After the Beauxbatons students had signed up, they followed Madame Maxime to the Gryffindor table.
Pheobe sprang to her feet.
However, her headmistress had not come to call her back.
Vincent stood and greeted Madame Maxime in French. "Bonjour, Madame."
Madame Maxime looked slightly surprised. She glanced at the uneasy Pheobe and replied with a smile in French, "Bonjour, Vincent."
They exchanged a simple handshake, though their height difference made it look rather awkward.
Vincent pulled out the chair beside him. "Madame, would you like to sit down?"
Madame Maxime gently shook her head. "No, I still need to take my students back."
"All right." Vincent looked somewhat disappointed. "Uncle Osmund always told me you were the most elegant rose in France. I had wanted to have a proper chat with you."
The words "Uncle Osmund" instantly brought the two closer. As for whether the French Minister for Magic had truly called her "the most elegant rose in France," only Vincent and Osmund knew.
Even though she knew it was probably false, Madame Maxime still smiled brightly. "So that is how Minister Russell sees me."
Vincent nodded vigorously. "Uncle Osmund is especially easygoing in private. During the summer, my girlfriend and I went to visit him, and he kept us talking about everyday matters for nearly half a day."
Madame Maxime glanced doubtfully at Hermione beside Pheobe. "Really? I never expected you to be so close to Minister Russell."
Nicolas Flamel was the pride of the French Ministry of Magic. As his student, Vincent naturally earned the goodwill of French wizards.
But Madame Maxime had not merely come over to say hello.
She turned to look at the Goblet of Fire by the entrance hall. "Vincent, you have not entered your name yet, have you?"
So she had come to