The Great Hall

Amy laughed and shook her head

"Don't look at me, mine and Aiden;s relationship is anything but normal, and don't worry about Aiden reading your mind, he only picks up thoughts over the link when we are near by and usually I try to block his access so no worries"

"Hah! I am not a mutation!" Darien grinned, laughing in Ana's face.
Ana rolled her eyes. "And he wonders why people say I am the more mature one!"
Darien pouted.
"Oh stop being so imbecilic and tedious Darien."
"Oh, posh words...they burn!"
"Shut up. And give me my book back."
"Nope."
Ana flicked her wand and the book reappeared. She stuck her tongue out at Darien and propped the book up so it effectivly blocked him out of the conversation.
"Oi! Ana, move the book!" Darien whined, almost wolfishly. "Amy make her move the book!"

((Different time line then above, After triwizard Head arrive))

Kiara sat in the relativly empty hall, the Triwazrd cup standing in the middle of the hall. Kiara looked at it. What had she found that attracted her to this cup when she was 17 any way?

"Nothing but a portkey and a 1000 galleons, not such a big deal anymore" she whispered to her self.

She had been the hogwarts champion the last time the contest was held here and she had won. No one remembered now, 15 minutes of fame was all they got if they weren't already famus already.

"Cursed cup, eternal glory what a load of rubbish...." she mumbled it was no secret she did not approve of the contest.

Kazimir made his way from the Entrance Hall into the Great Hall, his ebony staff clicking every step of the way. Dark eyes surveyed the lack of activity in this room with indifference. However, the richly colored irises did linger on the Triwizard Cup for a few moments longer than necessary.

Though the Durmstrang Headmaster was now in his early seventies, it certainly didn't look it. In fact he looked a good ten years older, but carried himself as if a good two decades younger. Approaching the professors' table, Kazimir happened to catch a small piece of what Kiara had been saying. He might be old, but his hearing was still in perfect working order.

"Rubbish?" he asked disbelievingly, taking in the various features of the woman before him with great scrutiny. "...Hardly." Kazimir took the small stair that raised the table a few inches higher than the other four with ease. "I'll have you know, every Durmstrang Champion that has ever von the Trivizard Cup has practically gone down in the history books for their achievement. Rubbish? No, I do not think so." Kazimir's voice had the timbre of a bullfrog with a slight sandpaper scratchiness.

"So, vere are your charges if they are not here?" he asked as he sat down in someone's seat on Kiara's left, not worrying at all if he had happened to be disrupting some sort of unlabeled seating convention.

Kiara regarded him as he sat down beside her. he was not taking anyone seat. two chairs exactly the same as Kiara's were on either side of her. Reserved for the other Heads, she sat in the middle as she was head of the host school.

"I am glad Drumstrang triwzard champions are honored Headmaster" she said, Though that was all she said on his reacton to her statment about the cup, and she wasn't laying. Though she would be immpressed if the kept any record at all about the wizards from Hogwarts and Beauxbatons.


As to his question about the students she answered to that honestly as well
"Some of them may be playing quidditch while others in the common rooms playing chess... some student may actually be studying" Kiara explained an small simle playing her lips. What of your charges Headmaster?" kiara asked.

She decided to be herself at first see where it got her with the pribeful looking older man.

((Assuming Beauxbatons has arrived as well...))

Headmistress Genevieve Lasharna entered the Great Hall. Her thin lips were pressed firmly together in what only could be a displeased expression and her large brown eyes never left the area of space directly ahead of her. She had an air about her of someone easily upset and painstakingly appeased.

At five inches above six feet, she glided more than walked on long well toned legs. Genevieve wore sky blue robes that accented her frame nicely and her long black hair was pulled back from her face in an elaborate style that looked as if it had taken hours to fix. Due to her heavy French accent and general poor English, she had already cast a translating charm to soften the accent and automatically change the French she muttered into English.

She gave a barely contained look of disdain at the young Hogwarts Headmistress, as she had been hoping to have a private discussion with the woman before the Tournament began, and then smiled politely at Durmstrang's Headmaster.

"Had ve been able to host, as previously agreed, I vould gladly have shown you - vith great pride - our Name List of these victories. Even posthumous champions that gave their lives for the tasks are honored. I happen to be on that list, myself," he stated simply. It was probably a good thing that the tournament was a one-try thing, or he would have boasted victory more than once.

"That last one - studying - is vot they should all be doing. Too confusing with the little imps scattered all over the castle," Kazimir expressed his opinion in an odd tone of voice.

