PART FOUR:
VALJA SOKOLOVA KRUM
Ekatrine and Viktor Krum sat in the library. Christmas was soon to come, and Viktor had invited Ekatrine to spend the time with him and his mother. Ekatrine had accepted, and even Karkaroff didn't seem to mind. As far as he knew, Krum still thought Ekatrine was a guy.
"The final game will happen after Christmas," he sighed, looking out the window at the heavy snowflakes.
She was scratching away on a History of War paper for Vasska. So far, Krystof was the only student anyone remembered the Professor favoring. He liked the fact that Krystof was gutsy and never hesitated to ask a question, no matter how dumb it sounded.
"We've been practicing very hard," she said slowly, trying to concentrate on the turns of her quill. Viktor had insisted that she learn Bulgarian on her own, and the spell only be used during lessons. Even though the Russian alphabet was very similar to the Bulgarian one, she was still having troubles adjusting.
He leaned over, trying to read what she had written. "I don't understand…when did Ivan the Great die? Why?"
"Ivan the Terrible," she replied. "And if you don't understand it, you should read your book."
"I don't have time," he insisted. "And besides, you used the wrong word…that's Ivan the Great. This is Ivan the Terrible."
"If I have time, so do you," she said, fixing the mistake.
Krum grunted, "I don't understand why we're doing Russian Muggle history, anyways…this doesn't even have anything to do with us!"
"Ivan the Terrible wasn't a Muggle," she replied. "You would know that if you had read the chapter."
He rolled his eyes at her and sighed, once again looking out the window and into the storm. "What does it matter? Today is our last day of lessons for the term. Besides, I don't think Professor Vasska would mind if I didn't turn in the essay…"
"He would mind, trust me."
"If you didn't turn in yours, he'd be upset at the rest of us for actually doing it," Krum replied, thinking. "Why not give me your essay?" He grinned.
She kicked him under the table and he snickered.
"I was just saying…"
"Vik!"
"Shhh!" snapped the librarian as Alex hurried across the room and to the two boys.
"What, Alex?" Viktor asked softly.
Alex flopped down into a chair and said, "This just came for you. It's from Hermoine!"
Viktor's eyebrows shot up, and he slowly accepted the roll of parchment from his friend, who in turn, tried to read the letter over Viktor's shoulder.
Ekatrine waited patiently as her friend read the note.
"She says she's going to come visit me," Viktor said slowly. He lifted his eyes to Ekatrine, who carefully kept her face emotionless. "She wants to spend her Holiday with me."
"Awe, Vik," Alex said with a half-grin. "That's so sweet."
"I already promised Ekatrine she could spend her Holiday with me, though," he said, emphasizing the English word.
Here, Alex's face grew even brighter. "Do 'em both!"
Ekatrine kicked him in the shin.
"OUCH!"
"SHHHH!"
"Sorry," Ekatrine said. "Slipped."
"Slipped my a—"
"Shut up, potato-brain," hissed Viktor, glancing over at the librarian, who was now scowling at them, his wand raised. "Or you'll get us into trouble!"
Alex was rubbing his shin, his eyes narrowed. "Krys started it."
"I told you," she replied coolly, "I slipped."
"Whatever," grumbled the other Beater. He turned to Krum and asked, "So, are you going to tell her she can come?"
"I…don't know," admitted Viktor. "I mean, I did invite her up last summer…but she never came…"
"You should," said Krystof. "I want to meet her."
"Yeah," said Alex. "I remember her…she was…interesting. Hey, Krum, when are you going to introduce us to Ekatrine, anyhow?"
Krum's face turned red. "I thought you were too drunk to remember," he admitted.
"Nah," replied Alex, winking at Krystof. "Never too drunk to forget. So when do we get to see this so-called better-looking-than-a-Veela girl?"
"How about today, Krum?"
"Today?" Krum asked, staring at Ekatrine like she was mad.
"Yeah!" said Alex, sounding excited. "Right after classes!"
"Will you three be quiet!" whispered the librarian, his wand sending a zap of sparks in their direction.
"Sorry," whispered Ekatrine in return. She turned back to Krum and said very softly, "Yeah, today. Down in Varna. We can Disapperate there and back."
Krum looked at her very carefully, as though waiting to see if she was pulling a huge prank on him. "You don't know how to Disapperate."
"It's okay. One of you guys can take me along for the ride," she grinned.
"Alright," Alex replied, his voiced forced into a hush. "After classes. See you then." He stood up and left, the librarian smacking his wand against the palm of his other hand, his eyes narrowed at the burly boy.
Krum turned onto Krystof. "Are you mad?"
"Yeah, sort of," she replied with a grin.
"Krys," he said, forcing the name out instead of her real one, "you can't be…" he lowered his voice until she could barely hear it, "…you can't be in two places in one time!"
She shrugged, leaning back and stretching her arms. "I don't intend to be there as…well…this." She motioned at herself as a man. "I intend to feign sick, and then show up as me."
Even then Krum didn't look too pleased. "Did you ever consider that someone might be waiting for you to show up in Varna so they can tell You-Know-Who where you're at?"
"I'll wear a disguise," she replied with a light shrug. "No big."
"No big?" Krum asked, disbelieving. "No big? Ekat—Krystof, you can't do that!"
"Why not? Look, Krum, everything will be fine. I promise."
Krum shook his head. "No. I won't risk it. We can tell him the weather's too bad."
"But Krum, if the weather's too bad, then it's too bad for any…you know…to be around. They wouldn't travel this far, even bother to Apperate, this far from—"
"No," Krum replied coldly. "And that's final."
