On the first of January 1992, a new year and a start of something new. And yet Fila finds herself in a meeting room of the magical ministry in Paris.
The whole scene at the Floo flame central hadn't gone unnoticed and it didn't take long for the experienced aurorers to puzzle two and two together. They had knocked on the door of the Rosier manor early morning.
Vinda hadn't come with her this time, only Ophelia had gone with them.
She thought they would be more forceful, but after seeing them merely escort her calmly, not even grabbing her arm, she calmed a bit.
The meeting room was surprisingly elegant for a ministry, polished oak paneling, tall windows letting in the pale winter light, and a long table with comfortable chairs. A single auror sat across from her, an older woman with sharp features and a neat bun, her robes bearing the insignia of the French Department of Magical Law Enforcement. Two others stood quietly by the door, more observers than guards.
The woman — Auror Moreau, according to the nameplate, folded her hands on the table and regarded Fila with a measured expression.
"Miss Grindelwald," she began, voice professional but not unkind, "we won't waste time with pleasantries. two men and a woman were found dead in the Floo station last night. Death Eater sympathizers, but still known to us. The scene showed clear signs of strange magic. Vines. Precise. Lethal. You were seen in the area earlier that evening with Miss Delacour. Care to explain?"
"It was me," she stated clearly, she didn't plan to hide anything. "They followed me and Fleur for a while, and after Fleur left. They decided to show themselves, and at which they tried to persuade me lowly. I talked back, they started raising their wands, and I took action first."
The more experienced aurorers didn't even blink at the explanation, the other blinked a lot during her explanation. She didn't hold back, telling them how she killed them, what they said but altered of course she didn't want them to know the full truth.
After the explanation the room grew quiet, and only the floating quill writing broke the silence.
Fila looked between the two, "Sooo…. Am I charged with anything or what is going to happen?" she asked, but in truth she knew they weren't going to throw her into a cell.
The magical world is so fucked. A wizard or witch with the right amount of money and connections could get away with anything in moments like this.
And with her being not only a Rosier, but also the new school dueling champion. They wouldn't do anything, but in this case it wasn't about title. This case involving three death eaters, dark wizards. And charging someone for ending the life of the cancer of the world wouldn't be good in any way.
But who knows, maybe she will have to spend some more time in a cell again.
Fila sat and looked at the two aurorers for some time, and noticed they were constantly looking at their watches. This alone made her realize that they weren't going to do anything with her, but someone was.
"I hate when people don't hold their time" she cut the silence and made the two witches look at her, "I mean, I would hate if someone held me for a long time, just for it to be something unnecessary." Fila said in a almost mocking tone, but it was well hidden.
Auror Moreau's lips twitched, not quite a smile, but close. She leaned back in her chair and tapped her fingers once against the table.
"You're very direct for someone your age, Miss Grindelwald."
"I've had a lot of practice lately," Fila replied dryly.
The older auror sighed, exchanging a quick glance with her colleague. "Officially, this is being treated as self-defense. The victims were known sympathizers with… unsavory connections. No one in the department is particularly eager to open a full investigation that would drag the Rosier name, the French Ministry, and an international tournament champion through the mud. Especially not one day into the new year."
Fila kept looking at her, "So who are we waiting for?"
The two aurorers looked at each other, and soon stood up. "He will arrive shortly, please just wait her." They said and left.
Fila sighed, being left in this boring room. "They didn't even leave tea…" she muttered.
She leaned back in the comfortable chair, tapping her fingers on the polished oak table. The winter light coming through the tall windows painted long, pale rectangles across the floor. Minutes stretched. She amused herself by growing a tiny vine along the edge of the table, letting it curl into delicate patterns before making it retreat again.
The door finally opened.
She looked over and a long drawn out sighed escaped from her. Albus Dumbledore stepped into the room, his long robes brushing the floor, half-moon spectacles perched on his nose. He looked exactly as she remembered from their previous meetings, calm, twinkling eyes, and that quiet aura of someone who had already seen the ending of the story.
