I'm not J K Rowling, and I don't own anything- I could cry :(


It all started on my first day at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

Now, I was the first one on my dad's side of the family to go to Hogwarts; the famous Victor Krum had been to Durmstrang and had protested loudly when my mother announced I would be going to Hogwarts instead. In her defence, I had spent my entire life in England and there seemed little point in journeying half way across Europe to go to school when the best magical academy in the world was a mere train ride away.

So Dad had given in grudgingly and my mother won, something which she was incredibly smug about. My Mum was Katie Bell, also an ex- Quidditch player whom my father had met when he spent a season playing for the Montrose Magpies some twenty or so years ago. They're both retired now obviously. Dad left Puddlemore United in his early thirties and by that time I'd been born so he stuck around in England instead of going back to Bulgaria; he's Deputy Head of the Department of Magical Games and Sports now. Mum retired at a similar time and went on to edit Quidditch Weekly.

So I think it's fair to say that I, Alex Krum, have been brought up surrounded by the best game in the magical world. And now I'm heading to Hogwarts where the rule banning first years from the teams has been removed. It is going to be amazing, after all, who could be better at Quidditch than me?!


My parents take me to King's Cross on the morning of 1st September, both of them more nervous than me. I think Dad still wishes I was going to Durmstrang instead.

The first time I walk through the magical barrier, I close my eyes and brace myself to crash head first into a brick wall. Of course, I simply appear in front of a scarlet train billowing thick smoke, but it's still odd to think about what just happened.

Get a grip, I tell myself, you're a witch for God's sake.

Parents and students are milling around the platform, hugging and kissing one another and chasing after escaped pets. My heart pounds slightly at the sight of so many people I don't know. They'll be friendly won't they?

'Ooh, there's Angelina!' says Mum suddenly and leads us over to where her close friend, Angelina, is standing with her daughter, Roxanne.

I breathe a sigh of relief upon seeing them. Roxanne and I are the same age and have always gotten on well, having seen quite a lot of each other whilst growing up because of our Mums' friendship.

'Hey,' grins Roxanne, also grasping a broomstick and not looking remotely worried. What I wouldn't give for her relaxed nature.

'Hi,' I say, trying not to show just how scared I am, 'Looking forward to it?'

She nods enthusiastically, 'Of course! I've been dying to go ever since Fred started last year!'

Ah, talk of the devil and he shall appear.

Fred Weasley swaggers (that is the only way to describe it) over to us, accompanied by a tall boy with rather unruly dark hair.

'Ooh, you're starting as well, are you Alex?' Fred laughs.

Honestly, the boy's only a second year! That's almost as bad as being a first year.

'Yes,' I snap.

'Touchy!' he laughs and then turns to his companion, 'James, this is Alex. Alex this is James.'

Ah of course. James Potter, one of the vast numbers of Roxanne and Fred's cousins. I've met his brother, Al, a couple of times when I've been at Roxanne's, but never James.

James grins rather wickedly, 'Another newbie? I hope you're prepared for the sorting.'

'What, sticking an old hat on my head? I think I'll survive.'

James and Fred exchange equally evil grins, and James continues, 'No, that's how they did it in the old days. Now you have to wrestle a troll, they bring one in from the mountains especially for the first years.'

'There's always at least one death,' says Fred, deadly seriously.

'Shut up!' says Roxanne, looking slightly less calm herself now.

'Ah the old troll story,' comes a laughing voice from behind us, 'I used to terrify Ron with that one.'

'No you did not!' snaps an irritated voice.

Roxanne and Fred's father, George, has appeared, accompanied by a group of adults and children, that I immediately realise contains the famous Harry Potter, as well as Albus and who must be Ginny and Lily. Also amongst them is a tall ginger man (no doubt another uncle), a big haired woman and two children.

From my left, Dad muffles a snigger and holds his hand out to Harry, who shakes it warmly.

'Hello, Victor,' says the woman with all the hair, 'I've not seen you at the Ministry for a while. Ooh, hello Katie, Angelina.'

The tall man who must be her husband merely glares at my Dad. Judging from my father's expression, the dislike must be a mutual feeling.

'I think it's time to get on the train,' says Harry Potter, glancing down at a battered watch on his wrist.

Of course there's then a long procession of hugs. My parents both hug me at least three times each and make me promise to write and tell them how Quidditch try-outs go. Then I find myself being hugged by Angelina before James and Fred evidently tire of the performance and shepherd us all onto the train.