Looking annoyed, Ekatrine lifted her wand, whispered, "Languino," and pulled her quill up from the table. She hunched over and continued to work.
Krum sighed and rubbed his temples. He knew Ekatrine was stubborn—very stubborn—but he was not going to let her risk her life just to show off and be a girl around Alex and the others.
After a few moments, Ekatrine stood up. "Ready?"
Krum raised an eyebrow, but stood up as well. He and Krystof walked down the hallway. They had become well known throughout the institute as best friends—one was never without the other.
"Mr. Krum," a younger classman said, nervously approaching the two boys. He shifted his eyes to Ekatrine and said with a shaky voice, "Mr. U-Uriov…I…" he swallowed. Ekatrine saw by the mark on his robes that he was from Mumblewarts. "IwaswonderingifIcouldhaveanautographfrombothofyou." After he had stopped speaking, both Krum and Krystof exchanged looks.
"Could…could you repeat that a bit slower?" Ekatrine asked.
The boy took in a deep breath, obviously a second year. "I-was-wondering-if-I-could-have-an-autograph-from-both-of-you."
Krum was already pulling out parchment and a quill, but Ekatrine couldn't help but ask, "Why from me, too?"
"Because…you're Krum and Uriov. Not just Krum, not just Uriov, but Krum and Uriov. You two are the best!" he said quickly.
"What's your name?" Krum asked.
The boy stuttered it so quickly that Krum had to ask again. This time, he said it much slower, pronouncing it very carefully, "Casimir. Casimir Ivanov."
Krum wrote out a To Casimir Ivanova from Viktor Krum and handed the parchment to Ekatrine. He smirked, watching as she wrote out, and Krystof Uriov.
She then handed it back to the second year, who took it with shaking hands. His eyes were wide as he read the still glittering ink. He then said a quick, "Thankyou!" and disappeared down the hallway.
Ekatrine and Krum headed off once again for their lesson with Vasska. "Do they ask you a lot?"
"No," Krum replied, mulling something over in his mind. "But he is right."
"About what?"
"I'm not just Viktor Krum anymore. When the boys here see me, they expect to see you, too," he smiled. "I've become a Viktorn'Krystof, or Krumn'Uriov. So have you."
Ekatrine considered this as well. Finally she admitted, "Cool."
Krum nodded and then said, "The Quidditch World Cup agents are looking for a few new players this year for the Vratsa Vultures…maybe you could try out for Beater."
She couldn't help but laugh. "Now I know you're insane. I'm not going to try out for a National Quidditch Team!"
"Why not? You're a good player. You could make the team, and we could practice more together…" he smiled and added, "Besides, it's not like my idea's any more insane than yours."
"What are you talking about?"
"The whole Oh, yes Viktor! Do introduce us to your Ekatrine! deal," he replied with a scowl.
She laughed. "Oh, that. Well, I figure if I'm going to meet Hermoine, at least I should see what the guys think of me compared to her."
"Wait a minute," Viktor said, stopping, "you're jealous!"
Ekatrine rolled her eyes. "I don't get jealous, Krum."
He was grinning.
Ekatrine glowered at him, though she couldn't help but like the smile on his face. "Stop it."
"I don't believe it!" he said. "Krystof Uriov, jealous? It just cannot be!"
A few sixth year Seantinn students glanced back at them as they walked down the hallway. They were murmuring amongst themselves, wondering what Krum and Uriov were arguing about.
"I'm not jealous!" she snapped. "Look, we'd better get going or Vasska will have both our hides."
Viktor continued to chuckle as they walked down the hallway and into Professor Vasska's history class.
The rest of the seventh years in their class took their seats, all of the Quidditch Players from Wrathoth surrounding Krum and Uriov.
Vasska waved his wand and their essays piled up on his desk. Some, like Ekatrine's, were neatly rolled and tied, whereas others (like Alex's) were crinkled and left unrolled.
He waved his wand again and a number appeared over the pile. "Ten. Astounding, you all did your homework."
Krum smirked. He had finished his essay at the last minute, and by the looks on everyone else's faces, so had they. Krum guessed that Ekatrine was the only one who had actually started her essay the week before, when it had been assigned.
Vasska glided around the desk, his dark eyes looking the room over. Finally he said softly, "I suppose this means you're expecting some kind of reward…or me to go easy on you, since it's your last day of term…"
"No, sir," the entire class boomed.
"Very well," he said blandly, "if that is what you want, get to work. I want five essays done on five different Muggle-Wizard Wars, and you must not have done them before. Each essay must be at least three feet in length. Text is to be no larger than half an inch. The essays will be due first day of next term. Begin."
No one complained—how could they? They had a three-week vacation coming their way in only a matter of hours. There was a lot of quill scratching, but when Krum looked around the room, he noticed that most of the boys were busy writing things other than the essays.
Krum looked over to Ekatrine. She had her book open and was scribbling away. He saw that she already had all five of her wars chosen, and was nearly done with the first paragraph of the first essay.
He smiled and fell back into his own work, writing the essay whenever Vasska was close enough to read it, but working on something more important when he was further away.
Finally the end of the day greeted the group of boys. The next morning people would be leaving for their homes and Durmstrang would be closed for the holiday's. Unlike Hogwarts, there simply were not enough students to keep the castle open for the break.
"YES!" crowed Alex as the Quidditch Players exited the school into the blustery cold. Snow was falling heavily against the cold earth below, leaving behind a huge blanket. "We are FREE!"
Ekatrine allowed a laugh and watched as Anton, Yakov, and Oleg all nodded to each other and race towards the Beater. They jumped on top of him, plowing the burly boy into the snow.
