p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 20px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Apple Symbols'; color: #121212;"Chapter 1/p
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p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 20px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Apple Symbols'; color: #121212;"The Exchange Student From Durmstrang/p
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p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 20px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Apple Symbols'; color: #121212;"TRANSLATED /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 20px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Apple Symbols'; color: #121212;"Original Work: Fluffyball p
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p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 20px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Apple Symbols'; color: #121212;"span style="text-decoration: underline;" the original books, there were two prefects each house, but in this fanfic, there's only one for each house./span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 20px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Apple Symbols'; color: #121212;"span style="text-decoration: underline;" Lestrange was the father of Leta Lestrange. (Rodolphus Lestrange was the minister of magic from 1853 to 1841, in this fanfic, he is Corvus' grandfather)/span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 20px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Apple Symbols'; color: #121212;"span style="text-decoration: underline;" names and dates were made up by the author./span/p
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p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 20px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Apple Symbols'; color: #121212;"Since the tradition of the Tri-Wizard Tournament had been aborted in 1793, Hogwarts has not received international guests for more than a century. However, after Phineas Black, a pure-blood wizard from Slytherin, became headmaster, he seemed to approve of the intentions of Durmstrang. The current headmaster of Durmstrang, Gustave, was a man of great ambition. With the number of pure-blood wizards decreasing over the years, a great deal of parents would rather their children study at the sunny Beauxbatons in southern France, or the more embracing Hogwarts. Durmstrang desperately needed promotion and publicity, to expand enrolment of pure-blood wizards from all over the world. The two headmasters were communicating for months and had very agreeable conversations. Finally, Phineas Black suggested an idea in a letter, saying:/p
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p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 20px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Apple Symbols'; color: #121212;""Even though those old, headstrong men in the ministry cancelled the tournament, well, they're all nothing but short-sighted idiots, schools need to compete and exchange ideas to ameliorate, don't you think? I sincerely invite you and your dear students to visit Hogwarts next year. Are you in favour of it?"/p
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p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 20px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Apple Symbols'; color: #121212;"Not long after, Gustave responded./p
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p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 20px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Apple Symbols'; color: #121212;""Rather than a visit... How would you like it if we tried an exchange student programme for one year, I'll send a hundred students to Hogwarts and you could send a hundred over here, at Durmstrang. And if you could send some of the elite students from Slytherin, I would be more than happy. Of course, I would send my best students to Hogwarts."/p
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p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 20px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Apple Symbols'; color: #121212;"Hence, the year after, the two headmasters of the schools recruited volunteers, who went through strict assessments and selections. The list was then drawn up by the headmasters themselves, with the students arriving at the schools the following September./p
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p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 20px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Apple Symbols'; color: #121212;"SEPTEMBER, TRAIN TO HOGWARTS/p
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p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 20px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Apple Symbols'; color: #121212;""Fraud! There must be fraud!" Aberforth yelled indignantly, waving his arms around./p
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p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 20px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Apple Symbols'; color: #121212;"Albus was calmly reading "An Appraisal of Magical Education in Europe" and said to Aberforth: "If you're talking about the exchange student programme...To be fair, you've at least burned holes in three cauldrons last semester, and the tortoise you transformed still has the spout of a teapot."/p
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p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 20px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Apple Symbols'; color: #121212;"A small, curly moustache was already growing on the thirteen-year-old Aberforth, his face was flushing with anger and frustration under his unkept red hair. "That's because the teapot I got was much bigger than the others' and it had complicated patterns! But half the list was of Slytherins, and whoever got onto the list from the three other houses were all pure-bloods! I told you Phineas is a pure-blood theorist!"/p
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p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 20px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Apple Symbols'; color: #121212;""It's Professor Black." Albus corrected his nomenclature with his lips pressed together./p
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p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 20px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Apple Symbols'; color: #121212;""Nonsense, Professor, to be honest, I bet even you wouldn't have made it if you enrolled. Mother is a witch of muggle heritage, so we're simply second-class wizards in the eyes of that old clot." Although Aberforth was always annoyed of his sixth-year prefect brother, he still had respect for Albus' abilities./p
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p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 20px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Apple Symbols'; color: #121212;"Albus closed his book. "Okay, I'm going to take the first-years to the castle with the other prefects now. If you really want to go, then sign up for next year."/p
