Watching them through the glass, Rueban felt a twinge of remorse for interrupting. They were having fun and seemed relaxed after their exercise. Whatever they had done in that building had been physical and if they were the only ones who looked rumpled and breathless he would have guessed a tryst. Antonin figured she had about fifty feet of awareness so a few more steps and he would be in range. It explained everything about their interactions before his friend got out. She had felt him and then known his magic. The girl was far too cheeky for her own safety. Better get on with it.
As he reached the door he saw her spine stiffen. Even knowing more about her than most, he hadn't expected this level of ability. Perhaps she wouldn't have achieved this level without Antonin's tutelage but that had been occasional visits and only whatever verbal instructions he gave. The rest was her own mastering of skills so she could do the magic required to get the variables and solve the equation. It was brilliant, the way Antonin combined the branches of magic and clearly the girl agreed. It was a reflex, to have her wand in hand, even knowing it was him approaching. Rowle was reacting to her change in posture. The boy was no slouch either, though he wasn't academic by any means.
The look on her face when he gave her Antonin's message was telling. He knew she would go and so did she. Perhaps in another situation the indignity of the summons after their last meeting would have been enough to bring her pride to the fore. It was resignation maybe. Her look to Thorfinn was interesting too. He didn't know and she understood that. Merely the fact she had looked to him was worth consideration. This was the first time she had others of his ilk to interact with, in his observation. Draco and Theodore were not of their class. Not as hardened or selfish. That wasn't a kind observation but it was true.
When she stepped back, trying to be free of them it didn't surprise her that they waited her out. Such a proud little thing but she acquiesced. Curious as ever she surveyed the building he brought her too and didn't seem in any way suspicious of him. Watching her as she mentally braced herself he couldn't help but let a bit of the speculation he felt show on his face. Thorfinn noticed even if the girl didn't seem to and the look on his face was a bit funny. Shooting him a look to be silent he watched her disapparate.
"What the hell is going on?" Thorfinn grabbed his arm and asked. Clearly wanting an answer. Letting his real smile be assurance, the younger wizards surprise was enough of a distraction to grab his arm and apparate them both to the viewing point.
Antonin stood, cloaked in black and as still as the trees behind him. Without looking at them he cast what was needed so that she wouldn't be aware of them, regardless of their noise level.
"Where is she?" Thorfinn asked. Scanning The Valley below. Rueban was doing the same and gave up. Opting to walk up to his friend and follow his line of sight. When he squinted he thought he could see some movement. A small sigh and then two more wand flicks and a word in Russian. It was as if a huge magnifying lens was in the air. Where it pointed was close enough in view that he could see her taking down wards. Now the three men stood side by side. Watching the spectacle before them. He winced internally when she threw herself to the ground as bolts of energy flew at her.
"For fuck sakes." Thorfinn grumbled, watching her stand and block the lights. Then begin casting and sure enough, they came down.
"She will be fine." The words were gruff and contained as little as usual but Rueban heard his confidence. All her other trials had taken place out of his sight and so, the demonstration before them.
"We were having a good time, you know. Fun." The younger wizard grumbled and Rueban was amused.
"Invite him to play laser tag next time Rowle." It was the first thing she had said and he looked away from the witch, who was scanning her surroundings carefully, to catch Thorfinn rolling his eyes.
"What is that? It wasn't you that put that glow on her skin then." There was a slight scowl and he rolled his eyes.
"She was pent up and her usual distractions were busy. Need a better wand to duel for fun, and she suggested laser tag. You wear a thing on your chest and hold a sort of wand. You pull the trigger and it shoots a light. When you hit the other person it vibrates and keeps score. Hard to explain, but it was fun. Big dark room with all sorts of obstacles." For a moment they watched the witch as something they couldn't see took all of her focus and she cast rapidly.
Antonin's huff told him that she hadn't done it the way he would have but it seemed to work as she straightened and began attacking what was trying to confine her. It seemed stationary now, from her magic hitting two points opposite each other that didn't seem to be moving. When his friend leaned forward he couldn't help but tense. Something was going to happen. There was a blast of light and the witch was on the ground. Surrounded by a perfect circle of frozen forest. It had been damp and cold before, it still was where they stood. She stood alone in the white icy landscape. From his natural vantage point he could see the perfect circle of white in the valley below.
The look on her face as she walked toward them in the closer view was one of so many emotions he could decipher them.
"How do you even do that? You just changed a huge chunk of forest into the arctic, she doesn't even look surprised. Must mean you, for coming with us. Wouldn't be enough for him, it's just a game. Not like this. Merlin, what is that thing?" It was an Obelisk of ice and she didn't look surprised by its presence there.
There was an intent look on her face as she cast. He could tell they were deciphering spells and charms. Then she started taking the wards down. As he watched closely, it became kind of a pattern then shifted and continued.
"Patterned layers?" He asked. A nod. Rarely had his friend paid such close attention to another person as he was to this magical display. He frowned a bit as he watched the complexity. Surely she couldn't have figured all of this out right now.
"Is this the one she failed?" Another nod. That explained it. The considerable background work had already been done. It also explained the hopeful look and bitten lip as she began to cut it.
"Why at that angle?" Thorfinn was as entranced by the show before them as he was.