They rolled around; screaming and shouting, snow being flung everywhere.
Finally, Alex managed to hoist the three boys into the air and off of himself. "Oy, Krum! Let's go to Varna now! I want to meet this girl of yours!"
"I still want to know her sister!" shouted Oleg through a mouthful of snow.
Yakov and Anton both sat up, laughing and making cat-calls to Oleg.
"She's gone to visit family in Czech," replied Krum quickly. "Just got the owl."
Ekatrine gawked at him. She shoved him hard, and he fell into the snow.
Krum rolled onto his back and asked, "What was that for?"
"Lying," she hissed, and turning, she stormed back into the castle.
Dusan, who had been hoping to throw a snowball at the other boys, instead dropped it. He watched as Krum raced after the girl-changed-boy.
"Those two might be closer than Quaffle and Keeper, but they sure as hell fight a lot," mused Oleg.
Anton nodded. "Oh well. Don't let them be spoiler's…potato-brains…" he collapsed back into the snow.
Yakov pelted Anton with snowballs, Oleg joining them, and before long, they teamed up again against Alex.
Dusan, on the other hand, glided back into the castle, his eyes strangely focused.
"What's that potato-brain doing?" asked Yakov as he tried to pull Alex into the snow.
"I don't know," replied Oleg with a shrug. "But who cares?"
"Probably going to see if Krum and Uriov are fighting," stated Anton.
Alex gave a strangled cry, and hurled Anton over his back and into the snow. Oleg soon followed, and the bigger boy crowed, "Can't beat a Beater!"
The other boys jumped back to their feet and attacked him again.
"Krys, wait!" Krum shouted. He saw Krystof at the end of the hallway, his wand already out and aimed at the Wrathoth door.
He murmured the new spell, and the door swung open. It closed before Krum reached it, and he whipped out his own wand, the door swinging open again after he had said the spell.
The Common Room was empty. Everyone was outside, in Varna, or in the main hall, enjoying good company and good food.
Krum watched as Ekatrine disappeared down the hallway to his—her—room. "Ekatrine, wait, please…let me explain!" he jogged after her, catching her as she turned to shut her door on him.
He shoved his booted foot into between door and jam before she could close it entirely. He pushed hard against the door, and it swung open.
The spell was wearing off and Krystof melted away into Ekatrine. "Leave me alone!"
"I can't," Viktor said softly. "Now please, I'm sorry."
"You were on my case about lying, and here you turn around and lie about me being off to visit my family?" she raged.
He pushed the door shut behind him and approached her. Gently he placed his hand on her face. "Ekatrine, I'm sorry. I just…I couldn't risk it…you…I know how much you want to talk to them as a girl, but…it's not worth dieing over."
"Viktor, you just…you don't get it, do you?" she asked, looking up at him, her eyes filled with frustrated tears.
"What, Ekatrine? What don't I get?"
For a long moment, she didn't reply. Then finally, "I haven't seen the outside world for so long, Viktor. I've been stuck in my house…in a hospital…in this place…and now I'm just trying to remember what it's like out there. I can't remember seeing anything but the snowy ground and the trees around Durmstrang."
"Oh, Ekat…" whispered Krum, pulling her into his arms. "I know it's hard…it has to be…but you'll be out of here soon…three weeks of bliss…with me and my Mamo…just us…"
She thought sadly as she hugged him back, And Hermoine…
The next morning the main hall was filled with the boys of Durmstrang. The younger classmen were being led outside to the dock where the ship awaited them. They were too young to Disapperate and Apperate, and so they would be going home by ship.
Ekatrine stood beside Krum and the other Durmstrang Quidditch players. They were talking excitedly, and Alex said, "You boys' had better have gotten me something good!"
"Yeah, I got your gift right here," said Anton, punching the boy in the arm. He laughed when Alex pretended to be hurt, but shouted and ran when the burly Beater ran after him.
"Krys and I are gonna head off," Viktor said. "My mother's expecting us for dinner."
"Hey, Krys, don't you have—"
Oleg stepped on Yakov's foot and the other boy kicked him back.
"Have a good Christmas," Dusan said very softly, placing his hand tentatively on Ekatrine's shoulder. He pulled it off nearly as quickly, uncertain. "I will see you when term starts." Then he turned and disappeared with a loud bang!
Other boys around the room were doing the same, bags over their shoulders and grins on their faces.
"Yeah, see you," Krum said, and he grabbed Ekatrine's hand, the two of them also disappearing.
"Come on, you lovers!" shouted Oleg to Alex and Anton. "Time to go!"
The two other team members raced over and the four boys clasped hands and giving a loud shout, Disapperated. Christmas was far off, but it seemed to have already begun.
Ekatrine held tight to Krum, her body trembling at the tight feeling around her. She felt her breath escaping her, her nose and chest tight.
Finally, the pressure was released and the two of them stumbled into another part of the world. It was snowing very hard, but Ekatrine could just make out the light of two flickering lanterns.
Viktor raced towards the door, shouting at his comrade, "Come on!"
The door burst open before he and Ekatrine, and they entered a very warm home. There was a warm fire lit in the fireplace, and around it sat a number of comfortable chairs and couches.
"Mamo," Krum called into the home, and a voice came back, "Viktor? Is that you?"
A woman entered the room, her black hair pulled back into a tight bun. A few strands fell out around her ears. She was dressed in a simple gown, an apron tied about her waist and chest. She most certainly looked like a Beater.
"Who is this?" she asked, her eyes falling on the smaller boy beside her lanky son.
