When Dumbledore made the offer to the students from Durmstrand and Beauxbatons that they were invited to stay at Hogwarts, and finish their magical eduaction, Audrey Williams couldn't have been more relieved.
Ever since the Dark Mark, Lord Voldemort's sign, had appeared in the starry, moonlit sky over the Quidditch World Cup, Audrey had been living alone. The wizarding community was sent into a state of shock. Many of the suspected Death Eaters, Voldemort's most faithful supporters, had gone missing, or "took a vacation". Audrey's parents were among them. The pieces of a 15-year-old puzzle were finally coming together.
Audrey had been a student at Durmstrang, a school for the young witches and wizards of its area. The school's teaching were centered around the Dark Arts, Voldemort's craft. Her parents wanted her to know Voldemort's ways, and they knew Karkaroff would be the one to do it. Professor Karkaroff was a "retired" Death Eater (more or less "in hiding"). With Voldemort on the rise again, slowly regaing his title of the Dark Lord , Audrey had to get out of Durmstrang.
Not being the kind of person wanting to be associated with the most powerful Dark wizard in the world, the slim, red-headed girl raced to the Head Table after the "End of the Year" Feast.
"Professor Dumbledore, may have a word with you?" she asked as he rose from his chair.
He nodded and stepped down from the table.
"Sure my dear, what can I help you with?"
" Well, Professor, it's about the offer you made the foreign students. Did you mean what you said?"
" Yes. I mean everything I say, most of the time."
" Well, is that offer upstanding, I mean, can we actually stay here??"
" I said you could, didn't I? Or was that a dream? I'm pretty sure you can, AH, yes. You can."
" Really!" Audrey couldn't have been more overjoyed. Well, Professor. I was wondering if I could take you up on that offer? "
" Well, of course. I'm sure we would all be delighted to have you as a part of our school. But, we must get you sorted. Since you are the first to ask, I will just go ahead and get that done with now. Seeing as you still have time. Follow me to my office."
Through all the excitement, Audrey couldn't help but wonder what Dumbledore meant by "sorted". Audrey trailed behind Dumbledore as he led the way down a dimly lit passageway. They came to a large, golden statue. Audrey recognized it from one of her textbooks. The large, mystical creature that stood before her was a Griffen. With its head and wings being from an eagle, and it's body of a lion, the creature looks as if it weren't real.
" Pixie Sticks," said Dumbledore. The statue began to move, slowly rotating, revealing a spiral staircase as it turned.
Dumbledore hopped onto a stair, letting the magic do the work. The stairs came to a slow halt and Dumbledore called down to Audrey, his voice bouncing off the stone walls.
"Are you going to come up, my dear, or are you going to just stand there?"
Audrey snapped back to reality as the words echoed in her ears. She ran up the stairs hurriedly, stumbling on her own feet. Scrambling back up, she slowed her pace and collected herself before she continued up the stairs.