The Years of Blue [2]

Chapter 43: Malfoy the Ferret

We had made it to the Friday of our third week at Hogwarts, and the first task was drawing near. The buildup of excitement was expressed everywhere we went. People were getting used to the three different schools, and so interactions between uniforms became more prominent. Ana had been the first to make a friend from Durmstrang, followed closely by Mila who was never far behind.

How the pair could make friends with Durmstrang boys when they were always with us was a mystery.

Jacqueline, Gisele and I had Potions for our last class of the day, and were told to meet the rest of the group in the courtyard afterwards.

"I bet we're meeting Ana and Mila's friend today," Gisele joked, casting her gaze at two Durmstrang boys in their grey uniforms walking ahead of us. Jacqueline and I exchanged looks before breaking into smiles.

We turned the corner where the open windows looking into the courtyard cast sunlight onto the stone hall, illuminating a glimpse of familiar red hair in a Gryffindor uniform.

Ginny didn't see me at first as she was listening intently to a Ravenclaw boy with dark features who I did not recognize. When she did look up to laugh, she caught me staring, and quickly waved, her blushing cheeks betraying her.

Making a mental note to ask her about this boy later, I simply waved back and kept walking.

Mila and Rosalie were waiting for us near the left entrance to the courtyard, where Ana stood only a few feet away, talking intently to three Durmstrang boys that towered over her. Following Gisele, Jacqueline and I slowly marched forward and joined Mila and Rosalie. Mimicking polite smiles, the group of us joined Ana and the new faces as they turned.

"Girls," Ana said in French, stepping forward. "This is Ivan that I've told you about," she motioned to the shortest of the lot, who wasn't that short at all. Ivan had quick set eyes that sunk into his head and a tough jaw line that made his profile striking. Unlike his friends, Ivan had a buzz cut like that of Viktor Krum.

His other friends, Aleksi and Ivo, weren't as striking, noted with Ivo's weak jawline that made his face fall flat and the other having a nose far too big for his face. But while Ivo was pained with a receding hairline in his future, Aleksi had a full head of dark hair that curled in the back.

After taking a once over of the three, all I could think of was how Ana and Mila managed to get into a conversation with them. I turned out of habit to tell Marie but saw only Gisele beside me. Where was Marie?

"You speak French?" Gisele questioned, taken aback as Ivan grinned confidently, mid-conversation. His two friends looked on completely oblivious to what was going on making this entire conversation awkward. All I wanted to do was abandon ship. Attractive foreign exchange students would be one thing, but these three were not that. And I saw no reason to keep my attention on them when I could be doing something much more worth my while.