It was a day just like any other, except for the fact that many of the students were not present in the classes, packing for the trip to England, for the Tri-Wizard cup. I had declined going, wanting to focus on my studies, my sole reason for coming to this school, my sole reason for leaving my homeland at all. I was quickly scratching down notes from the lecture that was being given, when a loud bang erupted into the room. I jumped slightly before turning, like everyone else, to the door. A small, scared looking first year, the pick of the year to be the headmaster's personal assistant, stood in the doorway out of breath.
"What in the fuck is the reason for this?" The Professor, Professor Albena said. He always did have a way with words.
"I'm…I'm sorry sir….it's just… is need in the Headmaster's room right away sir." He said, in between taking breaths. Professor Albena looked to me and huffed.
"Very well then. You are dismissed ." He said. I stood, packing all my things away in one swift moment. I bowed my head to him.
"Professor." I said, before exiting the room, nearly knocking the puny first year over in the process.
I made quick work of making it to the Headmasters office. I stood outside the door, thinking what the Headmaster could want. I knew it couldn't be that he had found out my secret, it was too well hidden, no one had ever been discovered before, but then again, these were new times, anything was possible. I took a deep breath and knocked three times firmly.
"Enter." A voice said from behind the doors. I pushed them open, and walked in to see Headmaster Karkaroff sitting behind his desk. He wasn't a very impressive looking man, but, as always, looks can be very deceiving. He was tall, but not too tall, maybe around 5 foot 7 inches in total. Shoulder length salt and pepper hair, a deep-set, strong featured face, and eyes so dark and so full of mysterious and darkness, eyes that have seen many deaths and evil. I bowed to him, bending down at the waist.
"Rise Ragner." He said, his voice deep set. I rose up and looked at him.
"You called for me Headmaster?" I asked, my hands behind my back, my legs together, my head held high, the stance of a true Durmstrang boy.
"Ragner my boy, relax, take a seat." He said, his tone friendly as he motioned to a chair in front of his desk. I nodded my head at him and quickly obliged, sitting down. "So, Ragner, as you know, the Tri-wizard tournament is this year." He said.
"Yes, Headmaster, it is being at Hogwarts." I said. He nodded.
"Yes, yes, that is correct. I was very shocked to hear that you were not going." He said, leaning forward on his desk, looking me in the eye. "Why is that I wonder?" He asked.
"Headmaster, I have respectfully declined the invitation to go so that I may continue my studies, which are more important to me than a tournament sir." I said. He chuckled.
"Yes, yes, I know that studies are important to you, but you are ahead in all of you classes, your Professors have put you in sort of an accelerated course. You are only in your 5th year but you are already doing the coursework of a 7th year student. I do not believe a break from your studies will hurt you." He said. I nodded to him, knowing that I did not want to go, but if the Headmaster had called me into his office to discuss it me, then he wished me to go, and if the Headmaster wished it, then it was done.
"I understand that sir." I said.
"Well Krum has wished you to go, he has taken you under his wing, you are sort of a younger brother to him in a sense." He said. I nodded to show I understood. I knew that Krum took a liking to me the moment I transferred here, because I was different, and I wasn't into Quidditch so I wasn't an insane fan that was all over him all the time like so many others were. I liked him as well, he was strong and trustworthy, the type of people I needed in my life. He also didn't pry into my past like almost everyone else did, I was a mystery to all, transferring here my third year with no records of having been in a magical school before except for my knowledge of the magical arts. I had no home, no family, no one I visited during the holidays. Something that was completely unheard of in the school, but never the less, I was still a student, and one of the best students. I had begun to spend all my holidays with Krum and his family, who welcomed me graciously, making people want to know me even more, because I was close with the infamous Victor Krum.
"If Mr. Krum wishes me to go then I of course will go sir." I said. He smiled at me and nodded.
"Very good Ragner. You are dismissed from classes for the rest of the day. Return to your room and pack your belongings, the ships leave tomorrow morning, bright and early, the trip will be long." He said, looking to the documents on his desk.
"Sir, if I may?" I asked. He looked up at me and nodded.
"Yes Ragner?" He asked.
"Would you be opposed to me bring Angelfire with me. I have never been away from him for too long and I fear that this trip will be too hard on him, if I was to go away and him not be with me." I said.
"Ah yes, your Pegacorn, of course. I would never wish to tear you two apart." He said, smiling. I nodded to him.
"Thank you sir." I said.
"I have always been curious, where on earth did you find one?" He asked. "They are very rare creatures."
