The Dragon Whisperer

Rita Skeeter

"So, Katerina" asked Rita Skeeta, her eyes wide and her magic quill floating behind her. "Tell the readers a bit about yourself"

"Umm" I said awkwardly. "What about myself?"

"Well, you know" Rita said impatiently. "How did you get into Durmstrang? Did you have to cross-dress to get accepted? Why didn't you go with your classmates to put your name in the goblet? Is it true you're related to Sybil Trawlawny?"

"How did you know I'm related to Trawlawny?" I asked suddenly. I wasn't fussed that she knew, it wasn't exactly a secret, but I'd only found out a couple of hours ago so how did she know?

"I have my... sources" drawled Skeeta. Wow this woman was annoying. "Katerina, how tall are you?"

"5 foot 1" I said automatically. "Why?"

"No matter" assured Rita. "And, how much do you weigh?"

"I don't know!" I snorted. "Does it matter?"

"Uhm, yeah" said Rita. "It's a... medical thing with the Tournament"

"About 107 pounds?" I guessed. Of course I don't measure my weight. I only knew my rough height because people teased me about it so much.

"And, what's your last name? Dumbledore didn't tell me"

"I don't have a last name" I replied. I was getting sick of this woman.

"You must have a last name" she said in disapproval.

"No, I really don't"

"How do you feel about the Tournament? Are you excited, nervous, scared for your life?"

"I feel fine"

"What about your family. Got parents, siblings at home you want to make proud?"

I sighed. "My parents are dead. I have a brother, Toma, who'se here in the castle."

"Will your parents be looking down on you from a better place?"

"How am I supposed to know?" I asked indignantly. "I think I'm done with the interview"

***

The next morning, I sat with Toma on our own at breakfast and read the paper.

"The Durmstrang Champion by Rita Skeeta

Katerina, who I am assured has no last name, stands before me and I must admit that the sight is rather discomforting. She stands at a mere height of 5 foot 1 but is intimidating nonetheless, with unnaturally masculine muscles and broad shoulders. Her brown hair which could probably use a little shine is pulled back in a childish ponytail and her rectangular jaw is parallel to her massive feet. "I weigh no more then 107 pounds" she promises me, a glare in her dark eyes. And, unrealistic though it may be, I am forced to agree- she is reaching not for the wand in her right pocket but for the knife in her left. Such a lack of feminism or indeed style at all is to be expected from the only 'female' in an all-boy school.

When we start talking, my fear that she is basically an ox is only worsened. She has a thick Bulgarian accent and there is an undesirable harshness to everything she says. On the subject of her dead parents she said "Why would I care about that?" and changed the subject. Interestingly, she is rumoured to be the niece of no other then Hogwarts' resident crackpot, Sybil Trawlawny. She stubbornly ignored almost every question I put to her- and any answers she did submit were short, unsatisfying and often downright rude. So just like her then.

The other champions have been understandingly wary about Katerina. "She scares me a little" confides Beuxbatons champion Fleur Delacour. Miss Delacour also went on to voice her opinion that Katerina was "Too vulgar" for the Tournament. Cedric Diggory had a more humorous view on her, joking that "Durmstrang probably thought she was a guy and let her in!"

Whatever the outcome of the Tournament, here The Daily Prophet we can be sure that Katerina will be an interesting character.

I stared at the article for a few seconds. Then, slowly I began to laugh. I laughed more and more until I was holding my stomach, rolling in my seat. Toma looked at me confused which made me laugh even more.

"Vat are you laughing at?" asked a voice behind me. I turned around and saw a girl with a shimmering curtain of silvery blond hair- Fleur.

"Oh sorry" I cried between fits of laughter. "Is it too vulgar for you?"

"I vil nevair understand people like you" said Fleur huffily.

"Oh no!" I shrieked. "I laughed so hard my rectangular jawline is no longer parallel to my massive feet!"

Fleur glared at me then turned on her feet and swept away, leaving me in fits of giggles and Toma looking very confused.