Welcome to Gaia! ::

Hidden in the heart of Britain, in a remote castle on the edge of a great, dark forest, is the School Hogwarts. A place for the magically gifted children of England to learn the ancient, mystical arts of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

This hidden world has it's heroes, and it has it's villains. Dark Wizards wielding forbidden magics have only recently been defeated and put to rest, their leader slain by the infamous Harry Potter. Attending his fourth year at Hogwarts, during the tri-wizard tournament, he is once again the talk amongst the school as the youngest wizard ever chosen by the goblet of fire to participate.

Visiting schools, the Durmstrang Institute, and the Beauxbatons Academy of Magic, are in attendance this year as well, and the strange new students are causing a ruckus of their own both within and without the classrooms.

And midst the celebrations and competitions, the blossoming rivalries and the blooming friendships, there is a lingering sense of anticipation that is shared from student to student, teacher to teacher, without definition. Change is on the wind, in the leaves that scatter across the school grounds as summer fades and dark clouds herald in the arrival of fall, and whispers in the shadows promise change to come, for those brave enough to face it.

Miriam Ravenwood


Twisting a lock of her dark, almost black hair, Miriam looked from the canvas before her to the great lake before her. It was one of her few spare blocks as a third year, and she hated to waste it but she couldn't quite focus on the subject in her painting. Ignoring the persistent chirps of crickets in her painting, much louder than the actual crickets at the lake's edge, she couldn't quite get the image of one of the Durmstrang boys out of her mind. In fact, before she'd finished, the painting had begun to become a portrait of the boy. Though it was only an ear and some dark hair at the moment, to her it was unmistakably the face that was stuck in her mind.

She wouldn't call it an infatuation, as she'd never had much time for the silly hormonal flings that many of the girls in her year had already succumbed to in the second year. Miriam was only thirteen, and she was highly focused on her studies. Though she'd never compare herself to Hermoine Granger, who had famously (at least among the academically focused) completed nearly twice the amount of allotted classes in her third year, but she did earn her Ravenclaw status. At least, normally she did.

Something about the boy's face intrigued her, and until she figured out what it was she was beginning to worry that all of her classes, not just her spare, would suffer from this lack of concentration. Wondering if this suggested obsession, which was never good, she set down her enchanted paintbrush and picked up her sketchbook instead. Flipping backwards in the book she stopped at one of her self-portraits, studying the dark, chocolate colored skin as the bright grey eyes of her portrait stared back at her.

"What's your problem?" She asked her portrait, even though she knew that it wasn't about to speak back to her. Closing the page, she looked back to her canvas, speculating the odds of changing it into a self-portrait, but doubting that she would.

◆Alain Rousseau◆

Alain was by himself when he went down to the lakeside, standing out against the green in his powder blue Beauxbaton uniform. His dress pants were immaculate, as always, as were the matching jacket and white collared shirt -- but like all Beauxbaton students, Alain had added his own touch to the uniform (no self-respecting French student at his school would be caught dead wearing the exact same thing as anyone else, even if it were uniform, and Alain was no exception.)

Instead of the black shoes most of his male classmates wore (the nine of them present at Hogwarts, at any rate) Alain wore flipflops of that American brand Rainbow. His jacket was unbuttoned and the topmost buttons of his shirt were casually undone. Alain walked with his hands in his pockets, reveling in being alone.

Tall, slender, with sandy brown hair, fair skin, and deep blue eyes Alain was the object of affection of a number of his female classmates, none of whom had quite yet managed to take a hint. Albonne and Marie dogged his steps, and neither realized that Alain was staring steadily at the dark-haired Potter boy the same way they were staring at him (he wondered if rumors were true, and Potter was having a threesome with the bushy-haired girl and the redhead.)

When the Beauxbaton fifth-year chanced a look up he saw a girl staring at a portrait of herself - and a boy who seemed like he might be in Gryffindor. Alain had thought it a pity that Fleur had chosen to sit the Beauxbaton students with the Ravenclaws. A real pity.

