November 2, 2012
Tuesday, 5:00 pm

"Amara Bathory, see me after class."   Professor Maras had said so casually without looking at the Hogwarts student, a girl who had been a strange, silent specter in her classes since her arrival from Durmstrang.  Maras was no nonsense and her students knew by now she did not hand out sweet-smelling stickers or friendly winks.  But Professor Maras had taken note of the strangely pretty, but graveyard quiet Slytherin. 

A few minutes more and Professor Maras had dismissed the rest of the class with their assignment for the week - a long translation of Magical Mayan Glyphs which were very helpful in ritual style magic, in addition to just being incredibly important to the history of their topic.  Soon all the other students had left and it was only Amara and Professor Maras in the room.

"Come here," she beckoned, still at the podium and arranging her papers.  By now the students would have been used to the Swedish professor, an older witch with a strange silver eye patch and an always sort of severe tone. 

The class had been going relatively well that day: it had been interesting enough and she was neither asked a question nor required to talk. Amara was pleased. She was not interested at all in over half of her academical pursuits, she just studied well because of a lack of occupation and understanding on why would one go in pursuit of knowledge, if there was no interest or mind for it. However, there was something about Runes that... intrigued her would, be the best term. She had always had a fondness for the written word, after all, it dictated over half of her actions and occupied more than 50% of her day, but the written word in aid of magic? Now that was something interesting.

Just as her subjects, the girl did not care much for her professors, as long as they were competent enough to teach their subject and adopted a professional attitude towards their students. But there was something about the Durmstrang Runic Magic Professor that somehow calmed her, something "akin".

When she heard her own name coming from the podium, there was a slight confusion. What would she want with her? She was a straight O student, she had done nothing wrong, so what would Professor Maras want with her? Had she actually done something wrong? Did she maybe act otherwise than she would normally? Sweet Circe, this wasn't a social call, now was it? Amara contemplated excusing herself for the Hospital Hut, making up some terrible illness, but that would be far fetched even coming from a respectable student, both in results and behavior.

"Come here" she heard the woman say after the class was emptied.

She slowly raised from her seat, walking rigidly towards the podium. She stepped on the podium and positioned herself one foot away in front of the desk, looking as cold and expressionless as always. She did not say anything, instead she straightened her posture and locked her hands behind her back, waiting to see what would Professor Maras want.

Only Amara's quiet footfalls on the rug signaled that the student had complied with Maras's request.  She presented herself nearby without a word.  Maras didn't mind this.  Perhaps things at Hogwarts were more often effusive and friendly, the professors often treating their students as beloved nieces and nephews.  And to be sure, Maras had always felt a fondness for her students, but she was their teacher, not their family.  And she was more comfortable when that role was clear. 

Maras took just a couple more moments and now her scrolls were rolled tight.  She folded her hands on the lectern and looked at the young English girl dressed in Slytherin green.

"You're not in any trouble," she told her right off.  "But I am somewhat disappointed.  Why do you think that might be, Miss Bathory?"

Maras knew that Amara didn't like to speak.  Since she'd been in her class since start of term, she'd never done so voluntarily.  But it didn't matter - she'd have to and Maras had high hopes for what they might accomplish today.

"You're not in any trouble, But I am somewhat disappointed.  Why do you think that might be, Miss Báthory?"

When she heard her professor's voice and noted the word "disappointment" Amara was confused and a the pang of curiosity and a sort of disappointment as well, crept up her mind. She moved her arms forward, locking them in front of her, and slowly nodded her head in denial.

"I do not know, Professor Maras. If you would kindly explain, please" she said in her usual monotonic voice. She looked the woman straight in her uncovered eye and waited with some anxiety for the answer. There were hundreds of scenarios going through her head, she was recalling every memory spent in this class, wondering what and when might've gone wrong. She had no idea. The more she looked the less reason for this conversation she saw.

