Goodbye Lenin
Durmstrang Institute, Soviet Union, 1989.
It almost seemed like a normal morning for Katarina Lessmann. The chill in the crisp November air was more than enough for her to keep her winter uniform buttoned up completely, and her Pioneer's scarf tied tight around her neck. She wasn't Slavic enough to retain the heat too much, after all. But the harsh Russian winter arriving early was the least of her concern, as she walked to this morning's flag-raising. Unfortunately for her, fate chose for her to live in rather interesting times. As the enchanted instruments played the Internationale, and the red banner climbed its way up the flagpole, Headmaster Sokolov and one of the professors, one Karkaroff, stood before the crowd, with an announcement to make.
"Dear Comrades. It is with great regret that I come before you this day. There have been troubling events in Germany,"
Katarina gulped, and adjusted her scarf slightly. What happened back home? It was only her second year, and now something's happening? She would have expected a letter or something from her family...
"Capitalist elements have forced the government of the German Democratic Republic to bend. I fear dark days may be ahead of us, and I must resign my position as Headmaster in order to make sure the seas stay calm. But of course, this also means I must announce my successor. And I see no better fit than Igor Yevgenyevich Karkaroff to lead our Institute through the coming storm..."
It was then that... Perhaps, some people noticed something odd. Sokolov had an odd, blank stare. Most chocked it up to his former military service with the Soviet Navy blending with current events. Katarina, on the other hand, recognized what it was, but didn't tell a soul. The headmaster was under the Imperius Curse. And one hell of a time too. She could hardly even listen to this damned speech anymore. Forget this speech, forget the military-esque discipline drilled into her! And forget this crowd. It was useful enough for her to quietly slip out, though, and head back to her dormitory. To listen to what's going on live, without the filter of Karkaroff's power-grabbing and scheming. She put a hand through her blonde hair, to try and lessen the stress, as she tuned in...
Listening to the monotone voice of a western newscaster, she only had one word to say. "...Teufel." It was almost hard to believe. Was Karkaroff an agent of a Western government, or even a Western Ministry of Magic? So, she quickly penned a letter to her mother, a high-ranking member of the East German Ministry of Magic's diplomatic corps...
"Dear Mother," It began, almost as if her hand was on autopilot. "Things have turned very strange here. I can't make heads or tails of any of it." She stopped, laying back on her bunk for a moment. She didn't even really know what to write. Was this really the end of everything she's known for her entire life? She took her Freie Deutsche Jugend pin off of her winter uniform coat's lapel, and just... stared. Was this really goodbye? It almost started to feel like she wasted her life. And despite the morning and the classes to come, she ended up laying there. All day. Until she passed out asleep, her letter unfinished, and her future uncertain. With the wall down, will Socialism be next? The anxiety consumed her, even while she slept. Only time would tell what was to come.
She was absolutely going to get in trouble for this, but what the hell did it matter anymore, if anything she heard was true?