"The vones that did not meet my own selection processes - the vones that remained at Durmstrang - are likely going to be in for a Qvidditch-filled day to burn off some of that excess energy of theirs. My hand-picked delegates, on the other hand. . ." Kazimir trailed off cautiously. "Boris Kaminski, my star pupil, is likely leading them on an organized run through the grounds before they start their studies. At Durmstrang our schedules run like clockvork: almost every student is doing the same thing at any given time." His air was proud, boastful even. Kazimir could say this was perfectly true for certain periods of the day, but they weren't exactly programmed like machines, either. Though he deliberately hadn't made it to sound that way, that had been what he meant.

"Then again, our school roster is likely much smaller than the vone for Hogvarts must be, so I see vy it is difficult for you to manage such a large flock," he added, diplomatically complimenting Hogwarts' prestige. However, there was something lurking beneath that surface...


Noticing the Beauxbatons Headmistress, and the smile she gave him, Kazimir returned the gesture though it did not necessarily meet his eyes. "Bonjour, directrice Lasharna. J'espère des trouvailles de ce jour vous bien?" he greeted the woman politely in her own language. However, it didn't appear that the day found her very well at all, judging by the look on her face. In all of his seventy years Kazimir had learned a total of eight secondary languages, and French just happened to be one of them.


((Unfortunately, Kazimir's author only knows one fluently, self-teaching myself one: Japanese, and I only know a couple of basic phrases in about 8 others, lol. The above snippet of conversation in French was taken from an online translator and is supposed to say: "Hello, Headmistress Lasharna. I hope this day finds you well?" My apologies to anyone here that speaks French for any mistakes - it was the online translator's fault! ^_^))

"And would have looked at the list gladly Headmaster, had it been my choice Drumstrang would still be host to the Tournament." it was ture she would have let Drumstrang keep the tournament as planned. Though she left out the fact it had been her that told the ministry about hurcox emergancy, She would talk to him about that later if the need arose.

"As for my students I allow them freedom to what they wish as long as the rules are followed and their marks are decent"

Kiara felt a insane sence of deja vu as Madam Genevieve Lasharna arrived at the staff table. It remined her greatly of the tournament she had been in, she hadn't gotten off to a good start with the Beauxbatons champion then either.

The cold stare didn't go beyond her notice either. "What did I do now?"

"Having a good evening Madam Lasharna?" Kiara asked politely.

Genevieve nodded to both of them.

"Bonjour, Monsieur Kazimir, oui, je suis bien." Her smile never left her face as she gracefully slid her long body into the chair to the right of Headmistress Kiara.

"Yes, I am having a lovely evening. I trust you are as well? That's good to hear." she stated in rapid secession, having no desire to actually hear how the younger woman was.
"Monsier Kazimir, we have not had the pleasure of speaking before. Something we shall be able to change, I hope."

"Unfortunate business made hosting the tournament an impossible option, I'm afraid," Kazimir stated, clearly slightly embittered by the ordeal both knew their parts of, but not the others' involvement. Or, at least, Kazimir had no idea. "Perhaps next time, since Hogvorts vould have been hosting the next vone."

"Vith my pupils - and that amount of freedom - Durmstrang Institute vould likely be turned to cinders. They are best kept on a tight leash, if you vill," he commented, refusing to relent on his opinion of how to run a school. At the very least, his tone suggested that Kiara not change her methods to impress him.


Kazimir's smile didn't budge an inch further, and he observed the two interact with mild interest. When he was addressed, it was quite clear his attention was at its peak. "I don't believe ve have yet been graced vith such an opportunity. It vould be an honor to speak vith you, Madame Lasharna," he replied courteously, his accent quite clear. Oh yes, he was aware of there being a spell to clear that up. But Kazimir was too proud of his native language and the impact it presented to his pronunciation of English to erase it completely from his voice.

Since Lasharna competely and obviously ignored her, Kiara continued her converstion with Kazimir.

"Of course... to each there own Headmaster, and Drumstrang would be more then welcome to have Hogwarts turn to host the event next time the tournament is held" she said.

((I'm going to bring Eglantine in soon, so Genevieve will speak to Kiara cordially, okay...))

Genevieve folded her arms. "I heard that several safe-guards were added to the Goblet this year. Doubtless so your weaker students wouldn't go against your words, Headmistress? Strange, mine do exactly as I say and no younger student would dream of entering their name." That was not necessarily true, but since she had only brought her oldest students, including her beloved daughter with her, Kiara had no way of going against the statement.

Kiara turned her head, "Better safe then sorry Madam Lasharna, I remember the temptation, and sometimes it can out weigh someones regard for the rules. I am not nieve enough to believe my student will obay every word I say. Safety procautions, you understand." Kiara said neutrally as she poured her tea and disretly with her pheonix magic to made it hotter.

