"Welcome." Headmaster Cassus called bowing as all the boys, still standing mirrored him, clicking their heals and bowing.
Lara moved forward, her steps perfectly synced with Pomona as they each stopped in front of him and gave him a hand which he kissed before they moved to stand on either side of him.
The girls having felt they should wait remained still, their faces and forms covered by the cloaks.
"May I introduce the ladies of Hogwarts." Lara spoke gently and the girls removed their hoods as one before a wind swirled around them with mist and a badger appeared in front of them and ambled up the path followed by Hannah stepping forward and sweeping off her cloak, "Hannah Abbott." Lara announced as she walked forward and stood at the front, she was followed by Susan Bones and then Dawna Smith. A loud roar made the boys, even a few upperclassmen jump and the wind and mist that swirled around the girls this time became a Lion. Padma stepped forward and let her cloak drop as Lara called her name. When she reached the front, Hermione stepped forward and let hers drop as well. "Hermione Granger." Was met with some gasps and several necks craning to see her better. If the magic didn't keep her face serene and her smile a gentle mystery she'd have blushed as scarlet as her dress. Instead she moved gracefully down to stand beside Padma. The wind came again and with it the song of a bird that swept around the room before landing with the other three magical mist creatures on the opposite side of the Professors that the girls stood. Holly, Sophia, Rebecca and Katrina joined them leaving only Astoria as the wind swirled around her and a snake slithered hissing and coiled in front of her. Without stepping forward Astoria dropped her cloak and Lara called her name, "Astoria Greengrass."
The snake began to slither forward occasionally lunging at a boy as it hissed. Astoria joined the girls and they all stood facing the boys as the mist animals gave a hiss, a growl or a cry and then disappearing a swirl of mist. The girls all linked hands and curtsied as one.
Viktor and the group of older boys all stepped forward with staffs in their hands and banged them on the floor letting off sparks that jumped to the roof and turned it to look like a prefect clear starry night. Now all the professors stepped from the walls of room and waved their wands and the sparse room changed the torches on the walls jumped together to form a bonfire at the center of the room and candles burst to life on the door and window frames. Music began to play softly and all the tables rushed together to create one large round table wrapped around the fire. Water seemed to cascade from the inner edge of the table and form a circular river around the fire. Chairs zipped forward and began to shift so that names appeared on the back.
"Ladies." The professor motioned to the large table and as one the girls moved around the table finding themselves paired in twos around it the names of Durmstang boys between each pairing. They stood by their chairs until a boy swept it out and offered his hand to help them sit, finally all the boys sat as well and behind their table appeared another larger ring shaped table and behind that one a third. The tables were split by years, first, second and third on the outer ring, fourth, fifth and sixth the middle and with the girls, seventh, eighth and the elder visiting boys.
On the dais, much like at home was a long table where all the professors sat.
Hermione found herself with Luna on one side and a stranger on her other.
In the flickering light plates and goblets appeared and the girls raised their glasses as one.
"We thank you for your warm welcome and toast all of your health and happiness." Lara called out.
"Durmstang." The girls supplied taking sips of the sweet wine.
The boys all nodded a bow and raised their glasses to the girls.
"Enjoy!" Headmaster Cassus called out and their plates filled with food.
Hermione felt the magic fading and turned to her left, "Hello."
He nodded to her and smiled, "It is honor to sit vith you Herm-eye-own-ee," He pronounced her name very slowly and carefully, "My name is Damyan, I am Erik's big brother."
"Oh it's lovely to meet you."
"I also grow up vith Viktor, ve haf been friends since toddlers."
Hermione grinned at him, "It really is doubly good to meet you then."
He nodded at her, "Viktor try and help vith my English and little brother teach me for years but forgiff I is not very good."
"No, it's not bad at all." Hermione told him kindly.
They talked quietly through the meal occasionally including Luna and the boy beside her or the one on Damyan's other side but mostly with each other. She found he was smart and funny and pleasant to be around but immediately viewed him more like Harry or Ron, she didn't feel any pull or butterflies like she did on her dates.
When the meal finished Damyan helped her up and tucked her hand in his arm. A moment later the tables had disappeared and they had turned to face the other students.