"Is zis a peecture of yourself?" he asked, sounding quite inane but not caring. If he could befriend a Gryffindor, perhaps he could find an invitation to their lounge. Ravenclaw's was ever so dull.

Dante Wilson

Seeing the girl become frazzled at the sudden appearance and questioning of not one but two older boys did put a small chuckle into Dante's belly. The second boy wore the colors of Beauxbaton but with a few alterations that seemed to speak of someone who wished to be just a little different, or was just an average French boy he was still getting used to the French students.

His attention turned back to the girl and her painting, and her odd frantic pace to clean up her area and appear to be ready to leave. Dante had hoped to have a nice pleasant conversation about the girls art and find out what she was going for in the picture, but apparently he had said more than was wanted from the girl. He was still trying to put a name to her face, seeing the blue about her person he could deduce she was a Ravenclaw and he swore he had seen her more than just at passing. At the girls question Dante smiled and thought what better way to find out than to just start a round of introduction.

"Sorry if I disturbed you, I was just curious about your painting was all. I'm Dante by the way Dante Wilson," Dante made sure he broadened his tone when he got to the introduction part so it would include the second boy as well, "Don't see many of the guys from Beauxbaton, how's your time at Hogwarts been so far?"

Dante wanted to at least have some kind of conversation with his fellow Hogwarts student after he was the cause of her putting her stuff away, but he also knew he should extend good manners to the visiting students as well sense he represented Hogwarts as a seventh year student. There was still a good amount of time before the next round of classes started up so it would either be a long period of awkward silence or a good enlightening conversation with people he had not meet.

"Dă-te jos de pe mine un pic!" a large handsome Durmstrang student barked out laughing at the petite Hogwarts student hanging off his shoulders like a ragdoll. All the while she merely laughed and squealed at the top of her lungs as she held on for dear life. In the serenity of the day, the two certainly broke the silence.

"Nu frate, nu! Dă-mi prezenta mea!" she giggled; it wasn't until he unclipped his fur cape from his Durmstrang uniform that the petite witch fell to the ground in her Hogwarts uniform. Clearly a member of Gryffindor by the striking gold and scarlet on her uniform; which of course matched the young man's uniform perfectly as if they were a match set. Chuckling deeply, the young man flopped down on his side next to her and held out what looked to be an antique book.

"Aici, o carte veche ridicol pentru o sora minunata." the smaller witch tackled and hugged him before lying down next to him just happy to be in his company; the gift forgotten. He looked over at her, " Engleză, da?"

She snorted but nodded her agreement. She knew he wanted to practice his English; his was stuck speaking Romania at Durmstrang and at home. He grabbed her small hand in his large one, "You is to being happy here, Liliana.?"

The younger girl grinned at her older brother, her English was much better then his heavily accented version of it, "Yes, Tiberiu. I'm.....I'm happy. Things are so different here in England. Much more carefree......," his confused look told her the word didn't translate over, " erm... fără griji."

"Da!!....eh...yes! I haff seen dis....I am zeeing much in ...teatru....eh...drama here. Krum....he iz smitten by bushy haired one. And four champions!?," his voice drifted off and one could hear the disappointment.

Liliana frowned before rolling on her stomach to look at her brother, "eşti supărat-," she sighed at his narrowed eyes at her lack of English, "You are upset for not being chosen?"

"I iz vanting to show poppa....show my brudders....I am strong....I am thinking every person vanted to be chozen, sister," he blinked in the overcast sky, but still brighter then their homeland.

It was so easy to talk to his sister. They were only one year apart. 15 and 16 year olds, best of friends. But Durmstrang did not allow female students, and his father was adamant that Tiberiu follow in his footsteps. That is until the old man died in a potions accident. He was smart in his own way; no brainiac like his sister or his father. But he was good with his hands, smart on his feet. And good with beasts, brooms....women. He grinned at that last part but refused to share his secret when his sister caught him.

"Imposibil!" Liliana stuck out her tongue at her older brother before she looked up and gasped loudly catching her brother's attention, "Um, let's go inside Tiberiu....Lunch should be starting soon."