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p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 20px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Apple Symbols'; color: #121212;"Albus left the compartment, closing the door while also shutting Aberforth's "Who wants to go to Dur-" behind. He wasn't interested in the programme, in the last five years, he got 10 "O"s out of twelve O.W.L.s, quitting Muggle Studies and Divination which weren't very important for his future job-planning in the ministry. Next, he planned to take advanced courses, run for Head Boy and take N.E.W.T.s, with no time to spare for a trip to be an exchange student and have fun in northern Europe./p
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p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 20px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Apple Symbols'; color: #121212;"Yes, enter the ministry, from law enforcement to minister of magic, Albus had made the plan three years ago, without resting for one single day. He couldn't deny his thirst for power./p
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p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 20px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Apple Symbols'; color: #121212;"Albus packed his books, helping a couple of younger students retrieve their trunks from the racks. He smiled and answered their questions about school and life as if he had all the patience in the world. He joined the three other prefects to gather the first-years in front of the train and taking them to the boats, rowing towards the castle in the twilight./p
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p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 20px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Apple Symbols'; color: #121212;"No matter how many times you see this castle and take in the scene, this ancient place could still make you marvel. The dim yellow light coming out through the windows made it seem like home. The chatter of their families coming from the new students on the way finally quieted for a while, as they all stared in wonder at the renowned school of magic. /p
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p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 20px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Apple Symbols'; color: #121212;""Hogwarts was founded around the year 990 by four people: Godric Gryffindor, Helga Hufflepuff, Rowena Ravenclaw and Salazar Slytherin. In front of you, this is the main castle, there are also three towers..." Albus was reciting the official introduction adeptly. He had said it many times, with no need of thinking. He was so good at it, he could even notice the ripples forming on the river when he said all this./p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 20px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Apple Symbols'; color: #121212; min-height: 20px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 20px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Apple Symbols'; color: #121212;"It was a very straight wavelet, light at first, if you didn't pay much attention, you would have thought it a vestige made by a bird when flying across. But the trace was getting deeper and deeper, advancing on the castle. Just when it was about to reach the dozens of boats with first-year students, several masts rose onto the surface of the lake, and, with a deafening sound, a colossal ship ascended from the lake, the waves it made almost knocking the boat nearest it over./p
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p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 20px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Apple Symbols'; color: #121212;"This gigantic ship was even bigger than a house, but it looked very mysterious. It was all black, as if it were a shipwreck, lying at the bottom of the ocean for many years, suddenly coming up on the surface again. It shone a ghostly light, just like it had come from Death, bearing dead souls and treasure./p
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p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 20px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Apple Symbols'; color: #121212;"The first-years had been listening carefully to the introduction of their school, but after the great ship emerged, their attention was soon taken away. It was obvious that this was much more engaging and astounding than the castle they had seen many times on picture books./p
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p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 20px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Apple Symbols'; color: #121212;""...After you enter the castle, there will be a sorting ceremony." Albus finished the last sentence, and he, too, began eyeing the ship up and down. If he were to be right, it was the ship carrying the Durmstrang students./p
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p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 20px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Apple Symbols'; color: #121212;"The ship sailed fast, and without shaking, in quite a short time, it surpassed the small boats and stopped at the port./p
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p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 20px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Apple Symbols'; color: #121212;"When Albus led the new students through the stairs outside the great hall, a column of Durmstrang students had already arrived. They were wearing red uniforms with fur capes, standing very straight. They were all rather tall, and compared to the eleven-year-olds, their height made them seem towering. /p
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p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 20px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Apple Symbols'; color: #121212;"The first-years looked at these students from Durmstrang, and involuntarily stepped back, to the more pleasant and liked prefect. Albus was calling for the boys and girls to keep up, and pulled the new kids close to him, to make more space for the guests from northern Europe./p
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p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 20px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Apple Symbols'; color: #121212;"Albus was about six feet, with red hair and a beautiful face, he was sure to attract a lot of attention among others. The Durmstrang students, of course, were also looking around, peeking into the great hall, waiting for the welcome ceremony to begin. Just then, a handsome boy with gold hair was looking around when his gaze fell upon Albus./p
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p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 20px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Apple Symbols'; color: #121212;"It was like Albus felt his stare, and they locked eyes. It was a cold, sharp but attractive face, very angular, and his skin was pale, and he looked about half a head taller than Albus. He had two mesmerizing eyes, one blue and the other gold, not floating nor hiding, but staring deep into one's eyes, like he was questioning and interrogating./p
