After the whirlwind of his first year at Hogwarts, Louis returned home to the familiar grandeur of the DeVersailles estate , where his noble lineage resided. The moment he stepped through the gates, he was welcomed by the warm embrace of his parents. They hadn't seen him in months, and though they had received his letters, it wasn't the same as having their son back in the flesh.
The first week of summer passed quickly. Louis enjoyed long, peaceful dinners with his family, shared stories of his adventures, and spent hours walking through the gardens and practicing refined spellwork under the sun-drenched skies of the French countryside. It felt good to be home. But he also longed to see someone else.
Soon enough, he visited Fleur at her house. Their reunion was soft and full of silent smiles. They spent hours walking through her family's property, playing with Gabrielle, and talking about their respective school years. Fleur had just finished her exams and was eager to hear more about Louis' discoveries. Their bond, strengthened by their mental connection, had only deepened.
After their time together, Louis made his way to the hidden house of Nicolas Flamel.
The alchemist welcomed him with a proud smile. "Louis, you've grown again. And your presence... it's brighter than before."
Louis bowed respectfully. "I have much to share, Mr Flamel."
They spent an afternoon in deep discussion. Louis detailed everything—his theory of mana ranks, the discovery of refinement through emotional regulation, and the experiments he'd led with his friends. Flamel was impressed, not only by the depth of the research but by the clarity of thought.
"This... this could reshape how we train young mages," Flamel muttered, examining Louis' diagrams. "If we could aid the emotional control necessary for refinement..."
And thus, a new project was born.
Together, they began conceptualizing a magical object that could help stabilize emotional currents during mana refinement. Over the course of several days, Louis returned to Flamel's workshop. The work was challenging—balancing magical resonance with psychic feedback—but after multiple prototypes, they crafted something promising: a small crystalline pendant, enchanted to glow softly and hum with gentle pulses matching the wearer's emotional fluctuations.
"It's still unstable," Flamel said on the fifth day, turning it in his hand. "But a solid start."
Louis agreed. "We'll continue later. My birthday is coming up, and I must prepare."
Indeed, his twelfth birthday was approaching—July 19th. It was to be a grand affair, not only because of tradition, but because Louis intended to use it to bring together the people he cared about. His parents, pleased with his growth, allowed him to draft an extended guest list.
Alongside the usual nobles, dignitaries, and magical elites of France, Louis wrote down the names of his closest friends from Hogwarts: Cho, Evangeline, and Charles. And of course, Fleur.
When the day arrived, the gardens of the DeVersailles estate were transformed into a scene of opulent beauty. Velvet banners floated on magically conjured breezes, enchanted fountains sang soft melodies, and long tables were draped in fine cloths adorned with platters of exquisite food. Staff moved discreetly through the estate, and classical music played through invisible instruments.
Louis, dressed in tailored navy robes with golden embroidery, moved among the guests with natural grace, greeting nobles and shaking hands with influential figures. Despite the magnificence, he found himself constantly glancing toward the gate.
Then, he saw them—Cho, Evangeline, and Charles—arriving together.
Their eyes widened as they took in the estate.
"Bloody hell," Charles muttered.
"I knew he came from a noble family," Cho whispered, "but this..."
Evangeline nodded slowly. "This is beyond noble. It's like royalty."
Louis smiled as he approached them. "Welcome to my home," he said, bowing slightly.
"You didn't say you lived in a palace," Evangeline said, nudging him.
"You never asked."
He gave them a brief tour of the gardens, the family wing, and the enchanted greenhouse. As they returned to the courtyard, a silver carriage pulled up, and Fleur stepped out in a flowing white summer dress. Her hair shimmered in the sun, and the very air seemed to hush.
The group went silent.
"She's..." Cho began.
"Wow," Charles finished.
Louis walked toward her with a wide smile. He embraced her gently.
"You came," he said.
"Of course," she whispered, blushing.
Turning back to the group, Louis made the introductions. "Everyone, this is Fleur. Fleur, these are my friends—Cho, Evangeline, and Charles."
Fleur greeted each of them with polite warmth, and they responded with a mix of admiration and awe.
"She's as graceful as you," Evangeline whispered to Louis.
"She's even more than that," he replied quietly.
Later, Louis took them to meet important guests. His friends were stunned when he casually introduced them to Nicolas Flamel.
The party continued late into the afternoon. Laughter and magic filled the air. Eventually, guests began leaving one by one, until only a few remained. Among them were Fleur's parents, deep in conversation with Louis' own.
Left alone under the twilight sky, Fleur and Louis wandered into a quieter corner of the garden.
"I wanted to give you something," she said, holding out a small wrapped box.
"You didn't have to—"
She interrupted him with a kiss, soft and nervous, on the lips. Then, blushing furiously, she turned away as if to flee.
"Fleur—wait."
Louis caught her hand gently. She stopped. He pulled her into his arms, and this time, she didn't resist. They stood there in silence, holding one another beneath the stars.
"I'm glad you came," he said.
"I wouldn't have missed it," she whispered.