Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, no matter how much I want to, he belongs to J.K. Rowling :(( At least my characters belong to me :) :) This disclaimer is valid for every chapter of this story :)

Summary: Three girls. Three Best Friends. The Leaders at Durmstrang. After the death of Igor Karkaroff the school is destroyed by Death-eaters. The girls have to decide where to continue their studies. Will their choice be for the better or for worse? How will they cope with being in different houses? Will their friendship survive the pressure?

AN: In my story Durmstrang has no prejudice against muggleborns. :)

Chapter 1

The First Harvest Rite

Or

Unexpected Power and Broken Hearts

In the forest, near a small village in the outskirts of Rodopi Mountains in Bulgaria, three girls were preparing to celebrate Lughnasadh. It was the morning on August 1. In the middle of the meadow they had chosen, they were building a bonfire. They weren't just three ordinary girls. They were witches. Their names were: Elizabeth, Vanessa and Christine.

They had started the preparation for the Sabbath early in the morning, baking bread, barley cakes, preparing the lamb for the feast and gathering wild berries and apples. Right now they were gathering wood for the bonfire.

"I love celebrating this Sabbath!" said Vanessa, coming from the woods with another armful of wood. "This is such a perfect opportunity to reconnect with our core and Mother Earth."

"Sounds great. I only wish we could use magic, it would be so much easier." Elizabeth responded.

"Isn't that the whole point?" Asked Christine. "Isn't the reason we're doing it to reconnect with Nature, without using our magic. Doing things the simple way, manually. I have to admit that I like it because of the manual labor, not that I don't have chores at home."

"You'll see what I am talking about after the ritual tonight. Then you'll understand. Too bad both of you weren't here last year." Vanessa was smiling, almost bouncing on her feet with excitement.

"Hey Vane, when are the guys coming? We'll need some help for the bigger trees." Asked Eli.

"They should be here any minute. It's almost noon. We have to get back and get the food and drinks. Theo said that his brother Nick would bring the table."

When Vanessa mentioned Nick's name, Elizabeth's face brightened up. Christine giggled at her reaction.

"Good job, Vane. You always know how to make her interested."

Eli put her tongue out at Chris. "Oh, shut up! I can't help it! He is soo Hot!"

Vane shook her head at her friend's antics. "I think one of the reasons that make him so Hot, to you, is the fact that he is 4 years older than us."

"So?" Eli's response made them all laugh. Not long after they heard the guys approaching.

Vane's smile faltered a bit at the sight of Theo. Eli and Chris looked at her puzzled.

Today was the day when Vanessa had to make a big decision. Last year on this day she and Theo had made a hand fasting for "a year and a day". Today they had to decide if it was going to continue.

Vane had already made her decision. She would hate to break Theo's heart, because she knew he loved her, but she knew there was someone out there, someone she didn't know, waiting for her and her heart was telling her that Theo wasn't the one she was going to share her life with.

As the night started to descend upon them they started the ritual to celebrate Lughnasadh, the first harvest Sabbath. Nick, being the oldest, was the priest of their circle. First he performed the protection ritual:

I am protected by your might,

O gracious Goddess, day and night.

Thrice around the circle's bound,

Evil sink into the ground.

While chanting he walked the edge of the meadow three times forming a protection circle. Chris and Eli were skeptical at first about the whole thing. They thought that it has nothing to do with actual magic, at least not the kind they were used to use. Their minds quickly changed after they saw how the edges of the circle started glowing in faint green and felt lighter, as if a weight was taken off their shoulders and there was a kind of serene peace that overtook their hearts.

As Nick returned to the circle they had formed next to the table he said:

"Before I start with the ritual tonight, there are a few things I wish to say. First, to those who are here for the first time: this is a ritual in which we are celebrating the first harvest, a time to celebrate the bounty that the fields gave us and to let our spirits sore high above the ground and rejuvenate; Second, tonight you'll replenish your magic, strengthen the bond between the earth magic and your own. I am honored to have 3 muggleborn witches with us tonight. The Sabbaths are the most important time of the year and the rituals that we perform are going to ensure that your magic is strong as anyone else, or even more so." At this comment he looked at Vanessa. "Last, but not least, we have two people in this circle of 7, who last year entered a bonding for "a year and a day", please step forward."

At this Vanessa and Theo stepped in the middle of the circle.

"Do you wish to continue your bonding or not?"Nick asked them.

"Yes." "No"

Everyone was shocked at Vanessa's answer. Theo looked at her like she had just grown a second head.

"What did you say?" He asked her.

"I said 'No'" said Vanessa. "I am sorry but I am not ready for this. I am sorry but you're not the One. I am sorry that we didn't have the chance to discuss this in private, but this is my final decision. My answer stays 'No'"

She saw the rage that started radiating from Theo. "Oh, you little bitch. You're going to pay for this." She tried to back off but he caught her arm. "Where do you think you're going? Who is he? Ha, WHO IS HE?"

She was at peace with herself and didn't get angry but she held her position.

"There is no one else, Theo. You're just not the one I am going to spend my life with. I am too young to make that commitment, yet. Fifteen might have been the age to marry according to our ancestors, but it's not anymore. You hold nothing over me anymore, I am sorry. Your attitude right now just talks about how ready you are to be an adult."