"Krystof Uriov, Mamo," replied Viktor. "I wrote you that he would stay with us for break."
She nodded, a smile spreading across her sharp features. She was, like Viktor, much more lovely when she smiled. "Yes, the Beater. Are you any good?"
Ekatrine shrugged at the question, and Viktor only smiled. "He is very good."
"I will have to see," she replied. "Well, take him upstairs, Viktor. He may share your room." She left the comfortable room, returning to the kitchen. Her voice carried back from the next room as she remembered something, "Viktor, an owl arrived for you this afternoon. You will read it, yes? It is from the Granger girl."
Viktor paused in his step, but replied, "Thanks, Mamo." He continued up the stairs, Ekatrine in his wake. She took in a long breath, his scent floating back to her. The entire house smelled of him and his mother—a lovely smell, she thought.
They approached a hallway of doors and Viktor stopped at one. "This is my room." He opened the door and motioned around the dim room. Flipping on a light, Ekatrine saw that it had already been prepared for her arrival, a small camp bed placed across the room from Viktor's own. The room was still very dimly lit, even with the light "Place your belongings where you like."
"Your mother thinks I am a boy," she said, gently placing her bag on the spare bed. She could smell Viktor throughout the room, enjoying the scent very much. "It might not be best that we share a room."
"She can think what she wants," smiled Viktor, placing his own bag down. "Come, we will read Hermoine's letter together."
Ekatrine paused, uncertain. "Viktor, that might be…well…personal."
"She knows Mamo reads my letters," replied Viktor calmly. "If she wrote me something personal, Mamo would know and have said something."
"She might not have," replied Ekatrine, "considering I was in the room."
Viktor laughed. "Mamo dislikes Hermoine. She finds her a rude English girl, and she has never before even met her. She cares not who hears what she has to say."
Ekatrine was glad the room was dim, because her face flushed. She, also, had never met Hermoine, but felt the same way about the girl. Deep down inside, she knew she was very jealous of the English girl.
Viktor strode over to her and touched her face. He leaned in and said, "The spell…it is wearing off. When did you cast it?"
"This morning, when I was packing."
"What time?"
"Three."
"It is nine at Durmstrang," replied Viktor. He kissed her on the forehead. "Perhaps you can wait here while I go and get the letter. Mamo will not mind."
Before Ekatrine could reply, Viktor had left the room, closing the door behind him. She closed her eyes and relaxed onto the bed. She opened her eyes, looking to the raftered ceiling. Hung around the room were posters of Viktor's National Quidditch Team. He had many framed photographs of himself and his teammates. Not only the ones from the Vratsa Vultures, but also pictures of Krum's Quidditch Teams from Durmstrang. It looked to Ekatrine as though he had been on the team since his first year.
A few moments later, Viktor reentered the room, holding a rolled piece of parchment. He closed the door behind him and unrolled it. Sitting down beside Ekatrine, he tapped it with his wand and began to read it.
"She says she will be here tomorrow," he said. "I have told her of you…she says she cannot wait to meet you."
Ekatrine leaned against Viktor's arm; her legs sprawled out on the bed lazily.
He looked down at her and asked, "Will you be jealous?"
She laughed and said, "I don't get jealous, Viktor. We've been over this."
"And from what I remember, we had decided that you are jealous."
"How could I possibly be jealous? I've never met her," replied Ekatrine. "Besides…I know you love me."
Krum stole a quick kiss and went back to reading the lengthy letter the English girl had written him.
"Anything interesting?"
"Not much…she seems to enjoy telling me about her friend Ron, though," replied Viktor.
Ekatrine relaxed a bit. If Hermoine was talking about another boy, there was a chance that she didn't have any feelings for Viktor. At least, no feelings that resembled Ekatrine's.
Viktor finished reading the letter and rolled it up. He directed the letter in the direction of a pile that was on the other side of the room.
"Are all of those letters from Hermoine?" Ekatrine asked, her eyes lingering on the pile.
"No, not all of them," he said with a smile. The Seeker collapsed backwards, lying across the bed. Ekatrine's head collapsed against his stomach. She frowned at him and said, "You could have warned me."
Krum pretended to think about it, but replied, "Nah."
Ekatrine rested her head against his chest. She closed her eyes, feeling Viktor's hand rubbing gently against her head, his fingers tangling in her hair. "Are you going to tell your mother?"
"No," Viktor replied. "Not yet…not until you're out of danger."
"Which will be when he is dead, and his Death Eaters are gone," she hissed, her eyes growing cloudy.
Viktor knew her pain—it seemed that Lord Voldemort was never going to die. He had been thought dead for so long, but was now alive once again. People like Ekatrine's parents and friend would be dieing left and right. It seemed there was no way to kill him.
Krum rubbed his hand against her cheek, feeling a tear roll against his thumb. He sat up and looked down at her. "Do not cry, my little one…"
She rubbed her eyes and replied softly, "I'm not."
"Of course," he replied softly, pressing his lips to her forehead. "Of course not…"
"Viktor," came the voice of Valja Sokolova Krum drifted up the stairs and into his room, "it is time for dinner. Come, bring your friend."
He rubbed Ekatrine's tears away and replied, "Yes, Mamo." He turn turned back to the girl on his lap and said, "Let us go. Mamo's food fixes all."
Ekatrine laughed, rubbing the salt from her face, "I thought vodka fixed all?"
"No," he smiled, "love and Mamo's cooking fixes all. Vodka makes you strong and healthy. Let's eat."
Ekatrine lifted off of the bed and pulled her wand out. She murmured, "Aramendo." He form shifted again and she was once again in the body of Krystof Uriov.
