[scoarta] but a part of me knows that I'm growing too old [zviad]

August 2003

Summer vacations used to be Mihaela's favorite part of the school year. It was never easy living in Scoarta, but for all the lessons and training and chores there were never written essays due at the end. And that was what Mihaela had loved. Theoretical classes at Durmstrang had been so difficult for the Romanian witch. She had excelled easily at things like Survival and Dragon handling but History, Necromancy, Illusions, the sorts of things that took real brainpower to work, she had struggled with. For seven years she had been positive that when she finally graduated things were going to be so much easier. She was good at working with her hands, at doing spells and using weapons, and identifying poisonous plants, this should have made life in Scoarta a breeze.

But things in Scoarta were never what they seemed.

She'd been doing back-breaking work for the last month and a half, waking up before the sun, training for the trials, working in the fields, and filling job roles the older villagers saw fit to pass onto the young graduates. It was a tough summer, that was certain, but there were still things to look forward to. The end of August meant the start of the Harvest festivals. High in the mountains, Scoarta's harvest started earlier than most lowland towns. And what had originally been a few days of celebration had quickly turned into an entire month of partying, harvesting, and winemaking. All the work she'd been doing had been in some way related to the festival of the harvest. Mihaela wasn't much of a planner but she was great at reinforcing the wards and magical barriers around the town, levitating the hanging string lights across the village center and helping her bunică pluck the chickens for the feast.

While working hard was entertainment enough for the witch there was something else she was looking forward to. She'd sent a letter to Zviad about a week ago inviting him to the festival. And she hoped he'd be able to make it. Floating a red and white striped cloth along another of the worn hand made wooden tables that had been set up outside of the large storehouse in the middle of the rustic village the witch smiled as it lay perfectly. Tonight was the first night of the festival and it was one of her favorites. The town was still working on this year's harvest but the first night was always spent gorging on whatever food was left in the stores and a ridiculous amount of alcohol. There would be music, dancing, and if they were lucky the spirits of the ancestors might even stop in for a visit. Dressed in an embroidered shirt that hung off one of her shoulders and a pair of denim shorts Mihaela's hair was tied up in a high band. Slightly wavy brown hair fell past her tanned shoulders. Quickly she finished her project and began debating whether or not to tell her grandmother she had finished because she knew there was another project waiting for her.

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@Zviad Gogoladze

Home from the summer camp, Zviad kept wondering why he had gone there at all. Granted, he had hoped to flee a little from his mother, his normal life but, truth be told, he had felt rather out of place. It was odd to go to summer camp when most witches and wizards of his age were either there in an official role or already started their adult lives.

He, however, would be going back to Durmstrang after the summer to repeat his seventh year at school. The prospect was not exactly alluring. Yet, he was convinced that his decision not to drop out of school but try and graduate the next year was sensible. Sensible. How that sounded. He was hardly an academic guy. Maybe a little voice in his head told him that he could make more of his life than just be a petty thief.

The Georgian had been delighted to see that his friend Mihaela had not forgotten him now that their lives were leading them in different directions. Therefore, when he had read her letter, it had not taken him more than a second to decide that he wanted to come to Scoarta to see her for the festival.  He had written back immediately, telling her that he was glad she invited him and that he'd be there.

He dressed in cream colour linen trousers and a white shirt and apparated to Romania. He hadn't been to Scoarta before but as soon as he arrived he felt quite at home there. Everything looked very inviting and festive already even though he could see that some adjustments were still being made.

It didn't take him long to spot Mihaela and he walked over to her, calling her name when he was still a few steps away. “Miha! Thanks for the invite. This looks amazing!” He looked around once more as he stepped closer. “How have you been?”

She ducked out of her grandmother's eyeline when she heard Zviad call out her name. Mihaela was skilled in evasive maneuvers, especially when it meant getting out of plucking the chickens. Still ducking down under the row of bushes and fencing between her and her elder the Romanian headed toward where Zviad had popped in and gave him a big smile. Finally standing straight up (after checking behind her once more) she looked the wizard up and down and spoke. "Welcome! Glad ya' could make it, gonna' be quite the party t'night," And she meant it. There were a lot of things Scoartians did well and feasting happened to be one of them. They could drink with the best of them, never left a bit of food uneaten, and danced until the sun came up. Sure the legends said doing those things would help the crops and keep the village safe and healthy, but Mihaela figured they'd do it even if it didn't.

