The great hall was bustling with energy, the tension almost making it hard to breathe. Buexbatons and Durmstrang students would soon be filling the hall and the long-awaited Tri-wizard tournament would commence. Harry thought Ron might explode next to him, he had been informing Harry of every one of Krum's quidditch triumphs until the arrival of said student, and now he seemed to be shaking with what was either excitement or a mixture of the twins new candy.
Buexbatons entered first in a dramatic show of charms as bewitched paper birds flew overhead, and the students of Hogwarts stared in awe at the blue-clad witches and wizards. Harry stared at Madam Maxime's nearly impossible hight with Hermione. The Buexbatons joined the Ravenclaw table and their headmistress joined the teachers at the front of the hall.
Durmstang took a different approach. The students marched in unison, using staffs to mark their approach. Every hit to the ground the staffs emanated sparks, and upon reaching the front of the hall, one student crouched down to blow feindfire out of his wand and above the heads of the Hogwarts students. Bringing up the rear was their headmaster and the famed Viktor Krum. Durmstrang was split between the Slytherin and Gryffindor table, with Krum saying that the lion table matched the Bulgarian crest.
"Harry it's the Viktor Krum! Sitting at our very table!" Ron nearly squealed.
"Vould that ve somebody talking avout me?" Krum turned to look at Harry and Ron, the red-heads face very close to matching his hair.
"Well, Ron would that be you talking about him? Harry said, enjoying not being the center of attention for a day.
Krum looked serious in everything he did, which is why everyone was shocked when he laughed at Ron's muttered threats at Harry for bringing down the attention on him. The twins were quick to inform him of Harry's Quidditch prowess, as well as the stunt that secured his spot on the team, and the two seekers were soon absorbed into their own conversation.
After Ron had recovered from the shock of being two people away from his idol, he found himself conversing with Dean, Seamus, and a Durmstrang girl named Anichka. She had a thick Russian accent that Ron struggled to understand without Deans help.
"Szo every house 'ere 'as a prizrak… ghoszt?" She asked, staring at nearly-headless nick, who was floating overhead.
Dean lit up at the topic, "Yeah! Sometimes Nick helps you with homework but its only useful for essays about the middle ages really. Still pretty interesting to hear about."
As the feast was drawing to a close Dumbledore brought out a large wooden goblet on a pedestal. Upon seeing it, even Harry and Krum quieted from their debate over dive techniques.
"Students, This goblet is how the champions will be decided. Simply write your name and enter it, but be warned… once you are chosen, there is no getting out."
Before anyone could wonder how, the goblet erupted in blue flames.
"Remember: you must be of age to enter, and I have cast an age line to ensure
that rule is followed. I wish you all well." Dumbledore disappeared with that and left the students to return to their dorms.
Viktor Krum and his friends decided that the Gryffindor common room sounded more comfortable than the ship, and followed Harry and Hermione past the portrait.
"Vow, thiz es very cozy!" Viktor said, walking around the plush armchairs.
Two of his friends, Sasha and Misha, raced to the chair placed in front of the fire, nearly sitting on top of each other with neither willing to move. The final two, Anachka and Ivan, took the couches; unfortunately for Neville- who was already sitting there.
Ivan looked at the shocked boy he had landed on. "Oh, vhy aren't you cute?"
Neville stuttered a bit, saying something about homework before rushing up to the dorms. Harry saw a dark blush over the boy's face.
The common room stayed full until late at night as it often does this early in the year. Everyone had questions for the foreign students. Viktor and Harry found themselves back into a conversation, this time not about the wonders of Quidditch. Instead, they found themselves comparing being a Quidditch champion to The Boy Who Lived™.
"Zo, you keep inzisting that you vere not powerful az dey say, but you defeated a bazalisk, a pozessed teacher, an army ovf dementors, and can produze a vully corporeal Patronus; the spell for which you learned vrom ah werewolve…"
"Yes."
Viktor stared at Harry in disbelief. This… child has gone through so much. Why has no one been protecting him better"
Viktor made a silent vow that Harry would be under his protection.
The common room stayed full for much of the night, influenced by Fred and Georges enthusiasm to have their candy tested by the two Russians, Anachka and Ivan, who found that if you combined everything in the skiving snack boxes and ate it all at once it can have very wild and varied results. The twins decide that further testing is needed for this revelation and the other Gryffindors were all too willing to try.
By the time Gryffindor tower settled down it was well past midnight and everyone was thankful that the start of classes would be delayed by the foreign student's arrival. Hermione found Harry asleep, leaning on Viktor. She said nothing but also didn't stop Colin Creevy from taking a picture from his hiding place behind a chair overturned by one of the Weasley's test subjects.