Harry, Hermione and Ron headed sluggishly down the green grass of the Hogwarts grounds, descending towards the Black Lake, where the Durmstrang school ship was docked. Even with its sails folded, it stood a majestic figure, masts extending into the sky, standing proud in the calm waters of the lake. Close to the shore, a mass of tents sprawled, white standing in stark contrast against the deep emerald of the well kept grass, the temporary camp of Beauxbatons looking less like the unfortunate circumstance that it was, and more like a beautiful garden residence.
Earlier that Saturday, an owl had woken Hermione, with a letter from the ministry official the trio had talked to the day before, notifying the group that they actually had managed to secure a meeting with some students from both Durmstrang and Beauxbatons from 10 o'clock, that day. As such, Harry and Ron had both been treated to an early morning wake up call from Hermione, who snuck into the boys dormitory.
"Come on though Hermione… really? Our appointment was at 10! Why on earth did you have to wake us up at 8:30? That's… that's a whole hour and a half before we even have to be anywhere! It's a weekend too… have mercy…"
Ron moaned as they walked, crunching on a leftover piece of toast as he did so, drowsy and with a bird's nest rivalling Harry's bed head atop his own head. Hermione rolled her eyes as she strode alongside him.
"Ron, if I hadn't woken you up, you wouldn't have made it in time for breakfast… I mean honestly! I went to wake you up at 8:30 and you took all of 45 minutes to get down to the common room!"
Harry chuckled to himself as the two bickered, enjoying the cool morning air, and appreciating the spectacularly shimmering lake in the sunlight. The three friends neared the lake, approaching a large tent that had been pitched close to the Beauxbatons quarters. As they drew closer, they could see the gangplank had been lowered once again from the Durmstrang ship, as well as a few students sitting and chatting on the deck, and some walking down to the very same tent that Harry and his friends were making their way to. As they made their way into the tent, the group was somewhat surprised to see Professor Dumbledore talking to a man at what seemed to be a registration desk at the entrance.
"I wonder what the professor is here for…"
Harry mused, as he watched the Hogwarts headmaster talk merrily with the employee manning the desk. Seemingly hearing his quiet question, Professor Dumbledore turned around, a broad smile on his face.
"Ah, Harry, Ron, Hermione! What a pleasure to see you taking the initiative to meet our delightful foreign guests. I confess I am also here to speak with some of my international colleagues, while in these less than ideal circumstances, I must say I am slightly excited about all of this, it is a nice change in how you normally meet people after all."
Hermione nodded eagerly.
"But professor, do you think these precautions are necessary? I haven't seen too much news about the virus, and I've done some light reading about some of the bigger wizarding illnesses, like Dragon's Pox and Spattergroit, but I've never heard of the magical community using this kind of tactic before."
Dumbledore smiled gently, before answering.
"Well, Miss Granger, you make some very good points there. I, for one, do believe that these are very sensible precautions, and while the media may not be reporting so much about the state of the illness, I can tell you that my colleagues at the International Confederation of Wizards have been looking into this matter quite seriously. Indeed, it was them who suggested these restrictions be put into place, as well as this method of communication with our guests. It is, admittedly, somewhat experimental, particularly this, but with the period of quarantine being just 3 days, I don't think it would do so much harm, and as I did say before, I find myself somewhat enjoying this novel experience."
Hermione nodded slowly, as she directed Harry and Ron to write their names on tags to attach to their robes, placing down her quill and waving the tag in the air to dry the ink before replying.
"I see! Thank you professor, and I really do agree with you, I think it is quite an interesting experience!"
`Dumbledore nodded kindly, before giving a small wave to the trio, disappearing behind a set of curtains, entering the next room in the tent, speaking as he went.
"Indeed! Well, I hope you three can make some new friends!"
Hermione turned back to the two boys, who had just finished up attaching the tags to their robes, and were looking at her with no little apprehension.
"You two ready?"
Harry nodded, Ron following suit a moment later.
"I am a little nervous but… I'm actually kind of excited!"
Harry smiled slightly as he spoke, nudging Ron.
"How about you?"
Ron stood still for a moment, before clenching his jaw, and walking forward to the flaps where Dumbledore had just passed through.
"Well come on, let's go then!"