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p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 20px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Apple Symbols'; color: #121212;"They were looking at each other for no less than two seconds, until the boy redirected his gaze like he couldn't care less about it, to his comrades, dealing with their conversations./p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 20px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Apple Symbols'; color: #121212; min-height: 20px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 20px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Apple Symbols'; color: #121212;"The blond boy seemed quite young, maybe a year or two younger than himself, but Albus had a peculiar sensation, as if a great number of Durmstrang students were afraid of him. They were all either talking to him in a very careful way, or simply too intimidated to talk to him./p
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p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 20px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Apple Symbols'; color: #121212;""Welcome! Our new students and guests from Durmstrang!" Phineas's voice echoed in the hall. It was clear that when he said the word "Durmstrang", his voice was much higher. Aberforth always complained that this headmaster hated students. If he could do anything more than teach, he would immediately pack his bags and leave Hogwarts./p
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p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 20px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Apple Symbols'; color: #121212;"The four prefects all held back, letting the Durmstrang students enter the great hall first. With music flowing around them, Albus led the first-years into the hall, following the guests. /p
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p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 20px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Apple Symbols'; color: #121212;"Elphias had already saved a seat for Albus. The table was empty, it was the custom to wait until the sorting ceremony had ended and the headmaster had finished his speech to have the feast, But Elphias was starving. "I should've gotten more food on the train!"/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 20px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Apple Symbols'; color: #121212; min-height: 20px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 20px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Apple Symbols'; color: #121212;"Albus sat down, and from underneath the table, he handed Elphias a chocolate frog, blinked to the astonished Elphias, and listened intently to Phineas talking away about the camaraderie among the two schools./p
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p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 20px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Apple Symbols'; color: #121212;""I swear I've never heard him say so much in my life!" Elphias had swallowed the chocolate frog whole, mumbling through his full mouth./p
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p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 20px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Apple Symbols'; color: #121212;""...In order to allow our guests experience Hogwarts life at the most, they will be entering the four dormitories of the houses." Phineas stopped, asking a man, it seemed he was a Durmstrang professor named Herrmann, whether the students were put into houses. "Are the students assembled? If not, our sorting hat..."/p
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p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 20px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Apple Symbols'; color: #121212;"The somewhat scary professor nodded. Next, Phineas announced: "The arrangement of the dormitories will be decided by the sorting hat."/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 20px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Apple Symbols'; color: #121212; min-height: 20px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 20px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Apple Symbols'; color: #121212;"The room was suddenly filled with discussion. Some thought it inappropriate for students from other schools to use the sorting hat, others were curious, wanting to find out whether all the students from Durmstrang would go to Slytherin. Obviously, Albus was the second type. He straightened up, saw that the Durmstrang students were quite confused. Their expressions suggested they didn't really believe in this talking hat, but Herrmann was already making them stand in line to try on the sorting hat one by one./p
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p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 20px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Apple Symbols'; color: #121212;"It was quite strange and out of everyone's expectations. Out of the first ten students from Durmstrang, there were only two Slytherins. The one who was sorted into Hufflepuff was even more shocked. Someone shouted from the Gryffindor table: "You should be honoured to have been sorted into Hufflepuff!" The Hufflepuff prefect patted the boy hard on his shoulder and he staggered, falling to sit on the bench. Elphias looked at the Durmstrang's expression and couldn't stop himself from laughing out loud./p
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p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 20px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Apple Symbols'; color: #121212;""Doesn't everyone in Durmstrang believe in the pure-blood theories?" A small boy who was just sorted into Gryffindor asked Albus./p
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p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 20px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Apple Symbols'; color: #121212;""Maybe the sorting hat sorts you into houses by potential and what's deep down inside you, not what is added up upon you when you enter school." Albus guessed./p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 20px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Apple Symbols'; color: #121212; min-height: 20px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 20px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Apple Symbols'; color: #121212;"But after that, the sorting ceremony continued "normally", with more and more students in Durmstrang being sorted into Slytherin. There were so many student sin Slytherin that Phineas had to flick his wand and make more tables and benches./p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 20px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Apple Symbols'; color: #121212; min-height: 20px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 20px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Apple Symbols'; color: #121212;"This sorting ceremony was getting boring and very long. All the students cared about now was when they were going to enjoy the feast./p
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p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 20px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Apple Symbols'; color: #121212;"There was only one person left in Durmstrang now, Elphias whispered the result in advance: "Slytherin!"/p
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p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 20px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Apple Symbols'; color: #121212;"Sure enough, the sorting hat voiced: "Slytherin!"/p
