The Girl From Durmstrang

Summer was finally over; I was excited for the new school year to start, but most of all to see Viktor. During the last few weeks of school we’d chatted through mirror and sent letters as periodically as we were allowed. I’d ended up working at Olli’s every day whilst also visiting the bookstore and exploring the streets of London.

I’d just finished packing my luggage into the holding area when I suddenly felt big arms grab me from behind. Startled, I grabbed the person’s forearm and flipped them over my shoulder. I laughed when I finally had a chance to see who my attacker was, and there lying on the floor with the breath knocked of him was none other than… Viktor Krum.

“Hello Rae” he managed to wheeze out while still lying on the floor.

I chuckled at his shocked face, “Hello Vik” I chuckled while helping him up. “You’d think after all these years you’d know not to sneak up like that on me” I laughed as he huffed and dusted himself off.

“Well you’d think I’d have learned something by now, but apparently I haven’t” he mocked as we walked to our compartment.

“On a different note,” I said as we settled into our seats, “how has your summer been?”

“Oh you know, the same as always: hoards of girls screaming my name, practicing, sleeping, and more practice” he stated nonchalantly. “Yours I’m guessing was spent philandering with many unknown and dangerous men whilst living out a passionate summer romance” he poked at me.

“Oh but of course, in fact I fell quite in love with an older richer man who wants to whisk me away from my dreadfully horrid life” he kidded.

“So it was the norm for you?” he howled with laughter and I chuckled at our own jokes. The thought of me ever having a relationship with anyone, let alone an older richer man, was the butt of Viktor’s every joke.

This is how we are, well together really. Around everyone else he’s the strong Durmstrang man, a warrior and hero. Only around me is he the carefree jokester. I was jostled from my thoughts when our compartment shook a bit. I hadn’t realized how long I’d been in my own world until I noticed Viktor dead asleep on my lap, snoring loudly and drooling on my pants.

To me he was a giant teddy bear, to others he was a giant grizzly bear.

Soon enough we arrived at the castle, I could hear the wave’s crash against the stony shore, and the sweet sounds of the wind rushing through the trees. But what I felt was the chill of the fall air whipping against my thick fur coat, hat, and scarf as I rushed inside of the castle with Viktor. The different years of boys began to split as their dorms closed in, soon it was just Viktor and I as he walked me to my own dormitory. Uncle Igor was kind enough to provide me with a room close to Viktor’s, but farther from the other boys’ dorms. My room being spacious and cozy had a living room, miniature kitchen, large suite bathroom and luxurious spacious bedroom with a balcony overlooking the water.

I magically unpacked while Vik raided my limitless kitchen.

“You are quite the lucky person to be in the favor of Highmaster” he said with his mouth full of steak I’d brought with me.

“I’m just a favorite student by luck I guess, and don’t get too full before dinner. You won’t be able to stomach the surprise you’re going to get” I said while tidying up his mess.

“Yes Master” he mocked as I tossed a napkin his way, his thick accent always threw me off sometimes. Being raised in Russia left me with a thick accent, some people get confused about what I’m saying sometimes. Viktor gets the same thing a lot too, I feel bad but it’s just the way we are.

“Wait...” he stopped in his tracks of jumping onto my neat bed, “what surprise? Is it bad?”

“No, it’s good. For you maybe, I’m not involved in it” I grinned mischievously.

“You’re a devious one” he laughed “I’ll get it out of you eventually”.

“Probably not, this time” I quipped at his smug state.

“Please tell me” he whined like a child.

“Terribly sorry, but not this time. At dinner you’ll find out” I said thoughtfully, imagining his face when the announcement would be made.

“Fine” he huffed.

I don’t even think at that time precisely, he would ever imagine how much our lives would change forever. It would all start with that dinner announcement from Highmaster.