The room was segmented into several booths, almost reminiscent of the Hogwarts express, with a number written on the entrance of each booth. Extending from floor to ceiling in the middle of the room was a transparent barrier, shimmering slightly, the same that had been used on the night of the arrival of Durmstrang and Beauxbatons. Through one of the doors, the three could see Dumbledore settling into a talk with the Headmistress of Beauxbatons, their conversation muted by some sort of spell, lapsing into a gentle murmuring in the background.
Hermione looked down at her name tag, seeing the number 3 written on it. Harry looked down at his own, seeing the number 4, and looked to Ron, who was ogling the barrier and the ceiling of the tent.
"So I'm 3, Harry you've got 4, and Ron has 2. I guess we'll all be separated here then?"
Hermione gestured towards the 3 booths in question, all next to each other. Harry shrugged, nodding.
"Yeah, it looks like it. You'll have to tell me how it goes with whoever you meet."
The three each walked to their respective booths, eyes meeting as they hesitated for a moment, before Harry took the plunge. He opened the door, revealing a round table, bisected by the sheet of gently glistening spellwork separating the two sides of the room. It seemed that the person he would be talking to hadn't quite made it to the room just yet, so he stepped in, closing the door behind him. The room was quiet, any sounds from the outside being cut off, leaving the inside slightly unnervingly silent. On his side, a comfortable looking chair sat in front of the table. Harry moved close to the table, his hand on the back of the chair, ready to pull it out when the door of the booth opened once again. This time it was the door directly in front of him, the handle slowly turning down, before being pushed in, revealing Harry's partner.
Her face peeked into the room, smiling nervously as she saw Harry, standing by the chair. Brushing her dark hair out of her eyes, she opened the door fully, stepping into the room. Harry gave an awkward little wave, shaking his head slightly in confusion and embarrassment. The girl nodded back kindly in response, and Harry's eyes lit up slightly as he recognized the girl's face, having seen her when the two schools had first arrived. He coughed lightly, before speaking.
"Erm, I guess we should sit… down?"
-line break-
"Aghhh that was so awkward!"
Harry covered his face with his hands, shaking his head as he leaned on the wall.
"My god that was terrible."
He peeked through a crack in his fingers, and saw Ron, sitting, shoulders slumped on the bench in front of him. Ron looked up shakily, and whispered.
"Lets… not do that again, shall we?"
Harry chuckled weakly.
"Went pretty bad for you then too?"
Ron nodded, shaking his head.
"It's not like they aren't nice people, I know that but… Merlin, the weird barrier, the seats, the booth… all of it. I wasn't good at meeting new people in the first place… Oh why did we let Hermione rope us into this Harry?"
As if on cue, Hermione cheerfully appeared from her own cubicle, leaning back in to wave at the person she had been talking to, before walking jauntily over to where the two boys were sitting. She smiled at the two, speaking as she walked.
"Aw, what happened to you two?"
"How on earth are you in such a good mood?"
Ron whispered harshly, glaring at Hermione, his ears still blazing red.
"That was one of the most awkward things I've had to live through! I had no idea what to say! I spent half the time just poking at the damn spell barrier!"
Hermione covered her mouth coquettishly, laughing lightly.
"Oh, Ron, did you not enjoy it? I personally thought it was quite a wonderful experience, always lovely to be able to meet some new people, and especially from different schools, different backgrounds, different countries… I learned so much! Did you know…"
Hermione trailed off as Neville tripped through the curtain of the tent, falling forward, just avoiding smashing his nose into the ground with a surprisingly agile twist of his neck. Gasping for breath, he craned his neck upwards, speaking through his ragged breath, stuttering.
"Mal-...Malfoy"
Ron snarled, his funk from the awry meeting vanishing in a flash as the three rushed over to Neville's side, helping him onto his feet. The boy gasped, sighing as he slumped back against the wall, leaning onto Harry slightly for help.
"Stupid leg-locker curse. He seems to really enjoy it, you know? Ever since that first damn time in first year."
Hermione patted Neville on the shoulder gently, twirling her wand and jabbing it at his legs, freeing them.
"Don't worry Neville, I can teach you the countercurse, we'll make sure you can get it down to almost reflex."
She sighed.
"Although you really shouldn't have to."
Neville smiled weakly, his breath slowly returning to him.
"I actually managed to undo it the first time he cast it but… when it's being cast over and over…"
He chuckled dryly.
"It gets a little harder."