Still, and icy calm.  Maras narrowed her gaze slightly.  It would take more to ruffle Amara Bathory.  If her other students were faced with the same accusation they might sputter or grow uncomfortable, but Amara seemed the same as before. 

"Your translations are very good and the runes you've done yourself this week are very good," Professor Maras said in a straight forward manner.  She wasn't being gushingly complementary - she was just stating facts.  Amara did very well in Runes.  "Your clarity is solid, and your work is neat and precise. However..."

Professor Maras nearly smiled even as she seemed about to deliver the bad news in all this.  "I don't believe you're trying very hard.  I think this is easy for you.  Do you understand why this would upset me?"  she asked, not actually sounding upset at all.

Not trying enough? Sure, that was true, she had the brain and natural talent for almost every subject in the wizarding world and they came naturally easy for her without adding too much effort into it. But why would Professor Maras be upset by that? From what she had observed professors were always happy with good results. It was true, the current Runes curriculum seemed incredibly easy for Amara, but then again she had been studying Ancient Runes with her tutor since she was a child.

Perhaps the professor felt she was not fulfilling her duties as an instructor if Amara hadn't much to learn from her teachings. She didn't not really know. Regardless, she was interested in what the woman would have to say.

"I understand, Professor Maras. If you have any recommendation to address the situation, I will happily oblige" she said with a hint of curiosity in her voice.

No shame, no arguments.  How odd.  But Maras was pleased just the same.  She didn't desire to spar with the strange English girl, but she had expected some resistance.  Perhaps that was yet to come.  But for now it seemed like there was actually something going on in there...

Maras's small smile showed her approval of Amara's response, and she spoke as she moved from the stand over to her desk she was sharing with Professor Reid.  "I'm not sure you do understand, Amara Bathory," she said.

"It is not enough that you perform, or meet expectations, or merely accomplish the tasks I request.  It is not enough for me, it would not be enough at Durmstrang, and it should not satisfy you either.  You are Slytherin and I have come to know your House prides itself on ambition.  Perhaps now is the time to go beyond my expectations for the other students, yes?"

Maras was at the desk now and all around them and behind her on shelves were books, scrolls, cod exes, charts and carvings, all concerning runes, and written magic. 

"Tell me: what intrigues you?"

She was listening to her professor as she spoke, not grasping their meaning or what she wanted from her. She spoke of ambition, she had that, just not in this particular direction, she only had one ambition, to change the fate of the future women of the Báthory family, and reinstate the family name in the wizarding world for what it was, one of the oldest, most noble and most powerful pureblood families in Europe.

"Tell me: what intrigues you?"

Amara suddenly felt as if the sky had collapsed over her head. She tried to scour through her mind, thinking long and hard and she came up with... nothing. Apart from some interests, albeit unnatural for others, there was nothing. Before she could organize an answer deemed proper for a young lady, her voice had spoken without her mind's approval.

"Nothing... There's nothing. If there is one that could be considered as such, it would be humans" she realized that if she had already started talking she might as well go on. "The human heart or soul... It puzzles me, I don't understand it, I don't know what to make of feelings and emotions. I know I am capable of them, I just can't see their purpose, I can't identify them. I don't know..."

She raised her face with a a tired expression, almost sad and confused at the same time. "I am sorry, that was out of place, professor Maras."

"Yes it was!" 

Maras agreed with Amara's evaluation of her monotone 'outburst' with a kind of offended, tight little scowl.  Professor Maras broke eye contact then, and took on the air of disinterest she often used with the dreg, the lowest of Durmstrang's strata.  They dreg lacked something that kept them from achieving and she was abjectly disappointed that what Amara lacked was, apparently, any shred of curiosity or interest in surpassing the Runes curriculum. 

"For some it is enough to achieve fair marks in my courses because they are using all that they can muster.  For some it is enough that they merely get up in the morning.  But for a witch of your skill, it is not enough, I'm afraid."

She sat down and began flipping slowly through a thick notebook page by page.  She continued talking and still didn't look at Amara any more.

