A secret cult?

"Begin!"

Boromir took a step forward and chose the smallest one he could find among the second years lest he be chosen by another, too bad that the smallest one is still half a head taller than he is.

'What are these guys being fed with? Why are they so tall and intimidating?'

Boromir grumbled when the rules are finally laid before them. He was trained by his father in magic and physical combat when he was seven as the Krum House put great emphasis in letting the martial discipline set in the early age of their progeny. Although the training is light to avoid detrimental effects on their growth, it made their will strong so it became easier to train them further down the line.

"Boromir of house Krum! Take it easy on me senior." He declared politely with a curtsy. He really wanted to say 'please don't hurt me' but he'd then be a laughing stock to all his peers.

"Inoc of house Heisenhof. Don't worry about it junior. It'll be over soon." A savage glint appeared in his eyes and rushed towards Boromir for a tackle.

"Deprimo!"

Boromir made a hole on the ground when his enemy's feet was about to land but the senior student quickly cast a counter-spell that repaired the hole.

"Depulso!" A quickly cast banishing spell pushed the senior backwards by 10 meters or so but was once again rushing the moment his feet touched the ground.

"Engorgio!" Boromir became two meters high and his body began to transform into a ferocious giant wolf almost exhausting his magic reserves. Viktor raised his eyebrows after seeing his cousin performing some animagus stunts and wandless casting of basic spells. Then he shook his head while thinking that Boromir is still too young and inexperienced in fighting.

"Confundo!" The senior student did not wait for anyone a threw the spell he conjured for the first time during their fight. The still transforming Boromir can not move and failed to dodge the spell so he was hit and became confused, he moved like he was possessed by a drunken spirit.

"Dimenuendo!" Another spell hit him and Boromir shrunk to his original size before he was pummelled to the ground. Of course he wasn't aware of that ever happening.

'They're no pushovers. Great fighting instincts. To think Hogwarts is only teaching sissy spells at this point. Dear God, that looks painful. I was considering whether to lose intentionally and keep a low profile but.... naaaaa. Scrap that, I'm gonna have to show some grit to keep the dogs away.'

Viktor stepped forward and pointed at the strongest second year who smiled brightly at his challenge.

"Viktor Krum, lord of house Krum, I look forward to learning from senior."

He slightly bent his back to give respect.

"I'm Igor, Igor Root of house Root. It's a pleasure. Thank you for choosing me I hope not to disappoint."

He gave a bow in return.

"Begin!"

A flame serpent slithered towards Viktor while he didn't hear what the spell was it would still be on the categories of fiendpyre. Seing its approach he countered with 'aqua eructo'.

'That's pretty high level stuff, considering it was wandlessly cast, and he looks like he is just testing the waters with that smile of his. Stop pretending kid, that's half of what you have.'

"It's my turn!"

'Fumos'

'Epoximise'

'Furnunculus'

'Incarcerous'

'Petrificus'

'Petrificus'

'Petrificus totalus'

When the smoke screen faded a statue of a very shocked Igor was left behind on the field. He didn't see lip movement or heard chanting and stuck in glued in place, a barrage of disabling spells hit him square and true.

The seniors are shocked. 'What in Merlin's name just happened? No casting, no wand. How?' They began to look at each other for an explanation but only saw baffled expressions of their peers. Even the upper-class were shaking their heads.

"What was his name again professor Silas? Is it Viktor? Viktor Krum? I want his file on my desk when I return to my office. We have a gem right there, do you see that? Let us polish it carefully."

Headmaster Medved had a pondering look in her face as she observed her students. There are geniuses that comes to Durmstrang every year. But a genius at Viktor's calibre is rarely seen and can even be regarded as 'monsterous' for his age bracket, someone that only occurs once in a thousand years.

'Like the great Merlin.'

"Dear Annie, tell me how many spells you saw?"

'Seven layers of basic and intermediate spells all of which is movement restrictive in nature.'

"Good. Merlin has blessed us, maybe its time for Durmstrang to finally rise from the ashes of Grindelwald's war."

°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°

"Take those who are injured to be healed and tended to Dr. Franklin, he'll be happy to have you in his 'lair'. As for those four who won please step forward. You have two choices, challenge a third year or be content with your current rank."

