Chapter 273 - 272. Beauxbatons. Part 4. The Garden and the Ministry of Magic.

A stone path led from the school along the inner courtyard walls, opening into a majestic garden laid out as a labyrinth with hedges over two meters high.

At one of the four entrances, where the group had stopped, simple decorative herbs and even berries like wild strawberries grew along the dense hedge. Above the garden, treetops were visible here and there. Severus recognized oaks, pines, maples, and willows among them.

Although this place held a certain charm, he found it far more interesting to observe the flows of magic, the workings of the charms, and the arrays of runes spread throughout the labyrinth.

This was a true work of art in the eyes of any master artificer.

Of course, there were no overly complex or rare charms and runes here. Everything was much simpler: it was all about stability and precision. It reminded him of the inner workings of a mechanical clock, without a single unnecessary part.

Such clean, high-quality work was a rarity. Whoever had created this labyrinth was a true master, and Severus wouldn’t mind sharing a drink and a conversation with him about it.

While Severus admired the inner beauty of the garden, Nagini, who had climbed back up the stairs, studied it from above. She easily bypassed the illusory barrier, beyond which the labyrinth was many times larger. Beyond the hedge, she saw rotundas, artificial waterfalls and lakes, and even chapels scattered throughout, not to mention small resting areas with benches and tables.

At the moment, it was empty. That was no surprise, since all the children were in classes, and Nagini was already impatient to walk through it and see every spot up close.

Olympe looked at her with understanding; she had had exactly the same reaction the first time she saw this beautiful garden.

"This place is not a simple labyrinth. It is far larger and more beautiful inside; everyone will find a place to their liking there..." She looked at Severus with a mysterious smile, but he barely reacted to her words.

"This place... it doesn’t create something from nothing. It simply transports you to an already prepared section within the garden based on the wizard’s desire, am I right?"

"How did you...?" Olympe’s eyes widened in amazement. Her surprise was justified, because before entering Beauxbatons, every student signed a magical contract forbidding them from revealing the school’s secrets.

But she quickly composed herself, remembering who had vouched for him. "Did Professor Flamel tell you?"

"No," Severus said, shaking his head gently. "As for charms, I’m already familiar with a similar set: Undetectable Extension, portals, and Transfiguration." With the help of the Room of Requirement, he had transported himself straight to his room many times, usually at night when no one was around. The entrance could appear anywhere he wished, but only at certain times, and he’d only discovered that after clearing out all the junk and deciding to study the charms in depth.

Remembering those nocturnal exploits, carried out in true ninja fashion, Severus felt slightly embarrassed.

"Severus, let’s go! I saw a wonderful gazebo there, right by the pattern! It has a beautiful view of the rest of the garden!" Nagini said excitedly as she came up to him, stunning Olympe once again.

"How...?!"

"She has special eyes: she can see through illusions," Severus lied smoothly. He couldn’t exactly say she was a dragon who could reduce this place to a lifeless wasteland with a single poisonous breath. Not only would Olympe not believe it, but he didn’t want to frighten a woman who was treating them so well. "An ancestral gift," he added, noting the doubt on her face.

"I see," Olympe sighed, already tired of being surprised by all the oddities surrounding this couple. "The place you saw is a teachers’ recreation area off-limits to ordinary students, from where we can keep an eye on them."

"I understand, I understand. A boy and a girl, hormones, a secluded spot..."

"Severus!" Nagini exclaimed indignantly, a faint blush coloring her cheeks, but he only winked at her playfully.

"You’re right, that’s why we keep watch, to prevent such indecency," Olympe said, smiling gently at Nagini’s innocent reaction, which only made her blush harder. "You won’t be able to get there on your own, so follow me, and don’t fall behind..." Turning, she entered the labyrinth.

Nagini pinched Severus’s side indignantly and stuck out her tongue before hurrying after Olympe. Severus entered last, observing the workings of the charms and the magic that had begun to probe his surface thoughts. It did so gently and carefully, so as not to cause any harm, ensuring the students wouldn’t notice the main secret.

Severus simply blocked the attempt and kept following the two women. As he walked, he admired the hedge, which consisted not only of boxwood but also of flowers that gave off a warm glow and a pleasant fragrance. Most likely, they were meant to light the path for students at night.

They walked for only a few minutes, turning several times, until at last a straight path opened before them. Beyond it lay the very place Nagini had spotted.

"We teachers usually don’t walk the entire path; we can move around this place instantly. But I wanted to show you what the labyrinth looks like from the inside," Olympe explained without turning, answering their unspoken question of why they’d been walking so long. "It’s a pity it’s daytime, though. This place is especially beautiful at night..."

Leaving the labyrinth, they stepped into a different world, a place whose beauty was impossible to convey in words, as if it had stepped straight out of a magnificent painting.

