Edit 22/05-2015: Some minor changes have been done to the subjects mentioned in this chapter. History of Magic has been renamed Magical History & Culture and has been made a core subject. Muggle Studies has been added to the list of optional subjects, because even though Durmstrang cares very little for muggles they still want to teach the children how to fit in outside of the wizarding world. I also added horse riding and languages to the extra-curricular subjects list. I always intended to have those be a part of Tara's schedule, but intended for them to be introduced at the school.
Chapter one
- Not Hogwarts?
She walked down the staircase lazily, not yet fully awake. The young witch had pulled her red hair back into a ponytail for the day, and wore a turquoise turtle-neck as well as black trousers that complemented her light grey eyes well.
Tara didn't take note of the stillness as tired as she was, didn't think twice about the fact that her brothers bickering could not be heard. Usually they'd be at each others throats long before breakfast, or well, Ronan and Vladimir would. Marcus would usually just shake his head and wait for their father to finish with the paper.
When she finally did step into the dining room, she was brought up short by everyone but her father looking straight at her. She looked back at them, a frown on her face as she noticed the envelopes on the table.
"What is it? Is that our Hogwarts letters?" she asked as she pointed to the envelopes after a while, and Marcus took one of them from the table and handed it to her. She gave him a wondering look before turning her gaze to the paper in her hands, fingers touching the maroon letters that told of her name and location. Next her eyes travelled to the mark that sealed it, and Tara was surprised not to see the Hogwarts seal. It was a two-headed eagle above a horned creature that looked straight at her. Magic had been used to colour the eagle in yellow, while the rest of the seal was red. She opened it hesitantly, and then took the parchment out. There was a letter and a supplies list quite a bit like the ones her brothers would receive at the beginning of every school year, but that same seal adorned the top of the parchments. And there were several other papers as well.
Turning her eyes to the letter and reading through it, the girl's eyes widened in surprise.
Dear Ms. Ward,
It is our pleasure to announce that you've been accepted at the Durmstrang Institute for Magical Learning, and we welcome you to board the ship to the school on August 27th. The school year will begin on August 28th.
Enclosed with the letter is a list of the books and equipment you're required to bring, though the books are dependent on your choices in subjects. A form to fill out about what you wish to study can also be found with these papers, as well as permission forms to bring pets.
With that, we look forward to having you at our school and wish you a good last few weeks of the vacations.
Bjorn Eriksen
Bjorn Eriksen
Deputy Headmaster
"I won't be going to Hogwarts, why?" Tara said as she looked up at her family, and her father looked up at her for the first time. The brothers turned to him as well, because he'd usually have answers to most questions.
"You will go to Durmstrang because that's where your parents wanted you to be enrolled, and no one has found any reason to disobey their wishes," he said with a sigh, and the girl frowned. Her real parents were rarely mentioned in the house, and as such she did not even know their names. Her foster parents always changed the subject when that came up.
"Who exactly are her parents?" Vladimir asked with an annoyed tone, voicing what all the children were thinking. Just then the food appeared on the table, but only the parents started putting food on their plates, their children continuing to look at the father.
"Sit in your seats and eat," he said when he noticed that they weren't moving, and then turned his attention fully to the food as he finished with the paper and put it down next to Marcus. Vladimir made to open his mouth, while the others just looked annoyed, and Marcus gave his youngest brother a hard stare to stop him from speaking before pulling the Daily Prophet closer to himself. Tara frowned when the rest of her family began to eat, the helped herself to some toast and scrambled eggs that she put in her mouth. However, her attention never really left the letter.
As soon as Tara's parents had finished and the remaining food and dishes disappeared, which was the sign that they were allowed to leave the table, she did just that and headed to the reading room, or lounge as they also called it. There she took out the rest of the papers, and since she'd already read the letter the girl first looked at the paper that contained the subjects and brief descriptions.
Core subjects:
Charms
Herbology
Magical combat
Potions
Transfiguration
Magical History & Culture
One extra subject is required until the third year, when students are required to at least take another two. They may, if they wish too, take more. More subjects will be available when the students proceed to their third year and sixth year respectively.
Additional subjects:
Care of Magical Creatures
- Students learn to care for all kinds of magical creatures through both practical and theoretical studies.
Dark Arts
- Students have the opportunity to study those magics which have been classified as dark, except for the unforgivable three and a few select rituals.
Astronomy
- Students study the orbits of the heavenly spheres and predict them.
Muggle Studies
- Learn to blend in amongst muggles
Extra-curricular subjects:
Flying – Students learn to fly on brooms.
Horse riding
Art – Students study magical art. This involves studying the works of famous painters, as well as painting themselves.
Music – Students learn to play instruments and sing. There is also theoretical studies concerning famous magical musicians.
Magical theory – Study magic from a theoretical standpoint.
Ghoul studies – Students learn about ghouls, ghosts and poltergeists.
Languages - Pick from languages including (but not limited to); Latin, Norwegian, Swedish, Finnish, German etc.
