It had made sense at the time. Join the Riftwach, cut your teeth on this strange new world by exploring it as far and wide as possible. Someone at some point mentioned Minrathous was a dangerous place, and she's still none the wiser for why, but just you wait.

Meanwhile, Hermione's been roped into following along with a very imposing, slightly intimidating looking woman, quite possibly from the Scouting division. She's not sure, she hasn't spoken much beyond then you're not doing anything? Follow me. And Hermione, eager beaver than she is, did.

What's with everyone so intent on smoking in this place? She makes a little sound of protest - a scoff - in the back of her throat, and steps up closer. "Stop fidgeting with that," she says, and in a quick - practiced? - move she lights the cigarette with the tip of her wand for Astrid. It won't do to appear nervous, Hermione's going to be oozing it in a few minutes enough for both of them anyway.

"Erm." She looks down at herself, all five foot and some spare change of her, and then back up at Astrid. "Bodyguards, really." She is used to tall (pretty) women acting as bodyguards for her, but okay? Okay. "Sure. I've got a very mean stern look, he'll rue the day."