Chapter 2: Pig, Dumbledore and Zograf.
Hermione sighed with satisfaction as she sank into the sofa closest to the fire in the Gryffindor common room. She lay with her back against the arm rest, her knees bent up so she could prop her newly acquired library book against her thighs. She took a moment to close her eyes and savor the complete silence of the common room. Since leaving Grimmauld Place she had been able to finish half of the books she had wanted to read in the Hogwarts library and in the comfort of the Gryffindor common room, no less, thanks to the fact that for the first time in her memory it was quiet enough to concentrate and free of interruptions. Namely that of a certain annoying red head she knew. Perhaps if she played her cards right, she mused to herself, Dumbledore would let her stay at Hogwarts next summer holiday as well and she could finish all the books in the library. Hermione nearly giggled with joy at the thought of it.
She was just settling into her book when she was disturbed by a sudden, persistent tapping at the window. Hermione growled with aggravation at the familiar sound, "Go away, Pig." She called, not bothering to look up from the page she had turned to. "I don't want it."
This had become a daily occurrence for her. The first owl had appeared the day after she arrived, and Hermione, still feeling the sting and betrayal of Ron's insult, had sent Pig back to him with the letter unopened. To her surprise the next day another owl arrived as well as the day after that, and the day after that. His letters continued to come despite the fact that everyday she sent the message back to him unopened. If she was in better standing with Ron she might have admired him for his persistence, but as it was she found his antics quiet annoying.
Disregarding Hermione's angry order to go away Pig continued to flutter just outside the window, his little beak pecking entreatingly at the window, making it nearly impossible for Hermione to concentrate. Rolling her eyes she raised the heavy volume in front of her face to block it from the window. Hermione snorted smuggle. Ron must think himself fairly clever, telling Pig not to leave until she accepted the letter. Well that was just too bad, because she wasn't going to give in. She wasn't ready to forgive him and she wasn't going to let him worm his way out of this one.
Hermione turned back to her book and concentrated on the words, using them to block out the sound coming from the closed window. And after a while the sound faded into the background and it no longer registered to her thought absorbed brain. It was the sound of the portrait hole swinging open that finally drew her attention away from the heavy tome once again. She whirled around in surprise, her head snapping painfully toward the portal.
"Professor McGonagall." Hermione said with surprise, throwing her body into a sitting position at the sight of her favorite teacher and mentor. "What are you doing here? Is something the matter?"
"No, no." McGonagall assured her. Striding further into the room, her eyes narrowed in concentration. "I have a message for…" her voice tapered off as she turned her head, looking curiously around the room. "Miss Granger, where is that tapping coming from?"
'What?" Hermione blinked at her several time until she remembered Ron's owl was fluttering madly outside her window. "Oh, that's Pig, Professor."
"Pig?" The older witch walked briskly towards the window.
"Ron's owl." She explained.
McGonagall turned away from the window, a curious expression on her face. "Why on earth haven't you let him in?"
"Because, Professor," she placed a marker in her book, setting it neatly aside. "I have no desire to read what Ron has to say."
The old witches brow arched with surprise. "Is that so?"
"It is." Hermione shifted under McGonagall's observant stare. She cleared her throat softly, dispelling the silence before speaking. "Was there a reason you wished to see me, Professor?"
The stern looking witch nodded her head sharply. "Professor Dumbledore wishes to speak with you."
Hermione rose gingerly to her feet and followed McGonagall from the Common Room. Neither spoke as McGonagall lead her through the eerily empty hallways passing many sleeping portraits and still suits of armor until they reached the stone gargoyle that guarded the entrance to Dumbledore's office.
"Nosebleed Nugget." Minerva said with a roll to her eye. Hermione couldn't help but smile as the mammoth statue jumped aside to reveal a spiraling stone staircase. Fred and George would be pleased to know that another of their creations had been deemed worthy enough by the Headmaster to be used as a password.