"I don't think I will ever get used to that," said Krum shaking his head.
She shrugged and rubbed her short hair. "Hopefully it won't have to last long."
The two of them left Viktor's room. Ekatrine followed him down the stairs and into the kitchen. Valja was serving the food onto platters, placing three of them on a round, wooden table.
Ekatrine wondered where Viktor's father was, but decided it was best not to ask. She sat after Madame Krum and Viktor had taken their seats.
"It will be good to have another woman in the house," said Madame Krum as she ate her dinner. "Even if it is the Granger girl."
"You will like her very much, Mamo," Krum replied, also eating.
Ekatrine merely sat in silence, enjoying the Bulgarian dish. It was absolutely delicious, and she tried not to eat it quickly.
"So," Madame Krum had turned her gaze onto Ekatrine and she felt her spine tingle, "you are a Beater? You look Chaser…perhaps I could see you as Beater, though." She chewed her food very thoughtfully. "Viktor has told me you have helped win two Quidditch matches, and you are now onto finals."
She nodded.
"Very good," replied the older woman, a soft smile spreading on her face. "He also tells me you are to join him in trying out for the Vultures."
Ekatrine glanced at Viktor, but he just smiled back at her. She looked back to Madame Krum and replied, "Yes, Ma'am."
"Call me Mamo," replied the woman. "Or, if you must, Mamo Krum. Tell me, you are Uriov, yes?"—Ekatrine nodded—"Are you related to the poor boy who died?"
Ekatrine swallowed and replied softly, "We were very close friends."
"Sad, sad," murmured the woman, her expression becoming one of great sadness. "I am so sorry for your loss."
"Thank you."
There was a moment of silence, and then Mamo Krum said, "I want to play you, see if you are as good as my son claims. How is tomorrow? Too soon, yes? Too soon," she decided. "The next day, then. When you are ready."
Viktor smiled at Ekatrine's expression. She had been ready to accept the challenge, but his mother had changed her mind too fast for the girl-changed-boy to say anything.
"If only you were a woman," sighed Madame Krum suddenly. She was stirring her food thoughtfully, off in her own world.
Ekatrine felt Krum's hand gently brush against hers, and she blushed a bit. She wasn't exactly sure how Krum felt about her when she was a boy, but it seemed he felt the same, no matter what gender she was.
"Viktor, when is the English girl coming by?"
"Tomorrow," replied Krum, though he seemed rather distracted.
Madame Krum nodded and asked, "Are you desiring her, still?"
Ekatrine felt very uncomfortable with the question, feeling a bit jealous of the English girl once again taking the light from her.
"No, Mamo," replied Viktor solemnly.
"Then there is another!" gasped Mamo Krum, relief evident on her face. "Who is she? From Varna, no doubt. Tell me, my son, her name!"
Viktor chewed a potato thoughtfully before finally answering, "Ekatrine."
"Russia!" gasped Madame Krum. "She is Russia?"
Viktor nodded. "Yes, Mamo."
"Is she from a good family? Full-blood, then? Must be…Russia…hard to come across wizards there," she decided. "Yes, a full-blood, of a good type, no doubt…I have met a decent family from there. Brilliant player, that Logachov."
Ekatrine's fork dropped, her jaw open. She stared at Madame Krum blankly. "You…you mean they played Quidditch?"
"Of course!" huffed Mamo Krum. "Best player on their team, that one!"
"Which one?"
Madame Krum took another bite of food, looking at Krystof very intensely. Her gaze reminded Ekatrine of Vasska's gaze. Finally, she asked, "Why so interested?"
"I-I knew some Logachov's," replied Ekatrine quickly. "I had heard…but I never knew…which one played."
"She was brilliant, that one," said Mamo Krum slowly. "Stopped suddenly, though…left her team in the middle of our match. Yes, I was there. I saw her fly off on her broomstick."
"What was her name?" Ekatrine asked, trying not to sound too desperate.
"Olga," replied Mamo Krum. "Olga Logachov. She had just married the year before. Husband was a bit odd, don't you think, Viktor? Of course you do. After she left, we were given the game. They couldn't play after she left."
Ekatrine felt her heartbeat quicken. Her mother had never told her she had played Quidditch! She had kept that from her, along with her previous position as a Death-Eater. Ekatrine began to wonder if she had ever really known her parents. "What position?"
"Beater," replied Mamo Krum with a soft smile. "Best Beater I've ever played. Both played pregnant…" She seemed to have drifted off into another world. "Very good player, that one…too bad…too bad…"
Ekatrine couldn't eat. She wondered if Mamo Krum knew what had happened to her parents, or if their deaths' had even reached this far.
"You knew them, then," said Madame Krum softly, "and so you will have known that they died. Daughter was the only survivor. I wish I knew where she was…she should know how good her mother really was…but this cannot be. She is probably tied up, someplace in the Ministry…" Mamo Krum was looking at Ekatrine carefully, studying the sharp features of the boy before her. "You certain you are a Uriov? You look more Logachov to me. Same eyes…mother's eyes, father's hair. You look as they did, that last game…"
"Mamo," Krum murmured. "Krystof was very close to them…he knew them, his family knew them…"
"Did you know their daughter?"
She nodded, begging herself not to break out into tears before Viktor's mother.
"She is unharmed, then?"
"Yes," whispered Ekatrine. "She's fine."
"Does the Ministry have her? Of course, they must," murmured Madame Krum. "They must…she's sixteen now, is she not?"
"Seventeen."
