The Potions Master's Daughter

PART 2, Chapter 15: Durmstrang strangers

Alice, Blaise, and Daphne squeezed their way through the crowded entrance hall as students poured into the Great Hall where excited chatter and the sound of benches scraping the stone-lined floor filled the air. The group of Beauxbatons students, all looking about with slight displeasure, some still shivering, stood by the entrance to the Great Hall, apparently unsure where they should sit. Blaise scanned the small crowd and must've recognised some of them because his arm shot in the air and gave a small wave. 'I've got to say hi,' he explained, already on his way toward the blue-robed students. 'Save me a seat!'

Alice and Daphne shrugged and made their way to the Slytherin table where Draco and Theodore were both sitting on the edge of their seats. 'Can't believe it,' Theodore tapped his fingers rhythmically on the table as though playing an invisible piano, clearly unable to contain his excitement. 'We're this close to Krum!'

'They're staying here for the foreseeable future,' Daphne remarked, yawning, 'I bet you'll get plenty of opportunities to meet him.'

'Feels so strange having new students around,' Alice noted, looking about. 'Are they going to have classes with us...?'

Draco, up until this point busy half-standing, half-sitting, craning his neck to scan the Great Hall for Viktor Krum's whereabouts, finally plunked down on the bench and said, even though no one asked, 'Can't see him anywhere.'

'Draco,' Daphne said, taking a gulp out of her golden cup, 'I hate to say it but Krum is kind of mainstream.'

Theodore's eyes darted at her and he opened his mouth, seemingly to retort, but instead said, 'Yeah,' clearing his throat slightly as though forcing the words out of his throat, 'it's not that big of a deal, Draco.'

Draco looked at both of them with disbelief and then his gaze traveled at Alice, as though awaiting confirmation from her that the two had gone insane. But Alice said, 'Yeah, I'm more of a Wasps fan.'

'Wasps...?' Draco gaped at her and Daphne who nodded along in agreement, 'You're comparing the Wimbourne Wasps to the greatest seeker in the history of Quidditch?'

'Woah,' Theodore snickered, holding his hands up, 'I wouldn't go that far I think.'

But Draco shook his head, still struggling to believe what he was hearing. Meanwhile, the rest of the Slytherins joined them at the table, Pansy scooting over closer to Draco and giving him a smooch on the cheek, which seemed to appease him a bit.

The Beauxbatons students seemed to have taken a liking to the Ravenclaws and chose their table to sit at; perhaps it was the pale blue colours of their silk robes matching the inky Ravenclaw badges that enticed them. The Durmstrang group did a similar reconnaissance of the Great Hall. Alice, much like everyone else, observed Viktor Krum, the thick-browed, thin young man, the famed World Cup champion. Her gaze slid from Viktor to the man beside him, Karkaroff. His left arm was flung around Viktor, as though shielding him from nonexistent danger, and he kept leaning over to his ear and whispering something only the two of them could hear. Karkaroff's eyes scanned the Great Hall until at last, they landed on the Slytherin table. At that moment, he seemed to have made his decision. He gave Viktor a slight push in the Slytherins' direction, pointing at the house's table, and the rest of Durmstrang followed. Clearly, Karkaroff decided the company of Slytherins was the best fit for his precious student and his slightly less important schoolmates. He himself strode over to the teachers' table where he was greeted yet again by Dumbledore.

Despite what they said a few minutes ago, Alice and Daphne, much like the rest of the Slytherin table, couldn't help but feel somewhat star-struck in Krum's presence. Though he looked unassuming, something about him was extremely captivating; he had the aura of success and fame, even if the exterior didn't quite match it.