McGonagall stepped aside and assured her hands toward the stone steps. "He asked to see you alone." She explained when Hermione hesitated.
Taking a calming breath Hermione stepped onto the spiraling staircase uncertain of what was so important that the Headmaster needed to see her now. She hadn't seen him since the day he came to remove her from Number 12.
When she reached the landing at the top of the staircase she found his office door closed. She hurried towards the door, lifting her hand to knock. Before her knuckled could make contact with the rough wood Dumbledore's voice sounded pleasantly from inside. "Please come in, Miss Granger."
Taking hold of the handle, Hermione gave it a sharp turn and pushed open the door revealing for the first time the sight of Dumbledore's office. Sitting opposite her behind his massive desk, Dumbledore smile kindly, a soft twinkle in his pale blue eyes. "How are you feeling, Miss Granger?"
Her brows furrowed in puzzlement. "I'm feeling fine, sir." She stepped through the portal and closed it behind her at Dumbledore's gesture.
"Are you really?" He leaned back in his seat, pressing the tips of his fingers together. "I am not so certain." The old wizard sighed heavily as he waved a hand at a chair sitting in front of his desk, indicating that Hermione should take it. "I don't know what Mr. Weasley was thinking when…"
"Professor," Hermione surprised the old man when she interrupted him. "Not to be rude, but could we please not talk about that? I'm finally managing to forget. I think."
His eyes narrowed on her. "Of course." He agreed however reluctantly. "I just wanted to be certain that you were all right. I don't wish for you to make any rash decisions."
She leaned slightly forward in her seat her interest piqued. "Rash decisions? About what, sir?" Hermione's brow wrinkled with intrigue.
Dumbledore rose elegantly to his feet, his eccentric purple robes falling into place around him, and walked around the side of his desk to idly stroke the plumage of his pet phoenix.
"I was contacted at the begging of this holiday by the headmaster of Durmstrang Academy." Hermione's eyes narrowed quizzically. "It appears Headmaster Zograf has a young student who wishes to participate in an exchange program with our school." He ceased his stroking to fold his hands in front of his body, turning so that he could see his young charge and gage her reaction. "At first I had no intention of allowing any students to participate in this exchange. With the state of our world right now I thought it best to keep everyone close to home. However," Dumbledore nodded his head slightly to the side. "After much deliberation I've changed my mind. If I don't allow this exchange I'll be playing right into Voldemort's hands. Halting our lives, being frightened of taking chances, that's what he wants. If I don't allow this exchange I will be dancing to his strings, and I won't allow myself to let that happen."
Hermione licked her bottom lip as it had suddenly gone dry. "Why are you telling me this, sir?" Being the brightest witch of her age she of course had her suspicions why exactly the Headmaster was sharing this with her, but wanted to make certain before she let her excitement carry her away.
Dumbledore smiled knowingly at the teenage witch who was literally ready to bounce off her seat with excitement. "I'm telling you this, Miss Granger, because I have selected you to participate in this exchange. I believe you would be the ideal candidate. You have top marks in all your classes. You actively engaged in befriending students from the other schools during the Tri-Wizard Tournament and have proven yourself many times over. I have full confidence that you can handle what ever comes your way."
Hermione bit down hard on her lip as she tried to contain her screech of excitement. "I get to go to Bulgaria?"
Dumbledore nodded as he returned to his seat. "I am relieved to see that you are genuinely interested in my proposition."
Hermione started in surprise. "Why wouldn't I be?"
"Please try to understand, Miss Granger. It's not that I don't have full confidence in you. I do." He paused a moment to gather his thoughts. "However, I did fear that you might jump to a hasty decision because of your disagreement with Mr. Weasley."
The joy that had lit Hermione's face moments before faded immediately. "I hadn't even considered that."
