Magic? || Years 1-5

Durmstrang: Year 4/Summer

"Yeah, you know what, Percy? I reckon he'll know your name soon," George replied, sounding entirely serious.

Mrs. Weasley had gotten three ordinary Muggle taxies to drive them to the train station.

"Arthur tried to borrow Ministry cars for us. But there weren't any to spare..." Amisty heard Mrs. Weasley whisper to Harry as she helped them load the trunks into the taxis. "Oh dear, they don't look happy, do they?"

Once they were all crammed in, it wasn't comfortable whatsoever.

Pigwidgeon was screeching noisily, and when Fred's trunk sprang open there was a loud bang as his Filibuster's Fabulous Wet-Start, No-Heat Fireworks went off.

The poor driver's leg was clawed up as Crookshanks jumped. By the end of it all, they were all covered with scratches.

Amisty nearly jumped out of the taxi, not caring that she was soaked in the five seconds she was outside as she dragged her trunk into the station.

They leaned against the barrier to platform nine and three-quarters, falling through and being greeted by the familiar scarlet steam engine.

They set off to find seats, stowing their luggage into a compartment and then jumping off to say their goodbye's to Mrs. Weasley, Bill, and Charlie.

"I might be seeing you all sooner than you think," Charlie grinned, hugging Ginny goodbye.

"Why?" Fred asked, leaning forward slightly.

"You'll see. Just don't tell Percy I mentioned it... it's 'classified information, until such time as the Ministry sees fit to release it,' after all," Charlie replied vaguely.

"Yeah, I sort of wish I were back at Hogwarts this year," Bill nodded, staring at the train.

"Why?" George asked, sounding annoyed.

"You're going to have an interesting year. I might even get time off to come and watch a bit of it..." Bill continued with the infuriating vagueness.

"A bit of what?" Ron was almost hissing. But then the train whistled, and Mrs. Weasley ushered them to the train doors.

"Thanks for having us to stay, Mrs. Weasley," Hermione leaned out the window of the closed door.

"Yeah, thanks for everything, Mrs. Weasley," Harry added.

"It was really fun!" Amisty beamed.

"Oh it was my pleasure, dears. I'd invite you for Christmas, but... well, I expect you're all going to want to stay at Hogwarts, what with... one thing and another," She smiled.

"Mum! What d'you three know that we don't?" Ron asked sharply.

"You'll find out this evening, I expect. It's going to be very exciting -- mind you, I'm very glad they've changed the rules -- " Mrs. Weasley replied.

"What rules?" All the boys asked together.

"I'm sure Professor Dumbledore will tell you... Now, behave, won't you? Won't you, Fred? And you, George?" Mrs. Weasley gave the twins a pointed look.

The pistons hissed and the train began its trek to Hogwarts.

"Tell us what's happening at Hogwarts! What rules are they changing?" Fred shouted out the window.

They didn't reply, only smiling and waving as they sped away. When they rounded the corner, they all had Disapparated.

The four of them walked over to their compartment, and Ron immediately undid his trunk and covered Pigwidgeon's cage with a strange looking maroon dress.

"Bagman wanted to tell us what's happening at Hogwarts. At the World Cup, remember? But my own mother won't say. Wonder what -- " Ron began, grumbling.

"Shh!" Amisty hissed, pointing at the open compartment door.

Draco's drawling voice was floating over toward them.

"...Father actually considered sending me to Durmstrang rather than Hogwarts, you know. He knows the headmaster, you see. Well, you know his opinion of Dumbledore -- the man's such a Mudblood-lover -- " Amisty cringed, "and Durmstrang doesn't admit that sort of riffraff. But Mother didn't like the idea of me going to school so far away. Father says Durmstrang takes a far more sensible line than Hogwarts about the Dark Arts. Durmstrang students actually learn them, not just defense rubbish we do..."

Hermione went and closed the door, blocking out his voice. "So he thinks Durmstrang would have suited him, does he? I wish he had gone, then we wouldn't have to put up with him."

"Durmstrang's another Wizarding school?" Harry asked.

"Yes, and it's got a horrible reputation. According to An Appraisal of Magical Education in Europe, it puts a lot of emphasis on the Dark arts," Hermione replied.

"I think I've heard of it. Where is it? What country?" Ron asked.

"Well, nobody knows, do they?" Hermione's eyebrows raised.

"Er -- why not?"

"There's traditionally been a lot of rivalry between all the magic schools. Durmstrang and Beauxbatons like to conceal their whereabouts so nobody can steal their secrets," Hermione replied.

"Come off it. Durmstrang's got to be about the same size as Hogwarts -- how are you going to hide a great big castle?" Ron laughed.

"But Hogwarts is hidden. Everyone knows that... well, everyone who's read Hogwarts: A History, anyway," Hermione pointed out.

"Just you, then. So go on -- how d'you hide a place like Hogwarts?" Ron asked.

"It's bewitched. If a Muggle looks at it, all they see is a moldering old ruin with a sign over the entrance saying danger, do not enter, unsafe," Hermione explained.

"So Durmstrang'll just look like a ruin to an outsider too?" Amisty asked curiously.

"Maybe, or it might have Muggle-repelling charms on it, like the World Cup stadium. And to keep foreign wizards from finding it, they'll have made it Unplottable -- " Hermione shrugged.

"Come again?" Harry asked.

"Well, you can enchant a building so it's impossible to plot on a map, can't you?"

"Er... if you say so."

"But I think Durmstrang must be somewhere in the far north. Somewhere very cold, because they've got fur capes as part of their uniforms," Hermione speculated.

"Ah, think of the possibilities. It would've been so easy to push Malfoy off a glacier and make it look like an accident... Shame his mother likes him..." Ron sighed wistfully.

Amisty laughed, but she couldn't help from wondering if Draco hadn't been telling the truth in his letter.