SEPTEMBER 27, 2004

7 KNUTS

DODECA PART I: GETTING TO KNOW BACIMORTE

On first meeting Madame Bacimorte, you would never guess that she is relatively new to her position as Headmaster of Beauxbatons Academy of Magic. You can tell in the way that she speaks about her school. The passion and conviction that she holds toward it makes her speak with a commanding confidence, and gave notice to this reporter that she intends to bring Beauxbatons back into the limelight. She won't have far to go. In this exclusive interview with The Daily Prophet, Madame Bacimorte sat down to talk about the ongoing war between Britain and Italy, the upcoming Dodecawizard Tournament, which will see a pair of champions from six competing schools perform in a series of tasks, and the impact that both events will have on the school that she now governs.

Daily Prophet (DP): Madame Bacimorte, Thank you for taking the time to sit down with me today. I know how busy you must be making the necessary preparations for the upcoming tournament. In fact, how are preparations going? From what I understand, Beauxbatons has quite a spacious landscape which could make for some elaborate structures.

Madame Bacimorte (MB): Oh, no, certainly. No trouble at all. Thank you for having me! Of course, Beauxbatons has a rather large facility, which makes it the perfect school to host 12 champions. The preparations, being this close to the beginning of the school year, are nearly complete. I cannot, unfortunately, reveal any details regarding the tasks. We shall all have to wait, but what a fun year this will be!

DP: Fair enough! Now, I want to go back to the beginning. What was your reaction when you found out that Beauxbatons would be hosting this event?

MB: I was.. well.. very excited and shocked. I have only been Headmistress of Beauxbatons for a few years. I thought, 'Surely there were other schools more suited for the task'. But, once I accepted what an exciting event this would be for my students and my school, nowhere else would do! The planning and meetings have been heavy on my mind, but it will all be worth it. This will be a year to remember, and I never want my students to forget.

DP: What sort of prestige do you believe this sort of event will bring to your school?

MB: My students learn to be graceful and powerful in their magic. I believe this event being held at our school will give them a chance to be in the spotlight. Beauxbatons will have a shining moment in history. This generation will look back and remember Beauxbatons fondly.

DP: I have to believe some people would have to question that statement. I, of course, speak about the recent controversy when Firenze was shunned from participating in this competition. The reasons for doing so remain a mystery, and so I would be remiss if I didn't ask you if you would like the chance to clear up this controversy and publicly state what went into this decision.

MB: The situation with Firenze is, of course, regrettable... though I should think the reason why would be public knowledge. It could be deadly to the tournament to have the two schools from the two warring countries arrive at Beauxbatons. The council for the tournament decided to invite Hogwarts because of the ties they have with Beauxbatons. It was not a show of favour for either side, mind you. Other than that, I cannot tell you more.

DP: Are you worried at all that this decision may have inadvertently pulled France into this war if Firenze and Italy take it the wrong way?

MB: There is always that possibility, yes. . . . I should hope that Firenze would not pull us into the war, but I do not expect them to exactly be happy about the decision. I say again, Beauxbatons and France are not siding with either side in this war. We simply wish to host the tournament in peace.

SEPTEMBER 27, 2004

PAGE 2

... Continued from page 1.

DP: While you may not be pulled into the war, there are certainly other matters to worry about. What are your feelings on the dangerous tasks students will be asked to perform? It is no secret that students have died in the past during tournaments of this kind.

MB: Certainly, that is no secret. But still, students choose to enter themselves on their own accord. I wish for their utmost safety, but the world is not a safe place. There will be dangerous situations the students may one day find themselves in, and I believe they will be grateful for the experience they gained during the tournament. With a level head and preparation, I fully expect this to be a wonderful tournament.. with no deaths of course.

You can be sure that there are safety measures in place to ensure our champion's safety though. We will of course be monitoring all champion's progress and will be prepared to jump in if needed. There is something to be said for how a champion thinks and acts under the pressure of a dangerous situation, though. They'll need to be on point!

DP: That is a noble sentiment, but what do you say to those critics who believe that with everything going on in the world at the moment, that now would not be the best time for any kind of tournament, for any kind of game to be taking place?

MB: For some witches and wizards, this world will never be peaceful or quiet enough for a tournament such as this. There will always be critics. In time where it is dark, there must be something to keep the spirit going. A game, a tournament even, is the perfect distraction. At the end of the day, you don't really want to be thinking about a war or violence... you want to be cheering for the success of a champion, or the victory of a student. This is a very large scale game, yes, but it is not without advantages. I believe if the world allows itself to be engulfed in the war times, we will forget how to leave such times. We will then all become children of war.

DP: Well, I think people will find it hard to argue that a distraction could do wonders at the moment. Do you have any final words you would like to say about the upcoming tournament?

MB: Only that it will be difficult, it will test your skills.. but if you are chosen, it is for a reason. You can endure and overcome. Good luck, champions.

The Dodecawizard Tournament begins this October, and judging from the tone of things, it appears that Beauxbatons will be the place to be this fall!