late night hunger || OPEN

It was common for Anastasia to come to the Kitchens very late at night. It was around two a.m. and she was lucky enough to have had avoided any head of the houses, professors and prefects. She was hungry and desperately wanted some food. Dinner hadn't done well for her considering she had to split her time between doing an essay and eating. Doing her essay had won the battle.

She sighed, I need more of these procrastination skills.

Anya arrived to the kitchen, a small smile on her face as one of the house elves, Minnie, approached her and asked her for her orders. After contemplating for a minute, she decided on something simple but effective: muggle cereal. Sitting down on a stool, she was served her food as she ate. The kitchens were oddly quiet and for once, Anya wished for some company.

But who would be up at this hours? she thought.

Afonka was currently nothing more than a bundle of energy. His brain was moving at the speed of a mile per minute, and he just couldn't sleep. Bored of lying in his four-poster bed, he scurried through the hallways of Durmstrang, not really sure of where exactly was going but knowing that he'd know when he got there.

Finding himself in front of the kitchens, he paused for a moment, mulling over the option to enter. Deciding to, he quickly entered. Noticing a brunette, Afonka smiled at her, waving. Recognizing her from a few of his classes, he smiled, "Hey, how are you?"

Feliks yawned tiredly as her roamed the hallways. He had been in bed, and had planned on staying there for the duration of the night but apparently he wasn't very good at sticking to his plans.

After an impromtue game of hide and go seek with one of the castles younger ghosts - a game in which he constantly lost for the little imp was cheating - and a conversation with someones cat that didn't go anywhere - because you know, the cat didn't speak - the young boy decided he was hungry and made his way to the kitchen.

Which he was surprised to find was far from empty at this time.

"Hey look," he grinned as he walked in and plopped himself down in a seat, "Its actual people."

It was her first time ever sneaking into the kitchens, as it wasn't something typical for her, a light eater, but she and Lena skipped dinner and now Nyx couldn't just order her stomach to behave like it was full. After her so called friend refused to go with her and instead went to bed, remembering someone's directions from before, the girl found it with some difficulties, four or five times entering empty classrooms, other hallways or bathrooms.

So you could imagine her surprise when she saw 3 other people in there. Talk about hunger games, she smiled and walked over to them.

"What is this, a 3d year Hrabrost meeting? Sorry for the intrusion, but I really am hungry", Nyx was tactical, patting her belly and smiling towards them. "What's for dinner?"

"I'm well. I couldn't sleep" Afonka said with a smile, taking a seat by her.

Waving at the blonde boy, he grinned, stretching his arms out in front of him, "Yep, I'm pretty much as human as you can get,"

As a second girl entered, he laughed when he realized that they were all, with the exception of her, all in the same house and year, "I guess now it's the Third Year Meeting instead."

Smiling over at the house elves, he thought for a moment before asking for a muffin. Glancing over at his companions, he introduced himself, "Oh, I'm Afonka by the way,"

Feliks smiled easily at the people he had encounter, "Well I've spent so many nights chattin' up ghosts I was starting to believe real people didn't exist."

"Poppy," the boy yelled to one of his favourite house elves, holding out a hand for a highfive which the small creature hesitantly gave, "The usually if you please."

He smiled at the girl who entered, and sighed dramatically before he continued.

"Well this was a very high class meeting you just walked into, but, since you're so cute I guess I'll forgive you."

He winked and turned back to the room in general, "Nice to meet yeah Afon, I'm Feliks."

"Yeah, I guess it does stink," Pausing thoughtfully, he grinned at them, "But this way I get to meet new people. So its not a lost cause,"

Laughing, Afonka shook his head, "Nah, I think I'd know if I was a zombie. And I am definetly not one,"

Looking over at the blonde who hadn't spoken much, he grinned, eyes glittering as he joined in, hoping that she'd get that he was only jokin, "But first we'd have to do the Unbreakable Vow. To make sure you didn't overhear any Hrabrost secrets and spill them," Spreading his arms out, he shrugged, "Sorry it's policy. We can't change the rules, we only enforce them,"

"It's nice to meet you, Anya and Feliks," He said with a smile.

She smiled to all of them and wondered why they are all so nice. When she came to this school, she had many prejudices towards strangers, especially because they all were from a different country than she was and also, home schooling didn't help for she didn't know how to behave among people her age.

So she stood back a little when they boy told her she's cute, but as she was a fast learner, Nyx caught her control and flashed them all with her famous, white teeth smile, especially looking at Feliks.

"I'm Carvus, Nyx Carvus", the girl responded and called her house elf. "Penny, my little bunny, are you here?" When the Carvus family moved to Russia, they brought all of their house elfs with them, Penny, the elf that took care of Nyx when she was little, being one of them.

"Oh, I get it", she responded to the girl's joke and laughed.