Spinning around a little she took a real look at all the decorations and things that were already set up and gave him a nod. "Well, if my bunică would give me a minute to breathe, you bet I'd be doing a might better." Mihaela told him, a little extra emphasis on the mention of her grandmother and a sparkle in her eye. She was only teasing really, Mihaela was used to hard work, and it was always worth it in the end. "And yerself?" The tall witch smacked a mosquito off of her neck as the sun beat down on it and pulled out her wand to reinforce the bug repellent charm that must have been wearing off.

"Magic outside of Durmstrang, ain't nothin' better." Mihaela looked around them and her eyes landed on the set up of tables near the mill and the mischevious little grin on her face grew a little. She knew that inside the mill, past the grindstone and storage, there were cabinets lined with wine and whiskey. It was always stocked and she'd known the password since she was twelve years old. Despite how many times her father tried to change it. Besides, she was an adult now. "You want a drink?" She asked, head tiltiying to the side a little as her high ponytail bobbed off of her shoulder.

“Avoiding someone?” Zviad asked with a grin on his face as Mihaela approached him and only stood up straight when she had reached him and after she looked around once more. This place felt extremely inviting.

“That's good,” the young wizard said, “can't wait. I'd like a good party before I am heading back to Durmstrang.” He rolled his eyes and shrugged. “Well, I guess it's my own fault that this time isn't over yet. I think an extra year of school really was the last thing I ever deemed possible.” He laughed a humourless laugh.

“You look like you are doing great anyway,” Zviad said and really meant it. He saw the sparkle in her eyes, felt like she could really be herself here and she was free now. She had graduated, after all. “Oh ugh,” he began, feeling a little unsure what to tell his friend. “I've been to summer camp. Never felt this much out of place before – not even when Koldovstoretz and Durmstrang merged so that certainly means something…” He looked around to check if nobody was overhearing them. “I also had another crash at the camp and,” he rolled his eyes, “we weren't allowed to use magic there. I can assure you that wasn't a whole lot of fun.”

When Mihaela asked him if he wanted a drink Zviad immediately nodded, not caring that he might look a little too eager. However, he really could do with some alcohol. The camp, his ribs that were still aching a little, the prospect of going back to Durmstrang, all that had put a damper on his mood lately.

“I'd love one,” he said, grinning.

"Oh just Bunică," She said with a little shrug when he asked if she was avoiding someone, "Tiny witch, bout' this tall, but a force ta be reckoned with," Mihaela held her hand level with her hip bone (only a mild exaggeration) and instinctively looked around again in case the 200 year-old-witch was somewhere within earshot. She'd been smacked with the bristled end of a broom more than once, but that was pretty normal. She might have been an adult now, graduated and everything, but she'd always be a troublemaking little witch to her aging great-great?-grandmother. "Sorry bout the last year, but least it should be a bit calmer, yeah?" The school had been through quite a lot of changes these last few years, and Mihaela knew Zviad, initially, a Koldovstoretz student felt them more potently than most.

"Hey, thanks," Never one to turn down a compliment young Romanian said with a wink and a hand on her hip. "Heard 'bout that camp, up in the American mountains, see any wendigos?" A product of her environment, the magizoologist in Mihaela couldn't help but ask about the creatures when he brought up the summer camp in Vermont. She had considered going but ended up starting her lie in Scoarta instead. She'd been looking forward to graduating and returning home full time for so long it hadn't made sense to postpone another month for one last summer camp. And besides, Lev wasn't going, so it wouldn't be like last year.

"Oh, did you? You break anything?" Mihaela gave him a once over as she started leading them toward the hut that housed the alcohol. "How's that comin' along?" The witch still felt honored to be one of the few who knew about Zviad's animagus abilities, and she was consistently impressed (and curious) about them. Pulling hard on the latch that held the door shut, Mihaela uttered the password and bounced when they were granted entrance. Inside the barn, like structure, it was a bit cooler, but there was a thickness in the air, the mugginess the product of bales of hay, and not nearly enough ventilation. "Watch yer step," A muscular arm pointed toward the gaping hole int he floor that housed the grindstone and machinery and led him to the shelves that lined the wall.

