"Open your mouth only if what you are going to say is more beautiful than the silence." — Spanish Proverb
The Legend of Nostradamus
Michel de Nostredame was a French astrologer, physician, and reputed seer who lived in the early 16th century. He was not like every other famous figure in history; he possessed a mystery and power that made him stand out from the rest. He was famous for his prophecies and fortune-telling abilities, having predicted the outcome of almost every major future event in his book, Les Prophéties.
The book was famously researched by Muggles all over the world. However, written in code, people often only found the text plausible after the events had already occurred. To this day, he is famously known simply as Nostradamus.
In truth, Nostradamus was a wizard who attended the Beauxbatons Academy of Magic. In a turn of events, he ended up living in the Muggle world. At that time, the International Statute of Wizarding Secrecy had not yet been established, so he flaunted his prophetic abilities openly. He did not become famous immediately, but once he published his book, he was renowned.
Eventually, the Muggle kings, who feared his ability to predict the future, conspired against him. He was burned at the stake by the common masses—a tragic end to a brilliant mind.
Nostradamus became a warning to the entire Wizarding World: keep out of Muggle business.
The school named in his honour was built in 1692—the same year the Statute of Secrecy was passed. The school stands as a reminder of the foolishness of a wizard who sought fame among non-magicals. It is located in a mysterious place where neither Muggle nor wizard can stumble in accidentally. The only means to enter is via a Portkey provided with the acceptance letter.
Regulus POV
After the goodbyes and hugs from the family, I took the letter from my grandmother and opened it.
The moment I broke the seal, I felt my consciousness blur. My body felt as though it were being hooked behind the navel and floated into the air. The magic around me vibrated, forming the shape of a portal that only I could see. I was dragged in and unceremoniously tossed onto the ground at the entrance of a fortress gate.
I did not have time to observe my surroundings before a House-elf in a butler uniform appeared near me.
"Get up from the ground, wizard, and follow me. Leave the bags," the elf said in a grumpy tone.
He led me toward the fortress gate, which was surrounded by a moat. Honestly, I did not see the need for a moat; wizards could fly over it on broomsticks or Apparate inside if they willed it.
As I was led inside, I saw older students training in the yard. They were not training with wands, but undergoing intense physical conditioning—running, jumping, swimming, and the like. I glanced at them before turning my attention back to the elf walking in front of me.
He was muttering under his breath. I swear, he was cursing wizards and the effort he had to go through to lead new students into the castle every time. It was surprising to hear an elf complaining so openly about work.
As I passed the yard, I entered a luxurious castle, no less grand than the Black Manor. It was early in the morning, so the halls were empty of students.
At the end of the entrance hall, there was a reception desk. Behind it sat a blonde-haired witch wearing spectacles. A queue of new students, about my age, stood in front of her. They were all standing obediently, staring straight ahead without even moving their heads. They looked like they feared something. Or someone.
"You stand there in the line. The dumb witch will tell you what to do," the elf said in a grumpy tone.
Seeing the witch take out her wand, the elf popped away immediately.
She placed her wand on the table with a helpless look as the elf disappeared. Then, she called upon the next student in a stern voice.
I joined the back of the line and immediately felt my foot step on something squishy. I looked down to see an angry-looking toad at the end of the queue. The toad croaked at me indignantly. Confused, I watched as it hopped forward, waiting in line just like everyone else. I decided to stand behind the toad.
I tried to make the acquaintance of the student standing in front of the toad, but he never turned around. I swear the guy was from Asia or perhaps the Middle East. I called him again, a bit louder this time. He looked at the witch warily, made a silent 'shushing' gesture towards me, and looked down at the toad with a shiver before turning back around.
I sensed the atmosphere was a bit tense, so I decided to stay silent.
It took ten minutes before the toad in front of me arrived at the bench. The witch picked up her wand and tapped the amphibian on the head. Immediately, the toad transformed into a boy of seven years old, with chocolate-brown hair and dusky skin.
"Do you realise the consequences of your actions, Mr Jafar?" the witch asked in a threatening tone.
"Yes, Ma'am," the young boy replied in a meek voice.
"Climb the stairs and go left. Someone will guide you there," said the witch after writing down his name and details. Apparently, he was from Saudi Arabia too. Same as the previous student before him.
"Next," the witch said in the same stern tone.
I stepped up. "Black. Regulus Black." I said it in a James Bond tone, flashing a smile at the end.
"Address?" she inquired, unimpressed, giving me a weird look.
"Number 12, Grimmauld Place, London," I said, realising she was not charmed by my introduction.
"Climb the stairs and turn left. Someone will guide you there. Next!" she shouted the last word, making me wince.
I climbed the stairs and reached the designated area. I found a big, muscular, bald man standing guard. He saw me approaching and spoke.
"New Student?"
His voice was incredibly shrill—a stark contrast to his appearance. I was amused, but I was careful not to show it on my face.
"Yes," I replied.
He led me inside a room where I saw other students sitting in comfortable chairs, looking distinctly uncomfortable. He instructed me to sit down and left.
I sat next to the student who had been turned back from a toad. He turned towards me.
"You stepped on me downstairs."
"Sorry," I said. "Why the hell were you turned into a toad?"
He checked the room to see if anyone was listening and whispered, "Dude, I came here because my brothers said this school is fun. I entered the hall downstairs in a grand manner with the elf leading me. The elf said, 'The dumb witch will tell you what to do,' to which I replied, 'Why do you call her dumb? Is it because she is blonde? I can see the relevance.'"
I stared at him.
"The witch got angry at my conversation and turned me into a toad," he finished. "The elf escaped."
I looked at the boy, dumbfounded, and decided to keep my distance from this troublemaker.
A moment later, a boy came out of the inner door and headed towards the man who had led us inside. The next boy entered, and we all shuffled chairs to move up. I counted only three people in front of me.
I wanted to ask someone what was going on, but seeing the clueless looks on the other boys' faces, I decided to interrupt the next student who comes out of the door and inquire.