Foreign Exchange Students

[MistressOfTime]

I'm currently trying to incorporate Foreign Exchange Students into my Fic, but I'm having a hard time with it. While I'm trying to stay as Canon as possible, I don't want to make it sound unrealistic.

As of now, I'm just having Hogwarts host a few students from Durmstrang and Beauxbatons. In preparation for their arrival, Hogwarts is hosting a Ball in their honor.

Does this sound too cliche? I really need to make it so that there's A) a Ball, and B) Durmstrang students 'infiltrating' Hogwarts.

Just a note: This fic is set in the Marauder Era, so we are in the midst of the First War.


Again, does the idea of Foreign Exchange Students sound plausible to anyone? Any suggestions or guidance would be greatly appreciated!

--Joy.

[SiriuslyMental]

I think foreign exchange students in general are clichés, but if it is during the First War, you could probably excuse this by saying that Durmstrang's Headmaster had been murdered or the school had become unsafe for the students. Or, some of the students could have been taken out because Durmstrang went "dark" or something. I dunno.

[xpadfootsangelx]

I think that the ball part is extreamly cliche, actually. I'm actually guilty of using it and it doesn't have good results. Maybe something smaller. A large feast, perhaps?

The transfer students can avoid cliche if you write it well. Usually, transfer students are follwed by Mary-Sues and that's what makes them so disliked. Since they're coming from an already existing school and if you have a good reason for the transfer, it should be good.

[SiriuslyMental]

I like the idea of a large feast. I can't see the people being sorted into each House, either. I just think, it seems weird. I mean, this isn't permanent, is it? So maybe they'd be boarded somewhere else?

[xpadfootsangelx]

Maybe they can have it like they did in GoF where the schools were just put in the houses, like Beauxbatons was with the ravenclaws and Durmstrang was with the Slytherins. Or, maybe they can be evenly divided or presorted. If it is permanent, go on and sort them, but if not, do something simple.

[SiriuslyMental]

If it is permanent I could see the Hat being upset by sorting people who are obviously too old and having to be persuaded into it by Dumbledore, and being terribly out of order because he hasn't had the time to come up with a song for a sorting.

If it is temporary (which it seems it would be), rooming them with the others is an option, but I think it'd be more feasable for Dumbledore and the others to make use of space already there, rather than completely alter the existing dormitories to accomodate more students. But at meals, they would most likely let the transfers sit where they pleased, because odds are they would make ties in at least one place and anchor themselves to that house's section.

[xpadfootsangelx]

Well, that's only if they come in the middle of the year. Then I don't think they would bother with old hatty. If they came at the beginning of the year, well, that's different. I'm sure they'll be older that 11 because they have to transfer from somewhere. I don't think the hat will be very bothered by the age, as long as it doesn't mess anything up.

It's all just a matter of when the students come, I think.

[SiriuslyMental]

Well, see, the Hat strikes me as being a creature of habit. He was designed to sort young people - first years - people that have not already been divided up into different schools, and especially, students who speak English, or languages from the British Isles and perhaps France.

But I can't see any Sorting without the Hat, if they were going to Sort.

[xpadfootsangelx]

That's a good point. If there's no sorting then, either the hat will have to be forced (which I think might be kind of hard, even if he is a hat) or they will have to board somewhere else. But where? Who knows. I guess it's all up to you.

[chasing_willow]

As far as hosting them goes, I don't think you'd need to Sort them - Hogwarts was designed to have an ever-changing floorplan.

But I do have my doubts about Madame Maxime ever letting her students from under her wing - she seems very protective.

[MistressOfTime]

See, these are all problems that I've come up with, too.

Basically, I need something that requires a 'forced escort' so that I have this big Lily/Snape/James triangle fiasco. (i.e. Lily wants to go with Snape, Snape doesn't want to go, James wants to go with Lily, Lily goes with James, Snape gets jealous, fin.)

Any suggestions?

[SiriuslyMental]

Maybe there is a private party being held by Slughorn in welcoming to new Durmstrangs? Slug Club kids welcome the Durmstrang students, a chance for Sluggy to have a pary, which he likes, and also for him to scout out the Durmstrangs, see if he likes anyone, etc. I'm sure Lily was in the Slug Club, James for being clever, handsome, popular, and talented (I'd always imagined James came from an old money, well-respected in the right circles sort of Pureblood family that Slughorn would have been interested in.), and Severus, for his Potions skills and obvious talent with spellwork. So, Sluggy is scouting Durmstrang students to find new, international members to his club, Lily wants Snape to go with her because she can't stand Sluggy's parties or something (maybe she can only tolerate them with her best friend?), Snape doesn't want to go because Sluggy always pays more attention to Lily and James and he finds the man revolting, and James wants to take Lily.

And also a thing to think about: during this time in the Muggle world the East was still going through the throes of dictatorial communism. How would this have filtered into the Wizarding world? Would it have all? Would this influence maybe some students leaving the East for the more politically free UK?

[MistressOfTime]

That's a really good idea, SiriuslyMental! I've already written into the Chapter a bit about Lily and the Slug Club.

Plot Bunny! Must go run and write!

Thanks, again!

--Joy.