"Naive? Oh my dear! But look who is speaking. You have barely a year of "experience" to as they say, "fall back on". Perhaps you are naive enough to not know how to keep your school orderly." she smiled sweetly. "No doubt you have your staff members do most of the work."

"It is a part of our agreement for International Magical Cooperation, is it not, to share the responsibility of hosting these events?" Kazimir queried in response to Kiara's comment, perhaps a little too automatically. "And I agree - to each their own," he added in hopes to cover up possible interpretations of his previous.

"My name is Kazimir, by the vay. Kazimir Orlov. You may use it instead of my title, if you vish," he explained, though had a suspicious feeling she already knew his name... especially now that The Traitor - Sevastyan Kaminski - now works for her. Kazimir glanced around the room, but found no glimpse of the Russian professor that had once been one of his students.


Kazimir listened to what Headmistress Lasharna had to say, though personally had his doubts about her claim. No student body was that innocent, and he mused this notion from both experience as a student and in supervising the lot of them. "I have heard this, too," he began, trying to ease himself into a potentially three-way conversation. "My pupils, if they vere underage, vould know better than to even attempt such a feat. I'd make them all dig a new moat around the castle even just for thinking of sneaking into the contest, had I a vay of knowing! The good thing is that they know vot vould avait them," he contributed. Okay, yeah, the moat thing was for the large part a boast, clearly indicative of his disciplinarian teaching style. And, had Kazimir not been doubly extra careful of whom he picked, there likely would have been some very bright but slightly younger than required students in his bunch. But he was in enough trouble with the ministry as it was for letting Petrov teach how to make horcruxes, or so that was now the general consensus. So, needless to say, Kazimir's similar statement about his students wasn't entirely factual, but at this time there was no evidence to back up any claims that he had lied.

Sensing the conversation between Lasharna and Kiara heating up, Kazimir decided not to say much of anything more and merely observed.

Kiara nodded to Kazimir's statment "Very well Kazimir, may call me Kiara if you wish to as well" she said though she wasn't sure he would though.

"And yes I agree the reasponabily must be shared"

She listened to Kazimir's comment about keeping there pupils in line, what she doubted, she doubted both actually. She could not imagine that not one of their younger students would try to enter if the were here and able to get near the cup.

At Lasharna's comment Kiara rolled her eyes, this women looked down on her in more ways then one. Keeping her face netrall however she repied.

"Madam Lasharna I may only have started as head this year but that does not mean I don't have experince. I was an auror for nearly 10 years, for 4 of those years I had the rank of Captain. As you can see Hogwarts is not falling a part form the seems and my students are not killing each other nor are they damaging the school in anyway. My staff teach it is there job it is what they do, What they do on there off time is their business. I myself teach many classes including Advanced magic and spells, Care of Magical creatures , now Astronomy. I used to teach Defense well before it was recently taken over. On top of that I have added additional wards for protection around the school and even a guardan. Now if I am missing something please tell me" she said all of this clamly and without hesitation.

Genevieve sighed dramatically. "My my, aren't we proud of our accomplishments. Ten years as an auror...I suppose you could have done worse. And as for Hogwarts not falling apart...you just keep saying that." she patronized. "You are obviously short handed if you have to teach three classes, you poor over worked girl. Perhaps if you presented a better image for Hogwarts, teachers might desire to teach here. But of course you have such a long standing reputation for villainy at this school. Beauxbatons has not such history; possessed students, dueling in the hallways, battles on your lawn...need I say any more."

Kiara sighed, it was true they were short staffed, but all things concidering she thought they were doing fine.

She almost called Madam Lashanra a lier about the Beauxbatons has no such history comment. But she bit her tonge now was neihter the time nor place to talk about Beauxbatons former Head.

She would not let the women get on her nerves, although Lasharna seemed to be trying to do so very hard.

"We are a little short staffed yes I agree it is uncommon for a headmistress to teach 3 classes. However it has not reflected negatively on hogwarts in anyway, Hogwarts grades still rival Beauxbatons and Drumstrangs I have seen to it that the students still recieve a eductation and they are. Rule breakers are delt with accordingly to discorage that behavior"

She left out the fact that students breaking the most rules and getting in to trouble were from Drumstrang orignally. She doubted Kazimir would like to hear that.

So, their hostess was an Auror? Kazimir's beady black eyes narrowed slightly. "Might I inqvire ven you retired from the Auror department, Headmistress Kiara?" he asked with more than a little suspicion.

"Students killing each other?" Kazimir interjected in Kiara's direction, on his guard and naturally jumping to conclusions in response. "Vot pray tell do you imply by this?" Sweet Merlin, was she aware of why Durmstrang had to suddenly cancel their plans to host the Triwizard Tournament? The tanned, weathered olive skin of the Durmstrang Headmaster's face colored slightly. It had been an embarrassment to discover Professor Petrov caught in the act of teaching how to make horcruxes, so naturally he would be a little sensitive to any hint of manslaughter amongst the student body.

