The Late Arrival

Durmstrang Institute of Magic, Aug. 25 th

Arriving just outside of Durmstrang's wards, Harry put his trunk down on the ground and took a moment to reorient himself. As soon as the dizziness that accompanied international Portkeys passed, he began to follow the dirt path that led to Durmstrang. Harry absentmindedly noted that, while not very aesthetically pleasing, the Kautokeino province was a much more tolerable place during the summer than the winter. The temperature was pleasant and Harry spotted a few students relaxing by one of the nearby lakes.

As he crossed the outer wards, Harry couldn't help but grin when he saw the school itself. While Durmstrang looked like a fierce and imposing structure during the winter, it was much less so during the summer. The school was surrounded by green grass and had to have thousands of birds lazily perched along the roof. The sight certainly diminished Durmstrang's mystique as a cut-throat school for the dark arts.

"Harry!" a booming voice called from above.

Looking up, Harry smiled when he saw Viktor hovering about a hundred feet above him on his broom.

"Viktor, it's good to see you," Harry said as Viktor swooped down from the sky. "Thanks for the birthday present. I'll make sure to wear your junior national jersey when you're playing in the world cup someday."

"I'm sorry for not getting you something better, Harry. I know you're not the biggest Quidditch fan, but between the traveling, daily practices, and games I wasn't able to shop much."

"It was a great gift, Viktor, don't worry about it. How did your team do this summer?"

"I outplayed the other Seeker on our team in every practice, but the coaches still went with Peja. He's been on the team for four years, and they felt he understood the offense better." Viktor scowled angrily. "He caught the Snitch only once in the first seven games, and we won only twice. The coaches seemed content with keeping Peja at Seeker, even though my own teammates had all but demanded that I take his place.

"So what did you do to him?" Harry asked knowingly.

"Whatever do you mean, Harry?" Viktor asked innocently.

"Viktor, please. When it comes to Quidditch, you're more ruthless than Calypso in a duel."

"You know me too well, Harry." A dark smirk appeared on Viktor's face. "Peja suffered a rather grievous training accident during a scrimmage a few weeks ago. I was feinting, and poor Peja hit the ground going full speed after a dive of over 500 feet. He broke over 20 bones and fractured his skull. The Healers ruled him medically unable to play for the last five games of the season."

Harry shook his head. "Remind me never to play Quidditch with you Viktor."

Snorting in amusement, Viktor said, "As if I could ever get you onto the pitch, Harry. We won four out of our last five games, and I caught the Snitch in every game. The coaches were really impressed."

"Good for you. I'd love to hear more, but I've got to unpack," Harry said. gesturing to his trunk.

"You are just getting here?"

Harry nodded. "My Portkey arrived less than 15 minutes ago."

"Then you had better hurry up. The welcoming feast is going to be starting in a few hours," Viktor warned.

"But it's not even noon. Why is it starting so soon?"

"Sometimes I forget that you aren't older, Harry. This will be your first welcoming feast, won't it?" Viktor asked rhetorically. "The welcoming feast takes a very long time. First, Karkaroff will make staffing announcements. The first years are then introduced as a group, but a list of first years that tested into an advanced class is also read off. The list includes the student's name, where they are from, and what classes they tested into. That typically takes a very long time. Next, each teacher will announce the students who gained the rank of Master in each of their classes. They will explain why they chose that student's final project as the best, present an award, and take a photo with each student. Finally, the students who finished last in every class are announced. Some professors simply announce the student who finished last, while others spend a good deal of time mocking the student's final project. After all of that is finished, the feast begins."

"So I had better get up to my room and start unpacking quickly."

"That would be a good idea. I'll see you at the feast, Harry—oh, and Calypso was looking for you earlier," Viktor said before taking off back into the air.

After parting from Viktor, Harry quickly made his way to the castle, up the main staircase to the fourth floor, and down the long hallway towards his room. Finally reaching the door labeled 'Potter,' Harry cast the unlocking charm and walked inside.

"Stupefy."

