4 November 2009
Evening
Durmstrang Dormitories

Maras had erected a tall chalkboard in a small round chamber connected to the Durmstrang dormitories.  She'd covered it in notes, charts, dates, and all manner of important motes of information that could be relevant to what lay ahead.  The Tournament rules stipulated that Champions must accomplish the tasks on their own, completely independently, but Durmstrang was practiced at finding the cracks.  Preparing their students was fair play according to Maras.  That was the reason she was here, was it not?

Atash Hendurabi of Spellworks would be a complementary partner in preparing Heinrich Faust and Fyetka Strelnikov; as would be the first task champions who'd learned first hand what it was like to compete for the prize. 

By now Durmstrang had learned what perhaps all the schools would soon find out - the significance of the boxes and their contents.  Finally they would be able to prepare what lay ahead.   The riddle from Magdelena Eisenburg's box had been transcribed onto the chalkboard in Ylva's ornate and consistent handwriting. 

Heinrich was prepared.  He'd brought a dozen sheets of parchment, a freshly sharpened quill and a freshly mixed pot of ink.  To this he added a prodigious amount of lore both magical and Muggle in nature.  If it was a puzzle, he was prepared to solve it.

 It was what he did.

He was eager to begin his task and the first part of it started now.  Tonight they would unlock the key to the next task and he would be able to begin planning his strategy with Fyetka, assuming it was going to be a team effort.  If not, they could trade ideas as to how to best succeed beyond the expectations of their peers, hosts and mentors.

Atash had cleared his schedule for the evening at Professor Maras's request.  The Iranian mage stood apart from the group, lounging easily against the wall, his attention more on the students as they arrived than on the intricate writings scrawled across the chalk board.

Again, the Goblet seemed to have chosen wisely for the Task.  Strelnikov was a Spellworks student, one who stood out even amongst the other Oberteil.  He was not nearly as cold or clinical as many of the other Durmstrangen, but he had a passionately strong work ethic and seemed to have a  gift for getting along with others.  Faust, in contrast, was more of a lore specialist -- he tended towards Intangibles, and had a reputation amongst the Durmstrang staff for being a bit too soft and friendly, but he was equally dedicated and hard-working.  If this second challenge involved cooperation, they seemed to form a potentially well-balanced, easy-going pair.

Maras had taken the lead in calling this meeting.  The purpose of this wasn't quite to check in -- except that it was, all of the rules against professor interference aside.  Atash dismissed any thought that coaching their Champions in advance wasnt completely within the spirit of the Tetrawizard Tournament.  If the other schools weren't doing the same, it was because they were far more foolish than they should be.

Faust had come prepared -- though in the true spirit of an Intangibles student, he'd brought items to take notes with, as if they were going to be discussing a particularly complicated subject in class and he might need to recall it later for an examination.  Atash cocked an eyebrow, regarding him with clear amusement, and then allowed a dry smile.  It was a good thing there was a Spellworks student to bring balancing practicality to the pairing.

"Well, gentlemen," he said mildly, glancing to Strelnikov so that he was addressing them both.  "You have quite the mantle to live up to.  It would be...disappointing for Durmstrang to lose our lead after Miss Savitskaya, Miss Eisenberg, and Miss Alkaev performed to expectations during the First Task."

Heinrich looked at the spellworks instructor.  "Not going to happen,"  he replied firmly.  He had almost said 'over my dead body' but given the potential risks they might be facing, if might prove a little too prophetic.  One of the champions in the famous Potter Triwizard tournament had died. 

Maras reflected Hendurabi's invocation that Faust and Strelnikov continue the momentum the witches had set out for them.  She did so with a nod and the tap tap tap of her wand in her palm.

"Shall we begin? The boxes opened quite easily, it seemed, to being very nearby a thestral.  Probably an enchantment." 

It hadn't been runes - Maras had since given Magdalena Eisenburg's box a once-over.   The only carving was that of the thestral which seemed decorative, a clue, rather than a magical inscription. 

"We may wish to presume the task ahead might include some reference to death - the ghost messenger certainly supports that as well.  But the ghost's message-" she pointed to the passage on the board, "doesn't seem to give any further confirmation."

"But then, O Brave Seeker, be warned and take heed:
There lies danger in vanity, brashness, and greed.
Do not stray from the path,
Do not trust what you're told,
For truth is a currency with creatures of old.
You have your partner, your wits, and your wand,
So beware of what's hidden as you venture on."

With some short strokes of her wand, Maras began touching words in the passage.  They glowed violet. 

"But then, O Brave Seeker, be warned and take heed:
There lies danger in vanity, brashness, and greed.
Do not stray from the path,
Do not trust what you're told,
For truth is a currency with creatures of old.
You have your partner, your wits, and your wand,
So beware of what's hidden as you venture on."

"I doubt you'll be fighting off herds of thestral..." she said with a little scoff.

