Beauxbatons NPC iNPC Registry

Florence Aurélie Mercier was born in Marseille, a city where the sea is never completely out of sight; even away from the harbour the air remains salty, the light falls in a strange way on the stones and the horizon always seems to hold something just out of reach. The house in which she grew up had the same feeling of contrast: it was beautiful, well-ordered and at the same time full of quiet contradictions.

Her mother, Élise Mercier, belonged to a traditional French pureblood family which had long-standing expectations and very precise manners. She was brought up to place a high value on appearance, discipline, and that kind of elegance which is never by chance. Her father, Julien Mercier, was a wizard who had spent most of his childhood in a mostly Muggle environment, but his family had distant magical ancestors who had remained silent for many generations. Even though Julien had been brought up outside the wizarding world for a large part of his childhood, magic had by no means been completely missing from his family lineage; it had simply been dormant until it manifested in him and then in Florence.

Florence was the couple's only child and for that reason she was kept under careful observation; not in a cruel manner, but in the way in which adults watch a child that they have already imagined as an adult and as someone complete. Élise taught her good posture, the correct etiquette, and how to remain still without appearing uncomfortable. Julien showed her how to listen to music, how to allow a melody to become feeling, and how to continue when a note was played incorrectly. Florence inherited a little of each of them; her mother's restraint and her father's gentleness, but not in equal amounts.

She started dancing when she was three years old and thought that movement had an effect on a person long before they could speak. Florence was put into dancing lessons from an early age, and although she became quite skilled, she never enjoyed dance as a form of pure play; it was something that was expected of her, constantly corrected and improved. She learned to keep her posture good, to follow the counts, and to smile when being watched. At the age of five Julien taught her to play the guitar, and this became her private retreat. Unlike with dance, in music mistakes were allowed. A wrong chord could be repeated, softened, and transformed. She liked that. She enjoyed the fact that music could still be beautiful even if it was imperfect.

She had a great affection for the sea as well. Since the family lived close to the coast, Florence was able to walk to the sea frequently when she was a child. Whenever she was upset, she preferred the sound of the waves to conversation. She appreciated the idea that the ocean could keep changing all the time and yet still remain the same. Just as with animals, she felt this way for the same reason. They appeared to live more honestly than people did. Whether it was birds, cats, sea creatures or any small and alert creature, she felt at ease in their company.

The first time she accidentally performed magic was when she was six years old, during a dance rehearsal. The episode lasted only a short time, yet it had a disturbing effect on all those present. Her mother at once realized that what had happened was magic and became more attentive afterwards, even though she was not any more forgiving. The ability which Florence developed as a seer came rather late and in an irregular, gradual manner; it was not the result of a sudden and dramatic insight. Rather, it started with dreams so vivid that they could not be ignored, with abrupt sensations that seemed to be older than memory, and with flashes of symbolism which made no sense at the time but later turned up in actual life.

Their parents reacted with caution rather than with celebration. Élise was aware of the risk involved in drawing attention to a daughter who was able to see beyond ordinary things. While Julien was less concerned about his reputation and more focused on ensuring Florence's comfort, he could not always keep her from having to bear the weight of knowing things she did not understand. As a result, they made every effort to keep the household stable around her. Florence soon learned not to speak about her visions with too much certainty, not since she had been discouraged from being honest, but because certainty was never something her ability provided.

When she'll get to Beauxbatons, Florence had planned to be very skilled at appearing composed even though she wasn't completely at ease. Although she is kind, intelligent and observant, she is also private in a manner which seems almost instinctive. She doesn't stay in the background in order to appear mysterious; rather, she does so because the world often seems too noisy, too direct or too certain and she has come to realise that silence can at times be the safest kind of truth.

WC: 857

Florence's first accidental magic happened at age six during a dance rehearsal. She had made the same mistake repeatedly and, after yet another correction, stood frozen in the midle of the studio. The room's music slowed until it became strangely warped and distant, a line of small mirrors along the wall clouded over as though covered in sea mist. The effect lasted less than a minute. When it ended, the mirrors cleared and the music returned to normal. Her parents recognized it as accidental, wandless magic brought on by distress. Florence remembered very little of the moment except feeling as though the room had become far away.

