Chapter 126: Beauxbatons and Durmstrang
As the first week of term drew to a close, life in the new semester gradually settled into a routine. Jon had been quite busy these past two months.
Beyond his regular classes, he spent considerable time studying extra subjects in the Room of Requirement, went to Snape's office every few days to help process various potion ingredients, and... fended off Natalie’s advances...
The last part wasn’t easy—especially when you didn’t want to bruise a young girl’s pride.
...
Time flew by... One day in late October, the entire school received an important announcement:
"The Triwizard Tournament is about to commence:
Representatives from Beauxbatons and Durmstrang will arrive at 6:00 PM on Friday, October 30th.
Afternoon classes will end half an hour early—"
For the next week, the entire student body had only one topic: the Triwizard Tournament.
Rumors spread quickly, filling every corner of the castle... Who would be chosen as Hogwarts' Champion? What events would the tournament feature? How were the students from Beauxbatons and Durmstrang different from them?
The castle underwent a thorough cleaning... grimy statues were moved to out-of-the-way corners, and filthy portraits were scrubbed clean.
All of Hogwarts looked almost brand new. Whenever Mr. Filch, the castle caretaker, spotted a student daring to track in mud, he would fly into a rage... then seize a mop and scrub the spot meticulously.
The entire school was in its final rush of preparations for the tournament.
...
On the morning of October 30th, as they stepped out of their common rooms and headed to the Great Hall for breakfast, they found it had been completely redecorated overnight.
Huge silk banners hung along the walls, each representing a Hogwarts house: A golden lion on red for Gryffindor; a bronze eagle on blue for Ravenclaw; a black badger on yellow for Hufflepuff; and a silver serpent on green for Slytherin.
Behind the teachers’ table hung the largest banner of all, bearing the Hogwarts crest: lion, eagle, badger, and serpent entwined around a large letter H.
All day long, students were unusually excited in lessons... Even in Professor McGonagall’s Transfiguration class, some dared to whisper about the impending tournament.
Only a handful kept their attention on the lesson. Even the usually strict Professor Minerva McGonagall turned a blind eye today.
The bell rang half an hour early. Jon returned to the Hufflepuff common room with Zacharias Smith and Steve Lucas.
Following Professor Sprout’s earlier instructions, they set down their bags and textbooks, put on their robes, and gathered in the entrance hall.
The Heads of House were ordering their students into neat lines.
“Hannah, don’t wear such flashy decorations on your head!” Professor Sprout admonished Hannah Abbott, asking her to remove her headpiece; then she drew her wand and smoothed Zacharias Smith’s messy hair into place.
“Follow me, everyone!” Professor Sprout said, giving the formation a satisfied once-over.
...
Students from all four houses were lined up in front of the castle. Jon let out a yawn as he glanced at his watch.
According to the notice, the students from Beauxbatons and Durmstrang were due to arrive promptly at six o’clock. Unfortunately, it was already a quarter past six...
I guess flaking really is one of humanity’s constants—even the wizarding world isn’t immune.
The sky was dimming and the temperature was dropping... Jon checked his watch again—nearly half past six... A chill crept over him. He’d been careless and hadn’t brought extra layers...
Many first-years in the front rows were shivering—whether from cold or excitement, he couldn’t tell.
“If I’m not mistaken, the representative from Beauxbatons has arrived!” Professor Dumbledore’s voice rang out from the rear of the crowd.
At the same time, a massive pale-blue carriage came flying toward them. It was nearly the size of a house, drawn through the air by twelve winged, silver-maned horses, each almost as large as a poor elephant.
The carriage settled gently onto the ground. On its doors was the crest of Beauxbatons Academy of Magic: two golden wands crossed, each tip emitting three stars.
A woman nearly Hagrid’s size stepped down from the carriage... Madame Olympe Maxime of Beauxbatons Academy of Magic.
Dumbledore gracefully kissed Madame Maxime’s hand—without needing to bend at all.
More than a dozen students in their late teens disembarked and lined up behind Madame Maxime... there were noticeably fewer boys than girls.
Dumbledore stood on tiptoe, speaking with the stooping Madame Maxime...
Students from both schools sized each other up, whispering.
Jon checked his watch again... It was already 6:45.
Apparently, when it came to tardiness, Karkaroff and Durmstrang were masters of the craft.
His stomach rumbled, but he didn’t have to wait long. A strange sound rose from the depths of Black Lake—a muffled rumble, like a gigantic submarine stirring beneath the surface...
A great vessel drifted up from the lakebed and docked at the shore... On one side was engraved the emblem of Durmstrang Wizarding School: a double-headed eagle and a stag’s head, with the school’s name in Cyrillic letters.
Over a dozen Durmstrang students in heavy fur cloaks stepped out of the hold.
At their head, a white-haired old man with a goatee shook Dumbledore’s hand warmly.
He looked to be Igor Karkaroff!
As the Durmstrang group approached, a small stir ran through the Hogwarts crowd. Clearly, someone had recognized the Durmstrang student behind Karkaroff—none other than Bulgarian national team member and famed European Seeker Viktor Krum.
...
Jon finally let out a breath.
Once Dumbledore, Madame Maxime, and Karkaroff finished their pleasantries, they could at last return to the warm Great Hall.
Jon checked his watch one last time. It was exactly seven o’clock—precisely an hour late.
After waiting all this time, it was finally time to eat!
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