"It sounds to me like we'll be tempted to leave the path,"  Heinrich said.  He loved this sort of thing.  He'd been playing word games in three languages all his life.  Among other things, it had taught him to look for secondary meanings in English.  It could hardly be called an exact language.  "It implies that we'll be working together as well."

Fyetka was uncharacteristically quiet as he listened to his two professors. It might have been the lack of an easily amused audience and the fact he was not exactly chummy with Faust (despite both being relatively friendly). That was beside the point, though. He wasn't worried about the challenge. Instead, he was worried about the puzzle. Of course there had to be a puzzle involved. Though he was a hard worker, intellectual pursuits were not his strong point.

He was a leader and a sports fanatic beyond everything else. Not a scholar. The fact that his life could depend on figuring out the stupid puzzle irked him greatly.

The Russian flipped a few stray hairs out of his eyes and looked at the words as they glowed violet. However, there was a word that didn't glow violet that caught his attention more than the others.

"Professor," The Russian queried, looking at Maras. "Why did you not highlight currency? It seems to me as though the poem focuses a bit on payment as it mentions not to rely on vanity, brashness, and greed. Instead it tells us to use wit and each other. So, different methods of payment, if you will."

"If you two will be permitted to work together remember that so will the students from other schools.  Certainly, Durmstrang will only be made stronger as our students are more individuallly skilled than the others.  However, teamwork will allow the others the opportunity to make up for each other's shortfalls.  A challenge in disguise, I think," Maras said. 

And then she obligingly highlighted 'currency' as Strelnikov suggested.  She tapped the board with her wand and gave the boy a flat sort of thankless look.  But all was well. 

"If it's to be a battle for wits, preparation would be quite different than the first round.  I would recommend preparing an array of spells and magic that might assist in discovering what is hidden.  Perhaps in his Beauxbatons will have the advantage ... their Professor Gries has been no doubt coaching them in Legilimancy."

Legilimancy was of course taught at Durmstrang - a few of the staff were well-versed.  However, it remained a hard-earned skill and if Beauxbatons had an expert, and indeed this task might require wit, it would be a valuable one.

Atash had been listening silently through Maras's instruction and the rest of the exchange, his eyes shifting between the various speakers.  It was only at the suggestion that their rival school might possess Legilimens that he gave a quick, hard, uncharacteristic laugh.

"Gries does not teach Legilimancy," he said harshly.  A smirk spread across his face, leaving little doubt as to his certainty in his words.  "I would be very surprised if any but his most trustworthy students have more than a theoretical knowledge of Occlumency.  We have nothing to fear from that quarter."

Not from Gerard Gries, though there was plenty to fear in the task that lay ahead.  Atash's dark eyes shifted back to the passage that had been inscribed on the chalk board.  He studied the words intently for a moment, and then directed an evaluative glance at the two students.

"Beware of what's hidden..."  He let the words hang in the air after he read them, eyebrows raising as he glanced at the two students.  "Yes, spells to discover what's concealed would be useful," he agreed mildly, his gaze locked on them.  "What magic do the two of you know along those lines?"

"I've been attending professor Gerard's lectures since the beginning of October,"  Heinrich confessed, although it was unlikely that the Durmstrang professors were unaware of the fact.  Had they objected, he would have found out quickly.  "He is heavy on theory and light on practice, so the Beauxbaton champions might not be as well prepared as we anticipate.  Overestimating an opponent is as dangerous as underestimating them."

He paused, considering.  " We need to think outside the box on this one.  I mean, look at the Hogwart's champions.  Figaro Sellaphix would not have lasted through his first year at Durmstrang but he's been chosen as a champion.  He doesn't think the way normal people do.  It's as if his mind has an extra bend in it somewhere.  He's far cleverer than most would give him credit for and I think the word unorthodox was designed for him.  Perhaps looking at those that are chosen will reveal something about the challenge as well.  It seems to me that each pair has been chosen to compliment each other.  Rigid versus flexible.  Bold versus cautious."

He looked at professor Atash.  "There's Scarpin's Revelaspell, of course.  Even the Aguamenti Charm can be used to find hidden openings, if you watch where the water goes.  There are the supersensory charms and Homenum Revelio, just off the top of my head."  He looked over Fyetka.  "Any to add?"

Heinrich was Obertiel for a reason.  Ylva nodded in approval.  A few of the other Champions took Runes, including Figaro Sellaphix.  She might not be so charitable about his potential, but Faust was right - he was unorthodox and could be a wildcard in the competition. 

"There is a chalk circle you should be aware of as well," she told him to continue his list of useful spells.  "Reveals footprints.   And there's an inscription I find useful - in Middle Centaur.  I can show you later.  An extra tutoring session."

That was certainly a bend in the rules, but there was no way to prove it.  Maras was a teacher, Faust and Strelnikov were students - who could possibly ban the completely expected tutelage that was bound to happen in a school?