Dumbledore nodded. "Perhaps you should." He placed his arms on the table, finger tips pressed together so that they steepled towards the ceiling. "If you decided this is something that you genuinely wish to do you'll be leaving within the next week. I know this is rather short notice, but as I explained I have only recently come to the decision to allow this exchange to take place. And then came the process of ironing out the last of the details with Headmaster Zorgraf. But coming back to the point, if you do decide to participate you will be leaving within the week, so I want you to consider this carefully."
Hermione stared down at her hands clasped tightly in her lap. This was the opportunity of a life time, one that she was loath to pass up. But the thought of leaving Hogwarts without patching things up with Ron didn't sit right in her stomach. After all, for the past five years he had been one of her best friends. One of her best friends? Him and Harry. Harry? What about Harry?
Hermione's head snapped up. "Professor, what about Harry?" she asked, voicing her concerns. "He told Ron and I about the prophesy this summer. I don't think it would be wise to leave him right now."
Dumbledore couldn't help but smile at Hermione's concern and loyalty. "I've already discussed the matter with Harry."
"You have?" Her spine straightened. "When?"
"The day you left Grimmauld Place. I spoke with Harry alone and he assured me that he was perfectly all right with the idea." The old wizard chuckled softly. "He did however make a few demands before he agreed."
Hermione's brow arched with intrigue. "What type of demands?"
Dumbledore tried to stop his lips from twitching but found it quiet impossible. "First he insisted that I provide a way that instant communication could be maintained between the two of you., a reasonable request I believe. Secondly he insisted that I fin d a means to bring you home immediately if there was a need."
"Oh." Hermione slumped back in her seat with surprise. "That was very prudent of him." She said with pride in her voice, believing that she had finally rubbed off on at least one of her two best friends. Hermione looked up into Dumbledore's laughing eyes. "Have you found a way to accommodate his wishes?"
Dumbledore nodded his silver white head. "I have." He opened a drawer in his massive desk and retrieved an oblong piece of glass. He set it gently on the smooth surface of his desk before giving it a gentle push and let it glide across the surface into Hermione's waiting hands. She lifted the smooth glass off the desk and held it before her face and found to her surprise that it was completely void of her own reflection. Her eyes snapped up to Dumbledore's in surprise.
"What is this, Headmaster?"
"That, Miss Granger, is your means of speaking with Harry. I'll give the other to Mr. Potter as soon as he arrives for the beginning of term. All you must do is tap the glass with your wand and Harry's will start glowing, indicating that you wish to speak with him. As soon as he taps his own with his wand you can talk freely with each other without any fear of your conversation being over heard or intercepted."
Hermione's mouth fell open with amazement. "This is ingenious."
Dumbledore chuckled with amusement. "I thought you might approve."
Hermione inspected the mirror for a few minutes more before setting it purposefully on the desk. She bit her bottom lip a moment in thought as she considered how to fraise her next question. "And what of the immediate transportation home? I agree with Harry. He needs me, and if there isn't a way come home in an emergency then I'm not going."
"You see that one took me a bit more time to sort. The most obvious solution is an emergency portkey. But naturally this is easier said then accomplished. Under normal circumstances I would have to go through the ministry to receive one. Unfortunately we don't know who we can trust within the ministry at the present time. So I took it upon myself." Dumbledore reached a long fingered hand into his pocket and retrieved a small glass orb that greatly resembled Neville's Remembral. He reached across the expanse of his desk and placed the orb gently in Hermione's outstretched hand. "The portkey is inside the ball. Because it is illegal it is imperative that you understand that you are only to use it in case of a dire emergency. It is not to be used on a whim if you become homesick. Do I make myself clear?" Hermione nodded her understanding as she slipped the spun ball into her pocket.
"Thank you, Headmaster."
Dumbledore waved her thanks airily aside. "There's no need. No need at all. I think this experience will be very good for you. You might be surprised how educational an exchange experience like this can be. Do you have any questions you would like to ask me?"
Hermione tipped her head to the side a moment in consideration. "When do I leave?"