"I cannot remember sir, but he has always been in my life, we have grown up together." I said.
"Ah yes well, off you go then. You will enjoy yourself at Hogwarts Ragner." He said. I nodded to him, standing up, bowing to him before turning to exit. "Oh and also Ragner, you will be entering with me and Krum. No questions." He said, I walked out of the office before he could say more. I walked very quickly up to the 4th floor of the castle, stopping in front of a rather unnecessarily large statue of Freyja, the Norse Goddess of Love, whom the house was named after.
I ran my hand along the neck of the statue, until finding the button just at the base of it. I pushed in the button and a door opened with a click right behind the statue. I entered the door, and came in to the common room.
It is decorated rather extravagantly with the colors green and gold all throughout it. There are a handful of ornate chairs and couches for the students to lounge in and rugs lining the floor with the Freyja house crest embroidered into them. There was no fire place, Durmstrang never lit fires unless for magical learning purposes, so the castle tended to be dark and cold, but it was still home. I walked up the curved, polished wood, staircase up to the rooms.
The last door on the right led to my room that I once shared, but was able to convince Headmaster Karkaroff, to have it all to myself. It wasn't very large, but it wasn't too small either, it was the perfect size for me. It led out to a large balcony that I had put in so that Angelfire could land there without any difficulties. It wasn't very much furnished, just a simple queen sized bed, two dressers, and a closet. The showers were located on each floor of the castle, but since I was a prefect, we had a special shower just for us located on the roof of the castle. It wasn't much better than the other showers, but it had a very large bath and it was a privilege.
I went to the closet and started packing my clothes, most was the school uniforms, boring dirt brown shirts and trousers with our house crest over the left breast, nothing to excellent, nothing to flashy, but perfect for school. I also packed our dress uniforms, bit more showy, blood red wrapped shirt, brown trousers with a red stripe down the outside seam of each side, black boots, a black belt around the waste with the school crest on the buckle and a red fur coat that was attached by a black buckle crossing the chest, going under the arm and coming back over the shoulder. The other clothes were just everyday clothes and shoes. I ended up needing only about two suitcases, which was an acceptable amount for a trip of this length. It had only taken me about 30 minutes to pack, and I still had many hours before evening time so I changed out of my school uniform and into white riding breeches, a pale blue button up shirt over a white undershirt, and knee high black riding boots.
I walked out my room, and headed to the stables, one of the only places, other than in the forests, that I ever felt at peace. I walked to the third stall and smiled at Angelfire, my Pegacorn. I smiled at him as I entered the stall and stroked him on the nose. Headmaster Karkaroff was right, Pegacorns were extremely rare, but I lied when I said I didn't know how I had come to own Angelfire, of course I knew, but I could not say how, if I did, then my secret would be out.
I had gotten Angelfire when I turn 7, a gift from the present Veela queen. Every ruler had one, so it was only customary that I received one as well. Angelfire was pure white, big and healthy. His wings spanned out about 6 feet on each side, and his horn was about a foot long, razor sharp, and was ever changing in color. He was the most magnificent creature I had ever laid eyes on. I groomed him and cleaned out his stall before taking him out. We started out a slow trot, before moving into a fast jog, then a full out sprint, as he spread his wings out, and we took to the air. Flying on Angelfire was a feeling I could not even begin to describe, it was so calming, yet so thrilling at the same time. If I could, I was stay soaring through the skies with Angelfire every second of every day, but Angelfire is not like a broomstick, he needs rest, so after a good hour, we touched back down to the ground. I groomed him once more, fed him some carrots and left.
I headed back to my room to get some bathing things. Went to the roof where I took a nice long hot bath before returning to my room to catch up on some reading before bed. As I went to put the books away in one of the suitcases, I passed by the small mirror that laid inside the closet door. My new appearance still shocked me, it was still kind of the same as my actual appearance but yet different in so many ways.
My hair was still silvery white, but instead of being down to my stomach in length, it was layered, almost feathery down to just above my shoulders. I was tall, about 5 foot 8 inches, 3 inches more than I am naturally. My jawline was more predominant and my features stronger. My eyes, normally a midnight blue, were now the color of liquid gold, no other way to describe them. I had always been kind of fit, but now I was built, muscular in my shoulders, chest, stomach, back, legs, everywhere.
I shook my head at my appearance, before going back to my bed. As I laid down for the night I couldn't help but feel that going to Hogwarts may be the best and worst thing that I could do.