Harry Potter: The Life of Fleur Delacour, Explained

One thing that makes the Harry Potter series so endearing to fans is the sheer amount of characters that get introduced throughout the series, as even the most minor side characters often have their own fanbase. Harry Potter fans love to extrapolate and take a character that has very little written about them and write their own complicated backstory to their life. Of course, there are also characters who have actual canon backstories and roles in the narrative, despite the fact that they're not one of the main characters.

One such interesting side character is Fleur Delacour. Introduced in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire and coming back multiple times in later books, Fleur is kind of a mainstay character of the Harry Potter series, despite her overall minor role. While she may be a side character, she is important, and she plays a big role in the events of some of the later books in the series. Looking into Fleur's life also gives some insight into what the Wizarding World is like outside of the U.K.

RELATED: The Harry Potter Max Series Could Be A Much More Accurate Depiction of the Books

Fleur Delacour's Early Life

Fleur Delacour grew up in France and was a quarter veela (human-like magical beings who appear as beautiful women and make those attracted to women fall under their spell), inherited from her half-veela mother, Apolline Delacour. Fleur also had a younger sister named Gabrielle, who features in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire as well. She attended the French school for magic - Beauxbatons - and traveled to Hogwarts in her final year to participate in the Triwizard Tournament alongside Viktor Krum, Cedric Diggory, and Harry Potter. During the competition, around the time of the Third Task, she met Bill Weasley for the first time, who would turn out to be very important in her life going forward.

Where Did Fleur Delacour Go To School?

Fleur Delacour attended Beauxbatons Academy of Magic, which was the French wizarding school, located in the Pyrenees mountains of southern France. It was one of the three largest wizarding schools in Europe, alongside Hogwarts and the Durmstrang Institute. Beauxbatons students mainly came from France, but they also accepted young wizards and witches from Spain, Portugal, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, and Belgium. The culture at Beauxbatons was much more orderly than at Hogwarts, as the students were taught to stand at attention when their Headmistress - the-half giantess Olympe Maxime - entered the room, as a show of respect.

Fleur herself remarks that the school would not allow mess. She says that the poltergeists that cause chaos at Hogwarts would have been removed from Beauxbatons immediately. Another notable thing about Beauxbatons was their use of carriages as transportation. These light blue carriages were pulled by a dozen winged Abraxen horses (who only drink single-malt whiskey). Beauxbatons was home to various famous wizards, including Nicolas Flamel - the alchemist who created the Philosopher's Stone - and his wife Perenelle.

What Happened To Fleur Delacour?

After the events of the Triwizard Tournament, Fleur came back to England in the summer and got a job at Gringotts Bank. Bill Weasley also worked at Gringotts as he had left his position in Egypt to work a desk job to help the Order of the Phoenix. The two became close during their time working together, eventually falling in love and getting engaged just a year later. Fleur encountered a bit of tension from the other Weasleys, namely Molly and Ginny, who judged her attitude (quite unfairly) and thought she wasn't a good match for Bill, but they came around and accepted her into the family after a little while. In The Half-Blood Prince, Fleur famously remarks:

Bill and Fleur got married in 1997 and moved to Shell Cottage, a small house on the coast of Cornwall that acted as a safehouse for the Order of the Phoenix. Harry, Ron, and Hermione came to Shell Cottage after their escape from Malfoy Manor, along with Dean Thomas, Luna Lovegood, Garrick Ollivander, and Griphook the goblin. Fleur helped to take care of these new arrivals and sheltered them for as long as they needed. She and Bill fought in the Battle of Hogwarts against Voldemort and his armies, where the Dark Lord was finally defeated. Following the war, Fleur and Bill had three children: Victoire, Dominique, and Louis. Victoire was born on the anniversary of the Battle of Hogwarts, and was thus named for the French word for victory.

NEXT: The Best Harry Potter Halloween Costume Ideas