Phoenix From The Ashes

The next month flew by as the day of his departure drew closer. With the magic containment field in his room, he was able to start practicing his wand-based control exercises. Ironically, it turned out to be much harder than his wandless control.

Two of the three creatures that made up his wand were known to be fiercely protective and territorial. His wand had inherited their mercurial temperaments in spades. He nearly blinded himself when he attempted the Wand-Lighting Charm for the first time.

His constant training in wandless magic had been his undoing, as he was long since used to overpowering his spells to get them to work. Now that he had a highly compatible focus with two powerful cores, his control suffered greatly.

Another problem that cropped up was occasional cases of unintentional wandless magic. Instead of pushing magic into his wand, he would instinctively let it flow into his hand. It took him almost a week to train himself out of the habit, and make his wand the default path for his magic to flow.

His attempts at some of the more complex charms that relied on sheer power were all successful. Sadly, anything spell that required control was off the table for the time being.

He faced the opposite in Transfiguration. He could power through any of the first two years of material, but anything past that just wouldn't work. No matter how much magic he used, the Transfiguration wouldn't hold. The items would revert to normal.

It was frustrating for him to be failing at things so elementary to him. He resolved to take it up with the Transfiguration professor once classes started. Transfiguration had always been his favorite field of magic. He hoped that he hadn't lost the innate talent he had back in his previous reality.

The day finally came, as a tearful Sofia hugged him goodbye in the dining room. Jean stood beside her with glistening eyes.

She had been fussing over him for the last half an hour before the portkey activated. "Are you sure you packed everything, Archer? Did you take all the clothes I picked out? All your school supplies are packed, right?"

Archer laughed. "Maman. Relax. I made sure to triple- check my suitcase before coming down for lunch. Besides, there are owl order forms and catalogs at the school. If I need anything extra, I'll just send in an order form."

Sofia smiled. "I know. You've always been such a responsible boy. I can't help it! My darling angel is going so far away for so many months." She hiccuped as she sobbed.

Archer grabbed her hands and held them tight. "Don't worry, Maman. I'll write to you both every week without fail. I'm sure you'd also like to see some pictures of the school, so I'll try and include some. Hopefully, I will make a lot of good friends."

Jean chuckled. "You've been a quiet child from the day we adopted you, Archer. You are an amazing, kindhearted young man, my boy. I'm sure you will have no problem making friends."

The grandfather clock chimed 5 times, and the portkey on the table glowed briefly. It was now active and waiting for him to state the activation phrase. Archer walked forward and gave Jean and Sofia each a tight hug.

"I'll miss you both so much. I promise to write. Don't worry, we'll see each other during the winter holiday."

His parents retreated to a safe distance and watched as he grabbed the portkey. Sofia was quietly sobbing while Jean gave her a one-armed hug.

Archer turned to them and waved. "Bye-bye, Maman. Papa. I'll see you in a couple of months."

They both smiled and waved back at him. With that, he spoke the activation phrase. "History, Tradition, and Elegance."

The moment the last syllable was spoken, he felt the tugging sensation at his lower back. The world twisted and warped around him as he was whisked to his destination. He found himself falling through the air as he noticed the picturesque mountains in the background.

The wind whistled in his ears as he saw the ground coming closer. Taking a deep breath, he closed his eyes and relaxed his knees. Within seconds, he felt a brief moment of disorientation before his feet hit the ground. By keeping his knees relaxed, they absorbed the impact, and he remained standing.

Opening his eyes, he saw that he was in the middle of a large group of kids. They were all spaced 5 feet apart, most likely because the portkey programmers had made sure to give plenty of space if someone came in hot.

His idea was proven correct when a boy his age landed next to him in a heap. His trunk had gone flying and burst open, scattering his things onto the ground. He must have been a Muggleborn, judging by the deer in the headlights look he had.

'Thank Merlin, I was able to remember the portkey trick. It would have been very embarrassing if I landed like that kid.'

He could already see a few children pointing and laughing at the poor boy. He had forgotten how cruel children could be to each other. Deciding to take pity on him, Archer walked over and started helping him pack his stuff.

The boy looked lost. It was as if this was the first time someone had offered such kindness. Archer recognized the expression from a mile away. The boy had undoubtedly been bullied from a young age.

The natural defensive stance, the slump of his shoulders, his gaze glued to the floor. Small clues, but they all spoke towards a big problem. The bullies at his previous school probably decided to pick on the weak, nerdy-looking kid. The boy must have faced constant embarrassment in front of his peers to be this desensitized to it.