"Take yer pick," Motioning toward the aging hand-blown bottles of differently colored liquids, the witch picked up a dark one without a label and pulled the cork off with her teeth. Some had tags, most didn't, but all were highly alcoholic.

“I see,” Zviad said, grinning. He wasn't sure how much Mihaela was exaggerating but it didn't matter. He just hoped that they wouldn't get disturbed by this tiny witch. He really needed to have a good time now before he'd be back at school with all the rules.

“Not sure,” he responded as Mihaela said it would be calmer this year. In fact, he had no idea what made her say so. As far as he was concerned he felt that it would be a lot rougher seeing how he didn't have his confidant any more. “I'll miss having you to spend time with,” he admitted and shrugged. “I guess as it is my main goal will be to avoid Marja.” He let out a humourless laugh.

“Nope, I didn't see any wendigos. Honestly though, I haven't been looking for any either. I've been busy with other things… avoiding people, working on my skills… you know.” It really had been the worst idea ever to attend the camp. He knew it now.

It felt nice that Mihaela wanted to know if he had injured himself and how the flying was coming along. It made him feel even less thrilled about the new term. Without Mihaela it would be hard to continue improving his flying skills as there was no one there to fix any injuries then.

“Well, might have broken a rib or two, not sure. Could also have been a heavy bruise,” he said, trying to smile but thinking about how painful it had been made his smile look a little forced. He still felt a little pain there anyway. “Flying itself is going well. You know I already had figured that mostly out at school. The landings though… well, you know...” He shrugged. He could observe birds all the time and still struggled to do exactly as they did.

They entered the barn and Zviad nodded as his friend told him to watch his step. “Anything you can recommend?” The young wizard asked, looking around. He was not picky but taking a bottle without a label seemed like a risky endeavour anyway.

Mihaela chuckled when he mentioned avoiding Marja because she understood why. "That's a good bet," she agreed, a little nod and a wiggle of her brows. Mihaela had been livid when she'd found out what happened but she sort of understood in away. The other witch didn't know what she was doing; she didn't see the bird she had captured was actually Zviad in disguise. She hadn't done anything about it, and wouldn't unless Zviad asked her to. "Aw, I'll be missin' ya too," she told him with a playful punch toward his shoulder, not really aiming or trying to hit him, as they made their way into the barn.

Maybe if she had another year, she might have gone camping. She'd been to some of the others, especially the quidditch one last season, but it seemed silly to go to summer camp when she'd just be thrown out into the adult world. It was a student thing to do, and Mihaela had been too excited to get home to Scoarta to delay it any longer. She had built up the whole thing in her head once she'd graduated, and a lot of it had been real. Things really were different now. Sure her Bunică still treated her like a child, but somethings would never change. The rest of the village had changed their tune, though. She wasn't just the troublemaking teenage Lupesco; she was the able-bodied warrior daughter of the town's leader, and in line for the role.

"Hmm, thinkin' I ought ta' teach ya' some healin' spells so you can heal yerself when I'm not around," Or maybe she could ask her cousin to help them with it. Merlin knew she'd learn pretty much all of her melioration magic from Miki. "You should pick this one," she told him eagerly, having already spotted the bottle and been hoping he would ask. It was a firey spirit they made from plums. "That be Țuică, and it is one helluva drink," She handed him the bottle and grabbed one for herself. Her eyes were bigger than her liver, though because if they each drank an entire bottle to themselves, they'd be on the floor.

"Reckon' I can come to visit ya this term, in the village anyway," she mused as she popped the cork from her bottle and leaned against the wall. Taking the first sip, she held in cough, it burned her throat all the way down, and her eyes watered, but she stifled it anyway and then took a second sip. The numbing effect was nearly immediate, and the second sip was much smoother than the first. Mihaela smiled at him, waiting for him to join her.

“I can assure you, I won't get anywhere near her. It's...” he shrugged and grinned, “it has been so odd to see her being nice to me as a bird and to know that she would never be as nice to me as a person.” He hadn't even done anything to Marja, or so he thought anyway, to make her dislike him. It was mostly just his less than pure blood and the fact that he had come from Koldovstoretz that was enough for the Drakonya Krov student to dislike him.