Florence Aurélie Mercier is a Seer, although Florence's father grew up mostly outside the wizarding world, his family had distant magical origins which had stayed dormant for many generations before surfacing in him and then in Florence. Her mother, Élise, belongs to an ancient pureblood family with a long line of magical ancestors. Although Florence's father, Julien, was raised as a Muggle-born wizard, his mother's family records contain a distant magical branch, including a Seer several generations ago. The ability appeared only rarely in that line and remained dormant for generations before eventually being inhererited by Florence. In her youth, Florence did not display her ability through any obvious physical signs; the only outward indications are occasional intense expressions or a distant look when a vision comes over her. Although some Seers are known to have their hair turn grey prematurely during their late teens, this has not yet happened in her case.

Her visions come unexpectedly and are seldom literal. They appear in fragments: a broken mirror, salt water on her hands, a song she has not yet heard, a door which is standing half-open, a person whose face she can not see properly. At the time these images occur they make little sense and often only acquire meaning afterwards. She is not able to call them up at will and cannot ensure that they are accurate. The ability is irregular, hard to catch, and emotionally exhausting. Following a powerful vision she might feel withdrawn, tired, or slightly disoriented. She sometimes gets headaches, a heaviness behind the eyes, or a persistent feeling of something being wrong which is hard to get rid of.

Instead of celebrating her ability, Florence’s family reacted with caution, having had hope she would not inherit this gift, as they themself hadn't gotten it even though it was common in their lineage. Florence’s mother realised that there was a risk in drawing attention to a daughter who was able to see beyond ordinary things. Although her father was less concerned about reputation, he did care about his daughter’s comfort, even though he could not always keep her from having to deal with things she didn’t understand. As a result, they both made every effort to keep the household stable around her. Florence soon learned not to speak so confidently about her visions, not because she had been discouraged from being honest, but because certainty was never something her ability provided.

The way she interacts with other people is also influenced by her ability. Since she sometimes knows things that she can't fully explain, people may find her either quietly distant or very observant. After having a vision she can become withdrawn not since she is indifferent to others, but because she is attempting to work out what she has seen and what, if anything, it means. She doesn't use the ability to manipulate people, to predict the outcome for her own benefit, or to assert certainty that she doesn't actually have. Rather, she bears it like an unsettled weather pattern; always possible, never completely visible, and impossible to ignore once it has started.

The limitations of her power are important, as they temper her with a healthy dose of humility. She does not always get to see things when she wants to and she does not always know that what she saw was really happening. She cannot control the content of her visions and she cannot tell the difference between them and dreams all the time. She does not see everything, nor does she see everything clearly or predict everything that may happen. Her powers are capricious and intermittent and this serves as a healthy reminder that knowledge and prophecy are never easily obtained. Nothing really defines her, beyond the feeling that she has knowledge, but it is always fragmented, indirect and elusive.

Florence's power also has effects in the way she interacts with the world. She can appear aloof or analytical in the way she watches it, but rarely uses her power for manipulation or advantage. Rarely does she see things through the eyes of other people, but instead from an all-seeing, uncaring perspective. She is introspective after seeing things, not because she cares for them, but because she wants to understand what has happened so she can grasp its meaning.

WC: 717

Heirans' existence came on 6 April, in a pureblood family. The birth took place in a hospital in Gold Coast. The whole family waited for Heirans to be born, being the first grandchild of his grandmother, a woman whose family reputation was known in Australia. In the first months of his birth, his parents noticed that he was different, his lack of reaction to the noises made them worry, and his head position at not moving, was the first sign that something was wrong. When they discovered that he was born with a hearing disability: complete deafness. Imperfection caused his mother, being veela, to abandon him. The rest of his family felt that this disability made them ashamed, a stain on their lineage. He was abandoned and sent to a foster care, where he spent his early years in darkness, becoming the target of mockery because he could not hear nor speak. He was placed through foster homes, but when those people noticed that Heirans acted differently, he often refused to interact with the other children and seemed to focus on TV cartooons. It seemed that people were struggling to determine why Heirans was different from the rest of the children.

In a life that he had been living in darkness, light came. And it was named Argento. A wizard who had come to the foster care. But at that time, Heirans had no hope. Many families had passed by and none of them chose him. Argento was impressed when Heirans had a talent for drawing, a beauty that reminded him of his deceased husband. He tried to communicate with the child, but was surprised when one of the caregivers at the foster care explained that he could not speak, only interacted by writing. In the following months, Argento visited the foster care, eventually he applied for foster care. With difficulties and mistrust, the Australian moved into Argento’s house. It was the first time in a long time that he had been able to find someone understanding and kind. Argento knew that magic could not solve his disability, making the decision to involve muggle medicine. Heirans was offered the possibility that he could be implanted with a cochlear implant. They went through many procedures, and in the middle of all that, the reason why Heirans acted differently was explained: he had autism spectrum, which influenced how he expressed his emotions, how he interacted with people, how he handled situations that could cause stress.

