The air at Beauxbâtons had grown sharp with focus and anticipation. The week of examinations was nearly over, but tension still hummed through the halls like static. Students murmured to themselves as they rushed between libraries, classrooms, and their respective dormitories. Even the marble nymphs in the fountains seemed quieter, as if holding their breath alongside the students.
On the third day of exams, Eira rose before the dawn, the sky outside painted with thin golden light. She dressed carefully in her Ombrelune robes, polished her shoes until they shone like obsidian, and tied back her white hair with a golden ribbon. The day's challenges awaited.
⸻
Charms Examination
The Charms Hall had been arranged like a dueling arena. Wands sparkled faintly in the candlelight as students stood beside their individual platforms. Professor Eric Chamberlain, a charming and funny, silver-haired man with a strict sense of fairness and a monocle that glowed faintly when inspecting spellwork, stood at the center of the room.
"Today's practical examination," he began, his voice crisp, "will test your control and adaptability. Each of you will perform the Lumos charm, followed by Wingardium Leviosa on a series of three objects. These items differ in weight and responsiveness. You will be judged on finesse, wand movement, magical control, and posture."
He clapped his hands once, and shimmering panels slid open on the platforms. Each student now faced three levitating items: a parchment scroll (light), a brass candleholder (moderate), and a fairly large stone sculpture (heavy).
Eira waited patiently as her turn approached. When it finally arrived, she stepped forward onto the enchanted tile, her wand in hand.
"Miss White," Professor Chamberlain called. "You may begin."
Eira nodded her head , took a breath, and flicked her wand with a practiced, elegant motion.
"Lumos."
A radiant white light erupted from her wand, steady and luminous, without the slightest flicker. She then executed the subsequent steps of the spell taught by the professor at the start of the school year, deftly shifting the light into a spectrum of colors and guiding it to dance gracefully around the classroom with precise wand movements. Professor Chamberlain let out a soft sound of approval, scribbling a note.
Then came the levitation.
"Wingardium Leviosa."
With a graceful swish and flick, her wand arced through the air. The scroll floated instantly, swirling once with a perfect spin before hovering at shoulder height.
Them She moved to the candleholder, repeating the motion with effortless precision. The brass object rose smoothly under her subtle wand control, steady and weightless.
Next, the stone sculpture. Eira's expression remained calm and focused. Though the small statue was dense and magically resistant, it posed no challenge. With a confident breath and a poised stance, she spoke the incantation clearly.
"Wingardium Leviosa."
The sculpture lifted instantly, gliding upward with ease. She held all three objects—candleholder, wand light, and sculpture—aloft simultaneously, orchestrating them in a graceful, synchronized dance through the air with flawless control before gently lowering them back into place
The entire room had gone quiet. Even the students waiting after her seemed momentarily entranced.
Professor Chamberlain approached, his monocle glinting.
"Excellent control," he said. "No wavering in tone. Ideal wand articulation. Perfect handling of magical resistance. Full marks, Miss White. As expected."
"Thank you, Professor," Eira replied with a small smile, stepping back.
⸻
After the practicals, the students were guided into the adjoining examination hall for the written portion.
Scrolls unfurled, and ink-pens hovered into their holders.
⸻
Written Section — Charms Theory
1. Describe the magical structure of the Lumos charm. Include the arithmantic equation that defines its brightness coefficient.
2. Explain the difference between Levitation (Wingardium Leviosa) and Suspension (Levioso). When should each be used?
3. In environments with ambient magical interference, what precautions must be taken before casting a levitation charm?
4. Design a variant of Lumos that can produce colored light. What wand movements and modifiers would be necessary?
5. Identify three non-verbal variants of simple levitation and explain their advantages in combat.
⸻
Eira's answers were methodical and layered with insight. She even added supplementary examples from her readings in British charmwork, earning a raised eyebrow from Professor Chamberlain when he reviewed her scroll.
She left the Charms Hall with her wand tucked neatly away and her mind already preparing for the next challenge.
⸻
Art of Magical Etiquette Exam
Unlike the usual exam rooms, this one was quiet, carpeted, and immaculately styled. Crystal chandeliers floated gently overhead. Polished mirrors lined the walls, and the scent of enchanted lavender lingered in the air.
Professor Noëlle de Vauclère stood at the center of the elegant chamber. A statuesque witch of noble bearing and aristocratic calm, she wore violet robes adorned with subtle silver embroidery. Every move she made was deliberate. Controlled. Perfect.
"Etiquette is not vanity," she began, voice silky but commanding. "It is discipline. It is art. It is the silent spell that precedes every spoken word."
Students were called forward, one by one, to stand before her.
When it was Eira's turn, she stepped forward with a graceful gait, her posture aligned, chin level, and arms relaxed but composed at her sides.
Professor Noëlle circled her like a sculptor examining marble.
"Your stance is controlled. Very good," she murmured. "Let us begin."
She snapped her fingers, and a small tea table appeared.
"You are attending a formal gathering of international dignitaries. Show me how you prepare tea for a French delegate."
Eira bowed slightly, summoned the silver teapot from the table , then gently poured the tea, her motions smooth and refined. She served the cup with both hands, fingers poised carefully on the saucer, without spill or clatter.
Professor Noëlle nodded. "Now. A German official makes an offensive remark in public. You must respond—but with restraint and class. What do you say?"
Eira smiled softly. "I would say, 'It is fortunate we all come from such different traditions, monsieur. It leaves us so much to learn from one another.'"
A beat.
Professor Noëlle's lips twitched—almost into a smile.
"Excellent," she said. "And your wand?"
Eira presented it with her left hand, pointing downward, a gesture of peace and non-confrontation. Her fingers did not tremble.
"Lastly," Noëlle said, "walk across the room as if entering a royal court."
Eira obeyed, gliding across the floor with a natural elegance—heels aligned, shoulders level, not a single misstep.
When she returned, Professor Noëlle gave a rare, clear nod.
"You have mastered the forms. Your presence speaks of old grace and noble restraint. For your flawless execution, I award you not only top marks… but also this."
She handed Eira a small, rectangular box lined with silk. Inside was a brooch shaped like a phoenix feather, made of fine ivory and enchanted mother-of-pearl.
"A token," the professor said, "for the student who best embodies poise, propriety, and dignity."
Eira blinked in mild surprise—but bowed, her voice steady. "Thank you, Professor. I'm honored."
⸻
As she left the etiquette room, she fastened the brooch carefully to her robe's collar.
She could hear Marin whispering from the corner, "Of course she gets an award. One day she'll marry a king, probably."
Eira murmured to herself , "Or a Queen ."
Then she just smiled and walked on.
She had nearly conquered the mountain of exams. One more day, and the long, hot summer would be hers.