A/N: thanks for the reviews, people! It seems I managed to upset and depress you – what an achievement, LOL:) Imagine, on Saturday I was at the HP meeting – there were nine people (between 20-26 years) from a Hungarian HP web forum and we had lots of fun together. We were talking about the books and even played Activity ala HP. I was 'sorted' into Slytherin along with a boy and our team won the game – we knew the most about HP! So from now on: GOOOOO, SLYTHERIN! (just kidding:) Anyway, Gryffindor suffered a really shameful defeat :)

And now, comments to your comments:

apple-pie: a sequel about the kids? Possible.

momoko: life is never fair, sorry. But don't worry, Ginny'll be a wonderful mum to Dan.

Kit Cloudkicker: I'm not forgetting you, but it's simply impossible for me to answer all my reviewers, please, understand :) If I answered everyone's reviews, the 'answer-section' would be longer than the actual chapter! Yes, you'll get to know about the 'blow', but a long way to go until then.

The Face of Evil: I didn't mean that NO children were born in Great Britain on the 21st July – I meant that no MAGIC children were born that day.

Moony Lover: are you from a Spanish-speaking country? No, they WERE having sex during their last year at Hogwarts, and they didn't do it just twice. When they had sex after Ginny got pregnant with Dan, she couldn't get pregnant again, of course. Why she got pregnant despite all the protection they were using will be revealed… at the very end of the story. *evil grin*

Amaranta: maybe you still should try and write a fic and ask someone to correct your spelling mistakes. (If the fic you'd write wouldn't be long, then I would gladly do it for you.)

X_Tow_Naga: why not using physical protection? Because they believed in the wizard protection, but that proved to be useless – and then it was too late, Gin was already pregnant. Just to inform you: I DO KNOW that it's a biological impossibility to get pregnant every time you have sex. It's a riddle why she got pregnant – a riddle that will be solved at the end of the story (yes, I'm that cruel, making all of you wait until then to find out why and how it happened:) Anyway, Harry and Ginny's discussion in last chapter took place at the end of October. They hadn't had sex since March (I presume Ginny was protective of the baby or something, though I know that people CAN have sex even in the ninth month of pregnancy – just it'd be a bit uncomfortable.) So there's nothing wrong with my knowledge on biology, I used to have wonderful marks in that subject, because I was really interested :)

Harrysgirl: Lily is one and a half year old right now.

LupinsLover: no I have never been to Russia, so everything I'll be writing about it, will come from stereotypes and clichés. Sorry. (Interesting, I never thought that I had a Russian reader as well!) Feel free to tell me if I write something silly about Russia – you might start it right after this chapter, because I used some food names that a Russian-speaking acquaintance told me about, but I'm not sure that I wrote them well :) Really could you help me bit? Tell me please, when exactly is the Orthodox Christmas? On the fifth or sixth of January?

Hobbit Feet: Ginny'll get over this, of course. She started 'healing' after Malfoy's remark.

LisaQT3: I absolutely agree with you – I know how mean and ooc Ginny was, but I wanted to show that she was really under shock and didn't know what she was doing. She really was insane for a while. The Muggle birth control didn't occur to them. Before Gin got pregnant with Dan they relied on the wizard methods and now Gin's simply too sad to have sex, I guess. Dan's being a squib has nothing to do with being conceived despite all the protection. It has to do with something else you'll find out later.

Crazycutee831: read my answer to X_Tow_Naga and LisaQT3.

Morning Twilight: I DO think there's something stopping a non-magical person riding a broomstick – at least I always thought that in order to be able to direct your broom, you need to have magic in yourself. I think Dudley, for example, would never be able to fly. I've checked out your site – I loved that little bouncing owl at the Virtual Hogwarts section! Very cute! No, David is an innocent little angel and won't bring about anything evil.

JoeBob1379: more chapters than in TGSoHH.

teacherchez: I think magic owls live quite long. (At least I don't want to see Hedwig die:)

star queen: what will Harry do in Russia? Well, judge at the Triwizard Tournament, and other stuff as well. You'll see :)

GinnyPotter387: why Gin suggested that Harry would rape her? She didn't mean it, of course, it was just a slip of the tongue – when you're upset and nervous, you say things that you don't mean at all. Of course she was totally aware that Harry would NEVER rape her. Sorry, you won't see the Dursleys for quite a while – they'll be back only in chapter 17.

Ginny house 3: about your advice to Harry… you'll see, later. Of course I have thought of condoms, but he hasn't, LOL. He's become too much of a wizard and didn't think of the old Muggle ways :)

Super saya-Jin Gotan: I'm glad you liked the Harry/Sirius discussion so much.