Packing the last of the items into the trunk, he handed it to the boy. "Are you okay? That was a pretty rough landing. I'm positive I managed to get everything that fell, but you should check again, just in case I missed something."

The boy nodded and received his trunk. "Thank you."

Archer nodded and was about to return to his spot when he stopped. 'Eh. What the hell.'

He turned around and stuck out his hand. "Hi. My name is Archer Beaufort. What's yours?"

The boy blinked. He gave a shy smile as he grabbed Archer's outstretched hand. "Louis. Louis Dreyfus. A p.l.e.a.s.u.r.e to meet you."

They shook hands. Archer didn't know what else to say, seeing as Louis didn't seem willing to start a conversation. He decided to give a quick goodbye before returning to his spot.

It had been nearly 20 minutes since he arrived, and new arrivals had stopped. A group of older students and a professor walked in through the main doors and called for their attention.

"Good evening to you all. My name is Simon Fontaine, and I am the Head of the Charms Department here at Beauxbatons Academy of Magic.

The boys and girls behind me are the 5th, 6th, and 7th-year Prefects. They will be there to guide you around campus, give directions, and offer academic advice. They will also be your primary points of contact should you face any issues during your time here.

Here at Beauxbatons, you are separated by year. Each year has its own designated floor of the palace in the East Wing. These are where your dormitories and the associated Common Rooms are located.

Now, please leave your luggage here and follow us. We will be taking a tour across our lovely campus. Try to keep up."

After finishing his speech, Professor Fontaine marched out of the room with the prefects in tow. The group of first-years all rushed to keep up. Archer stuck to the back of the group as he leisurely sauntered while viewing the sights.

The palace looked beautiful as it gleamed under the evening sun. It was like a jewel hidden deep within the Pyrenees.

The palace resembled a traditional French-Normandy style chateau, albeit several stories tall. Every door was ornate and laden with gold and silver fixtures, while the windows were enchanted to always be crystal clear. It truly lived up to its reputation as the most picturesque magical school in the world. Everything about it screamed wealth and elegance.

The tour group went all around the grounds. They visited the greenhouse, the stables, and the Quidditch pitch. Beautiful white marble fountains spewing crystal clear water were spread out across campus.

Apparently, there was no official Beauxbatons team. Pickup games were scheduled by the Quidditch Club, but that was it.

No official matches or tournaments were held by the school. It was a little disappointing, but there wasn't anything Archer could do about it.

He decided to check out the Quidditch club and get in on a couple of games. It wouldn't do to lose his flying skills.

'Hmm. I need a broom to play. Guess I'll order the latest Cleansweep model. The Nimbus 2001 only comes out in the summer of next year.'

That made him stop short. The release of certain memorable products seemed to be following the same schedule as his old world. He could potentially make a killing with timely investments. The goblins would also appreciate someone who made them money.

'Well there's an idea. Though there's plenty of time in the future to make money. Not that I really have to worry about it.'

It was at times like these he was thankful for being adopted by a wealthy family.

He kept pace with the group as they marveled at the beauty of the palace interior. Roman-style columns lined the walls of the main entrance, with sparkling silver embellishments and polished marble floors. It honestly looked more like a five-star resort than a school.

Fontaine and the prefects took them to the Main Hall, the Dining Chamber, and ended the tour in the first year Common Room.

"Welcome to your Common Room. Here you will be able to interact with your peers, and there are designated areas for playing games and quiet study.

I encourage all of you to come here often and mingle with your fellow classmates. After all, you will be accompanying each other for 7 years. Forging friendsh.i.p.s will make your time at school all the better.

Your dormitories are through those doors at the end of the hall. You have been assigned rooms of 4 people each.

All the doors have plates with names on them. Once you find the door that has yours, tap your wand onto the plate, and it will register your magical signature. After that, the door will automatically open for you for the rest of the year. You will find your luggage waiting for you inside.

Remember to be at the Dining Chamber by 7PM in full uniform for the Welcoming Feast. Once again, welcome to Beauxbatons. If you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask a Prefect."

Archer waited for them to leave before looking over the kids he would be learning with. Most of them seemed at home and comfortable. That meant that they were either from magical families or had siblings who attended or are attending the school.

He heard a disturbance, and his eyes flicked over to the origin. A group of children was surrounding Louis, the Muggleborn boy he had helped earlier. They seemed to be poking fun at him with their imitations of his enthusiastic entrance.