"I had hope for you, but if you are content with mediocrity, perhaps you are not as skilled as I thought.  Drum up some ambition, Miss Bathory, because you cannot always rely on others to do it for you."

She slightly frowned at her professor, what did she want from her? She had top results, what more could she possibly want? She was getting irritated, this woman had just accused her of "mediocrity" of all things. Sure, she had no interest to go beyond the curriculum of one subject as long as it did not benefit her, sure it meant nothing to her to excel in something, if it did not have a direct impact on her inheriting her status as an heiress sooner, but... "mediocrity"?

"Excuse me Professor Maras, I do have ambition, it is just not directed towards my academical achievements, for those are already beyond satisfactory in my family's view. I see no gain in going beyond what is requested of me by none other than your own curriculum. I already have straight Os, what else could I possible get?" she said almost exhausted and with a hint of irritation. "My plans for future do not include excellency in Ancient Runes, nor any of the other subjects we get taught at Hogwarts, or rather the way they are being taught to us, Professor. I am living up to any expectation in my academical pursuits, straight Os would be enough for everyone, and not considered mediocrity, so pardon me asking, Professor Maras, but what exactly is it that does not sit well with you?" she finished with a cold stare, the only hint at her irritation.

She felt her throat dry, she should not speak so much, much less in front of a professor. What if they all found out that she could actually carry a conversation and start disrupting her with mindless conversation?

Maras did look at Amara then.  My word.  Amara Bathory had never, in Professor Maras's recollection, spoken so many words in one go as she'd ever spoken sum total.  Frankly, Ylva Maras had not been expecting that, but she was pleased at least. 

For many of the students, Maras believed they spoke far too much and offered their opinions far to often.  But in this scenario, Maras was actually glad of it because it taught her a great deal.

"Sit." 

Maras opened her hand to gesture at an open chair nearby the desk.  It seemed they had more to discuss than Maras thought. 

"The measure of our achievement shouldn't have so much to do with standards set around us.  Your achievement of Outstandings only sets you up in comparison to a generally accepted normal.  That is not truly outstanding.  I am not so happy to hear that you do not plan for excellency in the Ancient Runes.  It is an exceptionally beautiful and useful art.  I have studied it for many years and not once have I found it dull nor did I run out of questions.

"Perhaps no one has ever told you this before - but there is no real merit or worth in doing what your family tells you to do.  And by that, I mean to say that there is a great deal more you are good for.  I can see that plainly.  Can you?"

She heeded her professor's request and moved over to the chair she had indicated. She carefully gathered her hair in a bunch while she seated herself, as to not sit on it. She straightened her back, crossed her legs, and elegantly laid her hand on her knees. She had listened calmly to what Professor Maras was saying, then when faced with the truth about her academical merits, she wondered, truly wondered if it actually was as the woman said. Was it?

 She had never actually looked for a reason as to why she studied so diligently, other than being instructed so by her tutors and family. She tried to remember fragments of conversation regarding studying, most of the underachievers strove for better only to avoid some sort of punishment from their families or professors, while the overachievers, simply studied either for the pleasure of it, or, exactly as herself, in order to not disappoint their family. But pleasure wasn't something Amara knew how to handle...

"No, professor" came her slow answer. "I have been instructed to only invest the time needed for a good outcome, the rest of my studying time is required to go into my self-training. I understand what you are saying, but I see no possible way to become what you would expect me to. If it is required, in order for you to recognize my academical merits I will further my knowledge on your subject, but I will continue to treat it as I have been until now, it is how I have been taught."

She looked towards the window and noticed an owl flying by with a small package, she wondered what it was carrying and to whom. She quickly turned her eyes back to her professor and gave her a semblance of a smile. "If only because I find Ancient Runes more interesting than other subjects... Perhaps, if you would explain the exact benefits it might have for my future, I might understand. I mean no disrespect by my words or questions, I have been told the way I interact socially can be considered insulting, I apologize if you would consider it as such" she added quickly.

