Chapter 1: Durmstrang
It was the morning before I was to leave for the Durmstrang Institute and the wait was driving me mad. After six years of private lessons and barely leaving my house I was more than ready to be shipped, quite literally, off to private school. Just the prospect of seeing Felix, who had begun attending the school a year prior, and possibly interacting with humans my own age had me more than ready to leave. I was so eager to go I had packed nearly two months in advance, and had repacked nearly every other day since my father officially stated I would be going. My parents on the other hand were already starting to display symptoms of empty-nest syndrome.
"And watch for the wild hippogriffs, they may be relatively good natured but if you go to close to a nest- Oh, and those damned Doxy's! Venimus little beasts, be sure to use a Knockback Jinx should you see them!" My mother was 20 minutes into her 'things to watch for while at school' rant and was visibly becoming more anxious. Her blue eyes widening and eyebrows raising with each wild creature and hazard she listed, every so often she would stopped her fussing around me so she could run her hands through her straight long brown hair causing her to look uncharacteristically ruffled.
"Don't forget the rumours of Ridgebacks migrating closer to the area." My father interjects half-jokingly from the top of the staircase causing my mother to make a strangled noise. He looked as elegant and put together as ever, his short black hair styled back and semi-expensive suit tailored perfectly to his body, except for the mix of worry and humour that seemed to be fighting for supremacy over his face. He slowly descends the stairs giving me a reassuring smile. He gently stills my mother, wrapping her in a hug from behind while still looking at me. He is about a head taller than her at about 5'8" despite her 2" heels.
"Please my love, don't fret. Most the things you listed are only a danger should you sneak off the grounds, if at all. Our Proteus is far to responsible to get into such trouble. He may be young, but he would never be so idiotic as to endanger himself and the Black line like so. Isn't that right Proteus?" The humour and worry had been schooled and replaced by the serious, if not somewhat detached, expression he usually wore when certain subjects such as my safety arose.
"It had never occurred to me father." I said mimicking his expression perfectly, which was a lie. I had, in fact, been fantasizing of possible adventures and desperately wanted to study the local magical fauna as close as possible. Not once did I think about my responsibility to protect my safety and so my father's words caused me a bit of shame.
"See Neri? We raised our son well," my father lets my mother go and flashes an approving smile, "now Proteus you go and change into some nicer clothes. We will be leaving early as your mother and I arranged to meet some friends at the drop off point." My mother was much more calm and father seemed to be in the secretive business mode he only enters when he is meeting with "friends". It's not like my parents didn't have friends it's just that said friends were referred to by name. No, when they said "friends" they meant the off putting and secretive people that would show up in our drawing room once every two weeks. Although, said meetings now seemed to always take place in crowded public areas the past 3 months. Usually places that made sense for families to be there like malls, parks, the theatre, etc. I was always with them of course, but it was an unspoken rule that anything that I overhear from their hushed conversations was to be forgotten or kept quiet.
I quickly ran up to my room to change and grab my trunk. My room was medium sized with an overall victorian era meets gothic style like the rest of the house, but in deep reds and slightly off golds. My queen sized bed was against the middle of the farthest wall from the door with black sheets, red victorian pattern duvet and pillow covers, on a dark nearly black wood frame with no posts and constellations carved into the headboard. On the left side of my room my dresser; bedside tables; and desk were the same dark wood and style as the bed frame. Then on the right covering the entire wall was book shelves that held study material as well as personal knick knacks, most of the books I had yet to read seeing as I only have time to read what was mandatory for my lessons.
Going over to my dresser I grab a three piece black suit with a black button up shirt, the vest was gold and my tie black with gold polka dots, but since the inside of the jacket was velvet my father didn't complain when I had asked for the outfit. Although, I am sure he would have something to say if he new I only wanted it because it was nearly the exact outfit the lead singer of a Muggle band called The Killers wore in a music video from the 2000's named Mr. Brightside. Of which I only knew about thanks to my Grandmother and her love for Muggle entertainment. I guess it could have been called a form of secretive rebellion, but I really just wanted to express myself in a way that wouldn't disappoint my parents.
