(1) Patrimony (H. Potter)

Prologue

Rhiannon leans back against the railing of the Durmstrang ship as her fellow students join her aboard and get ready to sail, things are going to be a little different this year. They're taking their education to another school. Another country. Rhiannon has only ever been two places in her life. The orphanage she was raised in and the Durmstrang Institute. Now she has the chance to go to Scotland, that's pretty exciting. Even if she is the only one that thinks that way. The other students are their usual sullen selves. She never got that. How they can be so sullen when they have this magic gift, where they go to school and learn to wield it. Maybe it is just because of her past that she sees it differently. A large figure stops at her side and she lifts her head to look up at their face. Viktor Krum. He is kind of that big brother figure that is also her best friend. And it's not even like they had the best of starts. He looked at her like everyone else did when they heard her surname. But he'd warmed up to her, and it had been easy after that. He lets out a breath and leans at her side.

"Sorry I missed your game" She offers, he hums and looks at her. He knows. She doesn't get to enjoy the life of magic during the summer. She has to live a muggle life in an orphanage full of people who hate her. It sucks. "Heard it got a little overambitious" He gives her a look. "Well, I wasn't going to say murdery" She defends herself, Viktor smiles though and pulls her closer to him, she leans into his side. She's not wrong though. the Quidditch World Cup was.....busy this year. The appearance of cloaked figures and the dark mark in the sky. It's worried everyone. Rhiannon wraps her arms around Viktor's back, hugging him back. She then pulls back and smiles at him.

"Should I ask how your summer was?" He asks her, she wrinkles her nose.

"Same" She answers. "Same as every year" She hates going back to that orphanage. Dislikes the people. The atmosphere. The...boredom. She tries to make the best of it though. She studies. She writes to Viktor. She spends a lot of time by herself. Karkaroff walks onto the ship and Rhiannon looks at him, she frowns a little. "Karkaroff?" She asks, he hums and looks at her. "Why am I going?" She adds.

"You and Krum are the best students Durmstrang has to offer. It is not very often that we get to show you off"

"And it has nothing to do with my name?" She counters. "Being his daughter?"

"No," Karkaroff tells her. "It is about...Brains and brawn" He motions between the two of them.

"Which is which?" Rhiannon asks, Viktor looks down and chuckles. Karkaroff gives her a look. "What?" She asks him innocently. Karkaroff lets out a breath and walks away towards his cabin. Rhiannon chuckles and looks at Viktor. "We both know it's about my name" She whispers to him, he hums and nods a little. "That's why I am dragged to..." She raises her hands to air quote. "Events" She finishes.

"Or maybe it is because you are crazy intelligent" Viktor counters. "Because you are...and he is just showing off that Durmstrang can produce someone of your skill" She hums a little and shrugs before she folds her arms over her chest.

"Did you bring me anything back?" She asks, he dips his hand into his pocket and then pulls it out again to hold up a small snitch charm. He lays it into her palm and she smiles broadly at it.

"I swapped it for a signature" He admits as she turns the charm around in her hand. It's a thing they do. A thing he does for her. She can't travel. So where ever he goes, he finds her a charm for her bracelet, and he brings it back for her. And he knows how much it means to her. She smiles at him and then looks down again to attach the charm to her bracelet. The charms are not expensive. They are not...special or magical in any way. But this is as close as she gets to travelling. Viktor brushes his hand over her cheek as a few tears make their way out of her eyes. She clears her throat and turns away from him. Viktor looks down as fur brushes over his leg. Attila. Rhiannon's unique companion. Bound by magic in ways no one can undo or explain. Viktor crouches. "I did not forget you either" He states as he attaches a charm to the collar around Attila's neck, Attila huffs and turns his head away. Attila is a lot more aloof compared to Rhiannon so Viktor doesn't take it personally. He stands as Rhiannon turns back to him, all trace of her tears gone. The Durmstrang student facade in place.

"So" She starts. "These Hogwarts kids....we show them how tough us Durmstrang are, igen?" She asks him, he chuckles and nods.

"Igen" He agrees as he wraps an arm around her shoulders, the two of them heading to their posts because they earn their keep, they man the ship themselves. 

Translator:

Igen = Yes (Hungarian)