"Miss Grindelwald," he said warmly, closing the door behind him with a soft click. "I apologize for the wait. The French Ministry can be… cautious when certain names are involved."
"I think were way past the point to use formalities now?" she said as he took his seat.
He just chuckled, "Very well. Ophelia." But his appearance looked, heavy as if something was bothering him extremely. "I should begin by saying my congratulations for the title of championship. A title not easy to achieve by someone so young as yourself."
Calm, everytime she had met him. Calm, how could he be so calm everytime, as if nothing mattered. Sure being the most powerful wizard in the world would give you an ego boost like nothing else, or is it just confidence?
"Did you make them come get me here? on the first day of the year?" Fila asked.
Dumbledore's eyes twinkled, but the usual lightness was tempered by something heavier. He folded his hands on the table and regarded her with that piercing yet kind gaze.
"Not exactly," he said. "I was already in Paris on other matters when word reached me of the… incident at the Floo station. I asked the aurors to bring you here rather than handle it through more formal, and potentially messier channels. It seemed prudent, given your recent experiences with ministries and cells."
He gave her a small, understanding smile.
"But as you probably already know, im here for something else." He began and the atmosphere suddenly changed. Something that had never happened in her conversations with him before, he seemed serious and the confident man had disappeared. "I need a favor, or at least try to do a favor."
She raised both eyebrows at this, a favor? To The Albus Dumbledore and whatever his middle names are.
Even trying to get anything by just reading his face seemed impossible at this point.
"What?" Fila asked.
Dumbledore leaned forward slightly, the twinkle in his eyes dimming further. His voice dropped, becoming quieter, more grave.
"Harry Potter" he began, and Fila understood now that this would be a lot more serious than she thought it would. "The one who survived the Killing Curse as an infant. His mother, Lily, sacrificed herself to protect him. She cast a very ancient, very powerful form of protective magic. A blood-based shield born of love and willing sacrifice. It has kept him safe all these years from the greatest threat our world has faced in generations."
He paused, watching her carefully.
"That protection is… fading. Or at least, it may not be enough for what is coming. I have been trying to understand the spell's exact nature, to reinforce it or recreate its essence if needed. But it is old magic. Blood magic. The kind that does not yield easily to study. Your abilities with ancient and living magic, might be the same."
Fila understood, "You want me to try recreating this protection magic on him?" she asked, she had never heard of anything like this. Blood magic? And a spell powerful enough to block the killing curse? Isn't the whole point of the killing curse to not be block-able.
Dumbledore nodded. "If its even possible. I think you might be the best help there is."
Ophelia sat back in her chair. Running the thought around in her mind, could she even do this? from what he described the spell was focused on Love or protection via blood. Would she even be able to since she has no love nor blood relation to him.
"I would need to see him and get a feel for the spell." Fila said, "I cant promise anything. Because I've never even heard of it. but it might be fun to try. But is the protection not working anymore?" she asked.
Dumbledore nodded. "It is in a way. you see the spell his bound to his relatives, the Dursleys. But they are… awful to little harry, but it's the only way for this spell to keep working."
The more he explained the more confused Ophelia became, so his relatives works like a charging station, but they are abusive? Sounds lovely. And not even the greatest wizard can help with it.
Fila had always found Harry interesting ever since her dream of him. And with how Dumbledore had talked about him and made him sound very important, well it only peaked her interest even more. But could she even help him?
"this will have to take place in the summer, preferably after school." Fila continued, sadly she couldn't just go and do this now as she had another school to attend in only a few days.
Dumbledore gave a small, understanding nod.
"Of course. Summer would be ideal. Harry will be going home at the end of the term, and I can arrange a discreet meeting then. The Dursleys… present their own complications, but we will manage. For now, I simply ask that you think on it. Study what little I can safely share about the nature of the spell. Your perspective may be exactly what we need."
