THE BOY I ONCE REMEMBERED ▸ [ D. M A L F O Y ]

eight

(As always thank you to esther for beta-ing these chapters!!!!)

"Do y'reckon they'll be apparating?"

"Seamus, I already told you," I laughed, "You can't apparate onto the grounds."

"Well, how are they getting here then? On bloody brooms?"

I couldn't answer his question. All the students were gathered on the front fields of Hogwarts, anxiously awaiting the arrival of Beauxbatons and Durmstrang. Given that we barely knew where the schools were located, none of us could figure out how they'd be arriving.

"Oi! What's that?"

I lifted my head at Neville's eager words. A massive blur of black had appeared in the sky, quickly coming closer. When it finally came into proper view, I could see the magnificent cluster of giant black horses, drawing three different carriages.

The mass landed on the ground gracefully, now looking much bigger than it had in the sky. A moment passed before a woman stepped out-

Well, that explained the giant horses.

"Madame Maxine! Welcome!" Dumbledore stepped forward, holding out his hand to help her; arms the same size as his fingers.

Madame Maxine let out a huff, "Ello Dumbly-dore! Theez are my students-"

Long lines of blue exited the carriages; all students in neat, periwinkle uniforms. All of them held curt smiles as they examined the grounds, though we could all tell their immediate distaste.

Seamus snorted next to me. "Why do they all look like they have something stuck up their arse-"

A large popping sound echoed through the air, turning all attention to the great lake. Massive bubbles were forming at the surface, heavy clouds of steam trickling out.

What seemed to be a long, black pole began to rise slowly out of the whirlpool of bubbles- and then I saw the rigging-

"It's a mast!" A sixth year called out from behind us.

Slowly, magnificently, the ship rose out of the black water. It was strangely skeletal, though obviously made incredibly. Finally, with a large splash, it fully emerged from the water. A second later the sound of a thrown anchor and a tossed plank sounded, and the ship began to stabilize. Durmstrang had arrived.

Equally neat lines of students started down the plank, though their orderliness was the only thing similar to the Beauxbatons group. Compared to the light, feminine air radiating from the latter, Durmstrang's energy was potently masculine. Every one of the boys were clothed in robes of dark fur, all looking much more built than any of the guys at Hogwarts. Even Crabbe and Goyle looked like unathletic fools in comparison.

"Dear old Hogwarts." The bearded man leading them said smiling, yellowed teeth clearly visible. His lopsided grin didn't match his eyes, which still looked eerily cold. "How good it is to be here, how good... Viktor, come along.. You don't mind, Dumbledore, Viktor has a bit of a head cold."

"Seamus- Seamus It's Krum!"

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"I don't believe it!"

That was probably the twenty-seventh time I'd heard Ron Weasley say those words, though I hardly blamed him for it. Ninety percent of the male Hogwarts population was buzzing in awe at the appearance of the famous Quidditch player, Viktor Crum. The girls at Hogwarts (myself included) weren't any better, gawking at the Durmstrang students for entirely different reasons.