Madame Maxime's Office
Celeste and Gabrielle were already standing in the main hallway as Fleur and I walked in. We quietly walked around the castle until a loud clicking of footsteps was heard from behind us. We turned around and were met with my least favorite professor.
"Where are you going?" Madame Croix asks us, her sharp eyes staring down her nose at us, disdain written all over her features.
"Madame Maxime wanted us in her office" I answer looking up at the menacing professor.
"Oh yes, she did mention that, well hurry up" she says snapping her long fingers and waving her hand towards the next hallway. We all nod and scurry away from her.
"Is she always like that?" Gabrielle asks us as we continue walking through the long winding hallways.
"To Celeste and I yes, but she doesn't seem to have a problem with Fleur" I answer. We arrive at a small platform that sits above a staircase that intersects off into two more. Fleur leads us up the left staircase, as we get to the top a large wooden door with a brass knocker appears before us. I step forward taking the brass knocker into my hand and hitting it against the door twice. The knocking rings throughout the dim hallway for a couple moments before the large door bursts open a smiling Madame Maxime behind it.
"Come in ladies" she says ushering us inside. Her office looked no different from past years, papers strewn all over an antique desk, an old candle that had burnt out long ago and glowing embers in the fireplace. As I looked closer though, the glowing embers made a face, the face of a man.
"Thank you Karkaroff we will speak more when you arrive" Madame Maxime calls to him in English, her accent thick as she waved a hand toward the fireplace. The man nods before his face disappears leaving smoking embers in its wake.
"Thank you for coming up here girls" Madame Maxime says switching back to French as she walks behind her large desk. "Now you might be wondering why I am bringing Gabrielle on this trip, and I know that I don't usually bring the students from younger years on these trips but I think I have an idea, and Gabrielle your going to need to ask your parents for permission, but I mean I think this is a go-" Madame Maxime rambles while fixing the papers that were strewn over the expanse of her desk.
"Madame" I speak up, making her look towards me "your rambling" I point out and she runs a large hand through her unbound hair.
"Yes sorry, so I was thinking since you are both quarter veela" Madame Maxime says, pointing to Fleur and Gabrielle, "you could lead in our dancers, make an impression" she continues her arms arcing up around her as if she could show us, she pauses a second before turning to Gabrielle "would like to me to send a letter to your parents?" Madame Maxime asks. "Sure" Gabrielle says biting her lip, Fleur squeezes her shoulder comfortingly as Madame Maxime grabs a spare piece of parchment.
"What sort of dances will Celeste and I be doing?" I ask.
"Do the both of you remember your duet from last year?" Madame Maxime questions without looking up from the parchment, writing in a quick flourish.
"I do" I say.
"Same" Celeste nods in agreement.
"Then that dance, and you will both be learning the same duet with a couple of Karkaroff's students" She answers as she lowers her quill, folding up the piece of parchment and calling her owl over. The owl was a large snowy owl, fully white with a short, hooked beak. It stuck its left leg out proper as usual, and Madame Maxime attached the letter to it. The owl ruffled its feathers before flying out the open window as Madame Maxime turned back to us.
"Now we still have classes tomorrow so off to bed" she says as she ushers us out of the room. Once we step out into the hallway the doors slam shut behind us. As we started walking down the candlelit hallway Celeste turned towards me.
"Was that Karkaroff like the Karkaroff headmaster of Durmstrang" she asks dramatically into our silence.
"I believe so" Fleur says before retreating back into her mind her thoughts clearly overtaking as she looks past us. Gabrielle's yawn stops me from starting a conversation with Celeste about the new information we had just received.
"We should go to bed" I tell them and Fleur's gaze snaps back to us.
"Yeah" she agrees grabbing her younger sister's hand and pulling her through the winding hallways as Celeste and I followed.
"What do you mean 'we need to go to bed'" Celeste whispers and I stifle a laugh knowing what she means.
"I need to at least act a little responsible in front of Gabrielle" I whisper to her, and she turns towards me horrified.
"She doesn't have to know we stay up with our friends until 2 in the morning" I say.
"Oh, be honest it's not 2 in the morning" Celeste says pausing for dramatic flair "It's 3 in the morning" we both break out into giggles as we round a corner a couple feet behind Fleur and Gabrielle and I slap Celeste arm as I halt. Madame Croix was standing at the end of the hallway arms crossed as she looked down her nose at us. She quickly walked over to us each click of her heel resonating through the large hallway. I squared my shoulders; we weren't in trouble so I wouldn't act like I was. I saw Celeste do the same at my side and Fleur rested her hands on Gabrielle's shoulders. Madame Croix stared us down for a moment.
"Well hurry back to your dorms" she clips out as she continues her staring. We all hurry down the hallways and back to our dorms.
"Goodnight" Fleur and I call to Celeste and Gabrielle as they disappear down their own hallways. I hurry down to my dorm room slowly closing the door. I wince as the door clicks shut making sure I didn't wake Simona or Clarissa I tiptoe to my bed and fall asleep as my head hits the pillow.