Fila nodded, her mind already filled with questions she knew he wouldn't answer. But she already knew some place to start her little research, her very own trusted book.
She slowly stood as she knew the meeting had come to an end, and Albus did as well. "Well, alright. So how is harry doing at school anyway?" she asked curiously.
He chuckled, "He is settling in fine, his mind is just filled with some problems of his own right now."
Fila frowned, Problems of his own? In Hogwarts? What problems could even arise there?
But she gave it a shrug. "Alright, good talk. I'm going to find who ever had the idea to bring me here." she said and stated to walk out the door.
"Go easy on them." Dumbledore said from behind her, but she had already went out the door, and in the corridor he could now hear shouts and stern questions. He laughed, "Oh Gellert, if you only could see her." He said disappeared from the room without a trace left behind.
And a few days after that, she now found herself standing among many others in an harbor in Stockholm Sweden.
Students of different ages stood in groups, all dressed in their dark red uniforms. On their shoulders the wore different pelts enchanted with heating charms, making the cold a bit more bearable.
Fila herself had put on the uniform, and wore a black pelt over her shoulder going down to her hip.
The harbor was one of the locations where Durmstrang students would be picked up from. The air was biting, the wind carrying the sharp scent of salt and pine from the distant forests. Snow dusted the wooden docks, and massive ships bobbed in the gray water, their sails marked with runes that glowed faintly even in daylight.
Fila pulled her pelt a little tighter around herself, breath fogging in the cold. She felt a strange mix of excitement and nerves. This was it, the next chapter. A school built on strength and survival, far from the warm jungles of Castelobruxo and the familiar wooden halls of Ilvermorny.
And in the next moment a almost roar of water and creaking wood echoed in the harbor. a boat slowly crept up from the water. Water streamed down its side as it crept up more and more, and sails with the Durmstrang logo waved in the cold winds.
Fila gulped, and she preferred the ballon carriage to this.
With a heavy thud a bridge came down from the boat and students boarded one by one, some slipping from the water which hade become frozen by now.
She hesitantly followed the stream of students down into the belly of the ship. Inside was better, but still cold and a weird damp feeling as if the ship was leaking in water.
Couches and stools stood scattered around, groups of students talked in different languages she didn't try to understand.
To her relief she found a familiar face sitting on one of the couches. Aleksei Kozlov, and to even more relief he seemed to see her as he waved her over.
He sat together with a group who seemed around his age, some of the she recognized from the visit during the tournament.
"Ophelia, come sit. Its good to meet you again. didn't think you would actually come." He said and scooted over a little of the couch, making room for her.
Fila dropped down beside him with a small, relieved sigh. The ship creaked and groaned as it pulled away from the dock, the motion making her stomach do a little flip.
"Trust me, I almost didn't," she muttered, pulling her pelt tighter. "The balloon carriage was weird, but at least it didn't feel like it was trying to drown me. This thing is… dramatic."
Aleksei let out a low chuckle. One of the older boys next to him, broad-shouldered with a scar running through one eyebrow, grinned.
"You'll get used to it. The Durmstrang likes to make an entrance. First time on the ship is always the worst. After that it's just cold and loud."
Fila glanced around the common area. Students were already settling in, some laughing loudly in what sounded like Russian or Swedish, others quietly reading or playing cards. A few were openly staring at her, whispering.
Aleksei noticed and leaned in a bit.
"Don't mind them. Word travels fast. The 'Butcher of the Jungle' boarding our ship tends to get attention."
Fila sighed, but there was a hint of a smile. "Great. I was hoping for a quiet year."
The scarred boy barked a laugh. "Quiet? At Durmstrang? Good luck with that."
Aleksei nudged him. "Be nice, Ivan. She's tougher than she looks."
Fila raised an eyebrow at Aleksei. "Thanks for the vote of confidence. So… how bad is it really?"
The group looked at each other, and seemed uncertain on how to answer this. but a bald strong one answered. "You will be fine, you have strength and brain." He said in broken Slavic accent.