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p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 20px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Apple Symbols'; color: #121212;""Wait!" The person wearing the sorting hat suddenly stopped the sorting./p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 20px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Apple Symbols'; color: #121212; min-height: 20px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 20px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Apple Symbols'; color: #121212;"The people in the great hall all looked up./p
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p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 20px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Apple Symbols'; color: #121212;""I would like to go to Gryffindor."/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 20px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Apple Symbols'; color: #121212; min-height: 20px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 20px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Apple Symbols'; color: #121212;"The whole room fell into silence./p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 20px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Apple Symbols'; color: #121212; min-height: 20px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 20px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Apple Symbols'; color: #121212;"Albus saw the golden hair under the hat. The young boy lifted the hat from his head, and revealed his as-if-sculpted visage. He looked at Herrmann, then turned to Phineas. "This is just an experience, isn't it? It surely isn't the formal sorting."/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 20px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Apple Symbols'; color: #121212; min-height: 20px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 20px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Apple Symbols'; color: #121212;"Phineas stopped for a second, then took a glance at the crowding Slytherin table, saying, "Yes, right, I'm afraid the Slytherin dormitories don't have any more spare beds."/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 20px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Apple Symbols'; color: #121212; min-height: 20px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 20px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Apple Symbols'; color: #121212;"Phineas eyed Hermann, as though to seek Herrmann's opinion. Herrmann shrugged. /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 20px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Apple Symbols'; color: #121212;""Gryffindor!" Phineas announced, while taking the sorting hat from the boy./p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 20px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Apple Symbols'; color: #121212; min-height: 20px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 20px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Apple Symbols'; color: #121212;""Talent! But I saw talent. Oh ambition, he would have been a wonderful Slytherin."/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 20px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Apple Symbols'; color: #121212; min-height: 20px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 20px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Apple Symbols'; color: #121212;"The young man walked to the Gryffindor table in large strides, three Weasleys with bright-red hair and freckles applauded him: "Choices are much more important than what you are given, welcome to Gryffindor!" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 20px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Apple Symbols'; color: #121212; min-height: 20px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 20px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Apple Symbols'; color: #121212;"The empty table was soon filled with food after the last sorting finished. Roast beef, pork chops, lamb chops, roasted potatoes, potato chips, Yorkshire pudding, pea sprouts, carrots, gravy, and tomato sauce appeared on the table./p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 20px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Apple Symbols'; color: #121212; min-height: 20px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 20px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Apple Symbols'; color: #121212;"Albus, who was reaching for a slice of bread, felt a shadow above his head, and the boy's blond hair gleaming in the light of the candle suspended overhead:/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 20px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Apple Symbols'; color: #121212;""May I have the honour of sitting next to you, Mr. Prefect? "/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 20px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Apple Symbols'; color: #121212;"Albus quickly put down the bread and held out his hand to the blonde boy: "Of course, please sit down." I am Albus Dumbledore. "/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 20px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Apple Symbols'; color: #121212;"The blonde took his hand and smiled for the first time this night. "Gellert Grindelwald."/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 20px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Apple Symbols'; color: #121212; min-height: 20px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 20px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Apple Symbols'; color: #121212;"The Exchange Student From Durmstrang/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 20px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Apple Symbols'; color: #121212; min-height: 20px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 20px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Apple Symbols'; color: #121212;"TRANSLATED /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 20px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Apple Symbols'; color: #121212;"Original Work: Fluffyball p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 20px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Apple Symbols'; color: #121212; min-height: 20px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 20px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Apple Symbols'; color: #121212;"span style="text-decoration: underline;" the original books, there were two prefects each house, but in this fanfic, there's only one for each house./span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 20px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Apple Symbols'; color: #121212;"span style="text-decoration: underline;" Lestrange was the father of Leta Lestrange. (Rodolphus Lestrange was the minister of magic from 1853 to 1841, in this fanfic, he is Corvus' grandfather)/span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 20px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Apple Symbols'; color: #121212;"span style="text-decoration: underline;" names and dates were made up by the author./span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 20px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Apple Symbols'; color: #121212; min-height: 20px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 20px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Apple