reckless & relentless

Anna had no idea what she was getting herself into when she applied for the exchange program. She had spent the summer singing and dancing and learning how to act properly, like people in West End. It was one hell of a routine to get up at six and sleep at midnight every single day, but what mattered was that she had fun and she learned something from that experience. And she did. Perhaps she had a little too much fun, because she had almost forgotten to learn her Russian and so, she was staring at a Russian phrasebook as she got into a compartment into one of the ships.

Her lips quivered as she read the book, trying to mutter each phrase by heart so she wouldn't look as unprepared as she really was. At the same time, she wondered if any of her Hogwarts friends would be coming with her this year, but something in her sincerely doubted it. Her only hope now was that she met someone interesting when she was at Durmstrang, even with the large language barrier. She kept staring, hoping to find a phrase she would need. As the ship moved not-so-gracefully across the waves, Anna could feel a pang of nausea in her stomach, but she had no idea what to do.

Feliks bounded through the ship, looking for a good place to call his own. As he looked around the deck, he gave a rueful headshake at the two figures he could see playing at the very tip of he ship.

Lover-birds, he thought to himself with an eyeroll. He was glad he did not have to bother with romantic gestures.

Another glance told him the poop deck was claimed, and he certainly did not need to deal with the soak kid laying on the deck.

Deciding he was above it all, he took the first opening he could and below decks he went.

Finding a compartment that was nearly empty the boy let himself in with a grin to the girl who was looking at book and mubling a rather shakey Russian to herself.

"Hello there," he grinned talking a seat, nodding his head and waving.

Anna faced the boy who had just come into the compartment. Her lips formed a thin line, wondering what to say. "Hello," she replied, quietly, "excuse me for my bad Russian; I've only just had time to learn it this morning. If you haven't guessed already, I'm from Hogwarts." She then returned to reading her book, still muttering her phrases very quickly with very bad pronunciation, but she thought that if she at least got the words right people should know what she was saying, hopefully.

The Ravenclaw looked up for a moment at the boy, and she pursed her lips before quietly replying, "I'm Anna. Anna Tshering." She then went back to muttering her Russian phrases.

"Well hello, hello, hello Anna Tsering," Feliks grinned at the girl. "I am sure you are doing better at Russian than I ever would at English, so I guess you can be forgiven.

He smiled as another girl entered and upon hearing her accent, and noticing her interaction with Anna he took it for granted that she was another transfer.

"Well, well, well I get two lovely hogwarts ladies, aren't I lucky?"

He laughted to himself and waved at them both.

"Yes, yes, all four years so far, Durmstrang all the way - I'm Feliks Chmerkovskiy."

Feliks smiled and tilted his head, "Hey now what can I say? I just like to give out compliments. I prefer to believe I am being friendly."

"Hrabrost at your service," he said eloboratly, "I would bow, but I'm sitting down and do not feel like getting up."

He laughed a bit.

"Well I certainly hope I get to know Char a lot better than bitch or heartless."

Anna looked up at the other two. It had only occurred to her that it turned out that Charlotte did get back from the Crow safe and sound, which was definitely a good thing. She realized how well they seemed to get along, and thought that she should be making an effort too. She smiled a wobbly smile at Feliks and Charlotte.

"Um, I suppose you are right, Charlotte," she replied in her only minutely better Russian, her voice rather quiet and gentle. Perhaps it was the effect of only talking when she was being spoken to and she was too used to playing the part of Anya Balanchine in the West End production she was involved in. "You're not heartless."

She then turned to Feliks. "I'm not bitchy, but I'm no Little Miss Sunshine either," she replied quietly.