Hermione glared at the wall, opening her mouth to retort, when Malfoy strutted into the room, Crabbe and Goyle close behind him, as usual. Malfoy looked slightly taken aback as he saw Neville, surrounded by the three Gryffindors, but quickly affixed a smug smirk onto his face, covering any signs of worry.
"So here's where you've run off to then, Longbottom? Going to be hiding behind big strong Harry Potter today, are we? Or what, don't tell me you actually think Weasley could help you out of this. Or the … mudblood."
The blonde boy snorted, tucking his wand away back into his sleeve.
"I won't even need this."
Ron rushed at Malfoy, his hand rising up, fist clenched. Harry grabbed his arm, tugging it back, while Hermione held his shoulder. They struggled for a moment, before Neville tugged his robes from behind, saying in a quiet, defeated voice.
"It's not worth it Ron… I'm not worth a detention, or points off Gryffindor."
Ron's face fell, and he turned back to Neville, shaking his head, and grabbing him by the shoulders. Looking him in the eye, he told him, urgently.
"Don't say that kinda thing, Neville. Remember what we told you back then? It's still true. You're worth twelve of Malfoy. Merlin's beard I'd take you over a hundred Malfoys. Now come on, let's get back to the common room. I've had a shite day and it looks like you've had one too. I'm pretty sure I can get Fred and George to rustle up some Butterbeer for us."
Ron draped his lanky arm over Nevilles, escorting him back out of the tent, and back towards the castle. Hermione and Harry followed, both exchanging slightly surprised looks at the initiative Ron was taking with Neville, but walked with the two boys. As they headed back up the green lawns of the Hogwarts grounds, Harry heard rushed footsteps behind him, and the fluttering of tent fabric being pushed aside. Malfoy had exited the tent, a look of fury on his face, a fierce blush of anger and humiliation rising around his neck.
Harry turned around, getting the slightest glimpse of Malfoy, wand outstretched, before a curse shot by his head. He tumbled to the ground, Hermione, Ron, and Neville also scattering, trying to understand what had happened. Before any of them could pull their own wands to react, however, Malfoy and co. had already been strung up in the air, stiff as boards, petrified. A slow, thumping, irregular beat entered their ears, and they watched from their positions laying on the ground as Professor Moody emerged from the Forbidden Forest, standing in front of Malfoy and his goons. He sighed.
"A shame, you know. I can see it right now. A little ferret sitting right in front of me, flanked by his two pet pigs. Or hmm, perhaps one of those ridiculous white peacocks that Lucius seems to adore…"
The professor continued muttering to himself, looking at the three floating, frozen students with something akin to disappointment on his face. Hermione spoke up shakily.
"Erm… um… Professor? What exactly are you talking about?"
Moody turned, a savage grin on his face, stretching his marred skin in a grotesque smile.
"Oh, well dearie. You're head of house, the esteemed Deputy Headmistress saw fit to remind me that human transfiguration is not a punishment that can be used by teachers on students here at Hogwarts."
He sighed again, grumbling under his breath.
"Filch, good man, trying to keep the traditions alive but… one man can only do so much I see."
Moody waved off the horrified look that Hermione was sending him, seemingly cheering up once again.
"Oh come now, girl. It's all part of the teaching process! And besides, ol' McGonagall said nothing about petrifaction, so I think I should be in the clear here."
Jabbing his wand at Malfoy and his Slytherin accomplices, he started floating them along to the castle.
"Nothing I hate more than a slimy bastard who attacks from behind. Cowards, these three are."
Here, he leered at the group of Gryffindors, in what he may have thought was a reassuring way, but only served to elicit a whimper from Neville.
"But I'll teach them right good, you don't need to worry about that."
The four friends looked at each other nervously, not sure that even Malfoy deserved such a fate, but not a single one of them was willing to say a word back to their Defense Against the Dark Arts professor, casually floating the stiff bodies of their three Slytherin rivals ahead of him. The professor turned as they neared the castle, looking back at the quiet group.
"I don't suppose you lot would be interested in some extra-curricular studies in Defense? Seems you get attacked quite a bit, Potter, and I'm sure being a friend of yours isn't the easiest occupation in the world…"
Harry glanced at the others, falling silent. Nodding to himself, Professor Moody headed through into the courtyard, calling over his shoulder has he did so.
"Think about it!"
AN: Another slight delay, I'm sorry guys. Hopefully you're enjoying the story, and if you have any critiques, suggestions, thoughts, anything at all, I'd love to hear them! So review!