"I am going to kill you!" Theo almost hit her. Almost, because his brother immobilized him as soon as he lifted his arm to strike her.

"Please, don't sink that low, brother. Don't put shame on our family by hitting a girl." Nick was calm but his eyes were cold. There was no mercy for his younger brother there.

Vanessa got out of Theo's grip and went to stay at the other end of the circle, far away from him. As soon as Nick released him, Theo went to his place in the circle and did not say a word.

Nick started the ritual.

He took his wand in his hand and started chanting while walking the parameter of the circle:

A circle is a symbol of completeness and continuity.

It is the Wheel of the Year; the cycle of life. Now is high summer.

The days are hot and the nights sultry. The first harvest is taken in and

We rejoice in the bounty that is provided.

As he returned to his place there was a red light intertwined with the green protection one from before, forming the circle they were standing in. Nick continued, raising his wand to the sky:

With this circle sacred space has been created

Where the realms touch.

Nick turned to the table which was right behind him and right now was the altar. He took 7 apples, gave each person one, turned to the circle and said.

"Repeat after me. Everyone has a verse to repeat. We start from right to left. Elizabeth, Christine, please step in the middle of the circle. You'll repeat the last two verses after me. The others please stand at these points, as to represent the four directions." After arranging everyone as they should be he started chanting:

"Come ye spirits of North, powers of Earth, bring the beauty of ripe, golden fields. Be with us this night."

They felt the earth under their bare feet, like the soil was alive, golden ropes of magic came out of the ground and intertwined with the apples in their hands.

"Come ye spirits of East, powers of Air, bring the cool morning breeze. Be with us this night."

They felt the breeze, warm, gentle and then white, almost translucent, beams of light wrapped themselves around each hand carrying an apple.

"Come ye spirits of South, powers of Fire, bring the hot, sultry summer afternoons. Be with us this night."

The Bonfire lit out of nowhere. They felt its heat. The flames looked alive. Red beams of light came out of the bonfire and joined the other ones around the apples.

"Come ye spirits of West, powers of Water, bring the warm rains that nourish the fields. Be with us this night."

They heard sounds of rain. They felt it was raining but the rain wasn't touching them. It was raining inside the cleansed circle, but it wasn't raining in the smaller one they had formed. It was like they were protected. Blue beams joined the others.

"Lord Lugh, Lord of the Harvest, the bounty of your seed ripens in the fields and orchards. Be with us this night."

There were wheat seeds in a plate on the table. Suddenly they grew till they ripened and became golden, like they were just harvested from the fields. They felt the ground under their bare feet move, brown beams surrounded their feet.

"Lady Gaia, Mother of All, your great swollen belly provides abundance. Nourish me, protect me. Be with us this night."

They felt like the nature was hugging them. The lights became like a rainbow around them. Surrounded each and every one of them, making them feel protected, nourished, full with the energy of live and magic.

Nick took a bite of his apple, giving a sigh for everyone else to follow and then he returned it to the table. Everyone followed. As they took a bite the lights subsided, but the feelings were still with them.

Nick turned to the Altar again, taking a chalice from it and after magically filling it with mead he turned to the circle and said:

"This is Lughnasadh, the time of Lugh. This is the time of the first harvest. I celebrate the bounty of Gaia and Lugh."

After that he took a piece of bread and before taking a sip and a bite he closed his eyes, smiled and chanted:

"I share the bounty of the Lord. I share the bounty of the Lady."

Then he passes the chalice and the bread to everyone, who in their turn repeated his words. When the chalice came back to him, he smiled to everyone and urged them to feed themselves from the table. They sat and ate for a long time, cherishing the feeling of not only feeding their bodies, but the food seemed to have a kind of strange energy which fed their cores and souls, as well.

When they were fed, they started dancing and chanting around the bonfire :

"With our circle we send a gift to you, May the Goddess replenish our powers."

When they got tired from dancing they went in the formation from the invocation ritual and finished the rite:

"Lady Gaia, thank you for your blessing and presence in our circle this night. Stay if you will; go if you must. We bid thee farewell."

"Lord Lugh, Lord of the Harvest, thank you for your blessing and presence in our circle this night. Stay if you will; go if you must. We bid thee farewell."

"Spirits of West, powers of Water, thank you for your blessing and presence in our circle this night. Stay if you will; go if you must. We bid thee farewell."

"Spirits of South, powers of Fire, thank you for your blessing and presence in our circle this night. Stay if you will; go if you must. We bid thee farewell."

"Spirits of East, powers of Air, thank you for your blessing and presence in our circle this night. Stay if you will; go if you must. We bid thee farewell."

"Spirits of North, powers of Earth, thank you for your blessing and presence in our circle this night. Stay if you will; go if you must. We bid thee farewell."

As Nick's turn came he completed the ritual and when the final or his words echoed in the night everyone in the circle felt the presence that was with them till that moment, had left.

"As all good things must sometimes end,

Go forth with the love the Goddess sends.

For if your heart is always true,

This circle will come back to you"

As they went home, everyone was feeling stronger. Another month and they'll be back at school. Through the eyes of the three girls life was beautiful, strong, fertile and happy, at least for now. They had no idea what is happening around the world and how it would change their lives forever.

AN: For reference on what Handfasting is and what is Lughnasadh, you can just Google them :) Hope you like it :)

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