The Headmaster's lips spread into a bright smile. "The Term starts for Durmstrang next Wednesday. Headmaster Zograf and I thought it would be best if you left on Tuesday. That way you will be settled and familiar with some of your new surroundings when the rest of your classmates arrive. Now," Dumbledore rose to his feet, "If you don't have any more questions, perhaps it would be best if you went and begun your packing."
Hermione rose to her feet clutching the mirror protectively to her chest. She scampered from the room in her excitement but hurried back when she realized she hadn't thanked the Headmaster properly. She rushed back into the room and without any humiliation hugged the old man around the middle like she would a grandfather. "Thank you for everything, Headmaster."
Dumbledore patted her shoulder and smiled down at her affectionately. "It was my pleasure, Miss Granger. Now run along."
With a last squeal the young girl fled from the room a final time and Dumbledore couldn't help but smile at the excitement he saw in her every movement. Perhaps time away from her troubles would rejuvenate Hermione like nothing else could and when she returned she could mend her broken friendship with Ronald Weasley and they could once again be the friends that Harry needed them to be and maybe become what they needed for each other.
"Are you sure you haven't forgotten anything, Miss Granger?"
Hermione caught her bottom lip between her teeth as she quickly went over her mental check list one last time. When it was clear in her mind she gave her head a kurt nod. "Yes, Sir. I have everything."
"All right then." Dumbledore indicated a blue teacup sitting on the corner of his desk. "When you are ready, the portkey will take you to the International Portkey Station. Remus Lupin will be waiting there for you. He'll make sure you reach the connecting port station. Headmaster Zograf will be waiting for you at the end of your journey."
Hermione nodded. "Thank you again, Headmaster. For everything."
The old man smiled fondly at his young charge. "Have a wonderful time Miss Granger." He nodded his silver head. "When ever you're ready."
Hermione took a deep, calming breath. Squaring her shoulders she took hold of her trunks handle before she reached out and grasped onto the dainty blue teacup. With a tug behind her navel and a sudden lurch forward Hermione disappeared from Dumbledore's office.
Hermione's feet slammed into the ground for the second time that day. A jarring pain went up her shins as she stumbled forward, nearly collapsing to the ground. Before she made contact with the hard floor she felt a hand latch onto her elbow and pull her back onto her feet.
"Miss Granger, I presume."
Hermione pushed her bushy hair out of her eyes and looked up at the tall man who had saved her from making contact with the ground. She straightened instantly when she realized that this man had to be the Headmaster. She gave him a quick appraising look and was surprised to discover that such a young man held the lofty title of Headmaster to Durmstrang Academy. He couldn't be even forty, she decided. His hair was thick and full of a dusty blond color. He had dark, olive toned skin, brown eyes that were so dim they appeared almost black and thin lips that were twitched up at the corner in a friendly half smile.
"Miss Granger?" He asked again when she still hadn't responded.
"Yes." She snapped, her cheeks flushing with color when she realized she had been staring. "I am Hermione Granger."
The tall man extended his hand which Hermione instantly took to shake. "I am Headmaster Finn Zograf." He released her hand after a curt shake. "If you follow me I will take you to your room."
Hermione nodded as she took hold of one end of her trunk, and to her surprise the Headmaster took the other end.
As the odd pair began their journey to Hermione's accommodations she took the opportunity to take a good look at her surroundings. Unlike Hogwarts, whose walls were made up of a soft, smooth gray stone, Durmstrang's walls were of dark cheery wood, the kind of which is found in old manor houses. The furniture was thick and heavy and glistened under several coats of polish. The halls were dimly lit with chandeliers that hung from the ceiling periodically.
Headmaster Zograf lead her into the main entrance of the school. At one end of the atrium were thick double doors that kept the cold air outside from seeping into the building. On the opposite end was grand staircase that separated halfway up and curved around to the balcony that ran the length of the open atrium. There were several doors that lead off the balcony of which Hermione assumed went off to different parts of the school.