Symbols'; color: #121212;"Since the tradition of the Tri-Wizard Tournament had been aborted in 1793, Hogwarts has not received international guests for more than a century. However, after Phineas Black, a pure-blood wizard from Slytherin, became headmaster, he seemed to approve of the intentions of Durmstrang. The current headmaster of Durmstrang, Gustave, was a man of great ambition. With the number of pure-blood wizards decreasing over the years, a great deal of parents would rather their children study at the sunny Beauxbatons in southern France, or the more embracing Hogwarts. Durmstrang desperately needed promotion and publicity, to expand enrolment of pure-blood wizards from all over the world. The two headmasters were communicating for months and had very agreeable conversations. Finally, Phineas Black suggested an idea in a letter, saying:/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 20px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Apple Symbols'; color: #121212; min-height: 20px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 20px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Apple Symbols'; color: #121212;""Even though those old, headstrong men in the ministry cancelled the tournament, well, they're all nothing but short-sighted idiots, schools need to compete and exchange ideas to ameliorate, don't you think? I sincerely invite you and your dear students to visit Hogwarts next year. Are you in favour of it?"/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 20px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Apple Symbols'; color: #121212; min-height: 20px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 20px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Apple Symbols'; color: #121212;"Not long after, Gustave responded./p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 20px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Apple Symbols'; color: #121212; min-height: 20px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 20px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Apple Symbols'; color: #121212;""Rather than a visit... How would you like it if we tried an exchange student programme for one year, I'll send a hundred students to Hogwarts and you could send a hundred over here, at Durmstrang. And if you could send some of the elite students from Slytherin, I would be more than happy. Of course, I would send my best students to Hogwarts."/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 20px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Apple Symbols'; color: #121212; min-height: 20px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 20px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Apple Symbols'; color: #121212;"Hence, the year after, the two headmasters of the schools recruited volunteers, who went through strict assessments and selections. The list was then drawn up by the headmasters themselves, with the students arriving at the schools the following September./p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 20px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Apple Symbols'; color: #121212; min-height: 20px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 20px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Apple Symbols'; color: #121212;"SEPTEMBER, TRAIN TO HOGWARTS/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 20px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Apple Symbols'; color: #121212; min-height: 20px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 20px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Apple Symbols'; color: #121212;""Fraud! There must be fraud!" Aberforth yelled indignantly, waving his arms around./p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 20px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Apple Symbols'; color: #121212; min-height: 20px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 20px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Apple Symbols'; color: #121212;"Albus was calmly reading "An Appraisal of Magical Education in Europe" and said to Aberforth: "If you're talking about the exchange student programme...To be fair, you've at least burned holes in three cauldrons last semester, and the tortoise you transformed still has the spout of a teapot."/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 20px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Apple Symbols'; color: #121212; min-height: 20px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 20px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Apple Symbols'; color: #121212;"A small, curly moustache was already growing on the thirteen-year-old Aberforth, his face was flushing with anger and frustration under his unkept red hair. "That's because the teapot I got was much bigger than the others' and it had complicated patterns! But half the list was of Slytherins, and whoever got onto the list from the three other houses were all pure-bloods! I told you Phineas is a pure-blood theorist!"/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 20px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Apple Symbols'; color: #121212; min-height: 20px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 20px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Apple Symbols'; color: #121212;""It's Professor Black." Albus corrected his nomenclature with his lips pressed together./p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 20px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Apple Symbols'; color: #121212; min-height: 20px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 20px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Apple Symbols'; color: #121212;""Nonsense, Professor, to be honest, I bet even you wouldn't have made it if you enrolled. Mother is a witch of muggle heritage, so we're simply second-class wizards in the eyes of that old clot." Although Aberforth was always annoyed of his sixth-year prefect brother, he still had respect for Albus' abilities./p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 20px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Apple Symbols'; color: #121212; min-height: 20px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 20px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Apple Symbols'; color: #121212;"Albus closed his book. "Okay, I'm going to take the first-years to the castle with the other prefects now. If you really want to go, then sign up for next year."