He had been about to mention that the fact that the Headmistress took on teaching three classes in addition to her normal duties seemed a little much, but Headmistress Lasharna had beaten her to it so he wasn't about to bring it up again.

At mention of discipline, Kazimir simply had to inquire, "Speaking of the students, I believe at least two of my former students transferred here: Darien Vaight, and Nicolas Casillas. How are they adjusting to your school?" The somewhat elderly-looking wizard kept his notions as to how they were doing compared to how they were largely to himself.

Kiara regarded Kazimir for a moment, normally she was fine with telling people why she retierd. But she wasn't sure telling why exactly would do her any good with Kazimir.

"I was offered the Headmistress postion a Hogwarts I accepted" she said plainly.

At his question to students killing eachother statemant and the look of reddness in his face Kiara simply said "It was a figure of speach Kazimir, I was not serious, simply saying Hogwarts is not in chaos.

At the mention of Darien and Nicolas Kiara stopped herself from sighing.

"They got off to a shaky start, but things are smoothed over now, both have made friends and seem to be enjoying it here" she said

((Sorry I tried to post this five times... but my connection died...))

"I'm sure you try hard, but as they say sometimes hard is just not enough." She smirked, "And I am certain that your students receive a fine education..." Genevieve made the statement sound almost petting as if she was soothing a young child.

The doors opened and Eglantine hovered in, freezing when her gaze fell on the three Heads. With a look akin to a deer caught in the headlights of the Knightbus, she swallowed and approached the table rather slowly.

"I am sorry to interrupt, Headmistress. But..." she got no further as Genevieve all but leapt to her feet, rounding the table in next to a nanosecond. The mildly hidden disdain was replaced with a radiant look of pure sisterly affection as she embraced Eglantine kissing both of her cheeks.

"I was not aware that you were in a wheelchair, Eglantine!" she stated, her voice almost sounding as if it belonged to someone else besides to rather wicked witch who had been speaking before. "You are well, yes?"

Eglantine nodded, looking as if she had been turned to stone for the most part.

When Lasharna jumped up went of to Eglantine Kiara allowed her self to glare at the french woman for a moment before covering it up again.

"Time like this I wish I could drink"

Staning she adressed Eglantine "Not at all Eglantine, what is it?" she asked in alot friendlier tone then before.

"I...um...yes, several students were fighting in a hallway. Gryffindor, Slytherin and Ravenclaws. They all had points subtracted, but due to the tournament, I did not assign detentions. Also there is a problem with the garden fountain. Apparently it was damaged by several students playing Quidditch around it." She hated the idea of telling Kiara all of these problems in front of the other Heads but Kiara had asked her to continue.

Genevieve grinned as if she had just been handed a trophy of sorts.
"Hogwarts is not in chaos?" she smirked, although her tone of voice was sweet and sincere.

Kiara looked shocked for a moment, it seemed at that moment the fates were laughing at her.

"Why... Why now???who hates me"

Kiara thought as she pinchd the bridge of her nose.

Ignoring Lasharna as best she could she said.

"You have got to be kidding..... I know you never kid..... okay... how did this unusually curle twist of fate happen?" she asked almost afaid to know.

Kazimir regarded Kiara with a kind of interest. She had such a prestigious job as an Auror, and she just up and left it for a teaching position? Personally, the Durmstrang Headmaster thought that was a bit unwise. But then again, he reminded himself, he did not have all the details. Perhaps the woman simply liked teaching more than the hard work it takes to catch individuals such as Petrov... Regardless, he nodded respectfully to show that he would accept this answer.

"Forgive me then," Kazimir stated coolly, mostly appeased for the moment. "The recent ... incident ... at Durmstrang has led me to be a little jumpy about such things." Another nod accompanied mention of Casillas and Vaight. Since things seemed to have cooled off for the time being, it would appear as though there was little more to discuss in regards to them at present.

The glare Kiara had given the Beauxbatons headmistress had not escaped Kazimir's notice, and he'd had a hard time concealing his grin. He had an odd sense of humor...

A bushy eyebrow rose in response to hearing about the recent string of troubles, provided by whom Kazimir could only assume was one of Headmistress Kiara's staff. "Vith all due respect, I vould hardly call a scuffle as small as that and a broken fountain 'chaos'. Then again, I deal vith a lot of rather . . . energetic . . . young men, at my school," Kazimir spoke up, though didn't seem to be aiding anyone in particular judging by his tone of voice. His face was set to an expression that was just as neutral as his words.