"Seventeen?" gasped the woman. "If I knew where she was, why Viktor…she is of marrying age!"
"Mamo…"
"We could protect her," muttered the woman. "They should send her to me. Even the Dark Lord will not bother me!"
"Mamo…"
"She is of good blood, that one," said Mamo Krum, ignoring her son. "Pureblood. Father was a good wizard…mother was good, too…Viktor, where did her father go?"
Viktor paused before whispering, "Durmstrang…"
Ekatrine's eyes grew wider.
"Mother went to Blatbang," added Madame Krum. "Arranged, I think…their marriage. They were so in love…"
Ekatrine began to wonder if Madame Krum had known her parents better than she was letting on.
"Well, we cannot tread in the past forever," said Mamo Krum finally, sadly. "Krystof, you are a lucky lad, to have known such greatness as them. The Potter's, why, had they not been killed by the Dark Lord, they would never have measured up to them!"
Ekatrine could feel Viktor's hand on her own, holding it tightly, rubbing his thumb over the back of it. "Mamo, I think…"
"Yes, yes," replied the woman with a wave of her hand. "Now, Krystof, it is still early. You and Viktor go on out back…Viktor, show him the orchard, the wood, the garden…show him everything. He will like it here." She turned to him, hardly noticing that the boy had not finished his dinner. "I must meet your parents. We will have a great dinner…they play Quidditch, too? Of course they do. Must. Now go. I will clean up."
She stood and with a wave of her wand, the dishes floated over to the sink. She gave another wave and they began to wash themselves.
Viktor took Ekatrine from the room, the two dawning their coats in silence. Viktor then led her out the back door and into the snowy weather. He walked beside the girl for a long time before saying, "I'm sorry…Mamo doesn't usually…I mean, she thinks Olga was amazing…I didn't realize she was going to…"
"It's fine," she murmured. "I just never realized that she was a Quidditch Player. I mean…she never even told me. She…" Ekatrine wiped her eyes. "…She and papa tried to be Muggle, I guess. They never said anything about magic or anything. They even took my Harry Potter books."
Viktor didn't reply for a long time. When they reached the orchard, he motioned to a bench, and with a wave of his wand, the bench was clear of snow. He was seventeen, and legally able to use magic outside of Durmstrang.
Ekatrine walked over to the bench and sat upon it, her eyes scanning the small clearing in the orchard. "Is it safe?"
He nodded, sitting beside her. "Mamo cast a spell here when we first moved. No one can come on her property without her knowing."
"They can see, though."
"Yes," he said sadly, looking out into the trees that surrounded them. "They can see."
She leaned her head against his shoulder, trying to think, trying to keep all of the information she had heard within her mind. She wanted to know more about her parents as wizards, not as the scared Muggles she had grown up with.
"It will be okay, Ekat," he said softly into her ear. "It will be okay…you'll see…"
She pressed her face deeper still against his shoulder, wishing she could believe him. With the wish came another feeling—a deep feeling of anger. She was angry with her parents for never telling her who they were, and now she was trapped in this mess. "He will kill me," she said suddenly, her voice very low.
"Who?"
"…Him. He will kill me, if the Death-Eaters killed my parents…if they killed Ilya," she whispered. "They will kill me…"
"No," replied Viktor. "I won't let them."
She didn't reply. It didn't matter what Viktor said to try and comfort her—she could feel it in her heart. No one stayed hidden from the Dark Lord for very long, no one.
The next morning there came a knock on Viktor's bedroom door. "She is here, Viktor."
Ekatrine opened her eyes, seeing the stitch of the blanket over her head.
"Hm? Oh…thank you, Mamo," replied Viktor's groggy voice from across the room. The door closed, and Ekatrine heard Viktor climb out of his bed. She listened as he footsteps drew nearer. "Ekat…" he murmured, placing his hand on what he thought was her shoulder.
She gasped, her face turning red.
"Sorry," he replied, gently removing his hand and pulling the covers down from over her head. "Hermoine's here."
"I heard."
"Get dressed," he said, removing his own nightshirt and walking over to his dresser. He pulled a clean shirt out from one of the drawers and pulled it on over his head, changing his pants next.
Ekatrine blushed and looked away. She yawned, checking her wristwatch. It was seven o'clock. "She's early…"
"Always is," replied Viktor with a smile. "I mean, for her classes…now change. She will want to meet you." He left the room, carefully closing the door behind himself.
Ekatrine said, "Aramendo."
She stood up and pulled on the clothes Viktor had left out for her. They were a little big for her, but she liked them. Leaving the room after setting her watch, Ekatrine trotted down the steps and into the main room of the house.
"…so good to see you again, Viktor!" a girl said, her arms around Viktor. All Ekatrine could see of her was her bushy brown hair and snow-dusted jackets and gloves. She felt jealousy boil up inside of her and clenched her jaw tightly.
"It is good to be seeing you again, too," Viktor replied in English. "You should haff come up last summer."
"I know, and I'm sorry I didn't…things have just been so busy," she replied.
Ekatrine noticed that she spoke very quickly. It was hard to understand her.
Mamo Krum was standing behind her son. When she caught Ekatrine's eyes, she said in Bulgarian, "She seems…nice…"
Ekatrine merely shrugged, her jaw still clenched.
"Her-moi-ninny, this is my Mamo and this is Krystof. I haff told you of them," said Viktor, moving aside so that Ekatrine and Hermoine could see each other fully.
Hermoine lifted her hand and said, "Viktor has written me all about you! It's so good to finally meet the famous Beaters!"
Mamo Krum pursed her lips and nodded. She said briskly, "I vill go get tea."