"It would have been part of the equation. Did she get this far last time?" Having watched his friend work at every opportunity, he could appreciate her care and accuracy. While brilliant in many ways his friends idiosyncrasies were not for everyone. It was no surprise he hadn't taken on anyone to teach, the surprise was the witch before them.
"Melted as she took down the last ward. It's temperature is charmed." That was more explanation than he had thought would be given with the other wizard here. It was yet another indication of the level of his attention that was not on them.
Watching her peer into it and frown was amusing and Thorfinn let out a chuckle at her obvious consternation.
"You can see everything, when she lets you." It was a musing comment by the younger wizard but true. Raised in a world with zero tolerance for honesty or free exchange of feelings, it was foreign to them.
The tsk from Antonin told them what he thought of it. Rueban liked it though. So did Thorfinn, that would need watching. An apprentice to watch over. It was something Antonin had never had, nor really considered seriously. His being here by request was enough to tell him that his friend wanted him around for the remainder.
Triumph. She had won and quietly she composed herself. It had been clear that she knew they were watching, not totally free with her feelings after all.
When she stopped and dug out a bobby pin all three frowned. Antonin's was slight but there none the less.
It dropped as she held a piece of paper and then a quill and began to rapidly finish the equation. Near the bottom it had holes in the string of numbers and symbols. 7. For a moment she was still and then she moved away from the tree coated in ice and tried not to shiver. Her cold had been obvious since she approached the statue and had dropped whatever she had warming her before.
"She's cold, she's also lucky she didn't have more than a pint and a half." Thorfinn protested. Just as he tried to spin away and realised he couldn't she tried to cast warming charms and her mounting frustration was clear when she blasted the wards. It was impressive but her face when her breath puffed more and Antonin's sound of disapproval told him that it had gotten much colder.
"For fucks sake. You are such an ass." The blond was shaking his head in disbelief. Rueban would have agreed, had he not known his friend as he did. Exacting and demanding he might be, the colder temperature had been in response to her crude way of using the magic. She reached the door and the exasperation on her face was plain when she couldn't get in after a minute of determined casting. Standing there in the cold, hair a mass around her face, with her lips turning blue and her nose a bright red. It was the picture of frustrated and barely contained temper. Rueban rather thought that fair. A minute passed and he wondered if they were waiting for her to leave when Antonin waved his wand and the magics surrounding them collapsed.
"If you come, you are silent." This was directed toward the younger wizard and the look of disbelief only lasted a minute. Then a nod. Rueban too would have been unwilling to leave now.
Crack.
The two left shared a look and then followed the dark Russian.
Clearly her patience had run out, as they caught up with Antonin she was already about twenty feet back down the trail. It was defrosting without moisture around Antonin as he walked so she was coming towards them with frost encrusted boots and hair beginning to freeze to her face. Head high she made as if to walk by them and was only halted by the word.
"Da." Antonin didn't stop moving or meet her eyes and she just froze. Then turned slightly and met his eyes. He let the amusement show a little and winked, as she had done to him months before. She just blinked and then looked at the third wizard. Who shrugged and took off his coat.
In silence she walked between him and Thorfinn to the house, wrapped in a coat that was much too large. Not a sound from her. It stayed that way until they were seated at the rectangular table and they each had a whiskey. Even her, who looked disappointed it wasn't hot. Eventually he decided to break the quiet or they would never get this done. It was good that it wasn't the two of them only or it might not happen.
"I am sure you know that traditionally apprenticeships are negotiated by contract. One that is filed and quite generic." She flicked her eyes to him and nodded. Having worked in the Ministry and their overhaul of the records department she had probably seen several.
He pulled a scroll from his pocket. She stared at it. Without the eagerness he might have expected. Now she was hiding her feelings. When she met his eye again he continued.
"This will be done as usual. The other one will not be filed." Now she did let something show. A bit of relaxation in her posture and her hands unfisted in the ridiculously long coat sleeves. Perhaps she was skeptical, of the contract or the position generally.
Rueban felt a bit dramatic as he pulled the second scroll out. Unrolling it, he began to go over the terms. They were in the usual order for apprentice contracts but beyond that were unusual.
"Termination when complete." There were no terms listed at all. The maximum five years would apply from the general contract but nothing else. When he decided she was done, she was.
"Completion to be achieved with one assessment at the time of this contract coming into effect." That would mean within twenty four hours.
"Practical Application on a per category basis. Personal and professional. Personal to be disclosed and sanctioned before being used for the first time. Professional to be disclosed on a per use basis and sanctioned by both parties." It left room for negotiation.
"Confidentiality-total and discretion enforced by vow upon request." He was sure this one was about him. He hadn't asked and didn't think the witch would decide to unwisely expose him. Regardless, it gave her a way around it, if she was in a tight spot. Master and apprentice were binding contracts and there were many customs that applied to them.
"Access to be total unless previously arranged." He had argued against that term but Antonin had been firm.
Rueban put the paper down. All eyes were on her now. Several times her gaze flipped from person to person and the two scrolls on the table. Then she sipped and looked down. When her eyes closed they all relaxed slightly. It was quite something to have her trust so openly. She wasn't defenceless now but certainly outnumbered. There was a look in the younger wizard's eyes while he watched her tilt her head back and breath slowly that was revealing.
Nothing to do but wait.