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Beauxbatons Academy of MagicLocated in the Pyrenees mountains is a prestigious wizarding school renowned for its elegance: Beauxbatons Academy of Magic.
A favourite room of Ancient Studies and Magique History students, the Artefact Chambre serves as part museum and part study space. Housed inside the medium-sized room are many artefacts of lost civilisations, including those of Atlantis, Easter Island, and the Maya. The originals are kept behind glass with security charms, but there are many replicas that students are permitted to touch and study.
At the opposite end of the exhibit display are the study tables next to the bookshelves filled with information on ancient cultures and civilisations. There are also several sets of runic stones for divining use or study. A practice excavation set is also set up near the tables for learning the proper technique used in unearthing artefacts and fossils.
Bathes in Maple Syrup | Dancing Lobster | Moy Pomidor | Seneca's Beard | That Is So Fetch!
The Artefact Chambre was quieter than most corners of Beauxbâtons, which was precisely why Étienne liked it.
The space occupied a secluded wing of the château, far enough from the bustling common rooms and sunlit courtyards that many students frequented. Rows of displays stretched beneath vaulted ceilings painted with constellations, each featuring some curious relic from wizarding history: ancient compasses that pointed toward lost memories; rings, amulets, mirrors, and objects whose purposes had long since been forgotten.
But the truly interesting artefacts were not out on display. They were kept behind glass.
From his seat at a nearby table, the seventh-year Papillonlisse took notes on parchment while covertly observing the protected collection. Every few minutes, his gaze drifted toward the barriers surrounding the originals. Not because he intended to steal anything—that would be ridiculous. He merely wished to get closer.
The glass cases incorporated at least four separate layers of enchantment. He had identified an alarm charm, an anti-summoning ward, a proximity deterrent, and what appeared to be a preservation field designed to protect the artefacts from environmental damage. There were probably others hidden beneath the more obvious spells.
A smile slowly appeared. The challenge, after all, was half the appeal.
Étienne returned his eyes to the parchment before him. For the moment, the artefacts remained beyond reach, tucked away behind glass and layers of enchantment like pupa sealed within a chrysalis.
~ Mrs. Steve Harrington ~ Claimed by Bits ❤️ ~ Queen of Typos ❄ Magical Mosh Pit ❄
SPOILER!!: Étienne! <3
Quote:
Originally Posted by Zoe
The Artefact Chambre was quieter than most corners of Beauxbâtons, which was precisely why Étienne liked it.
The space occupied a secluded wing of the château, far enough from the bustling common rooms and sunlit courtyards that many students frequented. Rows of displays stretched beneath vaulted ceilings painted with constellations, each featuring some curious relic from wizarding history: ancient compasses that pointed toward lost memories; rings, amulets, mirrors, and objects whose purposes had long since been forgotten.
But the truly interesting artefacts were not out on display. They were kept behind glass.
From his seat at a nearby table, the seventh-year Papillonlisse took notes on parchment while covertly observing the protected collection. Every few minutes, his gaze drifted toward the barriers surrounding the originals. Not because he intended to steal anything—that would be ridiculous. He merely wished to get closer.
The glass cases incorporated at least four separate layers of enchantment. He had identified an alarm charm, an anti-summoning ward, a proximity deterrent, and what appeared to be a preservation field designed to protect the artefacts from environmental damage. There were probably others hidden beneath the more obvious spells.
A smile slowly appeared. The challenge, after all, was half the appeal.
Étienne returned his eyes to the parchment before him. For the moment, the artefacts remained beyond reach, tucked away behind glass and layers of enchantment like pupa sealed within a chrysalis.
For the moment.
Johnny was going through a rather strange phase.
Strange because he hadn’t expected to be feeling all this emo during his seventh and final year at Beauxbations. Was this how the rest of the triplet set, his sisters Ariadne and Tiffany, were feeling about Hogwarts? Jon made sure to ask them the next time he wrote. “Which should be today,’’ came his mutter, as he gave himself a verbal reminder.
But… woops.
Jonathan bit his tongue as his words, despite the quiet manner in which they were spoken, echoed around the Chamber. “Sorry,’’ he added, taking advantage of the fact that his apology should be heard clearly by anyone in the room. Was anyone in the room? Hopefully they hadn’t been disturbed by his presence.
The Papillonlisse student ventured further into the Chamber, another deep melancholy settling over his chest. And also a bit of panic because in a few months, he’d be graduating and he was yet to fully decide what he wanted to do. Ugh. It was amazing just how quickly and unexpectedly all the thoughts and feelings could hit at once.
He rounded a corner and immediately spotted a familiar face. “Oh. Hey, Étienne.” His Housemate seemed engrossed in his own observations. “Not disturbing, am I?”
Bathes in Maple Syrup | Dancing Lobster | Moy Pomidor | Seneca's Beard | That Is So Fetch!
Étienne looked up from his parchment at the familiar voice, his quill pausing midway through a hastily scribbled note regarding containment wards.