There are also extra-curricular clubs, details of which can be found in your respective dorm rooms once you've been sorted.
She ticked of Care of Magical Creatures and flying on the paper and made a mental note to ask about the language classes at the school, before turning instead to the list of supplies that she was required to bring. There were of course winter clothing so that they could keep warm, and protective clothing for the practical subjects. The obvious things like a wand and writing material, a note of what pets one could bring and lots of books. There were of course other things as well, but Tara did not think that much of them right now.
Supplies list:
Uniform:
Three sets of plain work robes (dark red)
One fur hat (black, grey or brown)
One pair of protective gloves (dragon hide or something similarly strong/stronger)
Two pairs of boots (students may choose materials)
Two winter cloaks (at least one fire resistant)
One set of formal school-robes to be worn at feasts and special occasions (crimson and the colour of your house, school crest on the chest)
Two sets of standard students garments, as well as two grey turtle-necks with the school crest (crimson with brown/black/grey fur. Both trousers and skirts for girls)
Please put name-tags on all students clothes.
Books:
The Standard Book of Spells (Grade 1) by Miranda Goshawk
A History of Magic by Bathilda Bagshot (If studying Magical History & Culture)
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them by Newt Scamander (If studying Care of Magical Creatures)
Basic Transfiguration by Natasha Gorlovich
A Beginner's Guide to the Basic Greenhouse by Nikolay Beria
Magical Drafts and Potions by Arsenius Jigger
The Basics of Magical Combat by Lena Oskarsson
Other equipment:
1 Wand
1 Cauldron
1 set of glass or crystal phials
1 set of brass scales
Students may also bring a pet. If it is anything but an owl, a cat or a toad, please fill out the form concerning pets.
Tara Ward got up into a sitting position and slammed her hand down on her alarm clock. The noise came to an abrupt stop, and she swung her legs down to the floor. The clock said 8 am, which meant that there would be breakfast in about half an hour, and then they'd be headed for Diagon Alley to buy school supplies. She'd already been there several times with her family, after all it was the one place in London where one could buy magical things, and two of her brothers already attended Hogwarts. Marcus was just about to begin his fifth year, Ronan his third and Vladimir would begin his first year at the esteemed school. Which was why it had come as such a surprise to find that Tara would be attending Durmstrang instead.
Careful not to step on any of the scattered books or paper, she made her way to the black dresser and pulled out some clothes that she left on the bed before she headed into the shower. Those consisted of a brown blouse and black trousers. She spent some time in the shower, then brushed her teeth and hair before heading back into her room to dress.
The girl huffed as she stepped up to her mirror and picked up a discarded headband to pull her hair back with. The grey eyes staring back at her closed for a moment as she drew in a deep breath and hoped that no one would put too much attention at her looks. It wasn't exactly a secret that she wasn't related to her family by blood. She picked up a silver necklace from her jewellery box, one that had a penchant that looked like a blue crystal-ball. Because the house was large and most of the floors made of stone, she also slipped on a pair of shoes.
Then Tara took a look around her room before leaving it. There was the dresser, four-post bed, desk and chair, the full-length mirror and bed-stands. All of them black, though the coverings on the bed was green. A rather large window adorned the wall to the left after you entered the room, and it was constructed so that one could sit in it while watching what went on outside, or read if one wanted too. Several pillows where placed there to make it more comfortable. The walls were covered in dark turquoise wallpaper on which intricate patterns of wildlife and flora could be seen, while the floor was made of a dark wood. In truth there wasn't place for much beyond the little furniture, which gave it a rather cosy feeling.
Her room was the smallest one in the house, and the only one on which no one had used an extension charm, though she wasn't really sure about why. Not that she really minded of course, there was enough magic in the rest of the house. And she was pretty sure she'd get enough of it when she arrived at school. Not that she knew all that much about Durmstrang, but it was a wizards school.
Having taken a look around, she left the room and locked the door behind her before she walked past her eldest brothers room and headed down the stairs. The ground floor held the dining area, kitchen and lounge. There was also a guest rest-room, which wouldn't fit if it wasn't for magic. Entering the dining area, Tara saw that her parents were already seated at the table, waiting for the moment when their house-elf would send the food. Her father was reading the Daily Prophet, and Marcus was reading through one of his old school books with a smirk on his lips.
She sat down in her seat on the same side as Marcus. A few minutes afterwards, Ronan and Vladimir entered the room, and then the food appeared as soon as they'd taken their seats. The girl took some bacon and scrambled eggs, as well as a slice of melon. Her glass was already filled with pumpkin juice when it appeared. They ate in silence just as they always did, and when Tara had finished she had to wait for the rest of her family.
"Do you have everything you need?" her father asked the children when everyone had finished and the food had disappeared from the table. He waited for positive answers from everyone before standing from the table and heading into the hallway. There all of them took their cloaks and then it was time to take the floo to Diagon Alley. Marcus was the first who took some of the powder from the bowl on the mantelpiece and threw it into the fire, meanwhile saying the name of their destination. Then their mother went, and Ronan, followed closely by Vladimir. Then it was Tara's turn, and she barely hesitated before stepping into the fire.
