"Velcome to Durmstrang Mister Malfoy," said the strict voice of Gregor Ivanov the headmaster of Durmstrang Institute.

Lucius nodded curtly as the headmaster showed him to his private sleeping quarters. The room was dark, the walls damp from the heavy rainfall outside of the castle. Everything about the atmosphere at this place told Lucius that everything he had ever been told about Durmstrang was true, this place was mysterious and very, very dark. The headmaster had already been over what he would be studying and it was already clear that he would be studying the dark arts here. Something which he had always been curious about but was never permitted to read about during his six years at Hogwarts.

Ivanov left Lucius to it and he started to unpack his belongings to try and make it more familiar. This room was his home for the next nine months, he was only permitted to return to the manor for the Christmas holidays but he was uncertain as to whether he would be spending Christmas in Britain. Currently his father was somewhere in Russia and Lucius had refused to discuss the holiday plans with Abraxas. He was still furious at his father for forcing him to leave everything he knew behind. Was furious that he was forced to leave Narcissa behind.

He finished unpacking his trunk and flopped down onto the bed, exhaling heavily as he continued to think about the last few months he had spent with Narcissa. How on their last night together, she had sobbed because she knew it would be the last time they saw each other for a long time. He spent so long looking and caressing her face, to picture her laying on the bed in his arms after he had made love to her. He didn't want to forget every detail of her face.

There was a light tapping sound on the window of his room. Lucius rose from the bed and recognised the owl to be one of the Hogwarts ones, the barn owl carried a letter in its beak. He opened the window to allow the owl to fly into the room and took the letter from it's beak. The owl waited patiently on the small wooden desk in the corner of the room. He saw Narcissa's neat handwriting on the parchment and he eagerly tore it open to read her letter. His heat hammered away as he wondered what the letter contained.

Dear Lucius,

It's only been a week since I began my sixth year but already it feels so wrong that you aren't here with me and Rabastan. Professor Slughorn pulled me aside after potions class yesterday and told me that he's written to your father to persuade him to let you return to Hogwarts but your father seems determied to keep you at Durmstrang. So it's not just me and Stan who miss you.

I haven't really been up to much, already I've a pile of homework to get through and it's only the first week back. There's the Hogsmeade visit next month on Halloween and I've said I'd go with Jemima, Neil and Stan but it won't be the same without you. Nothing is the same anymore since you've been gone. Bella threatened to bury me alive the day after you left I was moping so much. But that's Bella for you, doesn't like feelings despite being married to Stan's brother since she was nineteen. I thought she could learn to love.

What are your plans for Christmas? Are you returning to Britain? Please let me know, I'm dying to see you.

I hope Durmstrang will be bearable for you, I'm barely surviving at Hogwarts but the thought of us being together in less than two years is keeping me going.

I miss you.

All my love,

Narcissa.

It was only a short letter, but he read and re-read it. He hoped that as the school year progressed that her letter's would be longer. He decided he'd write her back before turning in for the night, he was sure she'd receive at breakfast the next morning. He sat on the desk, the owl's wide eyes watching him as he pulled out his parchment, quill and ink and after dipping the quill in the ink bottle, pressed the tip to the parchment.

Dear Narcissa

Thank you for your letter, it feels strange not being at Hogwarts with you and Rabastan, but tell Stan that I don't miss his snoring, his mess around the dormitory and his smelly socks!

My father has paid for me to have my own room at Durmstrang, I don't know his reasons behind it. I've already met the headmaster who has told me that I am not allowed to tell anyone of the location of the Durmstrang institute nor am I permitted to discuss what the castle looks like. They are very protective of the secrets they have here but it's actually fascinating that I've discovered that Gellert Grindelwald attended the school when he was a boy and was expelled due to his severe exploration of the dark arts. His taste for the dark arts was more than what Durmstrang could handle, and as we all know, Durmstrang has a reputation for teaching the dark arts.

I hope you aren't hurting too much, believe me when I say that I will never forgive my father to separating us. He had no right to. As far as I am concerned, I am seventeen and can make my own decisions to where I go and what I choose to do but my father has different ideas. I believe that the loss of my mother has caused him great pain that he's not thinking clearly. Before my mother's death he had never mentioned the possibility of me attending Durmstrang.

I hope you enjoy the trip to the village and I wish deeply that I could go with you, that is one thing that I will miss about Hogwarts. We share many happy memories of going to the village since your third year. As for where Bella is concerned(and I apologise if this offends you in any way) but your sister is mad and I think it's obvious that she will never love. We both know that she has been in service to the Dark Lord since she graduated from Hogwarts, I believe she would have fitted in rather well at Durmstrang. Although I haven't made acquaintances with anyone here yet, I see the look in their eyes that many of them would like to know more about the Dark Lord.

As for Christmas, I do not know what my plans are so I won't make you any promises of seeing you in three months time. Just know that I miss you too and I long to see you and have you in my arms once more.

I will write to you as soon as I have your reply.

All my love,

Lucius.

He sealed the letter and tied it to the leg of the owl and watched as the animal flew away into the night, carrying his words to Narcissa which he hoped would be some comfort to her. Yawning heavily, he changed into his nightclothes and was about to get into bed when there was a sharp tap on the door.

"Enter." said Lucius curtly.

A boy with dark brown hair and heavily lidded brown eyes walked into the room. Lucius looked at the boy and noticed how burly he was with a long and pale twisted face. Just by mere expression alone, Lucius could tell that the boy had a fondness for the dark arts.

"Lucius Malfoy?" asked the boy in a heavy accent.

"Yes." Lucius confirmed.

"My Name is Antonin Dolohov. Professor Ivanov has instructed me to be your guide avound Durmstrang." replied the boy.