PROPHECY CHILD

6

"I don't believe it!" Ron said, in a stunned voice, as the Hogwarts students filed back up the steps behind the party from Durmstrang.

"Krum, Lyra! Viktor Krum!" Yes, Ronald, I bloody know!

"For heaven's sake, Ron, he's only a Quidditch player," said Hermione rolling her eyes.

"Only a Quidditch player?" Ron said, looking at her as though he couldn't believe his ears. "Hermione — he's one of the best Seekers in the world! I had no idea he was still at school!"

As they recrossed the entrance hall with the rest of the Hogwarts students heading for the Great Hall, I saw Lee Jordan jumping up and down on the soles of his feet to get a better look at the back of Krum's head. Several sixth-year girls were frantically searching making themselves neat and rolling up their skirts a little, making my lips form a disgusted scowl just looking at them.

"Really," Hermione said loftily as they passed the girls, now squabbling over the lipstick.

"I'm getting his autograph if I can," said Ron. "You haven't got a quill, have you, Lyra?"

"Nope, they're upstairs in my bag," I said quietly, as if disappointed, when in reality I wasn't.

Quidditch wasn't something I played just for the sake of fame, but it was a thing that gave me a sense of freedom which I never had, it helped me escape the clutches of everyone, it made me free, so, no, I didn't want to become some famous Quidditch player but it was a thing I did for myself. And myself only.

Krum and his fellow Durmstrang students were still gathered around it, apparently unsure about where they should sit.

The students from Beauxbatons had chosen seats at the Ravenclaw table. They were looking around the Great Hall with glum expressions on their faces. Three of them were still clutching scarves and shawls around their heads.

"It's not that cold," said Hermione defensively. "Why didn't they bring cloaks?"

"Over here! Come and sit over here!" Ron hissed. "Over here! Hermione, budge up, make a space —"

"What?"

"Too late," said Ron bitterly.

Viktor Krum and his fellow Durmstrang students had settled themselves at the Slytherin table.

Harry could see Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle looking slightly smug about this, despite their attempts to hide it.

"Yeah, that's right, smarm up to him, Malfoy," said Ron scathingly. "I bet Krum can see right through him, though . . . bet he gets people fawning over him all the time. . . . Where d'you reckon they're going to sleep? We could offer him a space in our dormitory. I wouldn't mind giving him my bed, I could kip on a camp bed."

I sat back, as Hermione and Ron chatted back and forth about their dislikes and taunts , times like this I just wanted to pull my hair at them. How pathetic are they?

Hermione snorted from beside me.

"They look a lot happier than the Beauxbatons lot," I said chiming in, knowing keeping quiet for a long time would raise a lot of questions and looks. Despite them being convinced that I was a quiet girl, which I really am, I am required to speak every once in a while.

The Durmstrang students were pulling off their heavy furs and looking up at the starry black ceiling with expressions of interest.

Up at the staff table, Filch, the caretaker, was adding chairs.

I was surprised to see that he added four chairs, two on either side of Dumbledore's, as Dumbledore liked to make himself in a position such a bloody King, he would always be on the highest step.