She stared around her with wonder. She was instantly enchanted with the warm, welcoming atmosphere of the school. Similar to Hogwarts it had paintings on the walls that waved at her welcomingly as she passed, chattering to her in a language she didn't understand.
As the trunk toting pair mounted the staircase to the second floor, Headmaster Zograf glanced back at her and saw the troubled furrowing of her brow. "Is there a problem Miss Granger?"
"Oh no." She assured the Headmaster. "I'm sure it will only take me short time to learn enough of the language to be getting on."
"Ohh." The Headmaster nodded his head with understanding. "How foolish of me to have forgotten." The tall man reached inside his heavy black robes and extracted a vile that glowed bright red. He hand it to her, instructing her to drink it. Looking warily at the vile in her hands and then the Headmaster she uncorked it and the sent of apple filled the air. "It's all right Miss Granger." He assured her. "I'm not trying to poison you." Finally seeing a twinkle in Zograf's eyes that reminded her distinctly of Dumbledore's she brought the container to her lips and gently tipped her head back letting the potion invade her mouth. Not only did it smell like apple, she realized, it tasted like the fruit as well. Moments after the sweet liquid slid down her throat she felt a tingling in the back of her brain. "How is that?" He asked when the tingling stopped.
"How is what?" Hermione asked with a perplexed scrunch to her brow.
The Headmaster chuckled softly. "Listen closely, Miss Granger." he instructed her. Hermione concentrated hard trying to hear what Zograf wanted her to hear. Her eyes grew bright as she suddenly understood. The portraits on the walls that had only moments ago been speaking what seemed to her as gibberish, were now speaking in full sentences that she understood. Her mouth dropped open in her excitement.
"How is that possible?"
The Headmaster chuckled again as he turned and continued his assent of the stairs. "It's really rather simple, Miss Granger. Similar to a memory charm really. Dumbledore and I had a talk before you arrived. We agreed that it would benefit both you and Rane Voitekh, your exchange partner, if you were able to understand your fellow students and teachers immediately. Otherwise you would be concentration on learning our language instead of your studies, and we just couldn't have that. After all your studies come first and foremost."
Hermione smiled with enthusiasm. "That's logical. Thank you Headmaster."
Zograf waved away her gratitude airily. "Think nothing of it." They reached the second landing and turned through the first door on their right. They continued down a long hallway lined with doors. "Unlike Hogwarts," He continued, "we do not have houses and common rooms. Every student has their own individual room complete with study area, bed and bathing facilities. The floors are divided by year. This is the third year floor."
They finally reached a stair case at the end of the long hallway and began their climb once again. "It's rather simple to navigate the dormitories. They fallow in sequential order. Fourth year, fifth year, sixth, seventh, first then second. A student keeps the same room the duration of their stay at our school."
Hermione listened intently as the Headmaster pointed out different points of interest during their climb to the sixth year floor. They reached the landing and walked down the hallway side be side with the trunk still suspended between them. Feeling like her arm was about to fall from the socket from the strain of towing her trunk this long way, she was grateful when the Headmaster finally came to a stop at the end of the corridor.
"All right, Miss Granger." Zograf set his end of the trunk on the ground. He turned to face her, the warm smile still on his lips. "The door is charmed to recognize your voice, password and hand imprint. Simply concentrate on a password and touch the handle. You will fee a gentle tingle in your palm. When the process is complete only you will be able to enter your dormitory, even if by chance another student here's your password."
Hermione nodded her understanding before she sucked in her bottom lip as she began to contemplate an appropriate password. Her mind ran speedily over all her options staring first with some of her favorite things like Hogwarts: A History, Chocolate Frogs, Hogwarts, Harry, Ron…no she shook her head at that thought. She refused to consider Ron amongst her favorite things. She sighed heavily. Even now she couldn't believe Ron had said that to her. Before the incident she wondered if perhaps the reason they fought so much was because…but no, that was quiet clear now. Any feelings she may or may not have had for Ron were gone.