He smiled as Miha playfully aimed a punch towards him. “Yeah,” he then sighed. “I wonder how it'll be to be back at Durmstrang, having different year mates, most of my friends gone… I guess I'll find a lot of time to study when I have barely anyone to hang out with.” He pouted and then broke into a smile again. “It's only one year though. I can do that. Might cause some trouble just for good measure.”

He nodded as Mihaela spoke of teaching him some healing spells. He knew a few already but knowing more about healing would definitely come in handy. “That would be great, honestly,” he said gratefully. “That sounds like something I definitely need to try,” Zviad grinned taking the bottle from Mihaela. He opened the bottle and took a sniff. “Wow,” he muttered. “Smells like a great liquor. Not sure it's a good idea to empty an entire bottle though,” he teased, wondering if Mihaela was actually intending for them to get that drunk.

“Yes please!” he exclaimed, “if you can make the time that would be great,” he eagerly responded to Mihaela's suggestion to come to Döttrar Vik for a visit. “You could even bring me some of this,” he lifted the bottle, “to cheer me up. I'd love to smuggle that into the school and… have a good time with it.” He laughed but, truth be told, he did not look at the new school year with a lot of optimism. It would be tough without his friends, tough to pass his exams as he was, after all, a Koldovstoretz transfer and he'd surely struggle with his flying training because he hadn't quite figured out how to manage a decent landing.

Mihaela wrinkled her nose at the thought of Marja and how she had treated Zviad while in his animagus form. It was quite the story really, and she still wasn't entirely sure how to feel about the whole thing. Protective was her default state, so she stuck with that, but unless he asked for her help, she wouldn't interfere either. "Okay, good," She agreed when she heard him say he wouldn't be going anywhere near her this year. It was a good idea, the witch was sure of it. Especially if he was still intent on keeping his special skill a bit of secret. A secret she was thankful to be a part of.

"I'd be expectin' nothin' less," Mihaela said with a chuckle, Zviad and trouble was like meat and potatoes. Couldn't have one without the other. "Well, I ain't expectin' you to drink the whole thang at once," She told him with another laugh. "You'd be flat on the floor by sundown," She warned, having outdrank herself more times than she could count, and still not entirely learned the lesson. Mihaela lacked self-control, especially in a party setting. She just always wanted more and more.

"Oh don't tempt me Gogoladze," she grinned, clinking her bottle against his and moving to the inside of the barn they were in. There were a few tables scattered along with the hair, mismatched hand-carved wooden chairs, it was obviously an improvised rustic tavern, and right now, they had it all to themselves. Mihaela hoisted herself onto one of the long picnic tables and sat on the tabletop before looking back to him. "So, you got yerself a summer job?"

“Yeah, I guess Galina Viktorovna will be delighted to find me in her class again,” Zviad joked, knowing that his head of house was less than fond of him. He wasn't exactly sure when the professor had developed her dislike for him but he assumed she was just as judgemental as Marja, thinking less of him because of where he came from and not giving him much of a chance to prove her wrong (not that he had ever seriously attempted that anyway).

“Not at once, eh?” Zviad joined in laughing now. “I'd assume so,” he confirmed. By the smell of the liquor it was high percentage and quite certainly nothing he could drink like butterbeer. He liked a strong drink every now and then and had grown fond of them more since he had made his first attempts at flying in his animagus shape. Clearly alcohol helped to benumb himself when he was in pain after failed landing attempts.

They clinked their bottled and moved to the inside of the barn where there were tables and chairs. Mihaela sat down on one of the tables but Zviad did not take a seat himself. He was quite happy to be standing at the moment.

“A summer job?” the boy asked, sounding about as surprised as he felt. He had been to the summer camp and had spent the remainder of the holidays at home, ripping off tourists at the beach of the Black Sea. He had had some fun stealing sunglasses or other little items from people (sometimes even in his magpie shape) when they left their things unattended and had then sold them to other tourists later. While it wasn't anything that had earned him a lot of money, the boy had found it rather fun and at least he had been able to get himself something good to smoke.

“Not exactly a job,” he finally admitted. “Been making a little money though.” He added with a shrug and took a sip from the bottle.