Louis was simply standing there with a distressed look on his face. His cheeks were blazing, and he seemed to be drawing in on himself, desperate to avoid attracting attention.

The main antagonizer was a boy with bright blonde hair and luxurious silk robes. His friends were also wearing similar quality clothing that indicated their status and wealth. He even saw an Heir ring on the blonde.

'Wonderful. My first day at Beauxbatons and I already witness the French Malfoy and his pureblood posse bullying a Muggleborn.'

The boys started pushing Louis around a little as they tried to elicit a reaction from him. Louis stayed stock still and apparently did not want to engage with them. This didn't sit well with the bullies, as they got increasingly forceful in their attempts.

The blond boy smirked and withdrew his wand. With a flourish, he cast a Body-Bind Curse at Louis. The boy's arms snapped to his side as he fell, stiff as a board. His eyes were wildly moving around as he attempted to break out of it.

The pureblood boys all started laughing and joking with the blonde as victoriously smirked. Archer had enough, so he started making his way over. That was when he heard the boy talking to Louis.

"See that, mudblood? I don't know how you cheated to get into this prestigious academy, but I hope you learned your place in our world. You will never be better at magic than those of pure blood and noble birth."

Archer walked up and stood in front of Louis as he addressed the blonde. "I think that's quite enough. He is new to the magical world. There is no need to degrade and insult him like that."

Without even looking, his wand effortlessly slid into his hand as he cast a silent Finite on Louis. Louis' body jerked as he found himself free. He quickly stood up and hid behind Archer.

The blonde sneered. "Who are you to be interfering in my business?"

Archer smiled. "Greetings. My name is Archer Beaufort. May I have your name?"

"Florian Royard, Heir to the Ancient and Noble House of Royard."

'Great. Another self-absorbed pureblood twat to deal with.' Archer thought while maintaining his smile.

"Charmed. I would ask you to please refrain from insulting or attacking Louis. He will be our classmate for the next 7 years, after all. There is no need to resort to violence to make a point."

Florian glowered at him before smirking. "Beaufort. There are no pureblood French magical families by that name. Sticking up for a fellow mudblood are you?"

Archer's mouth tightened. "Such crass language is unbecoming of a person of your station. Even if I am, as you call me, a mudblood, we are all here to learn magic.

We are students at this school, and regardless of our blood status, we will all be taught equally. I am sure such views will not be tolerated by the professors."

Florian frowned as he heard his words. For a split second, Archer thought he would get into a fight on his first day. Moments later, Florian laughed.

"You're mistaken if you think everyone will feel the same way as you. You'll soon learn that some are born better than others. While the professors may not appreciate heritage, the rest of our society does.

Know your betters, Beaufort, and maybe you can be my servant once we graduate. After all, there's no way a filthy mudblood like you would ever amount to anything. Let's go, I'm bored."

Florian walked away with his gaggle of sycophants as Archer blinked in bewilderment. 'That little shit actually thinks he's my better? Oh I can't wait for classes to start. Let's see how much better he is when I rub my perfect grades in his stupid face.'

A fire had been lit deep inside him. Florian Royard was going to get the shock of his life when Archer blew him out of the water. He had contemplated the merits of showcasing his advanced knowledge of magic. While he would have preferred to keep his talent hidden, he understood the need to cement a reputation.

Everyone in the magical world appreciated talent. Talented wizards were able to sway others to their side easier than ordinary ones. Now he truly understood and acknowledged the purpose behind Slughorn's Slug Club.

He had been invited solely based on the fact that he was "The Boy Who Lived." It wasn't his talent with potions, which he only showed after the first couple of lessons. If he could establish something similar and collect talented and well-connected friends, it would accelerate his plans.

As Archer was lost in thought, he felt a tug on his shirt. Turning around, he found Louis on the verge of crying. He immediately started comforting him. "There there, Louis. Don't listen to a word he says. We have all been blessed with magic. While he might have grown up with it, if you apply yourself and learn, you can match him in skill."

Louis sniffled. "Thank you for helping me. I don't know why that boy was so mean. He was just like all the others. They see me as weak. An easy target."

Archer put his hand on Louis' shoulder. "Then get strong, Louis. While people who hold Florian's bigoted views are in the minority, they hold a lot of influence in our world. These kinds of people exist everywhere. All you have to do is ignore them and work hard. Prove them wrong by letting your talent speak for itself."