Before the lake stood a small, open white stone gazebo with seven columns supporting a blue roof in the finest tradition of Gothic architecture. Along the shore, on ledges to the left and right of it, lay two lions carved from boxwood, and flowers bloomed along the rest of the bank.

Swans glided across the crystal-clear water, swarms of colorful fireflies danced above them, and snow-white pegasi grazed on the opposite shore.

Standing at the entrance to this fairy-tale place, Nagini gazed at the beautiful view in admiration.

"A fine recreation area. I’m even a little envious. Maybe I should make something similar for myself...?" Severus mused thoughtfully, glancing at her shining eyes with a half-smile, which made it clear she was all for the idea. "All right, all right, we’ll think of something." He patted her head, then shifted his gaze to the lake. The dense cluster of charms above the water immediately caught his eye. *Curious where it leads... well, whatever it is, it can wait.* "In that case, I’ll leave you for a few minutes and go look at the fountain."

"All right, but there’s no need to rush. I wouldn’t mind sitting here a little longer. It’s so calm and quiet, and so beautiful."

"Shall I escort you?" Olympe asked him.

"Thank you, but there’s no need. Mr. Flamel showed me what it looks like, and I can find it myself," Severus said, shaking his head. He turned and headed back into the labyrinth.

The moment he disappeared around the corner, the two women exchanged a glance, smiled awkwardly at each other, and made their way toward the gazebo.

"Would you mind telling me how Monsieur Severus met Professor Flamel and her husband?" Olympe asked curiously once they were seated inside.

*Well... I don’t think there are any secrets here,* Nagini thought. She nodded to herself, then turned her gaze to the lake. "Mr. Flamel was interested in Severus’s talent, and through a mutual acquaintance, he invited him to France..."

---

London. Ministry of Magic.

Although the weather outside was sunny, the atmosphere in the Minister of Magic’s office was quite the opposite: heavy and oppressive.

At a small table sat three men: Harold Minchum, Barty Crouch Senior, and the current head of the Minister of Magic’s personal guard, Kingsley Brusber.

While Harold glumly tapped a finger on the wooden surface, the two men before him read the letter they had received several hours earlier.

"This is a bad idea. Their true goal is unknown," Crouch said gloomily, raising his gaze from the parchment. "Arthur is quite a snake, and right now... it’s not the best idea to let that old rat come sniffing around."

"And you?" Harold asked, turning to Kingsley.

"Minister, although I don’t know this Arthur as well as you or Mr. Crouch do, I think... they should be allowed to do this," Kingsley said seriously, setting the parchment aside.

"And why is that?"

"This way, we can get rid of two problems at once. We’ll show the rest of the world that everything is under control and we fear no one. That will scare off the hyenas. But we’ll also create problems for the Dark Lord."

"And while they are busy butting heads with each other, we can calmly continue restoring our strength without violating the contract...."

"Minister, this is a mad idea, especially while we are so weak...." But Harold’s raised palm silenced Barty.

"You are both right, but I doubt there is anything that old snake doesn’t already know."

"In this case, Kingsley’s proposal is more relevant now. The Dark Lord has started actively gathering his strength again."

"At this pace, once the contract loses its power, I doubt we will be able to hold out. But..." Notes of irritation and fatigue slipped into Harold’s voice. "...this is not the final decision. The issue will be presented at today’s meeting and decided by a general vote."

"I summoned you here only because I can trust you, and I will need your help."

"I will do everything in my power," the Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement stated firmly, rising sharply and adjusting his dark judge’s robes. Though he was still displeased about being cut off earlier, after listening to Harold, he had to admit that, for now, it was better to take the risk than to bury his head in the sand.

"Yes, Mr. Minister." Following Barty’s lead, Kingsley also rose and bowed.

"Excellent, then let us continue..." Harold knew all too well how skittish his colleagues in the Ministry’s highest ranks could be.

They would most likely oppose allowing a squad of French investigators to look into the matter and hunt for the Dark Lord and the escaped prisoners, out of fear for their own lives and to avoid a repeat of the Black Star incident.

So Harold needed supporters, which would most likely cost him his position well before the end of his term.

But for now, while he still headed the Ministry of Magic, he wanted to do everything possible to weaken the Death Eaters. The next Minister, who would most likely be Barty Crouch Senior, a man who had contributed enormously to their capture and whose words already carried great weight, would continue and finish the work.

For that very reason, over the past few weeks Harold had drawn the Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement closer. He had begun briefing him and introducing him to the right people who could support the fight, one of whom was Kingsley, a man who commanded great respect among the Aurors.

He was a skilled fighter who had proven himself time and again in the field, and a worthy wizard who could be trusted...

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