The stone archway they stopped before was unmarked, save for a small bronze plaque engraved with curling French script: Allée des Merveilles.
Hermione tilted her head, trying to make sense of it. "Alley… of Marvelous?" she guessed.
Eira smiled faintly. "Close. Allée des Merveilles or in English Alley of Wonders." She stepped forward and tapped the bronze plaque twice with her wand. The air shimmered like heat over cobblestones, and the narrow gap between two Parisian buildings suddenly expanded, unfolding into a vast, sunlit thoroughfare that seemed to stretch much farther than the street outside could possibly allow.
Hermione's mouth fell open. "It's… enormous."
"It's younger than Diagon Alley." Eira said, her voice carrying a quiet pride. "Founded in the 1300s, before the Statute of Secrecy. Wizards and Muggles used to trade here together — back when our worlds still spoke to one another openly."
They stepped inside, and Hermione instantly noticed how bright the place felt. Unlike Diagon Alley's narrow, shadowy charm, the Alley of Wonders was wide, paved with pale marble that shimmered faintly with embedded runes. A glass dome arched high overhead, enchanted to show a perfect blue sky even if it rained outside.
The shopfronts were a riot of color and craft: tall windows framed by wrought-iron vines that bloomed with living flowers; balconies where enchanted birds sang lilting tunes; brass signs that changed their lettering as you looked at them, switching from French to English and back again.
Witches in embroidered robes strolled past holding floating shopping bags, while elegantly dressed wizards exchanged greetings over steaming cups of coffee from street carts. Street performers juggled enchanted crystal orbs, sending them spinning into the air where they burst into showers of silver butterflies before re-forming.
Hermione was turning her head constantly, trying to take it all in. "It's… it's like Diagon Alley, but—"
"—cleaner, brighter, more elegant designed and built for pleasure as much as necessity?" Eira finished smoothly.
Hermione laughed. "I was going to say more beautiful, but yes."
Eira began to walk, gesturing with her gloved hand toward the shops as they passed.
"That," she pointed to a tall white building with golden doors, "is Maison de la Plume. They craft quills that never run dry and ink that changes color with the writer's mood."
Hermione slowed to stare at the window display — a dozen quills were writing in midair, their tips tracing graceful letters in shimmering violet and deep emerald ink.
"And over there," Eira continued, "Le Jardin des Potions — The Potion Garden. They grow every ingredient fresh on the premises, under magical sunlight. If you ever taste a potion brewed with their herbs, you'll never go back."
They turned a corner, and the air grew sweet and warm with the scent of baking sugar. Eira paused before a shop front shaped like a gilded beehive. "Douceurs Enchantées — Enchanted Sweets. You can't walk past without trying something."
Inside, the walls were lined with glass jars full of candies that shimmered faintly as though lit from within. Behind the counter, a plump witch in a sunflower-yellow dress greeted Eira warmly.
They sampled éclairs chantants — éclairs that sang a few bars of a cheerful tune when bitten into, the music soft and tinkling like a music box. Hermione laughed mid-bite, nearly choking as the pastry in her hand hummed in harmony with the one Eira was eating.
Then came macarons de mémoire, delicate pastel-colored biscuits that filled your mind with a pleasant memory — Hermione's was of sitting by the Gryffindor common room fire with Harry and Ron after exams; Eira's was of a summer afternoon in her family's gardens.
"Magic here feels… softer somehow," Hermione said after swallowing. "Less about… depression, more about delight and happiness with mix of pleasure."
"That's the French way," Eira replied. "Beauty and magic should serve one another."
********
They wandered further, passing stalls selling phoenix feather fans, cauldrons made of translucent crystal, and rolls of parchment that whispered the latest news headlines as you touched them. A pair of street musicians played violins that hovered in the air, bowing themselves to produce a rich, haunting melody.
At one corner, a florist's stand overflowed with blooms that swayed toward passersby, releasing gentle puffs of scent to match the customer's mood. Hermione leaned close to a cluster of blue flowers, and they responded with a bright citrus aroma.
"This place…" Hermione said, her voice almost reverent, "it's not just shopping. It's… living art."
Eira allowed herself a small smile. "I'm glad you appreciate it."
Hermione sighed. "Why don't we have places like this in England? I mean, magic is beautiful—I still remember the first time I saw it, when Professor McGonagall performed Transfiguration for my parents to convince them. I loved it then, and I still do. But seeing France's magical culture now… I feel like we should have something like this too. Isn't magic supposed to be about more than fighting or hurting others? I think in UK, our wizards should work to improve and enrich our magical society, not just keep it hidden away."
"Well, you're right," Eira said thoughtfully. "But unfortunately, there are a lot of problems in England. First, we had two decades of war against the Dark Lord, which left deep scars. Second, our noble blood families—who basically control every shop and business in Diagon Alley and Hogsmeade—don't really care about improving things, as long as they're making enough Galleons and gaining power. Beyond that, they're indifferent. Another issue is that the British magical community has long harbored resentment toward the French magical community—they've been rivals throughout history. That deep prejudice makes it very difficult to convince people to adopt ideas from their rivals. So, this historic divide is one reason why the two magical societies are so different."
***********
Eventually, they paused at a quiet stretch of the Alley, where an elegant two-story building stood tucked between a wandmaker's shop and a café. The window displayed a single large book on a velvet stand, its pages turning themselves slowly as if beckoning to be read.
Eira glanced at Hermione. "I think it's time I introduced you to one of my favorite places here — the bookstore where my friend works."
Hermione's head snapped toward her. "A bookstore? Here?" Her eyes were already shining. "Yes — let's go. Please."
Eira's lips curved. "Then come along. I think you'll find it… unforgettable."
And with that, they crossed the marble-paved street toward the door, the scent of old parchment and the promise of countless stories waiting just beyond the threshold.