She arrived at the cauldron without a ruffled hair to see her youngest brother still coughing. She didn't manage to hide her amused smile at the sight, and he sent a glare her way before their father arrived.
"Well, time to get moving," Raymond Ward said when he'd dusted himself off, and looked around at his family. "Ronan, why don't you take Tara and Valdemar to Ollivander's and buy their wands while we get everyone's books. We'll meet you three afterwards," their father said, and the whole family moved out into the alleyway behind the Leaky Cauldron where the father in the family drew his wand and tapped several of the bricks in rapid succession. Then he stepped back as an arch appeared, showing before them the opening to Diagon Alley. They walked quickly through, and did not linger to look at all of the stuff in the windows of the multiple shops, leaving that for later.
Tara felt a sense of apprehension when she and her brothers broke of from the others and stopped before an old shop. Flicking a lock of hair away from her eyes, she raised them to the sign hanging above their heads. 'Ollivanders Wand Shop – makers of fine wands since 382 b.c.' it said in worn gold letters. Her attention was then captured by her eldest brother as he put a hand on her shoulder and they entered the shop.
All of the walls in the one-floor shop were covered with shelves that had been stuffed to the brim with rectangular boxes. Dust covered them for the most part, and many looked old, as if they'd lain upon those shelves for several decades. A counter stood further into the room with a cashiers machine on it, but there did not seem to be anyone in the shop.
Ronan walked ahead of them further into the building and rung a bell that had been put on the counter. Soon after they heard shuffling noises, and an old man walked around a corner into the room in which they stood. He looked dishevelled, his grey hair standing on edge, and the brown robes were almost completely covered in dust. But his eyes shone up when he saw the siblings, and he put away whatever he'd been working on to approach them.
"Ronan Ward, is it not? Oak and dragon heart-string, 11 3/4 inches unless I'm completely mistaken." The boy squirmed beneath the wizards piercing gaze.
"Yes sir," he then answered, as they had been taught to respect other pure-blooded wizards, and Mr. Ollivander turned his eyes to Tara. "And you two must be the youngest. Tara and Valdemar Ward isn't it? Here to buy you first wands I take it," he uttered quickly, and she nodded while Valdemar continued to look around. "I think I have something for you…" He then proceeded to draw a measuring tape tape from his robes. "Which is your wand-arm?" He'd obviously decided to begin with Tara, as she was the one he turned too.
"My left arm, sir," Tara answered quickly, and the measuring band began by measuring her arm, elbow, hand and innumerable other things as Mr. Ollivander headed into the back of the shop. He came back after a while, carrying several of the boxes, and waved with his own wand for the measuring tape to stop before he handed her the first one.
"Dragon heart-string and ash, 10 inches and bendable." He handed her the wand, but the moment it was put in her hand a loud bang sounded and a pot in the corner of the room flew into pieces. "No, most definitely not." Then he snatched it from her before picking another from amongst the boxes. "Chestnut with the feather of a phoenix, 11 1/2 inches." This time, a spark flew of towards one of the shelves, and all of the boxes on it fell down. Tara cringed at the sight, while the brothers stifled their laughs and Mr. Ollivander winced.
It kept on like that for a little while, the wand-maker handed Tara a wand, something broke, and then he took it away from her. Eventually he removed a box of light brown wood from one of the top shelves, and gave it to Tara with a contemplative look. "Perhaps this could work. Pear wood and unicorn hair. 14 1/2 inches, slightly springy." She waved it hesitantly and a bright light began to shine from the tip of the wand. The old man clapped his hands together satisfactorily, and Ronan sighed in relief as it was finally Valdemar's turn.
"That was a surprise, but a good one I believe." The wand-maker waved for Tara to come closer as he crouched down slightly. "You'll need to take good care of that wand, but if you do I think you'll find it very loyal." He smiled at her, and Tara smiled back hesitantly before the old man stood up straight again and turned to her youngest brother. "So, which is your wand-arm?" The old man asked while Tara took a seat next to Ronan.
Author's note: This story, though set in the Harry Potter universe, doesn't necessarily include Harry Potter that much. She'll meet him eventually, but he won't have a big impact in her life. And since this begins in 1989 – two years before Harry began to attend Hogwarts – as well as the fact that she won't be going to Hogwarts, it's going to be a long while before that happens.
A lot of the information concerning Durmstrang that I'll be using is taken from "The Complete Guide to Wizarding Schools" by Mordicus Egg, which is written by NeverBeenDarkMarked here on fanfiction dot net. Other things I've taken from the Harry Potter series, and everything that can't be recognised from either of those sources are figments of my imagination. It's mainly based on the books, and as such Durmstrang isn't an all boys school.
I got the idea of the title from Enya's song "Pilgrim".