Hermione shook her head once again forcing such unpleasant thoughts from her mind and focusing once more on a suitable password. At last it came to her. The thing that had originally brought them together. She took a deep breath concentrating on the large image in her brain as she stepped up to the door and grasped the handle. Mountain Troll, her brain said once again and she felt a gentle tingle in the palm of her hand. After several seconds the tingling eased and she pulled her hand away.
Zograf smiled as she looked to him for approval. She turned the handle of the door and it eased open. Stepping inside she gasped at the beauty of the room. The furniture was all heavy and dark but the room was surprisingly bright. There was a large four post bed that was pushed up against one wall complete with heavy white curtains and a thick white comforter. The floor was made of hardwood but had an inviting looking throw rug in the middle of it. There was a large desk at the far side of the room situated underneath a large expanse of window. To her left was one door which led to a small personal washroom complete with shower, toilet and sink. The rest of the left wall was covered completely in bookcase that ran from floor to ceiling.
Hermione squealed with delight as she ran into the room trying to take it all in. This was to be her own personal room. It was unbelievable. It had everything that she could possibly need during her stay. A desk large enough to hold all her schoolwork, plenty of shelf space for her books and a bed that looked to be quiet a bit larger then the bed she slept in at Hogwarts.
Running up to the window she looked outside to see what kind of view she had. She gasped when she saw that there was a mammoth lake that even in the dark she could see looked like it could go on forever. For a brief moment she wondered if it was as deep as the Hogwarts lake was legend to be.
"I gather then your find your room acceptable?"
Hermione spun around her face flushing pink. She had forgotten that the Headmaster had been right behind her. "Yes." She croaked out, her face growing even darker. "It's more than enough."
The Headmaster chuckled as he extracted a long, dark wood wand and pointed it at her trunk and proceeded to levitate it to the foot of her bed. After setting the trunk down Zograf turned to face his new pupil and laughed at the slightly annoyed look on her face, understanding completely. "I apologize, Miss Granger. Like yourself, I am Muggle born. Twenty-six years of being a wizard and I still forget every once in a while that I can use magic for such things.
Hermione's annoyance was quickly erased and she relaxed fully for the first time since arriving. It seemed to her that the Bulgarians must have decided after the dismal failure of the last Headmaster to choose someone perhaps for political reasons. It didn't do well for a school to have the reputation of having Dark Wizards as Headmasters and there was no fear of that with a Muggle born.
Zograf moved towards the door speaking over his shoulder to the young witch as he went. "I'll have your breakfast sent to your room tomorrow morning." He stopped in the doorway and turned around to face her. "Perhaps after you have finished your breakfast I could give you a tour of the castle so that you are not lost on Friday when classes start."
"That would be wonderful Headmaster." Hermione beamed.
The older wizard smiled back. "Good night, Miss Granger."
"Good night, Headmaster."
The door clicked closed and Hermione collapsed back on the bed, staring blankly at the canopy above her. This was all too unreal. Only days ago she had been sitting alone in the Gryffindor common room dreading the arrival of the other students for the simple fact that even now she didn't think she could face Ron. She sighed heavily. She knew she couldn't deny it. She had been falling for the great pratt. Falling, she snorted, fallen. She was in love with him which made his betrayal that much more painful. Never would she have believed that that word would ever pass his lips. Hadn't he been the one to try and defend her when Malfoy had used it? A single tear slid down her cheek.
Yes, she had been dreading facing Ron but now she didn't have to. Dumbledore had given her a way out. Within days she had packed her trunk and portkeyed away. Looking around her she decided that she had definitely made the right decision. It would be good for her. She could experience something new, learn things she never would have had the chance to at Hogwarts, hopefully make some new friends, maybe even Viktor would stop and see her. But most of all she hoped that in the time she had here she would find a way to get over Ron Weasley.