"Nu....No, Liliana. You iz telling me vat iz vong," when he immediately stood, Liliana knew from his strong immovable body and clenched jaw that she wasn't changing his mind.

"Its nothing...its just some people....I just don't want to see," a dark blush rose high on her pale cheeks but once again Tiberiu saw right through it knowing exactly it had to do with matters of the heart.

"Aha...." his dark caramel eyes narrowed as he grabbed her hand and dragged her to the group of three already discussing something. Her protests in English and Romanian didn't stop him at all, as he grinned.

"Hallo.....I iz being Tiberiu Dobrev, Durmstrang," He held out his tanned, scarred hand to be shook. One could tell he was grinning because he was ignoring the girl behind him protesting sharply.


1. Get off of me, little one!
2. No, brother no! Give me my present!
3. Here, an old book for a ridiculously wonderful sister.
4. English, yes?
5. care free
6. drama
7. you are upset-
8. Impossible!

Dante Wilson

The present situation continued to get more and more complex as time went on. What had started out as Dante simply wanting to talk with a fellow student had turned into a regular social gathering of sorts. The boy from Beauxbaton who was still something of a mystery. Now before the dark haired Ravenclaw girl could even introduce herself a boy from Durmstrang with what looked like another girl from his Hogwart's house pulling on his arm. The boy had extended a hand to introduce himself and the scares told Dante more about the boy than words might be able to.

Dante made sure to give a firm handshake as he took the Durmstrung boys offered hand. He did not let the gesture last longer than need be for it was likely this Tiberiu was one who had seen his share of duels and tough training.

"Good to meet you Tiberu," Dante had tried his best to get them name right after hearing it once.

Not a moment had gone by than yet another Hogwarts student decided to drop in, or more likely bounce in. Dante was at least aware of this girl, however it was not for an interest in the obvious but the fact everyone else seemed to talk about it. Gossip in Hogwarts spread faster than a snitch being chased.

The new girls blatant tone and words also had been something to make her known among those within ear shot of her. Seeing the dark haired Ravenclaw girl decide to take her leave Dante decided he was at least going to get a name out of the girl. To which he gave a nod to the others and made sure to give a respectful eye contact to the Durmstring boy, for something in him wanted to duel the boy and he wanted to make sure it was an honorable match when or if it happened. Dante did his best to catch up to the dark haired witch and try and think of something to help calm her down and reduce the red hue of her face before he attempted to ask her name again.

"It sure is crowded here anymore with the two extra schools, and I thought Hogwarts already had way more students than possible."

Miriam Ravenwood & Victoria Cross



Getting more frustrated by the minute as her shoes continued to sink into the soft earth, once or twice almost slipping off her heel, Miriam was in the midst of attempting to get herself to sturdier ground, holding her art case, and pulling her school robe on for warmth when Dante followed to get her attention. His voice surprised her and she whipped her head around at the sound, losing her balance at the action as her shoe stuck in the grass. With a yelp, her harsh gaze widened to that of mild horror as she tumbled over onto her side and on top of her art case.

Closing her eyes in exasperation she didn't even attempt to stand, letting her face fall down onto her arm with a slight sob. "Why...?"
The question was, in her mind, 'why you leave me ALONE?' It was her sound opinion that he troubles this day had started when her normal routine of a solitary habit was broken.

Victoria, on the other hand, loved the attention.. even if it wasn’t exactly being directed towards her. She knew the girl hiding behind the giant beast of yumminess, wasn’t her name Liliana..? but she wasn’t of a habit of associating with Gryffindor girls. Usually they were too tomboyish for her, or interested in things other than boys. She was a fan of Lavender’s, but the girls she preferred to spend time with were Hufflepuff variety. Boys, on the other hand, were to be appreciated from any house or school.
She smiled at Alain’s remark and visibly gave boy boys a look over with her eyes before replying with a wink, “So was I.”

While the Beaubatons boy attempted to draw the Gryffindor out from behind her sibling – the resemblance was strong – she watched after where Miriam had gone. She liked the girl, a lot, but couldn’t very well let that be seen.. the girl was so weird.