"It is," He said with a nod, thanking a house-elf as he walked up to him with his muffin in hand.

"I guess we'll have to do it some other time then," Afonka said with a grin, looking over at Anya.

Smiling over at the blonde, he waved at her with his free hand, "Hello Nyx," Happy that she got their joke, his smile broadened to a grin, "That's good. We wouldn't really try to take over the school,"

"Pfft," Feliks scofed, "Speak for yourself Afon. My plan's to take over the school are already in place. Its too late to stop me, come tomorrow the school shall be mine! All Mine!" He took a moment to cackle evilly before grinning impishly at them all.

As the house elves handed him his usual - a glass of butterbeer and a plate of cookies - he smiled at the room again.

"Come, come Nyx sit right by me," he patted the chair beside him and flashed her an impish grin, "Then you may be my Queen of the school. You two may be my loyal advisors."

"And why not?" she asked Afonka, laughing simply at the thought of it. "Maybe people would lighten up with a leader as funny as he would be. And 3 accomplices as interesting as the 3 of us would probably take over the school in no time."

Penny went over her and brought her a salad - her usual dinner and she pat her on the head. "My sweet little dumpling, thank you very much." And as the little house elf thanked her master and left the room rapidly, Nyx smiled to Feliks and took a spot next to him. "Sure, you can pretend that you're the king while I rule everything from the back. Sounds awesome to me."

"You do? You wouldn't like it if you were called after the goddess of things such as death, dark, etc. But thank you, that's really sweat", she responded to the other girls compliment. "I also like your name, and your hair. I always wanted to have dark hair, but both of my parents are blonde, so I'm stuck with it. For now."

"Not for long. We'll take over, wont we hun?" Nyx asked and slightly poked Feliks with her elbow.

Grinning over at Nyx, he rubbed his hands together, "I said we wouldn't take over the school. I never said I wouldn't. Though accomplices would be nice," Looking over at Anya, he held his hand out to her, "Care to join me? We can be zombie killing royalty."

"I've never read the Narnia books, but a joint ruling could work," Afonka said thoughtfully, "The Kings and Queens of Durmstrang does have a nice ring to it,"

"It would be hilarious if you two switched names for a day," He added, looking from Nyx to Anya.

Feliks grinned, and completely ignoring the fact that he had just met the girl - because really Feliks didn't think about minor details like that - he wrapped his arm around the back of her chair and grinned impishly.

"Of course we will, Muffin."

He tilted his head and pretended to be thinking, "Hmm, well now, join ruling; not as ideal as my plan of absolute take over but... I'm open to suggestions. How exactly would this join ruling work?"

"Swtiching names? Hmm, I don't know if I'd be able to keep track of you if you switch names well I'm still learning them."

"Oh, well, I think I heard of it, once when I was in a muggle bookshop. My parents never really let me read muggle books, and I never really had any interest in them, but the idea sounds awesome. I really don't mind sharing, well, most of the things." When she finished the sentence, her gaze fell on the boy and she gave him a knowing look.

"Then, call me Anastasia, and please pretend that I'm a brunette. If Afonka thinks that's funny, I wonder what Lena will say when I make her call me that. My friends will think that I finally lost it, after everything I've been through, one talk with a bounch of third year Hrabrosters made me crazy."

She laughed when Feliks called her a muffin, and then laughed once again when she thought of it some more. "Muffin? No, no, and you better remember my name or else I'll be mad at you. Nyx, Nyx, N-Y-X, no muffin there."

"How would joint ruling work....?" Afonka repeated Feliks' question thoughtfully, taking a bite of his muffin as he thought. "Maybe each of us could rule over a house? After all, there are four of us and four houses. Though I'm not sure most of them with to us," Grinning, he looked around at them, wondering if they'd agree with him.

Grinning again at Nyx - well, Anastasia now - he said, "Yeah, we're enough to drive most people crazy. Sorry Anya,"

"Muffin," he smiled leaning closer and winking, "I shall always remember your name - N-Y-X, Nyx."

He flipped his fingers through her hair unconsiously, "I don't know... I like your hair how it is. All bright and shiny."

He leaned back, "Well, I must say I call Hrabrost. You may fight over the rest of them yourself."

"I'll take Uchitel," Afonka said excitedly with a grin and an unnecessarily raised hand, "This way, all the smart people will be on my side, and smart people are good to have on your side. They'll be the ones helping make all the plans to keep me from being overthrown,"

Looking around with faux-suspicion, he added, "By anyone."

Feliks gave a look of mock hurt that was miggled with faux innocence, " I wouldn't dream of trying to over throw anybody. That is just poor form."

He leaned back and smirk.

"What you do is get all chummy with them, get them to write you in as next in line, then wait for them to die."

Breaking out into a broad grin, Afonka laughed at Feliks' comment, "I'll keep this in mind if you suddenly become a little too nice to me,"