She highlighted another passage.  "Creatures of old."  Still, Maras had not yet heard anything of substance coming out of a contact Durmstrang had at the Ministry of Magic.  It could have been possible to get an idea of which creatures by some tip-off, but there was no word. 

"That isn't likely metaphor.  In context, it seems to imply not ferocious beasts, but some other kind of creature.  Deceptive? A sphinx?"

"It makes sense," Heinrich said, nodding.  "Truth is a currency.  Answering their riddle is the toll to pass them."

He also wasn't going to turn down some additional tutoring in runic magic.  He'd be a fool not to take advantage of professor Maras's generosity.  He wasn't exactly fluent in Middle Centaur but he could use a few of their inscriptions.  He was likely at the same level as a centaur child but knowledge was power and to have any knowledge that an opponent lacked would give him the advantage.

"Hopefully it won't be dragons,"  Heinrich added.  "They are quite old.  I-." He stopped mid sentence.  "Professor, what about ghosts?  Some of them are incredibly ancient and likely bored out of their metaphorical skulls.  Perhaps it refers to a riddle contest with an old ghost."  He might be stretching things a bit but he'd rather eliminate the possibility, rather than have it looming large overhead.

Fyetka nodded at Professor Maras. "I was thinking about Sphinxes as well." He knew plenty of revealing spells, though he was not particularly fluent in them. In his family, all children were taught the basics of Occlumency at an early age to learn to control their emotions. In school, he had also picked up on Legillmency, but only enough to read people's current projected emotions. He was more of an animagus... wait.

"There's also the Animagus Reversal spell in case there are any humans in animal form," He added to the conversation looking at the board. "If there are any old beings, which I don't believe is a metaphor either, they could have the power to turn into animals."

He paused as Heinrich brought up ghosts. "Plausible. I don't think that there would be any non-sentient creatures in a maze based on intelligence, no matter how old. Another one to consider would be Veelas. I have far too many Veelas in my family and I know them well. They thrive on falsities, lies and, as the riddle says, vanity, brashness, and greed. They can also be "hidden" by their alternate bird-like forms."

He shrugged and leaned back in his chair. "If there are veelas, we have an advantage over the other teams since I'm a quarter and know about the culture."     

"There are other spells as well," Atash agreed, though he gave an approving nod at the two students' ideas.  "You will practice Declaro Incantatem.  And there is another enchantment -- Goleya."  He gave an easy, effortless shrug.  "It is a Semitic spell, so it will be a bit harder for you to master, but I think it will be worth the effort.  It allows you to see any active spells in the area."

He leaned back again as the talk turned to magical creatures.  Maras obviously had already mapped out a plan for this conversation.  That was, of course, how the elder Swedish witch directed each and every lesson: clear cut, with a steady rhythm and clean objectives.  It was efficient and so quintessentially Durmstrang, even if his own preferred approach might differ.

The talk had turned to possible magical creatures.  Here, again, Strelnikov and Faust seemed a good, strong match.  And the boys seemed to be talking and working together well already.  So many Oberteil would have seen these tasks as a chance to shine alone -- again, he allowed a momentarily pang of gratitude that the Goblet had chosen so well.

"If there are veelas, we have an advantage over the other teams since I'm a quarter and know about the culture."

"Yes."  He favored the Russian boy with a faint smile.  "But even if you meet them, be careful of overconfidence too, Strelnikov."  He flicked his wand towards the poem -- for an instant, the second line glowed a pale white.  "It might be worth your while to do some research on the other sentient beasts and beings," he added thoughtfully.  "We cannot be sure what you will encounter."

Eyebrows raised, he glanced to Maras again.  "Was there more information inside the other two boxes?"

(Oooh, sorry.  When I began the thread we didn't know the status of the other two boxes.  Allow me to improvise!  Also, don't take Ylva's single-minded moving forward as mine.  Do what you want to do. )

The Obertiels were not a disappointment and Maras had no criticism of Hendurabi either.  It was, so far, a productive session.  No real need to stop and compliment everyone though - moving on!  With a swift motion she flipped the chalkboard over on its stand.  End over end, it moved to reveal its other side. 

And with some quick snaps, she began highlighting words.  Her wand rapped against the chalkboard with a sharp noise each time.

Hear me, O Seeker, with your first task complete,
Courage served well, so now wit will compete.
On the night when the Scorpion retires to rest
And the Hunter arises, then begin you your quest.
Search out where water runs from copper to stone
And meet by the deep's watcher, but do not come alone
For when the ship's clock sounds two bells past eight
Then must you descend and begin your wake.

She stood back and then looked over her shoulder at the boys. 

"Scorpio, clearly.  And Orion.  Must indicate the date of the Task - it hasn't been announced yet.  And there, this one confirms a battle for your brains.  And it looks like you'll be underground."

She looked over her shoulder at them again.  "Do you concur?"