For a brief moment, he considered claiming that he had not been studying the artefacts behind the glass at all. Unfortunately, his gaze had been fixed rather obviously on the protected collection for the better part of twenty minutes.
"That depends," he replied, leaning back slightly in his chair. "Are you here to report me for excessive staring at the artefacts?" A faint smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. "If so, I'd like it noted that I've touched absolutely nothing."
Yet.
His eyes flicked toward the display cases again before returning to his housemate. The artefacts sat motionless beneath layers of enchantment and polished glass, frustratingly inaccessible.
Étienne set down his quill. Only then did he properly register Jonathan's expression. The other seventh-year looked distracted, weighed down by something heavier than academic curiosity. It was a familiar look these days. As graduation crept closer, an odd sort of gloom seemed to have settled over much of their year group, lingering like storm clouds nobody quite knew how to disperse.
"You look as though someone informed you that the school year has been extended by another month." A pause. "Or worse. Career planning."
His expression grew knowingly sympathetic as he gestured toward the empty chair beside him.
"Sit. You can either tell me what's troubling you or help me determine how many enchantments are protecting that display case."
~ Mrs. Steve Harrington ~ Claimed by Bits ❤️ ~ Queen of Typos ❄ Magical Mosh Pit ❄
SPOILER!!: Étienne! <3
Quote:
Originally Posted by Zoe
Étienne looked up from his parchment at the familiar voice, his quill pausing midway through a hastily scribbled note regarding containment wards.
For a brief moment, he considered claiming that he had not been studying the artefacts behind the glass at all. Unfortunately, his gaze had been fixed rather obviously on the protected collection for the better part of twenty minutes.
"That depends," he replied, leaning back slightly in his chair. "Are you here to report me for excessive staring at the artefacts?" A faint smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. "If so, I'd like it noted that I've touched absolutely nothing."
Yet.
His eyes flicked toward the display cases again before returning to his housemate. The artefacts sat motionless beneath layers of enchantment and polished glass, frustratingly inaccessible.
Étienne set down his quill. Only then did he properly register Jonathan's expression. The other seventh-year looked distracted, weighed down by something heavier than academic curiosity. It was a familiar look these days. As graduation crept closer, an odd sort of gloom seemed to have settled over much of their year group, lingering like storm clouds nobody quite knew how to disperse.
"You look as though someone informed you that the school year has been extended by another month." A pause. "Or worse. Career planning."
His expression grew knowingly sympathetic as he gestured toward the empty chair beside him.
"Sit. You can either tell me what's troubling you or help me determine how many enchantments are protecting that display case."
Excessive staring at the artefacts?
Jon blinked, his brain momentarily coming to a halt as he processed the words. “Oh!’’ It eventually clicked, thankfully not taking too much time to do so. Being wrapped up in worry about being a bother, it had not at all occurred to him that he may not have actually been one. His face broke into a relaxed grin. “That depends. Were you staring at them, trying to figure out the best way to swipe them as memorabilia of your time at Beauxbatons?” Jon knew this wasn’t the case; he was just being silly as he eyed the parchment.
When Étienne took another look at the display, Johnny’s eyes followed. “Any particular reason you’re seemingly extra fascinated by this particular display?” He himself had not spent that much time in the Chambre, choosing to browse the place often but never really lingering. Feeling Étienne’s gaze on him, he looked back at his friend.
At the words, Johnny winced. “It’s showing that bad, huh?” A resigned sigh slipped past his lips. “Probably the latter,” he admitted. He had no intention of elaborating, of being a burden on Étienne but the sympathetic look and the next words that were firmly said had him reconsidering. After some resistance, he gave in. “Fine, you win.” Chuckling, Jon dropped in the chair beside the other boy.
“Thanks for… you know.” He gestured at them both. “This.” It was only right to show his gratitude first, yes? “I have no idea what I want to do after we graduate.” Wow. It felt good to say that out loud, like a weight was lifted from his chest.
Bathes in Maple Syrup | Dancing Lobster | Moy Pomidor | Seneca's Beard | That Is So Fetch!
"The great question. Were I attempting to steal them, I would hardly sit directly in front of the display and document my observations," he said louder than needed, his gaze flicking toward the parchment covered in notes and diagrams, in case an adult was eavesdropping nearby. "That would be remarkably poor criminal planning."
"The originals." Étienne's answer came without hesitation, causing his smile to widen slightly at the question. "The replicas are useful for study, but they're missing the interesting parts. The wear patterns. Residual enchantments. The tiny inconsistencies left behind by centuries of handling. History is far more fascinating when you can observe the actual object rather than a copy of it." Unfortunately, the château seemed determined to prevent precisely that.
When Jonathan winced, Étienne felt a small measure of satisfaction. Not because his assessment had been correct, but because the reaction confirmed he had identified the problem.
"Quite that bad. You've been wandering around looking like the protagonist of a tragic French novel." His tone was dry, but the image amused him enough to earn a brief smile. "All you need now is a rainstorm and a doomed romance."
As Jonathan finally accepted the invitation and sat down, Étienne inclined his head in acknowledgment. The gratitude, however, caught him slightly off guard.