They all bowed, clicking their heals and then in a line going clockwise the first row of boys began walking while the second began walking counter clockwise. After one turn the boys filed out and the second row moved back as they circled and Hermione heard them chanting and then wands were moving. Couches and Chairs appeared around the bonfire and some small tables and even shelves so that when they finished the room resembled a common room. They all turned and bowed again before walking in a clockwise circle and exiting the room.
The professors all stood next, "Please to enjoy a little time to relax, play some games and get to know each other." Then they left through a small side door to the right of the room.
Damyan handed Hermione a goblet from she wasn't sure where. It was filled with the same sweet and cool wine.
"Vill you sit vith me and talk some more?" He asked motioning to a couch by the fire.
Hermione nodded and they sat together and were quickly joined by Erik. After a while Viktor also joined then and he and Damyan shared a nod and smile exchanging a few words in Bulgarian before returning to the conversation. It was relaxing and easy in their company instead of awkward and Hermione was pleased when Kiril joined them but after a few moments she broke the conversation to ask, "Are you alright Kiril?"
He gave her a grim smile and tight nod, "I vorry for sister, I haf unsettling letter, forgive my mood Amska."
"Is she alright?"
Kiril gave a tight nod and Viktor asked him something in Bulgarian. Kiril shook his head and replied tersely. Viktor looked angry a moment and they exchanged a few more words.
"Forgive us." Damyan spoke quietly to her, "They do not mean to exclude, is brother thing."
Hermione shook her head, "It's alright."
Kiril gave a snort and said a last thing to Viktor and turned to Hermione, "I'm sorry Amska."
She shook her head and gave him a small smile, "Is there anything I can do?"
"Thank you but no, Iliya and I are very close and I vorry about her but there is nothing now, I vill see her tomorrow."
"Are you leaving then?" Hermione felt her heart stutter.
"No Amska, not really, only to town for lunch so ve may talk, perhaps you vill come vith and meet her?"
Hermione blushed, "I'm sure she wants to talk privately with you."
He shook his head, "She brings her betrothed and vould like very much to meet you, since before today but more since ve spoke this afternoon."
Hermione blushed again but nodded, "Alright then."
"Good." Kiril nodded, "I vill go now, Damyan vill take good care over you tonight, is his honor to escort you and my head is vrapped with Iliya." Hermione nodded at him and he took her hand and kissed her wrist as he'd done earlier, "Sleep well Amska and I vill see you in morning."
"Good night Kiril."
She watched him walk away and turned back to her companions focusing on Viktor, "Is he really ok?"
Viktor smiled but his eyes had turned worried as well, "Yes, he vill be fine. I vill go vith him though, better he is not alone to think, I take him flying in morning he is self again."
Hermione smiled at him and got up to hug him as he left, "You're here all weekend?"
Viktor shook his head, "I must leave tomorrow, but I see you before depart and be soon in Hogsmeade vere vill see you often."
She sighed and sat back down with Erik and Damyan, "Is all ok Her-my-own-knee." Damyan assured her again, "I promise." Hermione smiled at him gratefully "Vill you play game vith us?"
"What shall we play?"
"Is game of question calling Truth and Lies."
A voice called out and Erik called back in Swedish, "Dane says he would like to play, is asking Story now." He explained.
A moment later and they had been joined not only by the couple but also by Padma and two other boys as well as a lone Luna, "This is Dieter Jessen my escort and Lukas Haydn." Padma introduced sitting down.
"Vhere is your escort?" Damyan frowned at Luna.
"Oh he was attacked by Drandoralls over supper and it seems its only better when Sophia is with him so I left him over there." She waved vaguely. Dieter and Damyan both frowned in that direction. "I rather dislike Drandoralls though he's very pleasant himself and he didn't mind me wanting to abandon him at all." She went on dreamily sitting down next to Erik.
"You don't mind if I sit do you Hermione?"
"Of course not." Hermione smiled at her, "We were just going to play something called Truth and Lies."
Damyan nodded and pulled out his wand flicking it to conjur a coin with a face on either side.