Cassandra Anthemyst: you're not worried? You will be. You will be ;-)

jeanine23Dr: no, I don't think I speak as well as I write, because I normally don't have much opportunity to talk to people in English, I can only write on the web, but not talk. I also think that my pronunciation is quite bad (but my mum's is even worse – I'm getting on her nerves, always correcting her pronunciation mistakes :)

Aurumlupi: divorce? Don't think so.

DragonSinger: in this story only the baby-years of the Potter kids, but I'm thinking of a third part about them as teens.

K-K: of course I remember you! Dennis… shhh… I share your opinion :) About Gin's behaviour… read my answer to LisaQT3.

Mikey: sorry, no set dates for updates. Usually in every 3-4 days. Well, Harry and Draco DID bury the hatchet, but something happened after that – you'll see in chap 7.

Pumpkin3223: who is the writer of that series you like so much?

HP Blone Crazy Chick: no Dursleys till chapter 17.

AniMourner: I don't think Durmstrang is in Bulgaria. Remember, in book four it is mentioned for a couple of times that Durmstrang is in the far north (Bulgaria is in south Europe), and it's very cold there (in Bulgaria the climate is much warmer, IMHO). So I just put Durmstrang into Russia. We should maybe ask Rowling about this :)

bucky: you wrote: "…poor Harry has gone thru enough." My comment: and you can't imagine what he's going to go through!

Grizabella: no, Ginny won't hate Dan. About Durmstrang's situation, read my answer to Animourner.

And now… enjoy!

Chapter 5

Death-wish and Santa

With a thump the double-decker bus touched down onto the snow.

"Welcome to Durmstrang, terminus, please, don't forget to put on your coats before getting off, it's damn cold out there!" the driver's magically enhanced voice came over the microphone.

Professor McGonagall was the first to get off, followed by the dozen students and Harry, all of them carrying their luggage. Hermione was struggling with her own suitcase.

"Hey, give it to me, I'll help." Harry offered, and she willingly accepted his help. "Holy snitch, Herm, what have you brought in this? Bricks?"

"Oh, no, just my favourite books." she smiled at him and stepped down into the snow.

"Let me guess: Beautiful Bill's Biography, volumes I-IV." Harry grimaced.

"Exactly." she nodded. "I heard Dursmtrang's library wasn't too big, and I though they weren't likely to have any books from my favourite writer… ah, see, there's Viktor!"

Harry turned around to see two Durmstrang teachers walking up to meet them.

"Professor McGonagall?" Krum bowed slightly, kissing Minerva's hand. "A pleasure seeing you here."

"Has Beauxbatons arrived yet?" McGonagall asked.

"Yes, actually Madame Maxime and her students are already sitting in the hall, warming up." he turned to the Hogwarts students. "Welcome to Durmstrang! Let me introduce my deputy, professor Dimitriy Ivanovich. He teaches Charms." The Charms teacher gave the new-comers a smile. "Would you please follow him into the castle? It is quite cold out here."

"Of course." McGonagall and the students started for the castle, led by professor Ivanovich.

"Oh, wow, look at that!" Dennis Creevey yelled, pointed his index finger at a huge form that came into view as they approached the entrance of the building.

"A Ukrainian Ironbelly!" Graham Pritchard clasped his hands in delight. "Beautiful, isn't he?" (A/N: for reference on the Ukrainian Ironbelly, see Fantastic beasts and where to find them.)

"It seems the kids like Vladi." Krum smiled at Hermione, then bent to kiss her hand. "Good afternoon, Hermione."

"Hello, Viktor." she replied with a rather surprised expression. "You have learnt English perfectly!"

"I've been practising, Hermione."

"I used to love the name you were calling me." she grinned.

"Did you, Herm-own-ninny?" he smiled back at her.

"Vladi?" Harry interjected before Viktor could melt from Hermione's smile.

"Yeah, that's his name." Viktor pointed at the Ironbelly. "Vladimir, Durmstrang's pet dragon. He's extremely old, barely has any teeth left and cannot hurt anyone. In Karkaroff's time we used to have thirteen vicious dragons guarding the castle, but they aren't needed now. Since your wife rid the world of You-Know-Who we don't need to worry anymore that he might find the school."

"What?" Harry gaped. "I thought… Durmstrang…"

"You mean Durmstrang was infamous for turning out dark wizards and you automatically associated our students with You-Know-Who's followers. Right?"

