Magical Hogwarts

From: Conrad Sturm, Portsmouth, Hampshire, England
To: @Zhenya Shishkina, Durmstrang Institute of Magic, Sweden
Sent: 05 June, 2005
Format: poor cursive and no paragraph breaks, black ink, parchment; folded twice
Contents:

Zhenya,

I am thinking of you a lot this time of year. It is strange not to look forward to the summer, how I used to when a student. I don't write for some months because I thought you do not want to hear from me. We end up fighting the same thing every time. I won't tell you what you should do anymore if you can agree not to bother me over what I think of everything. I can't change how I think. You are the same way, no?

How is school? I think it is nearly the end of term. Do you take your exams last month or now? Don't worry too much for the exams. Sometimes I tell people here what my scores were and they are so confused what the classes are for, they do not care how I scored. At Hogwarts the classes are very elementary. They just learn Charms in one class, instead of dividing it to Enchantments and Curses and Illusions. They have no classes for weaponry or martial magic or survival, and they had two wars in thirty years, so it would have been more useful there than it was for us.

I can't find your last letter to remember what we wrote about, I lost it when I moved. I move a lot since I left my cousin in January. I get bored doing these jobs, so I go to a new one, then my life is interesting again for a while. I work as I need when I need the money, so I work a lot, do a lot of odd little things. I am saving money for a boat so I can move without looking for housing, but saving money is difficult. But moving is easy as I don't need much to be happy. Everywhere in the world is a little different from everywhere else, so I am never bored of going new places. Sometimes I want to go back out to Dottrar Vik or Rybinsk and see how you are but I have nobody I can ask to care for my dog.

From: Zhenya Shishkina, Durmstrang Institude, Sweden
To: Conrad Sturm, Portsmouth, Hampshire, England
Sent: tenth June, 2005
Format: rushed handwriting, blue ink on parchment. Some letters are blurred because Zhenya has been crying a lot lately
Contents:


Conrad,

I was surprised to get your letter. Truth be told, I didn’t expect to hear from you, but when I held your letter in my hands I actually was pleased that you got in touch. It is true that we keep fighting over the same things and I guess that won’t change anytime soon. However, who knows what the future will bring. Right now it all seems scary.

I took most of my exams already by now and I guess you won’t be surprised if I tell you that I’m sure I did quite poorly. What happens if I don’t pass any exams? Do I have to repeat the year or do I just leave school with a certificate that marks me as a total failure?

Yes, I’ve heard from competitors that the classes at the various schools differ quite a lot. I think I might have been better off at Beauxbatons, but who knows? Any subject can get tough when you get into the details of it. I agree about Hogwarts, though. It seems foolish that they don’t train their students in magical combat. Then again, they might be worried that they’d use their knowledge on the ‘wrong’ side? I don’t know.

Tell me about your moves and the changes in your life. I’d really like to read all about that. It sounds like you’re actually free. That must be so great.

I’d love to see you. Maybe you can find someone to look after your dog (or even take it with you?) in July when I compete in my first senior nationals?

I wonder what will upset my family more - not passing my N.E.W.T.s or failing at the senior nationals.

Hoping to hear from you soon,

From: Conrad Sturm, Portsmouth, Hampshire, England
To: Zhenya Shishkina, Durmstrang Institute of Magic, Sweden
Sent: 11 June, 2005
Format: poor cursive and no paragraph breaks, black ink, parchment; folded twice
Contents:

Zhenya,

I think that when every competent wizard has a weapon in his hand every day, we should be trained how to use it -- nobody knows when it will be necessary. My family has poor memories of the Grindelwald era, many of them died defenseless or just outmatched. It is part of why they send us to Durmstrang. Of course, this is less important for you or I who are useless with a wand, no offense.

Do you want to repeat the year? You are seventeen, so it only matters what you want. I left school as a failure and I am fine. Now that I work, people care more about my experience working than how I was in school as a child. And even if people ask for my scores, I tell them my O.W.L.s, they were better. You remember how I was at the end of my last year. Well maybe you don't, we stopped talking halfway through our exams, but maybe you can imagine.

My life is very dull, you don't want to hear about it. You thought everything I did at Durmstrang was stupid and a waste of time, it is just more of that. I go a lot to the ocean and throw stones at it.

I would be happy to go to Russia. I can even bring my dog if I can find somewhere to stay, as I don't have the boat yet. It is hard to save money, I don't have patience for it. Maybe this time I can stay for a while. We can do things other than watch the competition. It's strange that I've been to your hometown twice and the only building I've seen the inside of, is a stadium, not even a cafe or anything. But you are an adult now! Surely, there's some freedom during your day to explore a little. I guess maybe now that you're a proper athlete you might spend the whole day chained to your broom.

From: Zhenya Shishkina, Durmstrang Institude, Sweden
To: Conrad Sturm, Portsmouth, Hampshire, England
Sent: fifteenth June, 2005
Format: rushed handwriting, blue ink on parchment.
Contents:


Conrad,

This does sound a little scary, but I definitely agree. Everyone who’s allowed to hold a wand should learn to use it properly. However, that’s not all that I think should be done. Everybody should also be taught that there are spells that you cannot reverse and to never use magic on others without serious consideration of the consequences. A wand gives us power beyond measure. I mean, you could actually kill someone just with a flick of it…

Oh, Conrad… the question whether or not I want to repeat the year is not easily answered. Spontaneously I’d say no, no, I don’t want to spend another year at Durmstrang and feel stupid. However, school has been sort of a good hiding place for me. While I was at school I couldn’t get overwhelmed by my family’s expectations. Once I live in Rybinsk they’ll be there every day. I’ll have to answer them when I skip a single training session.

