Journey
„How was your journey?" asked Dumbledore politely. All teachers, including the three Headmasters, were standing near the entrance doors and waiting for the students to fill the Entrance Hall.
„It was fine. We had had some trouble with swimming ice on Barents's Sea, but then it went without problems."
„Iz it long such a journey by a ship?" asked Madam Maxime with interest.
„It takes more or less three days" said Karkaroff, wondering what was the point of that seemingly innocent question.
„So much?" said Maxime. Igor could hear the contempt in her voice. „Our took seizteen 'ours."
Karkaroff gritted his teeth. He had no intention of explaining to these ignorants how the whole teleportation system of such a big magical object worked and what were its stipulations and limits.
„It would be faster if ze direction of ze wind was better..." said Beauxbaton's Headmistress.
„I see... But for a sailboat only the lack of wind is not good," Karkaroff noticed coldly. „To be precise, the full speed of our ship is forty two knots."
„And what 'append if a sail tear off?"
„That is almost impossible." Now Karkaroff voice was icy. „But in such an impossible case we would have another set of sails. Anyhow, without sails the ship would not sink" he told Maxime with a smile both uncontous and amiable. „But I'm not quite sure that your carriage would stay in air if, of course, in a very unfortunately case, the abraxans would break off their harness by pulling it too hard... I have heard that they are rather whimsical."
Maxime didn't seem too pleased upon hearing those words but she wasn't able to find a suitable repartee. Dumbledore noticed that the conversation was heading in a wrong way altogether and decided it was time to intervene.
„Let's not stay outside. Step inside, please"
They stepped. But they also held off each other.
If Dumbledore wasn't an inveterate optimist he would think: „That's a rather nice way to start".