Over time, Argento decided to legally adopt Heirans, whose original name was different. But he changed his name with the intention of creating a new identity and integrating into the family life that he had built with Argento. From having a name, he choose Heirans, honoring the husband that Argento had. The decision had meaning, because he had heard stories of how Heirans was, a man whom he came to admire. He saw photos, and realized why the physicist had reminded his father, because Argento’s husband was handsome. Once the adoption was completed, they moved to Monaco, where Argento had previously lived before coming to Australia. His development progressed positively, starting to speak a little and learn sign language. They settled into a family neighborhood. Heirans met Hansel, a boy his age who lived in the neighborhood, with Hansel’s parents being friends of Argento. It evolved quickly, they became best friends. At a party hosted by Argento and Hansel’s family for Heirans' birthday, catastrophe occurred. Not being comfortable with a crowd, his feelings became overwhelmed, causing a stressor. It was his first instance of magic at age of seven.

His childhood continued. Hansel was his best friend, and helped him to develop properly. He continued learning to talk until he was able to talk for hours. They spent more and more time together, and his relationship with Argento improved, considering the father he never had. And Hansel’s parents? Angels who had come into his life. He learned about magic, and how Argento and Hansel’s parents explained that he was a half-veela, revealing that his mother was a known veela in Australia. Argento had always known that Heirans had veela bloodline, but it was not until at a certain age that he considered sharing information about the veela. Heirans' dedication to magic was admirable, often convincing Hansel to teach him stories. When he got the letter about acceptance at Beauxbatons Academy, he ran to tell Argento, and the next person was Hansel. Being very excited, he did not wait and convinced his family, consisting of Argento, Hansel and Hansel’s parents. Unknowingly, this was to mark the beginning of an adventure, which for an 11-year-old boy meant that he would study far from Argento, from a house he considered his safe place. The prospect of going to a new place full of strangers intimidated him, but he knew he could count on Hansel.

Today is my birthday. I’m nervous because I don’t like being crowded, and I hate attention on myself. But my father Argento has promised me that everything will be fine. I will have many gifts. I nod with my head, ready to give it an opportunity. I know that Hansel and his parents will come. I like them to be here, and they make me feel comfortable. As I belong here.

I’m coming down from my bedroom, Argento covering my eyes. I’m not sure how I feel, I don’t like being blindfolded, and surprises make me nervous. When I reach the end of the stairs, Argento asks me to cover my eyes, and not cheat. I can’t help but smile at the reminder, giggling a little. The temptation is big but I don’t do it because I’m a good boy! I'm struggling to resist.

When Argento tells me that I can look, many voices scream in unison, wishing me a happy birthday. I don’t realize that the scream startled me. I’ve noticed many voices, more than I’d like. I see some familiar faces, others that are unknown. Anxiety takes hold of me. I don’t feel comfortable with many people here.

My friend Hansel realizes what’s going on. But I have no control over my emotions. I’m drowning. My feelings take over, until all the balloons that decorate the room, some of them start to deflate, and they move around the room at high speed. The rest of the balloons starts exploding with confetti coming out of them.

And it doesn’t end here. The balloons' explosions scare me even more, unconsciously causing the magic to intensify, objects to vibrate and lights to flicker. People are surprised, Argento comes up and hugs me. When I notice the warmth of his scent and family contact, I start to calm down and hold the hug.

When I’m calm, Hansel starts to clap, and then the rest of them do. I’m relieved that it hasn’t gotten worse. Hansel, as a faithful friend, remains attached to me, patiently explaining who each gift is from, and what it’s for. I nod and pay close attention. The episode remains only as an anecdote as my first instance.