Hermoine turned her raised hand to Ekatrine, who took it very reluctantly. "Hello…it is good to be meeting you, as vell."
The English girl smiled and the door behind her was shut. Viktor motioned at the couches and chairs in the room. "Please, sit."
"Thank you, Viktor," Hermoine walked over to a chair and sat down, her eyes scanning the room.
Viktor walked by Ekatrine and saw her expression. "Don't worry, she is only here for a week."
She forced a smile and replied, "She can stay as long as you like."
Viktor smiled.
"Krystof, come and help me," called Mamo Krum from the kitchen. Krystof smiled weakly at Hermoine and left the room to help the older Krum.
"They vill be back vith the tea," Viktor said, sitting on a chair near Hermoine.
"I don't think your mother likes me," Hermoine admitted sadly. "Or Krystof, for that matter."
"They are very used to haffing no company," replied Viktor half-truthfully.
She nodded, hearing the other two speaking in the kitchen.
"She is very…nice," repeated Mamo Krum slowly as she placed the tea and cakes onto a tray. "What do you think, Krystof?"
He shrugged.
"No opinion, eh? Can't say I don't blame you," she continued. "Viktor says she knows nothing of Quidditch. Bah, a witch who doesn't know Quidditch is no witch!"
"She is half-Muggle," replied Ekatrine. "That is why she doesn't know much of Quidditch."
"Viktor has told me you are a Misinformed Muggle," replied Mamo Krum, "yet you seem to know more about the game than she does. English witches are all the same. Have not seen the world, do not accept others…prude."
Ekatrine tried her hardest not to agree readily with Mamo Krum. She had just admitted to herself that she was jealous of Hermoine, but wasn't comfortable with back-talking the girl. She lifted the tray and left the kitchen, Mamo Krum in her wake with the teapot.
"Such a good boy, Krystof," said Mamo Krum as they entered the room. "Giving me a break…very sveet of you."
"It is not a problem," replied Ekatrine, gently placing the tray on the smaller table in the room. She had a feeling that Madame Krum was speaking in English for a reason, and so she mimicked the older lady.
"Tea?" asked Mamo Krum, holding a cup up for Hermoine to take.
"Thank you, Mrs. Krum," replied the English girl. She sipped the tea slowly, letting it warm her. She was still dressed in her coat, scarf and gloves.
Ekatrine let out a slow breath and asked, trying to prove to Viktor that she was not jealous, "Vould you like me to take your coat?"
"Oh, thank you," Hermoine replied. "I forgot I was wearing it."
"I'm sure," said Mamo Krum.
Viktor looked at his mother with mild annoyance. "Mamo, she is our guest."
"So is Krystof," replied Mamo Krum. "He should not be taking her coat!"
Hermoine sipped her tea silently, wondering to herself what the three Bulgarians were talking about.
"I vill take your coat," Krum said abruptly.
"Thank you," she replied, taking her coat off and glancing over at Krystof curiously. As Viktor went to hang her jacket, gloves, and scarf, Hermoine asked, "Viktor told me you are on your Houses Quidditch Team. A Beater, right?"
Krystof nodded, though Hermoine had already mentioned that she knew this bit of information before. "Yes."
"That's pretty nice," she said softly. "I wish I knew more about the game."
Here, Ekatrine glanced at Madame Krum, who had stood up and left the room to "refill" the teapot. "It is a good game to know."
Hermoine nodded, watching as Viktor sat back down beside his teammate. "Viktor, how have you been?"
"I haff been good," replied the boy. "Very busy. And you?"
"I've been so busy with school and…" her voice lowered and she whispered, "…the Order…it's been very hard to keep up with school and that as well, but I think I'll manage it."
"Yes, I think you vill," replied Viktor carefully.
She is his guest, Ekatrine forced herself to think. She is his guest, nothing more…his guest…
"Krystof, come and help me!" came Mamo Krum's voice again.
"I vill help you, Mamo," replied Krum, standing up. He glanced over at Ekatrine, who had been preparing to stand.
Once Viktor had left the room, Hermoine said, "I would like to see you play, Krystof."
"Play? Play vhat?" Ekatrine asked, silently wondering to herself why Mamo Krum and Viktor were taking so long.
"Why, Quidditch, of course," replied Hermoine with a smile. "Viktor has told me so much about your skills, and I would love to see them. My friend, Harry, is a Seeker, and Ron is a Keeper."
Ekatrine's eyes shifted and she said, "So I haff heard. They are good, yes?"
"Yes," she replied softly, her brown eyes lowering under her lashes. "They are very good."
"Good," replied Ekatrine, feeling quite awkward around the younger girl. She sat back in her chair, trying to see into the kitchen. She could see Viktor's hands and back, but nothing else.
"How often do you play?"
"Vhat? Oh, every veek ve practice," replied Ekatrine distractedly.
"What's Durmstrang like?" Hermoine finally asked. She had been burning to know since the previous year.
Ekatrine turned her eyes back to the girl. "It is good. Many boys, smaller than Hogvarts."
"How many Houses are there? Is it true they don't have any female teachers?"
"There are five Houses," replied Ekatrine, trying to be quick. "And yes, no vomen teachers."
"Oh," said Hermoine, blushing. "I didn't see you last year with Viktor. Did you come to the Tri-Wizard Tournament?"
"No," replied Ekatrine, now becoming annoyed that Viktor and his mother had still not returned and had left her in such an awkward position. "I vas not in school then."
"Where were you?"
"I vas in the Muggle school," replied Ekatrine truthfully.
"But you're a seventh year, aren't you?"