"Um… sorry. Stupid prejudice." Harry shook his head.

"Never mind. It's over now." Krum stretched out his hand. "Thank you for coming, Harry."

"Thank you for inviting me." he replied, shaking Viktor's hand.

"This way, please." Krum hold out his arm to Hermione, who took it without hesitation.

"So, it seems I'll be carrying the suitcase." Harry made another attempt of lifting it, but it was beyond his capabilities. Finally he simply whispered "Wingardium Leviosa!"

* * * * *

As they entered the castle, the first thing to catch their eyes was a huge statue of a woman, filling the whole space between floor and ceiling.

"That's the founder of Durmstrang, Natasha Yanska." Krum informed the guests.

"So, Durmstrang only has one founder, huh?" Harry asked.

"Yes. This way we don't have houses like you do at Hogwarts. There are only 600 students, mainly children of Slavic wizarding families – they come from the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Slovenia, Croatia, Bulgaria, Ukraine and of course Russia. You may not think our castle is as comfortable as your Hogwarts, neither as warm, but I still hope you'll have a great time here." Krum carried on rambling while leading them into the hall where about a hundred small, round tables were standing, six students to each of them. At the middle of the hall, surrounded by the small, round tables, stood a long table for the teachers.

Harry saw that Madame Maxime was already sitting there, looking rather unpleased by the prehistoric conditions of Durmstrang castle. She, being the headmistress of the distinguished Beauxbatons, was used to elegant baroque castles with lots of embellishments and fairy-lights illuminating the corridors and halls. Even Hogwarts was a sub-standard place for her folk, but now she and her students seemed to be downright disgusted by the circumstances that greeted them here. It was so cold in the hall that all the guests were sitting with their coats on. The Durmstrang students, of course, had already got used to the cold.

Krum led Hermione and Harry up to the staff table and showed them their places.

Krum sat at the head of the table, Madame Maxime opposite him. (Durmstrang favoured French seating arrangements). On Krum's right sat professor McGonagall and on his left Hermione. On Madame Maxime's right was a place reserved for Harry, on her left there was an empty seat. Further alongside the table took place the other Durmstrang teachers, of whom Harry knew only one: the Charms professor, Dimitriy Ivanovich.

Before Harry took his place, his glance met with that of a female teacher, sitting on McGonagall's right. For a second he thought he had seen her somewhere before, but couldn't tell where.

The dozen Hogwarts and Beaxbatons students sat down to the four round tables that were closest to the teachers' table. They were animatedly discussing the poor conditions of the castle when Viktor Krum stood up, silencing them all.

"First of all," he said, "Let me welcome our guests from Beauxbatons Academy of Magic and Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. As you all know, it is a tradition that Beaxbatons, Hogwarts and Durmstrang organise the Triwizard Tournament every five years. Last time the Tournament took place at Hogwarts and ended with a tragedy: the death of one of Hogwart's champions. The winner was the other Hogwarts champion, who is now sitting among us – Harry Potter!"

A loud murmur ran down the hall – most students hadn't realised that it was Harry who entered the room with the headmaster. Now all eyes were fixed on him – eyes of students with their mouths agape.

Harry, after all these years of fame still felt a bit uneasy when given this huge deal of attention. Hermione gave him an encouraging smile.

"Looks like you cannot go anywhere without people gaping at you." she said. "And this particularly concerns the females…"

"Hermione…" he frowned.

"Just kidding." she whispered.

As the murmur died away, Viktor Krum continued his speech. "Mr. Potter kindly accepted to be one of the five judges during the tournament. As you know, Madame Maxime is going to be the second judge, Minerva McGonagall, deputy headmistress of Hogwarts will be our third judge and I will be the fourth." now he looked around, a bit nervous. "Um, has anyone seen the fifth judge?"

All students and teachers shook their heads. Harry supposed that the empty seat on Olympe's left had been reserved for the fifth judge who didn't deign to put in an appearance.

"Oh, well, I don't even know why I'm surprised by this…" Viktor turned to Harry. "He is always late… rather eccentric guy… hopefully he'll arrive soon – at least for the feast. He'd never miss a good opportunity to have a rich meal."

"Reminds me of someone." Hermione murmured and Harry stifled a laugh. Hermione simply loved teasing her husband about always thinking with his stomach.