His lineage from Veela comes from his mother, named Stéphanie. She is of an old pure-bloods descent, although his mother is the daughter of two veelas. When she married Richard, the fruiton of the union was born Heirans. His parents and the rest of the family had some expectation that he was highly likely to be veela. When it was confirmed that he possessed veela features, his mother felt proud. Unluckily, after the discovery of his zero hearing ability, it provoked the prejudice that pointed out that the veela could not have imperfections, a mentality produced by Stéphanie’s family, who sought purity and wholeness. In conjunction with his mother’s prejudice, his father agreed that Heirans was not suitable for the family. During his stay at the foster care, his status was not made public as no one noticed that he was part-veela, despite having features such as high attractiveness and a certain allure. It was not perceived because they were quite common traits and was not interpreted as something different. His lack of knowledge and information made it easier to be identified as an ordinary human. And he never knew what he really was until he was adopted by Argento, whom the caregivers informed his newfound father about his status.

At Argento’s house, Heirans learned about the veela, and that he was one of them. His brain took time to process the information, because Heirans' innocence believed it was a disease, such as lycanthropy. With much patience and help from his father, he began to understand better. What struck him the most was when his neighbors told him that it made sense, his physical features were remarkable. He took the opportunity to study more about the species, what powers granted him and if there were any who had existed in history, with the exception for his mother. Argento got information about Heirans' maternal grandparents, an attempt he had made to see if they were willing to guide them. Unknowingly, they were one of the factors of abandonment, and declined Argento’s attempt. This was never told to Heirans, his father having taken the information that this was a sensitive situation and did not want Heirans to have to suffer more. Instead, he tried to find a counselor. That was when Gaspard entered the life of Heirans and Argento. He was a veela who worked as a counselor, guiding families whose adopted children were part veelas to learn and accept this side.

In the following years, he began to appreciate his veela side, even becoming a bit coquette, unable to resist admiring himself in the mirror, surprised how the perspective had changed the way he saw himself. He was warned that despite certain advantages, Heirans had to be aware of the risks involved, especially the same prejudice that led to suffer for his disability. Gaspard served not only as a counselor, but someone who taught him to speak the language of the veela and know how to control alluring, explaining that it was important. At first, Heirans did not understand until it was explained to him that alluring consisted of a skill that created an effect on the person, enhancing their beauty, and even distract a person. When he told Hansel what he had learned from alluring, they found it somewhat absurd, his mind unable to comprehend how a person’s physique could become quite impactful. He ended up understanding what it meant when he saw that he had used his skill in Hansel inconscentially, noticing that his friend had been trying to impress him with gifts. And wanting to be closer to him... From then on, he began to be more careful.

When Hansel was 9 years old, he was taken by his tutor to see how werewolves turned. He was supposed to be hidden in the bushes from where they were watching. But he slipped from there and walked closer to the shifting werewolf who in turn bit his wrist, when his tutor was not paying attention. This is how he turned into a werewolf. His parents tried to heal the wound but it didn't heal. Every try was useless by them. So, they accepted his fate and made a room for him in the basement of their house which was sound proof and he could turn there freely. He was doomed to turn on the next full moon. He was not prepared for it at all. His parents could only feel sympathy for him.

He had seen how terrible it was for the people who were turning. They had been screaming in pain as they turned. The poor boy was taken back by the show of werewolves. He wished that he didn't have to turn. But when the next full moon came he didn't have a choice but to turn into a werewolf. Every bone in his body was breaking as he shifted from human to a wolf. He couldn't help but cry at the turn. His parents had sound proof the room so they couldn't hear him crying out. But still their heart broke at the thought of what their son was going through.

No magic could stop it or cure him. So, he had no choice but to turn. The poor boy writhed all night as the moon got higher into the sky. He was surprised when he turned into a wolf form. He would roam around the night waiting to turn back human. That transition was also not easy for the boy. He was spent after his first turning at the age of 9. He would cry to his parents about it or to his best friend. But there was nothing he could do about it. He would turn again and not remember what he did during that time. He was glad to be locked in a room he didn't want to be out in the wild where he could hurt someone. His tutor sympthazied with him too. His tutor should have paid more attention but what was done was done now. There was nothing that could turn back time and stop him from changing into a werewolf.

By the time Hansel had to turn again, they had made Wolfsbane Potion for him to retain his memory of turning. They thought he needed this to remember how he felt when he turned and to retain his memories of turning as well as being a wolf. His mind was all over the place the next time he turned. He remembered how he turned and how much it pained him. He could remember circling in the room on all fours. He remembered how long he remained a wolf for. He could time it this way. He wished he never had to turn but he had no choice in the matter. He had to turn as he had been bitten on the wrist.