Maras could just imagine the soft-hearted, teachers-are-friends types who would say that young Amara's comportment was rude!  Perhaps if she behaved this way in her friendships or with her family, it would be off-putting.  That that seemed to strange to assume.  Amara was a singular student, but surely she was not always this way.  Whatever the strange girl's normal behavior, Maras found her behavior that of a professional student.  But perhaps, Maras was a strange witch herself.

"There is no problem," she assured Amara bruskly regarding her tone. 

But in thinking about all that Amara had told her about how she approached school, Maras saw a girl stuck in hole.  The young witch, it appeared, did not think for herself when it came to her place in life or her dreams.  She was proper-enough, but was that all there was for her?  Perhaps this was Amara Bathory's folly of youth - it was common enough at Durmstrang where families were particularly strict.

"You would fit in at Durmstrang Institute," she decided to say.  "Many of my students come from strict, pureblooded, traditional families like yours."  Perhaps that phrase would often be said carefully in Hogwarts halls, but not so with Maras who had no cause to be timid about taking pride in heritage and tradition.

"But their potential was never fully realized until they disappointed their parents.  Parents are not all Seers, you see, and their plans for you may not turn out to be the best.  Something to consider."  And Maras decided not to press the girl any further on that subject.  She wasn't some coddling auntie, after all. 

"I should think that in your studies the benefits of my art would have been made clear.  Professor Reid is a remarkable witch.  Magic of this sort can outlive the caster in ways other magic cannot.  It can make one immortal.  Carve runes into stone and the magic will never diminish.  Runes can travel in ways other magic never could - an inscription on parchment can travel the globe on an owl's wing, far from the end of a wand arm or the earshot of an incantation.  To carve a rune is an act.  An art.  To create an inscription is poetry."

For as serious and severe Ylva Maras seemed, there was a joyful intensity to hear her speak about what she loved more than anything.

Regardless of its implications, the reference to her fitting in at Durmstrang made Amara lower her gaze. She was still somewhat frustrated at her father's choice with Hogwarts. She was much better prepared for an education at the institute, and she knew, she would've fitted much better in the North of Europe, people were different there, some, more like her.

"I'm afraid you misunderstand me, Professor. I am not doing this in order to please my parents, I have no desire to actually please anyone, I am merely doing it in order to avoid any sort of consequence that might result from poor results in my training. I have one goal in life, and in order to approach it flawlessly I need to appease some... expectations" she interjected as soon as Professor Maras was done talking.

She frowned slightly. She was getting restless, this woman was basically forcing her to talk with all the questions, and insinuations and wrong deductions. And the time seemed to pass so slowly, it was driving her crazy. But on deeper thought, she was right on a level. In the end she hadn't really thought on how she will bring back the greatness of her family name, how to assert herself as a leader, how to make the world recognize the Báthorys for what they once were. Maybe there was something to what her professor was saying...

"Professor, if you would be so kind, would you consider lending me your expertise and assistance regarding my recently found interest in your subject. That, of course, if it does not inconvenience you. I find professor Reid and I would not have a... productive collaboration, if I may say so" she was now looking at Professor Maras with true interest.

Ylva watched the poor girl squirm.  She seemed abjectly uncomfortable somehow, as if she was not able to really say what she wanted to say.  Ylva could tell now that whatever was going on with this strange waif, it wasn't the typical case.  But whatever it was, the young witch was coming around to at least considering Ylva's evaluation that she could do more.

Newfound interest indeed.  Ylva Maras smiled.  "Precisely my notion, Miss Bathory.  I'm sure Professor Reid would not mind.  We'll meet again next week, this same time after class.  Perhaps you can bring with you some notion of how Runes might help you achieve your goals, whatever they are.  Your library should be well stocked.  At least it would be a place to start.  I suggest,  perhaps, we begin with some item or bit of jewelry.  We could inscribe it with a helpful ward."

Satisfied that a seed had been planted, Ylva now stood. 

"That will be all, Miss Bathory.  See you next week."