 Open! 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.
For the moment.
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