Three male and a female student stepped forward as instructed.

"Anton Von Delarov, I choose to not challenge another upper-classman. I will be contented with the headmistress' decision."

The fatty with blond hair declared an the headmistress nodded in response while looking at the one beside the fatty urging him to make a decision.

"I'm Alistair Quinn Kakalov. I.... I also decline the offer for another challenge."

The emo kid obviously had a problem with voicing out his thoughts, must be because he's a half-blood he is afraid of being discriminated. Now it's my turn.

"Viktor Draconov Krum. I am satisfied."

"Maria Bodanova Petrova. I've had enough fighting for today."

Said the only girl who managed to win.

"Very well. You will be the leaders of your year. Rank 4 will go Anton, 3 to Maria, 2 to Alistair and first to Viktor. Are you satisfied with my decision?"

""""YES, headmistress.""""

"Off you go then. The seniors will lead you to your quarters."

"Alright everyone, a line for girls and one for the boys. Quickly now. Boys follow me."

A seventh year guided us to where all the first year boys will be staying. There are no separate rooms. Lockers and bunk beds for everyone as they shared a common room. As privilege, higher rankers gets to choose first.

There's a shower room opposite the boy's dorm room where one can enjoy a refreshing hot bath after a day's work.

'Bliss. The true beauty of life is finding one's happiness. True happiness can be found in simple things.'

(AN: I hope the readers can find theirs.)

The night was quite peaceful, the students were pretty much beaten black and blue and kept their thoughts to themselves for now. Those who knew each other from being blood related, marriage related or friends can be seen making conversations already.

"We should sleep early, my father told me it would do me well to rest whenever I can while I'm here. I suggest that you do the same. I'll see you tomorrow."

It was fatty Anton talking to Alistair the emo kid, no wonder their levels aren't that far from one another. It turns out they knew each other because their parents are friends and also went together here in Durmstrang.

It was already late in the night so Viktor decided to catch some zs. One of the benefits of being an occlumens is that the brain can issue a partial shutdown and go straight into wonderland free from useless sheep counting.

It was three in the morning when Viktor's senses kicked in and roused him from slumber. He jumped down from his bunk bed, his body glowed with light and he was wearing a black armor similar to those of the shadow elves, behind him is a cape of black moving smoke which looks like it was made from ripping the fabric of shadows itself. Viktor willed and he vanished from where he stood. No sound could be heard from his footsteps due to the various charms and enchantments placed in his armor set which he named "shadow's embrace". It is virtually undetectable much like Atlantis and also offers protection and physical strength augmentation.

He ran towards the source of disturbance that he detected, his irises are in constant change as he switched from all kinds of vision from infra red, heat, ocular, and even up to magic detection.

First years, second years, third years... Students from different years are coming out of their dorms in secret wearing black hooded cloaks and a skull mask. Their cloaks are magically marked with a very familiar symbol made up of a line, a triangle and a circle, it's the mark of the deathly hollows.

"The time is near my brethren.... The messiah is coming.... Ask yourselves, 'am I prepared?'. Are you prepared to sacrifice? To kill? To hurt the few innocents 'for the greater good?"

""""""""""""""""""""For the greater good."""""""""""""""""""""""

'Hahahahahahahahahaha this is amazing and I suppose old man Gillert is your so called messiah? Are these people Gillert's loyalists? The old fool did have a slick tongue. Poor souls, they don't even know what they're fighting for. Maybe we can make use of them. It's not a small number of people after all. That old fag is too set into making his beloved ex-lover/boyfriend Albus suffer.'

Viktor observed the cult as they performed a bunch of bogus rituals in an attempt to get a glimpse of the future their 'messiah' would bring. They welcomed the new members and began teaching about Grindelwald's ideals in life. After nearly an hour the 'preacher' began his closing speech. Before everyone dispersed, galleons are collected from the members while the pastor was claiming how the collected galleons would be used to support their cause.

"""""""""""The disapproval of the cowards is praise to the brave! For the greater good.""""""""""

'These cultists are something else. How can they say cringy lines like those without flinching?'