Harry had no chance to avoid the Stunning spell, and it smacked him straight in the chest, rendering him unconscious.

"Rennervate."

"What the hell?" Harry moaned, rubbing the back of his head.

"Sloppy, Potter. Did you practice at all during this break?" Calypso mocked.

"Yes," Harry snapped as he slowly stood up, "but I didn't expect you to be waiting in my room to attack me."

"Well if you had actually arrived at a normal time like most of the school, and not waited until the eleventh hour to show up, maybe I wouldn't have cursed you."

Finally shaking off the effects of the stunning spell, Harry got his first look at Calypso since the end of last term. His first impression was that she looked very tired. Her normally perfectly-combed hair was trussed, and she had small bags under her eyes. Unable to hide his surprise, Harry asked, "What happened to you?"

Calypso simply glared at him. "My father refused to expand my room this year. He said that since you managed to expand your room by yourself, then I should be able to do it as well. I've been sleeping on a disgusting cot for the last few days, and showering in the group bathrooms."

"And what does that have to do with you Stunning me?" Harry asked, secretly amused at how annoyed his friend was.

"You need to expand my room and fix my bed. I know you don't know how to make my own bathroom yet, but you will figure out how to do that by the end of the year," Calypso growled.

"When did I become your personal maintenance wizard?" Harry asked as he casually began enlarging his own room.

"Potter," Calypso said dangerously, "I haven't been able to sleep since I got back to Durmstrang."

"That's unfortunate," Harry said, sounding unconcerned. "I imagine that must have been as annoying as being stunned the moment you walked into your room."

Calypso looked apocalyptic for a moment before she took a deep breath and immediately calmed down. "I'm sorry," she muttered.

"What was that?" Harry asked. "I couldn't hear you."

"I said; I'm sorry that I Stunned you. I've been waiting forever for you to get here and I got frustrated," Calypso admitted.

"Apology accepted," Harry said as he carefully began tying the enlarging charms to one of the receptacles he had made over the summer.

"So will you fix my room?" Calypso asked, sounding exasperated.

"Are you going to ask nicely?" Harry taunted.

"Harry, will you please fix my room before I get annoyed and decide to curse you?"

"You really need to work on learning how to ask for things nicely," Harry commented, "but fine. Help me unpack, and I'll fix your room up after the feast."

"My hero," Calypso said sarcastically before beginning to stack Harry's books on his bookcase.

"So what was this news that would make me really happy?" Harry asked casually as he transfigured his small cot into a much more comfortable looking bed.

With a bright smile on her face, Calypso cheerfully replied, "Grausam got fired."

Harry quickly spun around and stared at Calypso in shock. "What? Please tell me you're not joking."

"No joke." Calypso smiled. "My father said that the Highmaster officially let him go in early August."

"That's great," Harry said enthusiastically. "Do you know who the new Dark Arts professor is?"

"I might," Calypso said mysteriously.

"Who is it?" asked Harry. "Not that it matters. Anyone would be better than Grausam."

"True," Calypso agreed. "You'll see who it is at the welcoming feast. Are you looking forward to whatever gift you're going to be getting from Kosarev?"

"I really haven't thought much about it. I didn't even know that I would be getting a gift until Viktor told me. What about you? Will you still be getting a gift for finishing first in third year Dark Arts with Grausam gone?"

"I doubt it," Calypso replied, sounding unconcerned. "Not that it matters. Grausam being fired is enough of a gift for me."

Harry laughed. "I doubt anything Kosarev gets me will compare to that."

As the two second years continued organizing Harry's room, Calypso asked, "So how was your summer?"

"It was alright. You know most of the important stuff already. I did read some of your journal, but I haven't finished it yet," Harry admitted.

"Well, you had better start reading it," Calypso advised. "Third year is when you start to learn actual dark magic."

"I know," Harry said slightly uncomfortably. "I haven't been beaten in a duel yet, and I really don't want to start now."

"Excuse me? I do believe that you have yet to beat me in a duel, Potter," Calypso said haughtily.

