The Slytherin Princess

Chapter 18: Drumstrang and Beaubaxtons

On October 30th classes ended thirty minutes early to get ready for the arrival of students from Beauxbatons and Drumstrang. The class that ended early for me was potions and I was grateful. My relationship with Snape has been strained since that night. I still haven't gone to get blood yet and now two months without it is making me hungry. But I didn't know what to say to Snape, after all, he was right, I went a bit overboard over the break.

Unfortunately, Snape was the head of my house. And the heads were directing each house on where to stand at the entrance to the castle for the arrival of the other schools. Slytherin was organized into seven rows, each row was a different year. As the chaos that is getting teenagers to line up ensued I felt a hand on the small of my back.

I inhaled sharply. I couldn't think who would touch me in such an intimate way until I turned to see Blaise. We got pushed into line, his hand moving to wrap around my waist.

"You haven't talked to me in weeks, Now you're acting like my boyfriend." The rest of the houses have lined up now and we were just awaiting the arrival of the schools.

"I was calculating the chances of you killing me. I think it is low enough to risk it."

"Like you do anything involving math. Also, you're very brave to put your arm around a princess without her permission. Might want to rethink your calculations." I smiled. As we were talking a large carriage pulled by winged horses came soaring through the sky and landed in front of the castle. A large woman and about a dozen older students in light blue uniforms came out of the carriage.

"She's a half-giant," I whispered to Blaise and motioning to the large lady that came out of the carriage

"How can you tell?"

"When's the last time you've seen an eight-foot-tall human, besides she smells like Hagrid." As much as Blaise has gotten on my nerves in the past, I was enjoying having someone in Slytherin to talk to.

"I highly doubt that. She doesn't look like she works with animals and dirt." Blaise said.

"No not that. Her species scent. She smells like a giant, and so does Hagrid. But it is faint, so they are not full giants."

"You can smell species?" He sounded both shocked and amazed. "What do I smell like."

"Well besides the usual lavender soap and heavy cologne, which by the way is not doing you any favors, you smell like every other human here."

"Which is?"

"Anxiety and desperation." Before Blaise could retort with anything, everyone's attention shifted to the lake. The water started to swirl in the middle and a large ship rose out of the water. A couple of dozen students in thick furs came out of the ship.

"Thank goodness it's starting to get cold," Blaise muttered.

"Is that why your arm is still around my waist?" I was expecting some more banter with him, but his eyes were focused ahead, his mouth slightly ajar. I followed his eyes to a particularly important-looking Drumstrang boy. He seemed to be a leader among the other students.

"Oh my Gosh. It's Victor Krum." Several other people gasped in the crowd.

"Who?"

"Victor Krum, only the best Quidditch player in the major leagues."

"Ah, didn't realize you were such a fan. Now if you would stop gapping you would realize we are heading to the great hall for dinner."

Blaise snapped out of his trance and looked around to see the masses of students filing into the castle. We joined the masses and headed to the great hall. I went for my usual spot at the end of the Slytherin table. No one sat there so I didn't have to worry about people when I ate my meals.