Fila looked at the boy who looked only a year or so older, "I recognize you. my friend showed me you in a magazine, Victor Krum? Is it?"
He nodded and even let a small smile escape which got the collective "oh!" shocked from the group.
Victor Krum gave a short nod, his expression serious but not unfriendly. "Yes. Good to meet you, Grindelwald. Heard a lot about you. The jungle matches were… impressive."
Aleksei leaned over, "You made him smile, I think that's the only time ive seen him do that."
The group seemed very connected, like they had been to war with each other and knew each other like the back of their hand. Something that is very rare in groups as most are just surface level friends and not much more.
Even if you call them your best friend, you will never know that they would do in every situation.
But these guys and girls, seemed to know everything.
"She's already survived worse than this boat. Brazil was a circus. You'll fit in here, Ophelia. Just don't blow up the common room on your first week. The professors hate that."
Fila laughed softly, the tension in her shoulders easing a little. The ship rocked gently as it picked up speed, the cold sea air whistling through small portholes.
"I'll try," she said dryly. "No promises though. I've got a reputation to maintain."
A girl with black hair, almost like Fila's leaned over. "Welcome Ophelia, my name is Sofia. You will be in our dorm room." She looked gentle at first, but the scars she had told a different story.
And while looking closer, almost all of them had scars.
"So tell me, is it just duels and fighting or…?" she looked around while asking the question.
Aleksei shook his head, "No, it's a lot of studying. But also a lot of duels and as you said, even normal hand to hand training if you wish to."
"Its very fun," one of the boys cut in.
"Even if you're a third year, you will go with us fourth years. The headmaster said it would be the best for someone of your 'caliber'." Sofia said calmly.
The group told her about classes, dorms, professors and most of the things she would need to know for her time here. it sounded harsh, but actually more relaxed then she thought.
Show strength and do well, and you would have a good time. even the teachers respected strength here, and if you lagged behind or just didn't do your part even they would cast you as an outsider.
Sofia leaned back against the couch, crossing her arms. "The professors are strict, but fair. Professor Karkaroff especially. He likes students who don't whine. If you show you can keep up, they'll push you harder. If you can't… well, they won't waste time on you."
"The headmaster teaches? In what subject?" Fila asked.
Aleksei nodded. "He comes and go into random classes, all except potions."
Lovely, she had to be taught by him too.
Victor Krum spoke up again, his voice low and steady. "Duels are every week. Not just for show. Real ones. No holding back. You'll do fine."
Fila absorbed it all, her fingers absently tracing the edge of her pelt. It sounded intense, but in a way that made her blood hum with anticipation rather than dread. No coddling. No pretending to be normal. Just strength and results.
"I can work with that," she said, a small, determined smile forming. "As long as no one expects me to play nice just because I'm new."
Sofia laughed. "Good. You'll need that attitude. The older students will test you the first week. Nothing serious, just seeing if you break easy. Don't."
The conversation continued as the ship plowed through the waves, the group trading stories about past years, brutal winter training sessions, and the occasional professor who was more monster than man. Fila felt herself relaxing into it, the cold outside fading into the background.
Hours later, when the ship finally slowed and a deep, resonant horn echoed across the water, Aleksei stood and stretched.
"We're here."
Fila rose with the others, heart beating a little faster as they filed up onto the deck. The biting wind hit her again, but the sight in front of her stole her breath for a moment.
A massive, ancient stone castle rose from a rocky island in the middle of a dark, icy lake. Torches burned along the walls despite the daylight, and the flags of Durmstrang snapped sharply in the wind. Snow covered the grounds, and the air itself felt heavier, charged with old, powerful magic.
"Welcome to Durmstrang Institute," Aleksei said beside her, voice carrying a note of pride. "Try not to die on the first day."
Fila pulled her pelt tighter, blindfold reflecting the torchlight, and stepped onto the gangplank with the rest of the students.
This was going to be interesting.