Chapter 264: Madame Maxime's Plans
At the judges' table, Maxime listened quietly to the low-voiced exchange between Beauxbatons' Professor of Alchemy and Hogwarts' Head of Alchemy, the faintest smile lingering at the corners of her mouth. She made no attempt to interrupt.
She, of course, knew exactly from whom Leonardo had inherited his alchemical expertise. It simply wasn't her place to reveal it.
Anyone who had been in contact with Nicolas Flamel over the past few years could sense that the legendary wizard, after more than six centuries of life, had grown increasingly detached from worldly affairs, devoting almost all of his attention to certain lines of research instead.
Nor had Nicolas made any effort to publicly announce Leonardo as his final student. Maxime suspected it was a form of protection. Leonardo was still young, and perhaps Nicolas was simply waiting for the right moment.
She even had the quiet impression that Leonardo's appearance in Nicolas' life had been something of a pleasant surprise to the old alchemist himself.
The boy seemed to have brought a breath of fresh air into the old alchemist's life, something entirely unlike anything that had come before.
Reading between the lines of their recent correspondence, Maxime couldn't help feeling that Nicolas's whole outlook had become just a little... younger.
The thought brought to mind the thoroughly alarming letter she'd received only a few days earlier.
The envelope had been exquisitely crafted, looking for all the world like a formal funeral invitation.
When she'd opened it, she'd found a photograph of Nicolas standing beside his own "corpse." The accompanying letter explained that he was considering holding a funeral "known to all the world" for himself, in the hope of finally putting to rest the covetous eyes and prying attention that had followed him for centuries.
In the past, Maxime could never have imagined someone like Nicolas capable of such an almost mischievous prank.
Before long, movement on the competition floor drew her attention back to the match.
Cradling a rather plain-looking crystal bottle, Leonardo had already stepped away from his alchemy station and was making his way steadily towards the judges' table.
Maxime's slender brows rose ever so slightly.
Finished already?
The thought had scarcely crossed her mind before a far more reasonable one followed.
Well, of course. He's Nicolas's student.
That alone made it perfectly unsurprising.
The moment Leonardo stepped forward, every eye in the hall turned towards him.
The professors on the judges' panel fell silent. The murmuring among the spectators swelled at once, while the other competitors, still absorbed in their work, couldn't help looking up, their eyes following the boy's unhurried approach.
Surprise, confusion, understanding, curiosity, bewilderment...
A whole range of emotions flickered across the faces around the hall.
Seated with composed elegance on the judges' panel, Madame Maxime took in every reaction unfolding below.
As her gaze drifted to her favourite student, Fleur, she caught the faintest ripple in those blue eyes that were so often calm and proudly composed, like a pebble disturbing the surface of still water.
A trace of amusement flickered across Maxime's own eyes.
Over the past few days, she had quietly observed the easy, natural rapport that had grown between Fleur and Leonardo.
If anything, she was pleased to see it.
They were young, after all. There was nothing wrong with them spending more time together.
And if it happened to make someone as gifted as Leonardo look more favourably upon Beauxbatons—or perhaps even consider transferring here one day—that would be better still.
To Maxime, Leonardo's value extended far beyond simply being "Nicolas Flamel's student."
The talent and ability he had displayed in his own right were already exceptional.
After all, wasn't the reason Hogwarts enjoyed such unrivalled prestige throughout the wizarding world the simple fact that Albus Dumbledore stood at its helm?
A wizard acknowledged as the greatest of the century was, in himself, a school's brightest symbol and its strongest foundation.
A quiet conviction began to form in Madame Maxime's mind.
If this boy before her could reach adulthood without misfortune, there was every chance he would one day stand at the very pinnacle of the wizarding world.
Perhaps he would become the next century's "Dumbledore."
Most importantly, Leonardo was still so young, unlike those older students who had already spent six or seven years at Hogwarts.
If she could persuade him to transfer to Beauxbatons now and nurture his talent here, it would be far easier for him to develop a genuine sense of belonging to the school.
And if it were Leonardo's own decision to transfer, then even Dumbledore would have little reason to object.
In her recent correspondence with Nicolas, Maxime had even sensed, between the lines, that the old alchemist seemed somewhat uneasy about Leonardo continuing his studies at Hogwarts.
The thought had surprised her at first, though she had soon understood the reason.
For one reason or another, Hogwarts had been plagued by incident after incident over the past few years: the attacks connected to the Chamber of Secrets, and a different Defence Against the Dark Arts professor running into trouble every single year...
It was, in all honesty, difficult to call it a place where a student could study with complete peace of mind.
All of these thoughts passed swiftly through Madame Maxime's mind, yet not the slightest change showed on her face. Her elegant, composed smile never wavered.
She watched as Leonardo approached and, with calm, unhurried movements, placed the plain-looking crystal bottle in the empty space on the long table before the judges.
"Ladies and gentlemen," she said, turning to the alchemy professors beside her, her gentle voice carrying clearly throughout the hall, "it seems one of our competitors has completed the task ahead of schedule. Let us proceed with the judging, according to the usual process."