"Oh, I know how you make side money, Mr. Gogladze," Mihaela wiggled a finger at him as she stuck out her tongue. She knew he was a pickpocket, a sneaky sneak, and that he was damn good at it. She was a little jealous, maybe, but Mihaela had always found she got more money by batting her eyes than stealing from tourists. Everyone had their own game; it was the only way to survive. And she knew Zviad had a harder time than most in that department. "Get anything good this summer, then?" She asked again, hoping he would spill more details for him.

Mihaela took a large gulp of her bottle; it burned at first, but she held strong, and by the end, her throat was so numb she barely tasted it anymore. It would remain numb for the next few minutes, and soon enough, the buzzing feeling all over her body would start. She knocked her knees together idly as she set her bottle down on the table. Miha never stopped moving, always had something to do, somewhere to be, some thought that just had to be spoken just then. And she had zero filters.

"How about girls then, ain't ya' got any fun stories for me?"

“Do you now?!” Zviad asked, grinning a little. He knew that Mihaela knew more about him than most people did and, truth be told, even most people knew he had a history of stealing. He didn’t mind though, still believing that he deserved to take from the well off people. They had enough money, after all, it did not hurt them if he took some of what was theirs but it helped him.

“Yeah, well, it’s been okay. Didn’t make a whole fortune,” he shrugged, “but it was still good enough, I guess. At least I don’t need new school books,” he then joked, his voice not quite as light as it ought to be to make it sound actually funny, “that’s the benefit of repeating a year. More money left for the things that really matter – some booze and a good smoke.”

Speaking of booze, after having taken a small sip just to find out how strong the liquor really was, Zviad now took a bigger one, enjoying the burning sensation that started in his mouth and then, as he swallowed, ran down his throat. He felt positive that the liquor would serve to make him enjoy the day quite a bit. Anything that benumbed him enough to make him forget about the upcoming year at Durmstrang was good anyway.

“Girls?” Zviad asked, a surprised grin spreading across his face. He had not been expecting this question and he was momentarily speechless. “I wish I’d have some fun stories for you,” he then said, shrugging apologetically. “Honestly, I flirted a bit with some tourist girls at the beach but that wasn’t anything serious… just a way to pass some time, really. At the camp I spent most of my time alone and the Durmstrang girls?” he shook his head. Rumjana had graduated a while ago, now those who had been in his year had graduated too and that left him with girls like Marja. Well, maybe he’d be able to reconnect to some Koldovstoretz students, seeing how some were meant to come back to Durmstrang but even so he did not think that he’d find a girlfriend while at school.

“How are things going with Lev? Doesn’t he come today? I thought this might be an event that he’d like as well.”

"At the camp, I spent most of my time alone and the Durmstrang girls?” Mihaela smiled brightly at the way he had said it and the shaking of his head because of course, her mind made its own assumptions. "Yeah, ain't any witches worth chasin' now that I'm gone, eh?" She smirked, giggling a little, and flipping her hair off of her shoulder dramatically. Mihaela had been claimed by Lev for some time now, but that didn't mean she lost sight of the fact that she was an absolute catch. The witch was confident, maybe more than she should have been, but Mihaela had never doubted herself.

"Hmm, maybe I will set you up with one of my cousins," The Romanian mused, and there were plenty of them to choose from. She wondered for longer than she should have about what sort of witch Zviad would be into. What was most important to him, looks, brains, or experience? She returned from her little thought experiment when he brought up her boyfriend, and immediately her face softened. Even just the mention of the man she loved was enough to send her over the moon. Merlin, she missed him.

"We are so good," Mihaela answered a question that Zviad hadn't asked, fanning herself a little as she thought about Lev's last visit, and then continued. "Not today, Lev's playing for Moscow now, y'know, so he is busy," There wasn't an ounce of malice in the way that she said it, but there was certainly longing. Mihaela had gotten used to seeing her man every day, all the time, and now they were miles and miles apart. Sure they could apparate and visit often, but it wasn't the same as being in the same place. She wished he would have moved to Scoarta, but she understood why he hadn't, he had dreams and Quidditch, and she respected that. And on the same vein of thought, Mihaela wished she could have moved to Moscow with him, but she was needed here, and she couldn't leave behind her destiny, and Lev knew that too. They would make it work, she knew they would, but she missed him.