/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 20px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Apple Symbols'; color: #121212; min-height: 20px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 20px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Apple Symbols'; color: #121212;"Albus left the compartment, closing the door while also shutting Aberforth's "Who wants to go to Dur-" behind. He wasn't interested in the programme, in the last five years, he got 10 "O"s out of twelve O.W.L.s, quitting Muggle Studies and Divination which weren't very important for his future job-planning in the ministry. Next, he planned to take advanced courses, run for Head Boy and take N.E.W.T.s, with no time to spare for a trip to be an exchange student and have fun in northern Europe./p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 20px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Apple Symbols'; color: #121212; min-height: 20px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 20px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Apple Symbols'; color: #121212;"Yes, enter the ministry, from law enforcement to minister of magic, Albus had made the plan three years ago, without resting for one single day. He couldn't deny his thirst for power./p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 20px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Apple Symbols'; color: #121212; min-height: 20px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 20px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Apple Symbols'; color: #121212;"Albus packed his books, helping a couple of younger students retrieve their trunks from the racks. He smiled and answered their questions about school and life as if he had all the patience in the world. He joined the three other prefects to gather the first-years in front of the train and taking them to the boats, rowing towards the castle in the twilight./p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 20px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Apple Symbols'; color: #121212; min-height: 20px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 20px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Apple Symbols'; color: #121212;"No matter how many times you see this castle and take in the scene, this ancient place could still make you marvel. The dim yellow light coming out through the windows made it seem like home. The chatter of their families coming from the new students on the way finally quieted for a while, as they all stared in wonder at the renowned school of magic. /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 20px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Apple Symbols'; color: #121212; min-height: 20px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 20px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Apple Symbols'; color: #121212;""Hogwarts was founded around the year 990 by four people: Godric Gryffindor, Helga Hufflepuff, Rowena Ravenclaw and Salazar Slytherin. In front of you, this is the main castle, there are also three towers..." Albus was reciting the official introduction adeptly. He had said it many times, with no need of thinking. He was so good at it, he could even notice the ripples forming on the river when he said all this./p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 20px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Apple Symbols'; color: #121212; min-height: 20px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 20px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Apple Symbols'; color: #121212;"It was a very straight wavelet, light at first, if you didn't pay much attention, you would have thought it a vestige made by a bird when flying across. But the trace was getting deeper and deeper, advancing on the castle. Just when it was about to reach the dozens of boats with first-year students, several masts rose onto the surface of the lake, and, with a deafening sound, a colossal ship ascended from the lake, the waves it made almost knocking the boat nearest it over./p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 20px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Apple Symbols'; color: #121212; min-height: 20px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 20px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Apple Symbols'; color: #121212;"This gigantic ship was even bigger than a house, but it looked very mysterious. It was all black, as if it were a shipwreck, lying at the bottom of the ocean for many years, suddenly coming up on the surface again. It shone a ghostly light, just like it had come from Death, bearing dead souls and treasure./p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 20px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Apple Symbols'; color: #121212; min-height: 20px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 20px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Apple Symbols'; color: #121212;"The first-years had been listening carefully to the introduction of their school, but after the great ship emerged, their attention was soon taken away. It was obvious that this was much more engaging and astounding than the castle they had seen many times on picture books./p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 20px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Apple Symbols'; color: #121212; min-height: 20px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 20px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Apple Symbols'; color: #121212;""...After you enter the castle, there will be a sorting ceremony." Albus finished the last sentence, and he, too, began eyeing the ship up and down. If he were to be right, it was the ship carrying the Durmstrang students./p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 20px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Apple Symbols'; color: #121212; min-height: 20px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 20px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Apple Symbols'; color: #121212;"The ship sailed fast, and without shaking, in quite a short time, it surpassed the small boats and stopped at the port./p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 20px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Apple Symbols'; color: #121212; min-height: 20px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 20px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Apple Symbols'; color: #121212;"When Albus led the new students through the stairs outside the great hall, a column of Durmstrang students had already arrived. They were wearing red uniforms with fur capes, standing very straight. They were all rather tall, and compared to the eleven-year-olds, their height made them seem towering. /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 20px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Apple Symbols'; color: #121212; min-height: 20px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 20px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Apple Symbols'; color: #121212;"The first-years looked at these students from Durmstrang, and involuntarily stepped back, to the more pleasant and liked prefect. Albus was calling for the boys and girls to keep up, and pulled the new kids close to him, to make more space for the guests from northern Europe./p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 20px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Apple Symbols'; color: #121212; min-height: 20px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 20px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Apple Symbols'; color: #121212;"Albus was about six feet, with red hair and a beautiful face, he was sure to attract a lot of attention among others. The Durmstrang students, of course, were also looking around, peeking into the great hall, waiting for the welcome ceremony to begin. Just then, a handsome boy with gold hair was looking around when his gaze fell upon Albus./p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 20px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Apple Symbols'; color: #121212; min-height: 20px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 20px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Apple Symbols'; color: #121212;"It was like Albus felt his stare, and