I will admit to enjoying some Muggle music, mostly types of rock and genres dubbed "party music", it had been my secret vice since last christmas when my Grandfather Grandmother Black sent me a Muggle device called a cellphone in secret with a note that read, 'You may be a bit young to have this, but we really would like to hear your voice again.' It was the only way I kept in touch with them anymore since they had a strenuous relationship with my parents. I currently was hiding the device in the very bottom of my trunk for fear of it being found before I leave for school.
I grab my 11.5" wand, apple wood with a dragon heartstring core, in one hand and pull my trunk from under my bed with the other. I take a deep breath, the excitement and nerves starting to get at me. What if I don't make friends? What if I don't do well in my studies? I personally didn't care too much, but how would my parents react if I was a social pariah or slacked in my studies? Now that I cared about, a lot.
I tried to lug my trunk down the stairs as gracefully as possible, but it seemed determined to crush me. Frustrated I take my wand and use the levitation charm to get it down about half the stairs. My mother gave me a fond smile and my father seemed preoccupied with his watch.
"I believe I am ready." I said aloud after waiting a minute for my father to say we were leaving. He turns his attention to me assessing my outfit, he gives me a smile and a nod and looks over at my mother.
"The gift from your father?" He questions her shifting his weight.
"Oh! Yes!" My mother jumps slightly and glances at my father quickly, "Your grandfather got you a pet, although it refuses to leave its nest. I suspect father hexed the creature to sleep until you touch it. Although that may be for the best since we wouldn't have wanted the creature to have bonded with me instead of you." She giggles as she climbed the stairs and disappeared.
"It's not the most useful creature, but they are quite loyal." My father said transfixed on his watch once again. We must be cutting it close to their meeting.
When mother returned it was with a large cage that had what looked to be a ball of branches and thorns hanging in it. She handed the cage and I felt the pop of the sleeping jinx, then the creature stuck out its head timidly. Looking straight at me it opened its beak making low cooing noises and slowly emerged from its nest. The creature looked as though someone had bred a crow and a vulture. With a crow's beak, eyes, and size and a vulture's shape and feathers. The oddest thing about the creature was that it was pale green except for its tail feathers which were a dark, near black, green.
"It's an Augurey, they make a god forsaken noise before it rains." My father said looking at the bird distastefully. I thought it and the noises it was currently making were beautiful, its intelligent eyes were focused on me intently. It began to hop in its cage drawing my attention to the note that was tied to its left foot. Carefully, I opened the cage setting it on top of my trunk and hesitantly reached for the note. The Augurey seemed not to mind and let me take it without a fuss. Closing the cage and opening the note I begin to read it aloud.
'Dear Proteus,
Your Grandmother used to love these birds, which is why when my groundskeeper alerted me of one making a nest on the property I didn't have the heart to just be away with the pest. Seeing as you had no familiar for school I thought you could use the responsibility, not to mention she reminds me a little of you. Intelligent and a tad grim, must be the Black in you.Best of Luck in Your School Year.Your Grandfather,Ivan Valchanov'
"Grim? Father must be mixing up his grandchildren again. Although, I agree that the responsibility of a pet will do you good." My mother giggled as she began to walk toward the fireplace in the entrance of the house, "We need to floo to the drop off point now or we will be late."
"Yes, here I will take your trunk. You hold the bird." My father said not waiting for me to get the cage before grabbing my trunk, causing the cage to nearly topple to the floor. The Augurey made a disgruntled shriek as I rushed to save the cage, expressing the annoyance that I kept in to save myself from an argument.
My father and I step into the fireplace holding our floo powder, "Warehouse 11, St. Petersburg Docks." We both say as we throw the powder to our feet. Quickly we are both engulfed by disney villain green flames and the entrance room was long gone replaced by Warehouse 11's first floor.
Warehouse 11 from the outside looked like an large old rundown warehouse, but the inside was infinitely less mundane. The ground level had fireplaces along all four walls for floo travel and the middle had various kiosk like vendors selling snacks and trinkets. The second level had full stores selling magical items. From Kozlov's, where my wand was purchased, the least bright and colourful of the top floor shops as it was the oldest shop in the building to Nit' where all things clothes and robes could be purchased. Warehouse 11 was the closest building to the drop off point, the dock behind the building. Which was spelled to not allow anyone without an admittance letter through or see the ship docked there.