Reading is Contagious
It was but a few days after school began. The chatter in the Great Hall died away as Professor McGonagal tapped her glass with her spoon to silence everyone.
Dumbledore stood. "I am very happy to announce that this year, although the Triwizard Tournament will not be held, a few students from Durmstrang have decided to join us at Hogwarts. Since so few students are coming, we thought it much more convenient for them to stay in the castle with us. Therefore, I must ask a few students to volunteer their rooms to share with the Durmstrang students. Notify me or Professor McGonagal if you wish to do so.
"We are also holding the Yule Ball at Christmastime. If you are a fourth year student or above, please be sure your dress robes are ready. Thank you," he finished as he seated himself. A group of Slytherine girls nodded to each other.
"Not the Yule Ball again," Ron said with a groan.
"At least this year you can wear the new dress robes your brothers bought for you." Hermione said. Harry hid a smile.
"Oh yea. But I wonder why they're coming. The tournament's not 'till after we leave," Ron said, grabbing a roll from the middle of the table.
"Don't you remember anything? At the end of the Triwizard Tournament, Dumbledore said they were welcome back any time," Hermione replied.
"Oh yea."
The day after the Durmstrang students arrived, Hermione found herself alone in the library. She was looking through a few books, trying to decide which was the best for a bit of reading in her spare time. She was just flipping a page as a girl in blood red robes sat at her table.
"Hullo. I'm Teri," she said, putting her hand out.
Hermione took her hand and shook it gently. "Hello. I'm Hermione Granger. Can I help you?"
"Nah. I was just introducing myself. 'm looking for a good book. You have a great library here." She opened an advanced Potions book and started to skim the first pages.
"Really? How's the library at Durmstrang?"
"Well, mainly books about the Dark Arts. Not really to my interest though. Sure, I could be good at it but it's Potions that really catch my fancy."
"Oh I see."
"I hear the Potions Master at this school in one of the best in Europe."
"Well, I suppose. He tends to be very cold and biased though. That's my next class. Why don't you come with me?"
"Sure. Sounds fun."
"Wow," said to Hermione as they walked out of Potions. "That was so fun."
"Heh. I guess so," Hermione replied with a shrug.
"Hey. Look over there," she said calling Hermione's attention to a group of Slytherines. "Who's that blond one?"
"Oh that's Malfoy. Er. Draco Malfoy," she said with disgust.
"He's cute." Teri's glance caught Draco's eye and he saw Hermione and turned to give them a quick glare. Teri replied with her most charmingly evil smile. (AN: Yes, that is possible)
Hermione tugged at her arm and they continued walking.
"Yuck!" she said, once they were out of earshot. "I can't believe you think he's cute. He's so rude and stuck up and mean!"
"Calm down. I didn't say I was madly in love or anything did I?" She shuddered. "Besides, usually when people act like that it's due to lack of confidence or just because that's the example they got from their parents."
"I suppose that's true. But just don't go making enemies with him. He'll make the rest of your stay not too enjoyable."
"Right. I'll keep that in mind." After splitting with Hermione, Teri made her way down to the Slytherine common room-she was sharing the dormitory of some Slytherine girls- and plunked herself down on one the black leather couches to read her book, Potion Making for the Bored and Under Challenged.
Soon, she became so absorbed with her reading that she didn't notice someone coming from behind her to-SLAM- shut her book. She quickly turned to meet the face she had noticed earlier in the halls.
"Book worm too I see. Have fun talking about your precious books with that Granger?"
"Nice to meet you too," she said, extending her hand. He glared and shook her hand for a moment, then let go quickly.
"I saw you staring at me with Granger in the hallway."
"Heh. I was just telling Hermione what a bishounen you are."
"What? Don't curse at me. My father'll have your head!"
"I didn't curse. Bishounen literally means 'pretty boy' in Japanese, but isn't meant in the derogatory way most people think it is. It's quite a compliment. If you went to Japan, they'd just tear you to bits."
"I didn't know people from Durmstrang were this odd."
"Durmstrang is a pretty interesting place," she said informatively.
"Is it true you learn lots of dark arts there?" he said, with interest in his eyes.
"Well, Karkaroff taught us a lot, but now that the idiot's gone and given the present...ah, situation, we learn a bit more defense and also ethics."
"Better than us. All we learn is this 'Defense against the Dark Arts' junk. I wish they'd actually teach us some real Dark Arts for once."
"Why don't you learn it yourself?"
"Oh and how would I do that?"
"They're called BOOKS!! Now do be so kind as to leave me alone with mine."
He grumbled as he stalked up his dormitory. Teri happily rolled her eyes and continued reading.