'Come on, little first years, you'll be fine.'

Okay this James guy is really starting to irritate me, Harry Potter's son or not.

After lugging numerous trunks and- most importantly- broomsticks down the corridor, we find an empty compartment and collapse into it. Roxanne sits next to me, Al sits opposite and the daughter of the other two adults on the platform sits next to him. Fred and James loll in the window seats and start talking about the Quidditch try-outs that are sure to be held within the week.

'Hello,' says the unknown girl to me, 'I'm Rose Weasley.'

I smile at her, 'Hi, I'm Alex Krum.'

The conversation from the window side of the compartment breaks off.

'Hold on a minute,' demands James suddenly, 'Krum? As in Victor Krum's daughter?'

'Honestly, James,' sighs Roxanne impatiently, 'You know I'm friends with her. And Victor Krum was standing next to us on the platform for God's sake!'

'I didn't notice,' he says, looking slightly dazed.

Then a slightly horror struck look passes over his features. He turns to me quickly, 'What position do you play?'

I raise an eyebrow, 'Seeker, of course.'

He swears and exchanges a significant look with Fred.

Fred turns to me, 'What house do you think you'll be in?'

I shrug, 'Hopefully Gryffindor, maybe Ravenclaw.'

'So we could be playing with you or against you,' muses Fred, looking deep in thought as though plotting a coup.

'With her?' splutters James, 'I'm trying out for Seeker! She's not going to get it!'

'You might not get it either,' points out Al, 'Dominique's undefeated as Gryffindor Seeker, and she's a third year while you're only a second year.'

James glares at his brother and then at me.

Great, I've been on the train for five minutes and have apparently already started a feud with the oldest Potter child.

'Well, if I am in Gryffindor,' I say, placing a big emphasis on if, 'Then we'll both have to try out and the best one of us will get it.'

'Is that a challenge?' he asks, raising his eyebrows.

'Erm, no, not really-'

'Because I accept!' he says dramatically, and with that he flounces out of the compartment, quickly followed by Fred.

'What the hell is wrong with him?'

'We've all wondered that for years,' says Al.

Ignoring the James Potter factor, the journey to Hogwarts is great fun. Roxanne, Al and Rose are all easy to get along with and we spend most of the train ride discussing the sorting.

'I just have to be in Gryffindor,' declares Roxanne, 'Dad and Fred will never forgive me if I'm not.'

'Same,' mutters Rose, 'Although Ravenclaw would be alright.'

In a way I feel sort of lucky that only one side of my family has been to Hogwarts. There's definitely no pressure on me to get in a certain house. Mum was in Gryffindor but her own mother was in Ravenclaw and her father was in Hufflepuff. So whatever house I'm put in, I'm sure it'll be fine. Even if I end up in the dreaded Slytherin, it still wouldn't be as bad as one of the houses at Durmstrang, which according to my father, every single member of has spent time in Azkaban.

'What do you think Al?' I ask.

'I just know I'm going to end up in Slytherin.'

'I'm sure you won't,' says Rose sympathetically, 'And if you do, we won't disown you or anything.'

Roxanne looks sceptical at this.


The Sorting Ceremony starts pretty much as soon as we get to the castle (after having practically swam through the lake) and when my name is called I hear several whispers about my father.

Yes, he's Victor Krum! I want to shout. Honestly, why are people so interested? Two of Harry Potter's sons are here, surely that's more fascinating than the daughter of a couple of Quidditch players?

Brilliantly, I am placed in Gryffindor as soon as the hat touches my head, and I go and sit at the long table. Unfortunately, I find myself sitting close to James who does not look happy that I am in his house.

'Welcome to Gryffindor,' says a slightly pompous, older girl next to me, holding out her hand.

'Thanks.'

'I'm Lucy Weasley, Head Girl, of course. You must be Alex Krum? Roxanne's told me all about you. I hope you'll be joining the Quidditch team?'

I glance at James who is glaring daggers at me.

'Yes, I will be,' I say confidently.

'Brilliant, just brilliant. We're hoping to make it four years in a row that we've won the cup. You see, the Head Boy is a Slytherin and we have a bet that-'

She's cut off by the Sorting Hat's proclamation.

Sitting under the hat which has just screamed 'Slytherin' is a very resigned looking Albus Potter. The hall is silent.

