influence not only in Britain but in France," noted Madame Beauchamp of the Bordeaux enclave. "If the heiress chooses a path that ends her line, it destabilizes both countries. It would be an act of selfishness against centuries of tradition."
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{Support and Opposition}
Not all responses have been condemnatory. Some younger witches and wizards, particularly from mixed-blood or half-blood families, have expressed sympathy—even admiration.
"She is brave, if it is true," said a seventh-year Beauxbâtons student, who requested anonymity. "To love who you love, even when the whole world says you cannot—that is courage."
But such voices are small compared to the chorus of outrage from pure-blood circles. For now, the scandal grows, and no resolution appears in sight.
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{Conclusion: A Scandal of Our Time}
Whether the rumors are true or false, one fact is inescapable: the very possibility has thrown Europe's magical elite into uproar. That a thirteen-year-old girl's private affections should be dissected with such ferocity is itself a tragedy of our times.
Still, the names attached—Delacour, White—ensure that the matter will not fade quietly. Until Mlle White or the White family issues a statement, speculation will continue, and so too will the scrutiny of her every move.
For now, the Matriarch remains silent. But silence, in the eyes of society, speaks louder than words.
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Sidebar: Reactions Across Europe
• The Malfoy Family (Britain): "Utter nonsense. Such behavior would be shameful for any family, doubly so for one as ancient as the Whites and we know Miss white, these are just false accusations, she hasn't been raised to betray her family's values and traditions."
• The Beauchamps (France): "We cannot yet judge, but if the rumors are true, it is alarming."
• The Greengrass Family (Britain): "The child is thirteen. To condemn her now is cruel. Let her grow before we pass sentence."
• Anonymous Ministry Official (France): "This is a schoolyard matter inflated into a scandal by those who fear change."