they locked eyes. It was a cold, sharp but attractive face, very angular, and his skin was pale, and he looked about half a head taller than Albus. He had two mesmerizing eyes, one blue and the other gold, not floating nor hiding, but staring deep into one's eyes, like he was questioning and interrogating./p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 20px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Apple Symbols'; color: #121212; min-height: 20px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 20px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Apple Symbols'; color: #121212;"They were looking at each other for no less than two seconds, until the boy redirected his gaze like he couldn't care less about it, to his comrades, dealing with their conversations./p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 20px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Apple Symbols'; color: #121212; min-height: 20px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 20px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Apple Symbols'; color: #121212;"The blond boy seemed quite young, maybe a year or two younger than himself, but Albus had a peculiar sensation, as if a great number of Durmstrang students were afraid of him. They were all either talking to him in a very careful way, or simply too intimidated to talk to him./p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 20px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Apple Symbols'; color: #121212; min-height: 20px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 20px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Apple Symbols'; color: #121212;""Welcome! Our new students and guests from Durmstrang!" Phineas's voice echoed in the hall. It was clear that when he said the word "Durmstrang", his voice was much higher. Aberforth always complained that this headmaster hated students. If he could do anything more than teach, he would immediately pack his bags and leave Hogwarts./p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 20px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Apple Symbols'; color: #121212; min-height: 20px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 20px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Apple Symbols'; color: #121212;"The four prefects all held back, letting the Durmstrang students enter the great hall first. With music flowing around them, Albus led the first-years into the hall, following the guests. /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 20px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Apple Symbols'; color: #121212; min-height: 20px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 20px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Apple Symbols'; color: #121212;"Elphias had already saved a seat for Albus. The table was empty, it was the custom to wait until the sorting ceremony had ended and the headmaster had finished his speech to have the feast, But Elphias was starving. "I should've gotten more food on the train!"/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 20px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Apple Symbols'; color: #121212; min-height: 20px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 20px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Apple Symbols'; color: #121212;"Albus sat down, and from underneath the table, he handed Elphias a chocolate frog, blinked to the astonished Elphias, and listened intently to Phineas talking away about the camaraderie among the two schools./p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 20px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Apple Symbols'; color: #121212; min-height: 20px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 20px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Apple Symbols'; color: #121212;""I swear I've never heard him say so much in my life!" Elphias had swallowed the chocolate frog whole, mumbling through his full mouth./p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 20px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Apple Symbols'; color: #121212; min-height: 20px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 20px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Apple Symbols'; color: #121212;""...In order to allow our guests experience Hogwarts life at the most, they will be entering the four dormitories of the houses." Phineas stopped, asking a man, it seemed he was a Durmstrang professor named Herrmann, whether the students were put into houses. "Are the students assembled? If not, our sorting hat..."/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 20px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Apple Symbols'; color: #121212; min-height: 20px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 20px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Apple Symbols'; color: #121212;"The somewhat scary professor nodded. Next, Phineas announced: "The arrangement of the dormitories will be decided by the sorting hat."/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 20px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Apple Symbols'; color: #121212; min-height: 20px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 20px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Apple Symbols'; color: #121212;"The room was suddenly filled with discussion. Some thought it inappropriate for students from other schools to use the sorting hat, others were curious, wanting to find out whether all the students from Durmstrang would go to Slytherin. Obviously, Albus was the second type. He straightened up, saw that the Durmstrang students were quite confused. Their expressions suggested they didn't really believe in this talking hat, but Herrmann was already making them stand in line to try on the sorting hat one by one./p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 20px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Apple Symbols'; color: #121212; min-height: 20px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 20px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Apple Symbols'; color: #121212;"It was quite strange and out of everyone's expectations. Out of the first ten students from Durmstrang, there were only two Slytherins. The one who was sorted into Hufflepuff was even more shocked. Someone shouted from the Gryffindor table: "You should be honoured to have been sorted into Hufflepuff!" The Hufflepuff prefect patted the boy hard on his shoulder and he staggered, falling to sit on the bench. Elphias looked at the Durmstrang's expression and couldn't stop himself from laughing out loud./p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 20px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Apple Symbols'; color: #121212; min-height: 20px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 20px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Apple Symbols'; color: #121212;""Doesn't everyone in Durmstrang believe in the pure-blood theories?" A small boy who was just sorted into Gryffindor asked Albus./p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 20px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Apple Symbols'; color: #121212; min-height: 20px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 20px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Apple Symbols'; color: #121212;""Maybe the sorting hat sorts you into houses