The Years of Blue [2]

Chapter 9: The Fountain

There were many things about Beauxbatons that were similar if not the same to Hogwarts. It was in these similarities that I felt like I knew what I was doing. But there were also many things about Beauxbatons that were unfamiliar, the first of which being how meals were set.

On my first night in the castle, I made the mortifying mistake of sitting down in my chair the moment Jacqueline let go of my arm. This action caused many girls around to stare my way as if I had done a very bad thing. Jacqueline and Gisele were god sends though, and hoisted me back on my feet before the likes of Madam Benoît saw my mistake. Apart from Beauxbatons having an added role of a governess to manage everyone's manners and dress, they also had rules that must always be followed in relation to being polite. I already knew from home the proper way to sit and eat at the table that were deemed appropriate in Europe, but learning that I was not to sit at the table before our headmistress, was new. 

It didn't take me long to spot the headmistress, as she was over 7 feet tall wearing  long maroon robes that matched her lipstick. The color was a drastic change from all the cream and blue colors making up the castle. Even the other professors I saw waiting to be seated were in muted colors of dusty blues and greens. Though one Professor was wearing lavender robes with a matching witch hat that complemented her glossy red curls.  She looked to be one of the younger professors at the table.

Madame Maxime broke the chatter of the girls to give a speech. Everyone was united here, with tables set to please who ever you wished to eat with. There was a special announcement to welcome all the new students to Beauxbatons, where Madame Maxime read off our names one by one causing the name cards at our table to light up and shake when your name was called. Since I was the only new girl from my table, my card was the only one to shake, causing those at nearby tables to applaud. I was not alone however, as another girl from Luxembourg was new to the fourth year class, causing much clapping from her table of mostly her nation's girls. 

When our headmistress was seated, we followed suit causing an enchantment of food to appear on our plates. The only problem? You didn't get to choose your food. It was set up for you and each girl had a different amount of food on each of her plates. While Gisele had roasted chicken with french bread and butter, I was served a bowl of one of my mother's favorite dishes, Bouillabaisse. It wasn't  like I was not a fan of the dish, I was just unhappy that I got no bread. It didn't take me long to see that the girls around me, who were used to this custom, were already sharing and switching their plates with others. I turned to Jacqueline's dish hoping it was something more bread-like only to find the strangest thing. It looked like a flat patty of chicken next to some sort of mashed potato. Not at all what I wanted to eat, but Jacqueline, who was just turning back from talking to one of the girls at the table behind us, saw my expression and read it as curiosity.

"Do want to try it?" She cut a piece of the chicken and stuck her fork in it for me to eat. "Now what did you get?" She saw my soup and her eyes lit up.

"Ooh, I want some!  Give me-." Taking her spoon from her silverware, she reached to my dish and took a spoonful to her mouth, smiling happily as she did so. 

"Go on, Ava. Try the schnitzel. Oh, Jacqueline did you get spaetzele too?" Gisele asked, before taking her fork and going for the mush on the plate. Jacqueline was quick to defend her food, hitting Gisele's fork away from her.

"Oh no you don't. I still remember you never giving me any when it was your turn to be served spaetzele. I haven't forgotten you see," Jacqueline stated sternly, putting a knowing finger to her head in expression. Then both girl's turned their attention back to me who was watching the scene unfold with quiet eyes. What was all this foreign food?

"You're not picky are you? Don't you like veal?" I shrugged, saying I've never tried it before.

This led to Jacqueline forcing the veal down my throat followed by those noodles with Gisele sneaking spaetzele off her friend's plate. The food was surprisingly delicious, making me want nothing more than to finish the plate off.  I started to bargain to switch plates but was hit with a flat no, stating that german food was not used for bargaining purposes at this table.