Harry Potter walked into Kingsley Shacklebolt's office holding a copy of the latest issue of the Daily Prophet.
"Have you seen this? It is another unfounded rumour about Krum. Who is doing this? I want to get to the bottom of it. May I take Alastor with me? I may need to talk to some of the Quidditch teams as well. I'll get Gin to see who on the Brit teams might know something."
Kingsley took the paper and clenched it in his fist. "This is libel, Harry. Anyone who fought in the war knows Viktor was a hero. He worked tirelessly to smuggle Muggle-born children out to safe havens in Bulgaria and fought in the last battle valiantly. Whoever is doing this has a personal vendetta against him. Have you talked to Hermione about it? Send her an owl. Better yet, I'll send her an owl. I don't know what happened between them, but I know she won't take kindly that someone is libelling her husband. She has got to come back and stand by him. We all have to stand by him."
Just then, an agitated Alastor Moody barged into the office holding the same page of the paper.
"What the bloody effing hell are we going to do about this? That boy did nothing wrong and is being vilified in this idiotic rag. I am using the Floo to Bulgaria, you coming with me, Potter?" He asked.
Harry nodded at Kingsley, then followed Alastor to the Floo receptacles in the main hallway. He heard Alastor say 'Viktor Krum residence, Sofia, Bulgaria.'
Harry followed Alastor into the Floo and they were transported to a rustic house in the foothills outside of Sofia. Viktor was sitting hunched over on the sofa, his head in his hands. He barely looked up when they arrived, but made an effort when he saw Harry.
His voice was strained as he said, "Potter, have you come to arrest me? I have been put on suspension from the team until this is investigated. I am thinking my Quidditch career is finished. Come, both of you. Sit, I will bring coffee."
He disappeared into the kitchen for a few minutes and returned with a carafe of hot water and the makings of Turkish coffee.
Harry sat across from Viktor in the easy chair in front of the fireplace. He desperately wanted to assure his friend that they were there to disprove these scurrilous stories. He cupped the scalding hot cup in his hands and looked directly at his crestfallen friend.
"We didn't come here to arrest you, Vik. We're here to find out who is behind this and stop them. Alastor and I are going to investigate these stories and put a stop to them. We both know what you did in the war and it sure as hell wasn't collaborating with the Dark Lord. You go get some sleep and let us worry about things for right now. Have you talked to Hermione, or should I ask?"
Just then, the Floo expelled another visitor into the room. Hermione Granger Krum dusted herself off and glared at both Harry and Alastor. "What exactly are you doing to my husband, Harry James Potter? He is innocent of everything in that story. You ought to know that, you helped organize what he did during the war." She went to sit next to Viktor and continued to glare at her old friends.
"Easy, lass, we're here to help him. Harry, Kingsley, and I are determined to find out who and why these libels are being printed and circulated this long after the war. We know what kind of man Viktor is. We just need to remind the rest of the folks that he saved all of the Muggle-born children in England during the war. The fact that he was so modest about it did not help. Now, you get him sobered up and off to bed and the three of will put our heads together and figure out just what is what around here." Alastor told her very bluntly.
Hermione relaxed and managed to get Viktor to agree to go back to bed. While she was attending to him, Harry sent a message to Kingsley through the Floo.
"Arrived on scene. Hermione here. Suggest you have Neville bring in the editor of the Prophet to ask where he is getting his stories. Will let you know if we find out anything."
Hermione Diggory said:
5. A series of extremely negative articles about Viktor have been popping up in the international media. An old friend turns up to help him sort things out.
6. The couple of your choice, a picnic basket, Shakespeare, a body of water