It was but a few days after school began. The chatter in the Great Hall died away as Professor McGonagal tapped her glass with her spoon to silence everyone.
Dumbledore stood. "I am very happy to announce that this year, although the Triwizard Tournament will not be held, a few students from Durmstrang have decided to join us at Hogwarts. Since so few students are coming, we thought it much more convenient for them to stay in the castle with us. Therefore, I must ask a few students to volunteer their rooms to share with the Durmstrang students. Notify me or Professor McGonagal if you wish to do so.
"We are also holding the Yule Ball at Christmastime. If you are a fourth year student or above, please be sure your dress robes are ready. Thank you," he finished as he seated himself. A group of Slytherine girls nodded to each other.
"Not the Yule Ball again," Ron said with a groan.
"At least this year you can wear the new dress robes your brothers bought for you." Hermione said. Harry hid a smile.
"Oh yea. But I wonder why they're coming. The tournament's not 'till after we leave," Ron said, grabbing a roll from the middle of the table.
"Don't you remember anything? At the end of the Triwizard Tournament, Dumbledore said they were welcome back any time," Hermione replied.
"Oh yea."
The day after the Durmstrang students arrived, Hermione found herself alone in the library. She was looking through a few books, trying to decide which was the best for a bit of reading in her spare time. She was just flipping a page as a girl in blood red robes sat at her table.
"Hullo. I'm Teri," she said, putting her hand out.
Hermione took her hand and shook it gently. "Hello. I'm Hermione Granger. Can I help you?"
"Nah. I was just introducing myself. 'm looking for a good book. You have a great library here." She opened an advanced Potions book and started to skim the first pages.
"Really? How's the library at Durmstrang?"
"Well, mainly books about the Dark Arts. Not really to my interest though. Sure, I could be good at it but it's Potions that really catch my fancy."
"Oh I see."
"I hear the Potions Master at this school in one of the best in Europe."
"Well, I suppose. He tends to be very cold and biased though. That's my next class. Why don't you come with me?"
"Sure. Sounds fun."
"Wow," said to Hermione as they walked out of Potions. "That was so fun."
"Heh. I guess so," Hermione replied with a shrug.
"Hey. Look over there," she said calling Hermione's attention to a group of Slytherines. "Who's that blond one?"
"Oh that's Malfoy. Er. Draco Malfoy," she said with disgust.
"He's cute." Teri's glance caught Draco's eye and he saw Hermione and turned to give them a quick glare. Teri replied with her most charmingly evil smile. (AN: Yes, that is possible)
Hermione tugged at her arm and they continued walking.
"Yuck!" she said, once they were out of earshot. "I can't believe you think he's cute. He's so rude and stuck up and mean!"
"Calm down. I didn't say I was madly in love or anything did I?" She shuddered. "Besides, usually when people act like that it's due to lack of confidence or just because that's the example they got from their parents."
"I suppose that's true. But just don't go making enemies with him. He'll make the rest of your stay not too enjoyable."
"Right. I'll keep that in mind." After splitting with Hermione, Teri made her way down to the Slytherine common room-she was sharing the dormitory of some Slytherine girls- and plunked herself down on one the black leather couches to read her book, Potion Making for the Bored and Under Challenged.
Soon, she became so absorbed with her reading that she didn't notice someone coming from behind her to-SLAM- shut her book. She quickly turned to meet the face she had noticed earlier in the halls.
"Book worm too I see. Have fun talking about your precious books with that Granger?"
"Nice to meet you too," she said, extending her hand. He glared and shook her hand for a moment, then let go quickly.
"I saw you staring at me with Granger in the hallway."
"Heh. I was just telling Hermione what a bishounen you are."
"What? Don't curse at me. My father'll have your head!"
"I didn't curse. Bishounen literally means 'pretty boy' in Japanese, but isn't meant in the derogatory way most people think it is. It's quite a compliment. If you went to Japan, they'd just tear you to bits."
"I didn't know people from Durmstrang were this odd."
"Durmstrang is a pretty interesting place," she said informatively.
"Is it true you learn lots of dark arts there?" he said, with interest in his eyes.
"Well, Karkaroff taught us a lot, but now that the idiot's gone and given the present...ah, situation, we learn a bit more defense and also ethics."
"Better than us. All we learn is this 'Defense against the Dark Arts' junk. I wish they'd actually teach us some real Dark Arts for once."
"Why don't you learn it yourself?"
"Oh and how would I do that?"
"They're called BOOKS!! Now do be so kind as to leave me alone with mine."
He grumbled as he stalked up his dormitory. Teri happily rolled her eyes and continued reading.