"Yes."
"Then why where you in a Muggle school?"
"I am…how you call it…a Mistold Muggle," Ekatrine replied with some difficulty. She didn't know English very well, and felt she was making a fool of herself. "I did not know I vas magic until this time."
"I didn't know they still had Misinformed Muggles," Hermoine said. "I thought they had been eliminated with the improvement of magic…"
"Vell, I guess I haff missed that letter," replied Ekatrine, tapping her slender fingers on the arm of the chair she was in. She kept glancing towards the kitchen. She could still see Viktor's back, but he had not moved and was talking in a very low voice with his mother.
Hermoine laughed at Ekatrine's statement.
"Vhat?" she asked, turning back to the bushy-haired girl.
Hermoine blushed and said, "Sorry, it was funny. What you said, I mean. You meant it to be funny, right?"
"Sure thing," replied Ekatrine, distracted. "I vill go and see vhat is taking them so long. Excuse me." She stood up and left Hermoine, who was looking at her hands, her face still red.
Ekatrine knocked on the wall and looked into the room.
Both Krum's turned around and looked at her. Viktor's face was ghostly white, as was his mother's.
"What is it?" Ekatrine asked.
Viktor moved aside, and nailed to the outside of the back door was a dead rabbit. Written under the rabbit carved into the door and showered in blood was a glowing message:
Ekatrine stared at the message, her heart pounding in her ears. "Viktor…what…?"
"We just found it," said Mamo Krum bitterly. "Krystof, I think they are speaking of you."
She nodded slowly, her head filled with dizziness. She looked at Viktor and said, "I…Viktor…"
"We have to call Headmaster Karkaroff," Viktor said. "He's the only one who can help you now."
"Why not Dumbledore?" asked Mamo Krum. "He's the only one who…I mean…" She was very distraught that her spell had been broken and someone had been able to get so close to her home without her knowing.
Hermoine entered the kitchen at that moment. She saw the dead rabbit and asked, "What's going on?"
Viktor turned to her and replied, "I think it vould be vise if you left, Her-moi-ninny. You cannot stay here vith this."
"Why not?" she demanded, coming further into the room. The warning was in Bulgarian, not English, so to her it looked like a bunch of scribbles.
"Her-moi-ninny, I think you should call your papa and haff him come and get you," said Mamo Krum. "Somezhing has happened."
She was looking at the door still. "What does it say?"
"Never you be minding that," replied Mamo Krum. "I vant you to call your papa and go back to England."
"No," replied Hermoine. "Whatever's happening it has to be important. I want to stay and help!"
"You cannot," replied Krystof suddenly. "This has nothing to do vith you, Hermoine. You should go home."
Hermoine, slightly shocked that the boy had pronounced her name correctly, replied slowly, "It has something to do with You-Know-Who, doesn't it?"
None of the others replied right away, then finally Krystof stepped forward and said, "Yes, Hermoine. It does, and ve can't haff you here. You might get hurt."
"Well I'm not leaving," she replied. "I can help you. If You-Know-Who is here, then—"
"No," replied Mamo Krum and Viktor.
"Krystof is right, Her-moi-ninny," said Viktor softly. "If it is the Dark Lord, ve can't haff you here. He vill not rest until anyvone vho knows Krystof is dead."
"What'll happen to you, then?" she asked.
Ekatrine could tell that she still cared for Viktor, though her feelings were more those of a close friend, not a lover.
"Ve vill find out a vay to make it through," replied Mamo Krum with a smile. "Ve haff done if before, and ve vill do it again. I am sorry you cannot say."
Hermoine nodded, knowing that even if she argued with them, she was just wasting the little time they had to prepare. "I'll find Dumbledore and tell him. Don't worry, Viktor, everything will be all right. You'll see."
Mamo Krum nodded and watched as Hermoine left the room to call her father. She turned back to Ekatrine and asked, "What does the message mean?"
Ekatrine was seconds from replying when there was a bright flash and Mamo Krum suddenly collapsed to the floor with a cry.
"MAMO!" Viktor cried, kneeing beside his mother. "Mamo, wake up!"
Ekatrine shut the door quickly. "We have to get you out of here!"
"What happened?" Hermoine cried, running into the kitchen. She looked around, her eyes wild.
Mamo Krum pushed herself up, her side bleeding heavily. "Viktor…Floo…fire…get out of here."
Viktor helped his mother to her feet, Ekatrine stumbling backwards. He looked over to Hermoine and said, "Her-moi-ninny, take my Mamo…there is Floo Powder in the fireplace. Take her to Hogvarts."
Hermoine nodded and took the thin woman. She left the room, and Ekatrine turned to Viktor. "Viktor, you should go with your Mamo and Hermoine. I can—"
"No," Viktor replied sternly. "We are going with them. If anyone can help us, it is Dumbledore."
He pulled Ekatrine from the room and into the sitting room where Hermoine and Madame Krum disappeared in a green flash of Floo Powder.
"We must go with them," Krum said. "You first."
"No, Krum, we can go together," she replied, grabbing his hand.
A green flash erupted in the kitchen and Ekatrine yanked Krum into the fireplace. She could hear footsteps as people raced into the Krum household. Viktor grabbed a handful of Floo Powder, but before he could yell for Hogwarts, Ekatrine said quickly, "HOME!"
There was a burst of green flame, and the two of the disappeared into the fire.
"Vhere did zey go?"
"Home, vherever zat is. Come, ve must go."
"Vhere?"
"Hogvarts. Zat is vhere the old voman and girl are going, yes?"
The two men left the room, their black capes twisting behind them.
