Chapter 312 : Nicolas' Manor
Leah was silent for a moment, then looked at Phineas and asked,
"So, when are we going to find her?"
Phineas shook his head and replied,
"Don't worry. First, we need to confirm her identity, and then decide whether to seek her out. Besides, I brought you here to relax—so let me take care of everything."
As he spoke, Phineas stood up from the sofa in the hall and smiled at Leah.
"Come on, I'll show you around. There are a lot of interesting treasures here."
Leah smiled and nodded, placing her hand in his. Phineas took it and led her out of the villa.
Nicolas' manor included both a small garden and a surrounding forest. Phineas guided Leah to their first destination—an area on the outskirts of the forest, not far from the garden. It was technically part of the garden, though scattered with trees.
"These trees are magical," Phineas explained. "Many are good for wandmaking, while others are useful in alchemy or potion-making. Nicolas planted them when he was young to supply himself with magical materials."
He then squatted down with Leah and began rummaging through the undergrowth. After a moment, he uncovered a handful of small, black or brown, oval-shaped insects—about 35 mm long—with no visible heads and a pair of tiny antennae.
"What are those?" Leah asked, recoiling slightly as he dropped them into a small jar.
"These are slugs," Phineas said, holding up the jar with a grin. "Rare, but common enough as potion ingredients. They're also Bowtruckles' favorite food. Do you know what a Bowtruckle is?"
Leah nodded enthusiastically.
"They're hard-to-see, palm-sized, insect-eating creatures. They have sharp fingers, brown eyes, and look like bark or twigs. They're excellent at camouflage."
"They live in parts of England, Germany, and Scandinavia," she continued. "They guard trees suitable for wandmaking and get aggressive if you threaten the tree or them. To collect from their trees, wizards usually offer beetles or fairy eggs."
Phineas nodded.
"Exactly. This forest—since it's full of magical trees—naturally attracted Bowtruckles. Nicolas even released some here on purpose. He had a real sense of humor."
Leah's eyes lit up. As a child, she had often heard stories about Bowtruckles—especially about how the famous magizoologist Newt Scamander had one as a companion. She once begged her father to get her one as a pet.
But Bowtruckles weren't common pets. Most magical trees were harvested before reaching the age required to attract them, and Bowtruckles could be aggressive to the untrained. Their habit of throwing bark or branches at intruders had discouraged most people from keeping them.
Now, hearing about them again from Phineas stirred those old childhood dreams.
"If you want to raise one," Phineas said gently, "you'll have to feed it yourself to gain its trust—and give it a magical tree to live in. Preferably a living one."
Leah looked at Phineas with shining eyes and tugged on his sleeve.
"Phineas, help me!"
It was rare to see Leah act this way. When they first met, she had been cold and distant, barely speaking to him. Even after he lifted her curse, she was only open with him. Now that they were engaged, she allowed herself to show affection and vulnerability. That in itself was heartwarming.
Phineas chuckled and nodded.
"All right. I'll help."
He took her hand, and together they stepped into the forest. Immediately, they felt the vitality surrounding them. Magical creatures—none of them dangerous—lived among the trees, cultivated over the years for their renewable alchemical resources.
Phineas, with his sharp eyes, soon spotted several twig-like creatures clinging to branches—Bowtruckles.
"Be gentle," he whispered. "We don't want them to feel threatened."
He opened the jar and guided a few beetles into the air. As they neared a tree, a small twig-like figure sprang forward, snatched a beetle midair, and nibbled it while perched on the bark.
Soon, more Bowtruckles emerged from hiding to feast.
Leah joined in, feeding them by hand. She was more selective, aiming to befriend a specific few. One of them soon grew comfortable enough to climb onto her, using her body as a feeding perch. Leah giggled with delight.
Phineas shook his head, smiling.
"Be careful," he said, as he walked off to scatter more beetles. It was good to build relationships with these creatures. They could be helpful for gathering materials in the future.
He wasn't here to collect a pet, though. That wasn't his goal.
By the time he finished inspecting the forest, Leah was still playing with her new friends.
"You're still here?" he asked. "Weren't you going to tour the whole forest?"
Leah looked up and said, "It's smaller than I thought."
Phineas nodded.
"It's more of a cultivated space than a true forest. Nicolas originally built it to house magical animals he needed for his work. He never overharvested—so over time, it grew into something that looks natural."
Leah nodded thoughtfully and reluctantly placed the Bowtruckle on her shoulder back onto a branch.
But the little creature didn't want to leave.
"Come on, little guy, I have to go," she said softly.
It clung tighter.
Phineas walked over, amused.
"Do you want to go with her?"
The Bowtruckle nodded its tiny, leaf-like head and scurried into Leah's pocket, clutching her clothes with determination.
Leah laughed joyfully. Phineas reached over and ruffled her hair.
"Happy now? Your dream came true."
Leah nodded, beaming.
"Mhm."
"Great," Phineas said. "Now come. I want you to meet two people who were very important to me."
"Who?" she asked.
"You'll see."
Phineas led her deeper into the garden, where two tombstones stood side by side.
One read: Nicolas Flamel
The other: Perenelle Flamel
Leah's expression changed immediately.
"They're…"
Phineas nodded.
"They didn't like crowds, so they chose to be buried here in the manor. I'm the only one who can bring people here, and they trusted my judgment. They spent over 500 years together and wanted to remain so after death."
Leah looked at the graves, moved.
"They were so in love."
Phineas chuckled.
"They were. But they also bickered constantly. You'd think they were children."
Leah's eyes sparkled with admiration. Phineas caught the look.
"You really admire them, don't you?" he teased. "You know, I have the formula for the Philosopher's Stone and the Elixir of Life. We could live for 600 years and stay together forever."
Leah's face turned red. She clearly liked the idea, but shook her head.
"No. I'd rather live a normal life. Living too long dulls happiness. Besides, the Philosopher's Stone is too valuable. I wouldn't want to spend my old age trapped in a manor like they were."
Phineas laughed softly.
"Who said they were trapped? They loved the opera. They'd sneak out to see performances—even without Dumbledore's knowledge. If they got caught, they just pretended he was mistaken."
Leah blinked in surprise.
"Really?"
Phineas nodded.
"They were quite the mischief-makers."
That day had originally been the one Nicolas chose to pass on. Phineas and Dumbledore had accompanied him and Perenelle through that final journey.
Now, Phineas and Leah stayed by the tombstones, reminiscing about the Flamels and dreaming about their own future.
As evening fell, Phineas brought Leah back to the villa and gave her a full tour. She saw everything: the alchemy lab, Perenelle's kitchen, the potion room, the shared study and bedroom, and countless magical items.
Despite never visiting the Muggle world, Leah recognized several Muggle objects—thanks to Hermione. To her surprise, she found televisions, refrigerators, and more.
Nicolas had enchanted them to receive Muggle broadcasts using magic, and Leah found it fascinating.
Phineas smiled as he watched her excitement, then slipped into the kitchen.
The old house-elf Nicolas left behind had been moved to Number Twelve, Grimmauld Place—he was too old to care for Phineas anymore.
As for Puff, she was away on a task. So, for tonight, Phineas was in charge of dinner.