I can imagine what you’re thinking now. I don’t have to stay in Rybinsk. I don’t have to enter any senior events if I don’t want to. I could end my career and say that I want to get a different kind of occupation. However, I don’t think I can say this just yet. You know, part of me is still that little girl that dreams of big success in the sport. I’ve worked hard for so long. Call me naive, but I feel I owe it to myself and to my family to at least give it a shot.

You sound so grown up. I’m sure your life isn’t dull. You probably don’t give yourself enough credit. To me it sounds very brave to move far away, switch jobs and places to live again and again. I’m sure you’ll find the perfect place for yourself or maybe it actually is perfect for you not to stay anywhere for too long.

If you’re serious about coming to Russia I can probably get you a room in the magical hotel of Rybinsk. It’s run by the extended family and they sometimes do our friends favours and let them stay either for free or for a ridiculously low sum. We can figure something out.

Haven’t you been to the cafeteria of the flying school? I know it’s not the kind of café you’re thinking of, but it has a nice river view and I spend many of my breaks there. Anyway, of course we can also go elsewhere. We actually should. I’ll see that I somehow make the time.

Hoping to hear from you soon,

From: Conrad Sturm, Portsmouth, Hampshire, England
To: Zhenya Shishkina, Durmstrang Institute of Magic, Sweden
Sent: 22 June, 2005
Format: poor cursive and no paragraph breaks, black ink, parchment; folded twice
Contents:

Zhenya,

You sound like some kind of Grindelwald nutso freak, all this about how a wand is power beyond measure. Is this to do with this woman who's just died in Rybinsk? Did your cousin not nearly die also, last year? Perhaps you had better watch your back when you go back there. Or are you back already? You had better watch your back either way, or didn't somebody die at Durmstrang also? Something nasty going round I suppose.

I am serious about going to Russia. I like to travel. I would like to see you. I would like to stay anywhere for free, or for a ridiculously low sum, though I would prefer free. Maybe we shouldn't mention the dog. I won't go if you're going to spend the entire time at the school, come on, won't you get a break once you've done the competition? I would rather not spend my time at the school anyway, if people are getting poisoned and dropping dead. Come out with me, you'll be eighteen soon, you have to learn how to sneak out sometime.

From: Zhenya Shishkina, Rybinsk, Russia
To: Conrad Sturm, Portsmouth, Hampshire, England
Sent: July 1st, 2005
Format: rushed handwriting, blue ink on parchment.
Contents:


Conrad,

So sorry for the late reply. With my last days at Durmstrang and the return to Rybinsk I’ve been rather stressed.
 
You’ve heard the news from Rybinsk, I see. I would never have deemed it possible that things like that would happen at our flying school. I mean, why would anyone murder Polina? She wasn’t a threat to anyone. She was just a rich man’s daughter who tried her luck in our sport.

There are still investigators at the flying school now. It’s creepy. They keep sticking their noses in our business. Apparently they’re even suspecting Aglaya. One should think that after weeks of research they’d have a better idea of what has happened.

I’d be delighted to have you here. I really don’t expect to make the team for the European championships, but if I do, I won’t have time until the middle of August. If I don’t qualify, you could come after the national championships (which would be after the 24th) and I should find enough free time to go out. I suspect that the family then focuses on those athletes that aren’t entirely hopeless and leave me to my own devices.

What do you think?

Hoping to hear from you soon,

From: Conrad Sturm, Portsmouth, Hampshire, England
To: Zhenya Shishkina, Durmstrang Institute of Magic, Sweden
Sent: 12 July, 2005
Format: poor cursive and no paragraph breaks, black ink, parchment; folded twice
Contents:

Wishing luck to you on leaving school. Are you happy to be? I remember my last days at Durmstrang were not so pleasant, too busy and sentimental. I suppose you have been busy at home as well. Are these investigators with the Ministry? We would get them sometimes at the station if there was some kind of accident. I never like the nosy sort, who is determined to point fingers, but it is not so difficult to keep the truth of a matter quiet if you must. I am sure they will not linger long on Aglaya as a suspect anyway. She does not seem to me like a killer. She has too much ego to win in such a dishonest way. Hopefully it is all resolved by August. I can visit then for sure.

From: Zhenya Shishkina, Rybinsk, Russia
To: Conrad Sturm, Portsmouth, Hampshire, England
Sent: July 18th, 2005
Format: rushed handwriting, blue ink on parchment.
Contents:


Conrad,

Am I happy to leave school? Yes and no. You know that school was never my favourite place. I’m glad to leave school behind and yet I’m not sure I’m ready to be a proper adult.

My last days at Durmstrang haven’t been happy either. With the death of the student and exam stress there really wasn’t anything to enjoy.

Yes, there are investigators from the Ministry but also private ones. If you ask me, there are too many people at the flying school that do not belong there and disrupt the preparation for the national championships.

I’m not sure if the investigators see Aglaya in the same way as you do. They seem quite set on her as a suspect. Then again, I have no idea who has murdered Polina. I don’t believe there’s a connection to the flying school or the sport in general. Could have been someone who has a connection with the Raskolnikov family.

I am looking forward to seeing you. Now, however, I have to rush to practice. My grandmother won’t take it quietly if I am late.

From: Conrad Sturm, Portsmouth, Hampshire, England
To: Zhenya Shishkina, Durmstrang Institute of Magic, Sweden
Sent: 25 July, 2005
Format: poor cursive and no paragraph breaks, black ink, parchment; folded twice
Contents:

I am sorry to see the championship results. Do you still want me to come to Rybinsk next month or will you be busy?