"Okay! No sad talk, drinking games only," The witch demanded before her longing for Lev could turn into full-blown sadness. Slapping her thigh and letting out a howl of a laugh, Mihaela stood from the table. Snatching the bottle up from it to bring along with her, she made a circling motion with her index finger in the air. "Let me give you the tour; there is much more to see~" Mihaela was basically singing by the time she approached the barn door and used all of her body weight to drag it open and let the sun back in. "First things first, do not leave the village after sundown, do you understand?" She warned him, dark eyes turning to find his so that he knew she was serious, and then she led him out into the village.

"Second things second, Zviad, do you know what a Strigoi is?"

“That is probably true,” Zviad said and laughed. He had always liked Mihaela a lot. However, he had never really fancied her. She was confident, brave, daring. Somehow he had never seen her much as a girl despite the fact that he would always say that she was pretty, hot even, if anyone asked him about her. Nonetheless he did not have any romantic feelings for her. He loved her more like a sister or something along the lines of that.

The boy looked at his friend, a questioning look on his face. He did not like the idea of being set up with anyone. However, he could not deny that it would be nice to have a girlfriend. He sometimes felt a little lonely but, truth be told, he had chosen to be lonely when he had pursued his plan of becoming an animagus. He had achieved that now but as he wanted to keep his skills a secret, he couldn’t let people get close to him, he couldn’t trust easily or he’d risk being exposed. Confiding in Mihaela back in the days had felt right and he had never regretted it but who said that it would go as well if he confided in anyone again?

“I hope you make a good pick or I’ll be disappointed,” he offered but did not sound overly enthused anyway.

“That sounds like quite a good career start. Good for him,” Zviad said and really meant it. He liked Lev. They had been dormmates for quite a while and had got along rather well. “Sad for you, though, seems like you get to see a lot less of him now.”

As Mihaela mentioned drinking games, Zviad grinned at her. That sounded like fun and fun was something he really needed before heading back to Durmstrang with all its classes, rules and regulations.

“A tour sounds perfect. I’d love to see everything here.” The boy followed his friend out and blinked a few times as they stepped into the sunlight.

Zviad was genuinely intrigued when Mihaela said that he should not leave the village after sundown. If there were any dangers out there he wanted to know all about them and he was about to ask her about it when she already went on.

“Aren’t that some kind of vampires?” Zviad wasn’t too well informed but he had heard about spirits that could transform into animals and would suck the blood of their victims. “Are they the reason why I should not leave the village after sundown?”

"Vampires, sort of, but there is more to it than that," Mihaela said with a sharp nod, Strigoi were vampires in a sense, but not in the way that the Western World might have imagined. Even though Bram had stolen quite a bit of lore from Romania, he hadn't gotten much of it actually right, but he was a muggle after all, and the Strigoi were quite magical. "And they sure as shit are, well, they are one of the reasons you should not travel after sundown." Mihaela was serious about the subject, but she was also half drunk by now, so she fought the giggle that escaped her lips as she tripped on a rock in the path.

"Scoarta is a dangerous place, even during the day," Mihaela brought them first to the town hall in the middle of the village; it was surrounded by graveyards populated with fallen Scoarta soldiers, and the building itself was taller than gravity, and lightweight construction materials should have allowed. Held together by magic and sheer force of will, the old building towered over the village. "This is townhall; boring stuff happens there," She waved her hand at the building and pulled him along the path. Her father worked in the hall; the council decided when to hunt and when to reinforce the warding. She was destined to be a part of the council from a young age, but Mihaela had to pass the trials first.

Past the town hall, a winding path led toward the farms, and Mihaela continued. The fields were full of villagers finishing the last of the harvest now, and Mihaela probably should have been helping, but it was far too late for that now. Pointing out another magically constructed building with her bottle Mihaela took a swig before speaking, "That's my parent's house," She shrugged, "Well, my house too, I suppose... but not for long, I'm gettin' ma own place soon enough," Once she finished negotiating a parcel of land from her Bunică anyway.

Turning to Zviad quickly, Mihaela nearly squealed with excitement, "Do you want to see the graveyard where the Strigoi manifest?" Being put on Graveyard Duty was more of a punishment than responsibility, and Mihaela had done more than her fair share of time in the cemetery. She knew it like the back of her hand, and they had some time before sundown, so she felt safe bringing her friend there.