'Jesus,' mutters James, 'I was only joking with him. I thought he'd be in Gryffindor for sure.'

Head Girl Lucy also looks mildly appalled, but quickly recovers herself and starts talking about school unity.

Poor Al, I think as I watch him take a seat at the Slytherin table next to a blond boy who had been sorted just before him.

A few minutes later and I was joined at the Gryffindor table by Roxanne and Rose, both who look extremely relieved.

'Oh I feel so bad for Al,' mutters Rose, 'Everyone from both sides of his family have been in Gryffindor.'

'He might enjoy Slytherin,' I suggest.

James looks appalled, 'Don't be ridiculous Krum.'

Oh so we're no longer on first name terms now that I might get the Quidditch position he wants, are we?

'Shut up, Potter.'


Quidditch try-outs were held the first Sunday after we arrived, and what with all the new classes to get used to, I'd had no time to fly since I'd been here. I could only hope that neither had James.

The Gryffindor Captain is Ryan Wood, a burly sixth year who also plays Keeper. I assume he was the son of Oliver Wood, a guy who had played Keeper for Puddlemore United at the same time that my Dad was Seeker there. From the serious look of Ryan, I doubt very much that he would favour family friends though.

There's a big crowd trying out, although most of them have clearly hardly flown before. I hang back with Roxanne as we are all split into groups and made to fly around the pitch. Half of the applicants are sent back to the castle there and then.

'Okay!' shouts Ryan loudly pointing at various areas of the pitch, 'I want everyone who wants to try out for Chaser over there. All the Beaters over here and the Seekers down there.'

There were loud protests from a pretty blonde girl who looked a couple of years older than me.

'I've told you, Dominique, everyone has to do the try-outs, even current team members!' yells Ryan.

Dominique flounces over to where me and the rest of the Seeker wannabes are standing and pouts at Ryan.

There are only five of us trying for Seeker. Me, James, Dominique, a skinny boy who must be at least a sixth year and a girl I recognise as being in fourth year. The last two are out of the running within minutes, having been soundly out flown by us three.

James can definitely fly. He's going to be a real challenge to beat.

After having seen us do laps, Ryan mounts his own broom and flies up to meet us, 'Okay, guys, I'm going to throw these golf balls around. It's quite simple, whoever catches the most wins the position.'

I move a few feet away from him and lose myself in the moment, focusing entirely on the small white ball in his hand.

His wrist flexes and the ball goes soaring through the air… right into James' outstretched hand.

'Well done, Potter,' says Ryan, eying James, 'Inherited the family talent, I see.'

I scowl, family talent?! Don't make me laugh.

I catch the next ball, then James again, then Dominique, then me, then Dominique. We're all pretty evenly matched, I must admit. Dominique is a great flier, although I notice she's quite conventional, she doesn't look like she'd throw herself off her broom or go into a Wronski Feint to catch the Snitch.

I lose count of the amount we've all caught by the time Ryan produces the final golf ball. Am I ahead, or is James?

James looks pretty smug but then from what I've seen this past week he's always like that, so it doesn't necessarily mean that he's in the lead.

I have to catch this one, though.

The ball flies out of Ryan's hand and curves through the air as if in slow motion. I see James twist his broom, I mirror his movements. We're both hurtling towards the falling ball and then, suddenly, our handles collide, knocking us both of course. He flips over the font of his broom, I slip off mine and soon we're lying in a crumpled heap on the pitch.

Dominique lands next to us, smugly clasping the final golf ball in her hand.

Ryan appears above us, frowning.

'You two are great fliers, no doubt about it. You're both Chasers. But if I have a single incident of you two not cooperating like a team then you're both out.'

And with that he goes over to congratulate the grinning Dominique on winning back the position of Seeker.

I untangle myself from James and clamber to my feet.

He glares at me, 'This is all your fault, Krum.'

Great.


Okay so what did you think about the first chapter? Please review and let me know!

Oh, I know that I'm half way through writing a Rose/ Scorpius story as well, but I'm a bit stuck on where to go with that, and I've had this idea in my head for a while. But they'll probably be some Scorose in here as well ;)

Anyway, the next chapter's going to skip forward to Alex's sixth year and James' seventh (when Dominique will have left…) so there's not going to be loads of boring chapters about their first few years and hopefully it'll get more interesting.

Oh and sorry if Katie Bell and Victor Krum getting together is just a bit too random for you! Haha

Please review! :)