Harry Potter: The Ring Maker

Chapter 524: Arrival of the schools

There was a bit of complaining about having to stand in the cold for about thirty minutes before Dumbledore announced Beauxbatons arrival. The entire student population minus Nick and the few who genuinely didn't care scrambled to see where the other school was arriving from. Someone eventually pointed out the rapidly approaching large object flying over the forbidden forest which had people guess all manner of insane or stupid things that it could be like dragons or brooms. Anyone with semi decent eyesight could tell that it didn't have a single pair of wide wings or gaps that those things would have.-

When it got much closer everyone was left silent as it became clear that it was a house sized carriage being pulled by half a dozen huge golden horses with large avian wings and red eyes. Abraxan horses which were one of the few species of magical horse that bore the lineage of the extinct Pegasus. They were temperamental and difficult to handle but easily one of the most beautiful species of magical horse in the world. There was a bit of a panic when it looked like the carriage was going to crash into them but it didn't happen so things calmed down after it landed.-

Soon enough the door to the carriage opened up and a male student jumped out before fiddling with the golden colored steps before letting them extend. Then from the inside of the carriage Madam Maxime stepped out eliciting some gasps from the Hogwarts students at her size. Nick took the opportunity while everyone was distracted by her to step out of line and walk over to Dumbledore. The old man gave him a questioning look but chose to roll with it after Nick smirked and gave him a wink.-

"My dear madam Maxime , welcome to Hogwarts!" Dumbledore said with a warm smile. Madam Maxime turned to look at him and smiled as well "Dumbly-Dore and Monsieur Ravenclaw as well , I 'ope I find you both well?" she said eyeing Nick curiously. "In excellent form as you can see." Dumbledore said brightly. "Ah , My pupils?" Madam Maxime said motioning towards the students from her school that had disembarked from the carriage and were shivering in the cold due to their pretty but impractical school outfits. The outfits were seemingly made of fine blue silk but were horribly thin and did no good against the Scottish temperature.-

"If you'd like I will disperse the cold for you all so that we can wait for Durmstrag to arrive? We have a grand spectacle arranged for you both in welcome after all." Nick said warmly and Dumbledore was clearly caught off guard by this sudden preparation that he wasn't aware of before now. "Oh? Well if you'd be zo gind." Madame Maxime said with a curious look. Nick smiled and nodded and for the briefest moment his magic was released as he waved his right hand summoning a wide area warming spell that brought instant relief to everyone there.-

"So it's true that you've joined Dumbledores level of power then." She said with a sigh as she unconsciously slipped back into her native French. Nick smiled and nodded " I was luckier than most and had the opportunity. Ah! Before I forget thank you for the coat you sent me , It is my favorite." he said in French as well. "I am pleased to see that it suits you." She said with a wide smile. " 'as Karkaroff arrived yet?" She then asked Dumbledore in her heavily accented english.-

"Not yet but I imagine it should not be overly long now." The old goat said honestly. "Very well then , we shall wait as I am quite curious about this welcome you 'ave planned." She said casually. A few students from her school looked reluctant to just stand around like that but chose to do so anyways after their peers gave them scolding looks. There were two students though that looked VERY uncomfortable at the moment and had trouble looking away from Nick. These two were of course Fleur and Gabriel Delacour that were being affected by Nicks avian dominion.-

Luckily for them there came a few strange sounds that no one could figure out the origin of until someone pointed out the disturbances in the black lakes water. Soon a huge whirlpool formed as though a plug had been pulled from a bath tub and from it rose a skeletal looking ship with eerie glowing port lights and no sails yet had masts. The water settled and the ship glided over to the shore where it anchored and dropped a long plank to the dry land. From the ship disembarked a long line of heavily furred people that marched up the grounds to where everyone was waiting.