"You know what I meant. I haven't lost a duel in class," he clarified. "Does that make you happy?"

"Yes."

Harry rolled his eyes while fighting to keep a smile off his face. He hadn't realized how much he'd missed Calypso over the summer. "So how was your cousin's? Was it as bad as your letter made it sound?"

"You have no idea," Calypso said ruefully. "First of all, I didn't even want to go, but my father felt that it was time that I learn how to act like a proper lady."

"Who were you staying with again?" Harry asked

"My Uncle Lucius and Aunt Narcissa."

"The Malfoys? You had to spend an entire month at Malfoy Manor? Wait... so that means Draco is your cousin!" Harry laughed. "Oh, I wish I could tell Nathan about this."

"I'm sure your brother would find it more amusing than I did," Calypso said ruefully. "After the third time Draco started whining about how your brother was allowed to join the Quidditch team when he wasn't, I started to hex him whenever he brought up your brother's name. Draco's also not very fond of you, and he asked me if I had cursed you yet."

"What did I ever do to Malfoy?" Harry asked.

"Apparently you tried to hex him and then slammed a door in his face on the Hogwarts express," Calypso replied. "At least that's what his two ogreish friends Crabbe and Goyle told me."

Shrugging, Harry said, "Whatever, it's not like I really care whether Malfoy likes me or not."

Looking enviously around Harry's room, Calypso said, "You had better do just as good a job on my room later."

Harry smirked. "You could just learn the spells yourself, you know."

"Oh, you'll be teaching them to me for next year," Calypso said with certainty, "But I am not sleeping on a cot for another night."

"They're not that bad if you cast a cushioning charm on them," Harry said.

"I'm a Rosier. I don't sleep on cots," Calypso said arrogantly. "I think you're unpacked enough. You can put your clothes away later. Why don't you go fix my room now."

"After the feast," Harry said as he continued to put away his clothes.

"You'll be tired and half asleep if we wait that long. Just do it now," Calypso argued.

"Patience is a virtue, you know," Harry commented, "and it's not like we have a lot of time left anyway. We really should be heading down to the feast soon."

"Fine, but I don't care if I have to send a constant stream of stinging hexes at you to keep you awake, you will fix my room later," Calypso warned.

"And you wonder why your father thought you needed to learn how to act like a proper lady," Harry teased.

Calypso was halfway through the incantation for a punching hex when Harry was able to successfully cast the counter curse for the spell.

"Where exactly did you learn how to duel?" Calypso demanded angrily. "Draco was completely worthless. He didn't even think to move out of the way of the hexes I sent at him."

"My dad taught Nathan and me a little bit. You know, the whole Boy-Who-Lived thing makes both of us targets, so we learned the basics to protect ourselves," Harry said, not wanting to mention his time with Quirrell.

Calypso looked at Harry before snorting in derision. "Whatever, Harry. When you want to tell me the truth, let me know. I've got to get changed before the feast. Meet me at the staircase in half an hour," Calypso said bluntly before walking out of the room.

Once Calypso was gone, Harry shook his head and sat down on his bed. He wasn't sure how Calypso knew he was lying, but she did. It just didn't make any sense. Did his eye twitch or something when he lied? Uncle Sirius once mentioned that Uncle Remus refused to play poker anymore because he couldn't stop himself from smiling every time he bluffed. Perhaps he had a similar problem and Calypso had picked up on it.

A knock on the door broke Harry out of his thoughts. "Come in," he called out.

The door opened, and Viktor entered with Kira trailing behind him. "Are you ready to go to the feast?" Viktor asked, tearing his eyes away from the large windows that provided a great view of the Quidditch pitch.

"Sure," Harry replied. "Calypso left a little while ago to go change. I'm supposed to meet her at the main staircase."

"Finite," Kira snapped, pointing her wand at the nearest wall.

When nothing happened, Kira looked a little upset and said, "So you made another one I see."

"Yes, the receptacle I have everything tied to will last through Christmas," said Harry. "I'll remove all the charms before I leave for break and then cast them again when I come back."