"I'll begin and you ladies will catch on as go." Damyan told them gripping the coin in his palm. "My favorite color is blue." He handed the coin to Dieter.
"Also blue."
Then the coin was passed around until they had returned the coin to Damyan who held it up, the coin looked the same.
"I'm exempt from the law." Damyan said again handing it to Dieter.
"Lie." Dieter responded handing the coin back to him.
Damyan nodded, "I am still looking to find the right witch to make my wife." He changed his statement before handing the coin back to Dieter.
Dieter nodded, "I'm preparing to court four witches."
"I don't want to court anyone but Story." Dane winked at her and passed the coin.
When it reached Dayman he held it up and the coin was black. "Someone lied." He stated.
"You." Padma told him.
Damyan nodded, "I did but I already was caught out."
"Dieter lied, he's courting six." Erik spoke up.
Damyan tossed Dieter the coin and it was again gold.
"If we all tell the truth the coin stays gold, it goes black if someone lies and we all must guess the lie. If you are caught in a lie you lose a point and are forced to tell the truth, if you are not caught at time you are identified as the liar and can choose not to tell and lose a point or tell and gain an extra. We take turns making a statement that is like a question for each to answer."
The girls nodded that they understood the Damyan started the game, "I believe this new law is to harsh."
Dieter took the coin, "I believe it has not given enough time."
He handed the coin to Lukas, "I believe it has opened relations between the schools."
He handed it to Padma with a wink, "I believe its brought together some special people." She blushed at him and handed the coin on to Dane.
"I believe it will ruin some lives."
He handed the coin to Astoria, "I believe it has tried to make us grow up to fast." She whispered with a blush.
She handed the coin to Luna, who sadly murmured, "I believe to many will end up in Azkaban."
She handed the coin to Erik, "I believe it is tearing families apart more than unifying."
He handed the coin to Hermione. "I believeā¦" Hermione frowned in thought and then sighed, "I believe it was made with as much anger and resentment if not more than to really try to make a change for the better."
She handed the coin back to Damyan who held it up. It stayed gold and He handed it to Dieter.
"I am afraid of snakes." He admitted winking at Astoria.
The game continued for several rounds as they got to know each other until Dane had the coin and with a look to his brother he said something in Swedish to which his brother looked angry, "I believe I have found whom I could love as my wife."
He handed the coin to Astoria, "I second guess myself when I try to imagine my future." She admitted quietly.
Erik took the coin, "I can see myself happy in the future with one of the woman I've chosen to court."
He handed the coin to Hermione, "I have not been able to clearly picture my future." She admitted giving an apologetic look to Erik before handing the coin on. At the end someone had lied. Hermione was shocked when it turned gold in her hands and Damyan laughed at her expression. "I suppose its more that I have not felt connected to any one picture I've enivisioned." She handed the coin back to Dane and it remained gold.
The last few rounds were simple questions and at the end of the game Luna had won and they had all learned a lot about each other.
It was late so Damyan offered to escort of Hermione and Luna back to their quarters as Dieter offered his arm to Padma.
It had been an interesting and eventful day and all of the girls were tired when they returned, each happy to find the room had changed from couches to four poster beds.
Hermione woke up early and was pleased to find a door appear leading to a restroom where she could shower and brush her teeth. As she did the other girls joined her and the beds vanished again turning the room into a common room.
Platters with breakfast sat on a serving table so they filled plates and sat with their professors on the couches to eat and talk.
"Last night was to late a night for class but we can have an impromtu one now. Let's just say every meeting in here we have all together falls under confidentiality of the class. Mona and I want you to feel open to talk with each other and us about this entire experience."
A few of the girls brought up questions about the way the boys behaved towards them or wanted to talk about dates. Hermione just sat back and listened.
"Please try to take an hour today to work on one NEWT class." Pomona instructed them. "Otherwise, enjoy your day!"
"Hermione." Lara called her attention.
"Yes Lara?"
"I believe there is a young man waiting outside for you."
"Kiril!" Hermione jumped up, she'd thought about him all morning worrying about what might be going on with his sister that had him so upset.
"Bye!" She called to her friends hurrying out the door to be shrouded in her cloak. As soon as she saw him she rushed to him and hugged him.