by potential and what's deep down inside you, not what is added up upon you when you enter school." Albus guessed./p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 20px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Apple Symbols'; color: #121212; min-height: 20px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 20px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Apple Symbols'; color: #121212;"But after that, the sorting ceremony continued "normally", with more and more students in Durmstrang being sorted into Slytherin. There were so many student sin Slytherin that Phineas had to flick his wand and make more tables and benches./p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 20px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Apple Symbols'; color: #121212; min-height: 20px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 20px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Apple Symbols'; color: #121212;"This sorting ceremony was getting boring and very long. All the students cared about now was when they were going to enjoy the feast./p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 20px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Apple Symbols'; color: #121212; min-height: 20px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 20px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Apple Symbols'; color: #121212;"There was only one person left in Durmstrang now, Elphias whispered the result in advance: "Slytherin!"/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 20px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Apple Symbols'; color: #121212; min-height: 20px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 20px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Apple Symbols'; color: #121212;"Sure enough, the sorting hat voiced: "Slytherin!"/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 20px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Apple Symbols'; color: #121212; min-height: 20px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 20px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Apple Symbols'; color: #121212;""Wait!" The person wearing the sorting hat suddenly stopped the sorting./p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 20px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Apple Symbols'; color: #121212; min-height: 20px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 20px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Apple Symbols'; color: #121212;"The people in the great hall all looked up./p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 20px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Apple Symbols'; color: #121212; min-height: 20px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 20px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Apple Symbols'; color: #121212;""I would like to go to Gryffindor."/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 20px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Apple Symbols'; color: #121212; min-height: 20px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 20px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Apple Symbols'; color: #121212;"The whole room fell into silence./p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 20px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Apple Symbols'; color: #121212; min-height: 20px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 20px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Apple Symbols'; color: #121212;"Albus saw the golden hair under the hat. The young boy lifted the hat from his head, and revealed his as-if-sculpted visage. He looked at Herrmann, then turned to Phineas. "This is just an experience, isn't it? It surely isn't the formal sorting."/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 20px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Apple Symbols'; color: #121212; min-height: 20px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 20px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Apple Symbols'; color: #121212;"Phineas stopped for a second, then took a glance at the crowding Slytherin table, saying, "Yes, right, I'm afraid the Slytherin dormitories don't have any more spare beds."/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 20px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Apple Symbols'; color: #121212; min-height: 20px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 20px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Apple Symbols'; color: #121212;"Phineas eyed Hermann, as though to seek Herrmann's opinion. Herrmann shrugged. /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 20px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Apple Symbols'; color: #121212;""Gryffindor!" Phineas announced, while taking the sorting hat from the boy./p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 20px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Apple Symbols'; color: #121212; min-height: 20px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 20px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Apple Symbols'; color: #121212;""Talent! But I saw talent. Oh ambition, he would have been a wonderful Slytherin."/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 20px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Apple Symbols'; color: #121212; min-height: 20px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 20px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Apple Symbols'; color: #121212;"The young man walked to the Gryffindor table in large strides, three Weasleys with bright-red hair and freckles applauded him: "Choices are much more important than what you are given, welcome to Gryffindor!" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 20px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Apple Symbols'; color: #121212; min-height: 20px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 20px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Apple Symbols'; color: #121212;"The empty table was soon filled with food after the last sorting finished. Roast beef, pork chops, lamb chops, roasted potatoes, potato chips, Yorkshire pudding, pea sprouts, carrots, gravy, and tomato sauce appeared on the table./p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 20px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Apple Symbols'; color: #121212; min-height: 20px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 20px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Apple Symbols'; color: #121212;"Albus, who was reaching for a slice of bread, felt a shadow above his head, and the boy's blond hair gleaming in the light of the candle suspended overhead:/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 20px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Apple Symbols'; color: #121212;""May I have the honour of sitting next to you, Mr. Prefect? "/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 20px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Apple Symbols'; color: #121212;"Albus quickly put down the bread and held out his hand to the blonde boy: "Of course, please sit down." I am Albus Dumbledore. "/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 20px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Apple Symbols'; color: #121212;"The blonde took his hand and smiled for the first time this night. "Gellert Grindelwald."/p