"Can you show me how to make my windows larger?" Viktor asked.

"I guess," Harry said, "but why just your windows?" .

Viktor looked somewhat embarrassed. "So I can fly in and out of my room on a broom."

"Sure Viktor." Harry laughed. "I'll show you how to do it. It's actually not that hard."

After ten minutes of demonstrating how to expand a window, Kira snapped out, "Viktor, you can learn this later. Let's go to the feast," before walking out of the room.

"Why is she in such a rush?" Harry quietly asked his friend.

"She got the top spot in 4th year spell creation last year," Viktor whispered back. "She wants to get a good seat at the fest."

"Whatever. I'm getting the Charms award, but you don't see me rushing everyone downstairs," Harry muttered as he and Viktor left his room.

"It means a lot to her," Viktor defended his girlfriend. "She has always been among the top three in her class at spell creation, but this will be her first time getting the top rank for any class."

"Finally. What took you two so long, and what are you two whispering about? Never mind, I don't want to know. Just hurry up," Kira said impatiently. "Rosier had better not be long because I'm not waiting for her."

Fortunately, Calypso arrived shortly after Harry, Krum, and Kira, and the four of them made their way down the main staircase and into the Main Hall. Once inside, Kira practically dragged Viktor to the front of one of the long tables.

"Must we sit with her?" Calypso muttered to Harry as he trailed after Viktor.

"I don't particularly like her either," Harry pointed out, "but Viktor's my friend."

"I heard a rumor that this is the worst class of first years in a few decades," Kira said condescendingly as Harry and Calypso sat down. "Only a few of them were even able to test into an advanced class, and no one tested into a third year class."

"I was told something similar by my father. The Highmaster was not at all impressed with this year's class, apparently," Calypso confirmed.

"Good. Hopefully it won't take that long to get to the actual feast this year," Vikor added.

"How do the first years arrive?" Harry asked curiously, suddenly realizing that he didn't know.

"They arrived by Portkey earlier today," Calypso said as she began pointing out large groups of younger students around the hall to Harry. "You know, it's kind of sad that all the first years made it to Durmstrang before you bothered to show up."

"What took you so long to get here anyway?" Viktor asked.

"Who cares," Kira said before her eyes widened and she immediately stood up, her chest pushed out, her legs shoulder length apart, and her arms behind her back in a military stance.

Harry saw Calypso roll her eyes at Kira, but she, Viktor, and most of the students in the Main Hall soon stood up and assumed a similar position, though at a much more relaxed pace.

"Stand up, Harry, the professors are arriving," Calypso hissed quietly under her breath, causing Harry to quickly assume a similar position as everyone else standing around him.

Not a moment after Calypso's warning, ominous drumming began to echo around the hall, and the large double doors behind the staff table opened. All of the professors, led by Highmaster Karkaroff, slowly walked through the doors and stood behind their designated spots at the staff table. When all the staff members had made it to their position, the drumming stopped and the professors, as one, pulled out their chairs and took their seats. The students followed immediately.

Karkaroff clapped his hands and his aid handed him a piece of parchment. With the slightest look of annoyance on his face, Kakaroff stood. "I would like to welcome our latest group of first years to Durmstrang. I'm sure that you will be a credit to our fine institution…."

In the years to come, that was as far as Harry would ever remember Karkaroff's welcoming speech. He had been scanning the staff table as soon as the professors entered the hall to get a glimpse of the new Dark Arts instructor. He had assumed that the new teacher would have just taken Grausem's spot on the table, but the History professor now occupied Grausam's former position. It wasn't until Karkaroff began speaking that Harry turned his attention to those sitting closest to the Highmaster. To Karkaroff's immediate left was Professor Kosarev, but sitting to the Headmaster's right was a face Harry remembered all too well from last year. It was Romulus Rosier.

Seeing the look of comprehension on Harry's face, Calypso leaned in and said, "I would have written to tell you, but I didn't want to chance your parents noticing my father's name and asking questions. I've told father a little bit about you. He's looking forward to seeing what you are capable of this year."