Louis sighed. "I'm not talented, Archer. I don't even know how I got into Beauxbatons. A couple of kids from my previous school also had magic, but they only got sent letters from smaller magical schools. I was the only one who came here, and I don't even know why."

"Louis. The fact that you got an acceptance letter to Beauxbatons means you are powerful enough to attend. You are talented, even if you don't know it yet."

Louis gave a small smile. "Thank you, Archer. You're the first person who ever helped me like that. Would... Would you like to be friends?"

The way he asked the innocent question broke Archer's heart. It reminded him of what he went through growing up. Not many children his age liked him. He was the one they were compared to by their parents. Hence, they went out of their way to isolate him.

After 4 disastrous playdates, his mother decided to stop trying to introduce him to other children his age. It worked out for the best, seeing as he was unable to connect with others very well. He was an old soul... literally.

The only reason he was making friends in Beauxbatons was the possible benefit they could bring him. It sounded cruel, but that was the nature of the magical world, regardless of country. Relationsh.i.p.s were all about quid pro quo. Without any advantages, there was no point in having friends.

It took him a long time to accept reality. What had friends ever done for him? It took an apocalyptic catastrophe for magicals to get their heads out of their asses and band together. Even then, their cooperation was tenuous at best. They were all allies or comrades facing the same struggle for survival, they were not friends.

A small part of him rejected such a bleak outlook, though. It reminded him of the love he shared with Fleur, Tonks, Daphne, Susan, and Luna. His relationship with Neville, Gellert, and Julius that went beyond that of allies. They had been his friends and brothers in arms. People he would willingly give up his life for.

He shook his head at the thought. That life was gone along with them. Their counterparts in this world would not be the same men he had fought with. Hell, he might never even meet them for all he knew.

He sure as hell wasn't going to allow Voldemort to summon f.u.c.k.i.n.g demons again, that was for sure. With nothing to unite all magicals, who's to say that this world's Gellert and Julius wouldn't rot away in Nurmengard?

He cleared his mind as he retreated behind his Occlumency barriers. Thinking such thoughts at this moment wasn't an option.

Looking at Louis' nervous expression, he gently smiled. "I would love to be your friend Louis. If you ever need help, all you have to do is ask."

Louis lit up as he heard the reply. "Thanks, Archer! I'm sure we'll get along well!"

Archer chuckled. "Of course. Now, would you like to come with me to locate our dorms?"

Louis nodded and started walking towards the dorms. Archer followed him and kept an eye out for the plate with his name on it. He quickly noticed that the boys were all on the right side of the hall while girls were on the left. Moving forward at a sedate pace, he scanned the numerous nameplates.

After walking past nearly 9 doors, he finally saw his name. Coincidentally, Louis' name was right next to his, meaning they would be roommates.

'Well isn't this serendipitous.' Archer thought as Louis was excitedly bouncing on his feet.

"I can't believe we are roommates, Archer! This must be a sign that we will be great friends!"

Louis quickly tapped his nameplate with his wand. It glowed briefly before the door opened with a click. Archer did the same for his nameplate, and they walked into the room together.

The first thing that surprised them was the size. It was almost as big as an apartment, with private bathrooms for each occupant. Archer was not expecting such a grand setup but was happy with not having to share a bathroom.

They made small talk while waiting for their roommates to arrive. 10 minutes later, they heard the door lock click as two boys entered the room. The one in front had olive skin and black hair. The one behind him had light brown, slightly tanned skin with dark brown hair.

The boy in front walked forward with his hand outstretched. "You must be our new roommates. My name is Antonio Rossi, but you can call me Tony. This is Javier Diaz, our other roommate. We met in the Common Room a few minutes ago."

Archer stood up, took Tony's hand, and shook it. "Nice to meet you both. My name is Archer Beaufort, but you can call me Archer. The boy next to me is Louis Dreyfus. We met each other at the portkey arrival area."

Retrieving his hand from Antonio, Archer extended it towards Javier. Javier accepted the gesture with a warm smile on his face. "It's great to meet you, Archer, Louis."

They both seemed to be decent kids. However, he knew better than to judge on first appearances. The most crucial metric of their future relationship was based on one thing: their reaction to the knowledge of Louis being a Muggleborn. If they ended up acting like Florian, then he would have to step in and adjust their attitudes early on.

Louis was shyly introducing himself to Antonio when the topic came up. Antonio was giving him background about his family back in Italy when he asked Louis about his family.

After his experience with Florian, Louis seemed afraid of talking about his blood status. Seemingly lost, he looked towards Archer. Archer gave him a smile and nodded. Getting reassurance, Louis told Antonio about him being a non-magical born wizard.