"For this?" he asked. "Jonathan, I offered you a chair, not an oasis. And you don't need to thank me for existing in your general vicinity." Despite the teasing, there was warmth beneath it.
Then came the real confession. The thing haunting nearly every seventh-year corridor conversation these days.
"If it helps, I don't think having no idea is nearly as uncommon as people pretend." The adults all seemed convinced that certainty arrived automatically with age. Étienne had yet to see evidence supporting the theory.
"What do you actually enjoy?" he asked. "Not what you're good at. Not what your family expects. Not what sounds impressive when professors ask. What do you find yourself wanting to do when nobody is telling you what you should be doing? That's usually a better place to start than trying to select a career for the next forty years."
~ Mrs. Steve Harrington ~ Claimed by Bits ❤️ ~ Queen of Typos ❄ Magical Mosh Pit ❄
SPOILER!!: Étienne! <3
Quote:
Originally Posted by Zoe
"The great question. Were I attempting to steal them, I would hardly sit directly in front of the display and document my observations," he said louder than needed, his gaze flicking toward the parchment covered in notes and diagrams, in case an adult was eavesdropping nearby. "That would be remarkably poor criminal planning."
"The originals." Étienne's answer came without hesitation, causing his smile to widen slightly at the question. "The replicas are useful for study, but they're missing the interesting parts. The wear patterns. Residual enchantments. The tiny inconsistencies left behind by centuries of handling. History is far more fascinating when you can observe the actual object rather than a copy of it." Unfortunately, the château seemed determined to prevent precisely that.
When Jonathan winced, Étienne felt a small measure of satisfaction. Not because his assessment had been correct, but because the reaction confirmed he had identified the problem.
"Quite that bad. You've been wandering around looking like the protagonist of a tragic French novel." His tone was dry, but the image amused him enough to earn a brief smile. "All you need now is a rainstorm and a doomed romance."
As Jonathan finally accepted the invitation and sat down, Étienne inclined his head in acknowledgment. The gratitude, however, caught him slightly off guard.
"For this?" he asked. "Jonathan, I offered you a chair, not an oasis. And you don't need to thank me for existing in your general vicinity." Despite the teasing, there was warmth beneath it.
Then came the real confession. The thing haunting nearly every seventh-year corridor conversation these days.
"If it helps, I don't think having no idea is nearly as uncommon as people pretend." The adults all seemed convinced that certainty arrived automatically with age. Étienne had yet to see evidence supporting the theory.
"What do you actually enjoy?" he asked. "Not what you're good at. Not what your family expects. Not what sounds impressive when professors ask. What do you find yourself wanting to do when nobody is telling you what you should be doing? That's usually a better place to start than trying to select a career for the next forty years."
Jon bit back the sizable laughter that threatened to escape his lips. He thought he recognised why Étienne had raised his voice, so he shot a casual glance around. Uh huh, there was at least one adult somewhere around, there had to be. Or at least, other students their age and who were perhaps a little more mature that the thought of ‘stealing’ had not crossed their mind? “Very poor,’’ Jon agreed, his own voice rising by half an octave. See what a good friend he was to back the other guy up?
He then devoted his time to studying the artefacts intently; the words directed at him being absorbed intently. “Oh wow. That’s interesting.” Jonathan frowned slightly, tilting his head as he looked on more intently. Now that Étienne had mentioned it, it was easy to notice that indeed some pieces were missing. “You must have really spent a great deal of time looking at these to notice the missing bits. I bet some of them aren’t that easy to spot. Which of these are you most interested in?” A hand gestured at the display. Was it nautical instruments? Astronomical ones?
Finally, the laugh he had suppressed earlier managed to escape. Thankfully, it wasn’t as loud as was anticipated. “And now I’m imagining myself as a brokenhearted French prince for some reason.’’ Not that brokenhearted part had been that off from Étienne’s playful words. Though, one wouldn’t suspect anything as such due to the manner in which Jon carried himself. AKA he didn’t wear his heart on his sleeve anymore.
He rolled his eyes. “Yes, but you were kind enough to invite me to join you. Which meant I interrupted your scheming.” Johnny winked. Though his words were light to match Étienne’s warm ones, he was genuinely pleased that his friend was willing to lend an ear. And perhaps Jon would be able to learn more about these artefacts, if Étienne chose to enlighten him.
Those next words, simple but said with such confidence… they released some of the tension that the young man had been feeling. It was enough to make him sit up a bit straighter in the comfortable seat. “You really think so? I mean, everyone always seem to have it together, have it all figured out… does anyone even realise the sort of pressure on us to have a decision before we graduate?” The question posed to him was pondered upon. As he did this, Jon suddenly realised - by twisting and turning slightly - that the chair was a spinny one. Without hesitation, he did a three-sixty degree turn. The action further made him feel more relieved. “Ballet!” Another full turn. “Wheee! This is fun! I also enjoy Quidditch and arts. I wouldn't count quidditch that much, however. My dad is really into that.”
Artefact Chambre 
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