The Secret of Tom Riddle's Diary

Chapter Fifteen - Beauxbatons and Durmstrang

School started like it finished the year before for the students of Hogwarts. The familiar battle among the students to be the top student or the one who cared the least continued.  In Victoria’s year, the whispers were already clearly declaring her to be the smartest in her year.  The year started out well.  Haywood improved in her teaching skills in Potions and didn’t give random point losses for what she called cheating.  Victoria who barely understood Potions started to make some sense out of it thanks to the decent teaching.  Transfiguration continued to be a favorite of Victoria’s with Rosier teaching the course.

The real revelation was Defense against the Dark Arts.  But Victoria noticed how subtly Moody wasn’t really teaching Defense.  He was showing them the Dark Arts.  He had dared to demonstrate the three Unforgivables in the sight of everyone.  Many Gryffindors openly fainted.  Even a few Slytherins looked uncomfortable.  Victoria had to hold back the feeling to join in just to feel that euphoria again.

The time between the beginning of school and the arrival of the other two schools was spent getting a lay of the land for which adults were in the school.  She learned who did their rounds and when they did them by watching the Marauder’s Map. 

One thing she learned during her often visits to the Chamber of Secrets was that Bartemius Crouch was not so on the map – he was Mad Eye Moody.  Victoria nearly ran into him in the halls.  She had to forgo going out on his night.  That was clearly something she shared with Tom in the Diary. 

But soon the night of the arrival of the schools arrived.  One reason Victoria could tell was because the school had gone through an extra cleaning.  But most noticeable was the notice posted in the Common room.  Another reason was the complete lack of attention that each of the students gave to their lessons.  Victoria was relieved that she didn’t have the final hour for class so she could freshen up for the big event.

She was there bright and attentive in the second row watching and waiting for the schools to arrive.

The first to arrive were the students from Beauxbatons who arrived in a giant horse-drawn carriage pulled by a dozen winged horses the size of an elephant.

Next to arrive were the students from Durmstrang who arrived on a large boat that broke from the surface of Black Lake.  Among those to step off the boat with the Headmaster early to the great excitement of everyone was Viktor Krum.

After the students from the two visiting schools were ushered inside, the Hogwarts students were allowed back in.  While the boys and girls drooled over Viktor Krum, she sat smoothly at the table.  Soon, the Durmstrang students were sitting among them.  Viktor Krum was about half a table away from Victoria. 

A rich array of food was presented for the students and everyone had plenty.  Victoria looked around at the Staff table and noticed a few additional people.  Ethan who had monopolized her in the sight of all the foreign boys that he was afraid might steal his steady pointed out the new people.

“Obviously, you see Dumbledore, representing the English Wizengamot in this endeavor and Mr. Ludo Bagman the organizer of the tournament.  He was the announcer at the Quidditch Final,” he told her.

One the meal and desert had been served Albus Dumbledore stood up.

“Bring out the Goblet of Fire,” he said with a twinkle of the eye and a dramatic turn of his hand. 

A roughly hewn wooden cup was brought out of a wooden casket.  The cup looked pretty unimpressive except for the blue-white flames that danced on the top of that cup. 

“Let me introduce our organizer,” he said.  “Myself, I am serving as the representative of the Brittish Wizengamot and Mr Ludo Bagman, Head of the Department of Magical Games and sports.”