The room was quiet for a second as Archer waited for the two's reaction. Antonio broke the silence. "Wow! You're a non-magical born wizard and were offered a place at Beauxbatons?! You must be super strong if that's the case!"

Javier also added in his two Knuts. "I agree. That is quite impressive, Louis. I have a few friends who are non-magical born and none of them were qualified to get the offer letter."

Louis shrunk in on himself as he blushed under their compliments. Poor boy must not have gotten too many if this was his reaction. Archer stepped in to save him. "That's what I keep telling him. Sadly, he witnessed firsthand the bigotry entrenched in French Magical Society. It is why he was nervous to tell you both about him being non-magical born."

Antonio and Javier both nodded solemnly. Antonio turned to Louis. "Don't worry, Louis. We were not raised to believe that kind of garbage. People like that are in every country, but what they say isn't true. You can count on us to back you up if anyone insults you like that."

Louis tearfully nodded. "Thank you all. I never thought that I would be able to make such amazing friends on my first day here."

Knowing that the Welcome Feast was only 20 minutes away, they decided to get dressed in their uniforms. The official full uniform of Beauxbatons consisted of a powder blue dress shirt with charcoal trousers and a dark blue silk bolo tie with silver tips. A slightly darker blue waistcoat with navy lining provided a nice contrast to the ensemble. The shoes were dual-tone black and blue leather cap toe oxfords. The uniform was completed with a powder blue overcoat with extra material dr.a.p.ed over the shoulders.

Fortunately for them, the only times when they would have to get dressed in full uniform were for specific feasts and official events. Otherwise, they would wear a semi-formal style that took away the coats and ties.

Once they were all ready, they cast a couple of hygiene charms and made their way to the Dining Chamber. They spotted a large crowd of their classmates heading there, so they followed along. Entering the Dining Chamber, they were awestruck by the surroundings.

Crystalline statues lined the walls as they heard the calming sounds of a choir of Wood Nymphs. Floating glass chandeliers holding candles provided warm lighting across the room. The tables were long and made of a white wood held up by legs carved from ivory. Each student had an individual high backed chair with formal place settings.

There were seven long tables, one for each year. One of the upper-year Prefects came up to them and guided them to the table on the far right. They sat down across from each other, with Louis and Archer on one side, and Antonio and Javier on the other.

They remarked on the beauty of the Dining Chamber until the clock struck 7. The doors started to close, and the lighting dimmed slightly. After a few seconds, the sound of a knife tapping on a glass resounded throughout the hall. Instantly, nearly all the chatter quietened.

Olympe Maxime, the half-giant Headmistress of Beauxbatons, stood up from her chair and cleared her throat before starting her speech.

"Good evening, everyone. To all of our new students, welcome to the Beauxbatons Academy of Magic. To those returning, welcome back. My name is Olympe Maxime, and I am your Headmistress.

Beauxbatons has a proud and noble history of educating some of the most influential figures of the last few centuries. We strive to instill in our students the importance of culture, knowledge, and respect for magic.

You will be taught by some of the finest witches and wizards in the world. All of them are world-renowned masters in their respective fields, who will work with you to unearth your potential. We pride ourselves on our academic excellence, being ranked 2nd place in the world for scores on the O.W.L. and N.E.W.T. exams.

I expect all of you to aspire to great things, and work with your professors and the many friends you will make during your years at our institution to achieve your dreams.

That being said, we have a strict policy against bullying and unsanctioned dueling. We also have a no-tolerance policy on any discrimination based on race, gender, class, and the like. You are all here to learn, and I expect nothing but the utmost respect for members of our staff and your fellow students. Failure to comply with this rule will be met with harsh punishment. You have been warned.

With that out of the way, let the feast begin!"

Various vessels containing different types of food simultaneously appeared once she finished her speech. Archer could see a large variety of food across the table. Some of them were French, others were traditional dishes from Spain, Italy, Germany, and the other European countries. He started with a refreshing salad and worked his way through the meal, trying a little bit of everything.

Once he had enjoyed a hearty dinner with his roommates, they made their way back to their dorm. After changing into their nightclothes, they talked for a while before retiring for the night.

Tomorrow was the first day of classes, and Archer couldn't wait to start learning. While he was confident in his ability to perform the spells, he had questions that could only be answered by the professors. He drifted off into the realm of Morpheus, dreaming of a Voldemort-free future.