Viktor Krum, however, didn't bother to find out who she was referring to. He turned to the students again. "Back to the tournament… the Goblet of Fire is going to select the three champions Saturday evening and the first task will take place a month later, on 6th December. The set datum for the second task is 20th March, for the third one, 20th June. Having learnt from the last tournament, where Mr. Potter was accidentally selected champion at the age of fourteen, we have decided to lower the minimal age from seventeen to sixteen. If a fourteen-year-old managed to cope with the tasks, then hopefully sixteen-year olds will also be able to. The Ministry, with the active help of our fifth judge has prepared all tasks with great care, making sure that this time no one dies. The tasks will be dangerous, but accomplishable, and of course the judges will be around to help you, should you get into serious trouble. Until we wait for the fifth judge, we might as well eat." he clapped twice with his hands and food appeared before them on roughly carved wooden plates. "Tuck in!"

Harry was ravenous and helped himself to a huge heap of pirog (pasta with meat and cabbage), while Hermione cautiously took a sip of a strange-smelling drink – and spit it out a second later, coughing madly.

"Hey, Hermione! You all right?" Harry patted her back.

"What… was… that?" she croaked, wiping her mouth with a napkin.

"Quas." Krum replied. "Local soft drink."

"Sooooft???" she groaned. "What is this quaff made of?"

"Quas. It's made of fermented bread and water. Very popular here."

"I bet it is." Hermione grimaced and reached out for a samovar. Tea couldn't do any harm, could it?

As she delightedly sipped her tea, Krum turned to them, between two chunks of pirog. "And, Harry, Herm-own-ninny, what is it like to be married, huh?"

"Very nice." the young woman replied. "Ron loves me and I love him. That's so simple."

Harry thought he saw an expression of annoyance appear on Krum's face, but even if it was there, it had gone before anyone could notice it.

"And you, Harry? I heard you had a daughter." the headmaster carried on with the small talk.

"Yes, actually I have a daughter." Harry nodded. "Her name is Lily."

"And he has a son, too." Hermione interjected.

Harry stiffened for a moment but nodded with a forced smile. "Yes. He is only three and a half months old, though."

"I bet you are very proud of your children." Krum smiled benignly. "I wish I also had one or two. But first I have to find the appropriate mother for them." he cast a side-glance at Hermione, who just waved.

"Oh, come on, Viktor, don't tell me it's so hard for you to find a wife! You're famous! I'm sure all girls would love to marry you."

"Uh-huh. Maybe." Krum reached out for his glass of vodka and took a huge swig.

Before Harry could ask him about the tasks of the tournament, a dozen ghosts, all wearing fur-caps, glided into the hall through the walls.

Madame Maxime got so scared by their sudden appearance, that she spilt vodka all over her fine mink coat. "What iz zis, Monsieur Khrum?" she demanded.

"The folk-dance group I hired for tonight." Krum shrugged. "Ten of them are professionals, but two of them are our ghosts, see that one with the tiny moustache?" Olympe nodded. "Well, he is Yevgheniy Anegin. And that one on the right is Ivan Ilyich. The latter died a terrible death, better not talk about it… let the show begin!" he clapped once and two small creatures with thick fur ran into the hall, carrying balalaikas.

"Pogrebins." Krum informed the guests. "Local demons. Some of them strangely have some artistic sense." (A/N: for reference on pogrebins, see Fantastic Beasts and where to find them)

The demons started playing on their instruments and the ghosts began dancing to Kalinka, a famous Russian folklore melody.

"Too bad the ghosts cannot eat or drink." Krum whispered to Hermione. "Dancing Kalinka is usually accompanied by a vodka-drinking contest, but these ones here… once I heard some of them invisibly visited the royal ball of tsar Michael II, and started drinking vodka. No one of the Muggles there understood how the floor got slippery with alcohol. No one admitted having spilt the drinks all over the dance floor and they never found out it were ghosts trying to drink. You know… the drinks simply ran through them…"

"Must have been fun for the ghosts, huh?" Harry smirked.

Hermione enjoyed the ghosts' performance so much that she stood up at the end, clapping enthusiastically. Harry didn't want to show lesser enthusiasm, so he also stood up, applauding.

Suddenly the music stopped. At first no one understood why the musicians dropped their balalaikas and why they headed for the staff table.

No one understood it either, why they lunged at Harry, knocking him off his feet.

"Hey, what's going on here?" Hermione yelped as Krum and another male teacher ripped the pogrebins off Harry's chest.

"Why did you attack him?" Krum growled.

The two demons started babbling something and kept frantically pointing at Harry.

"What are they saying?" Harry asked, standing up.

"Your coat." Viktor replied.

"What?"

"You are wearing their cousin and uncle."

"WHAT???" Harry blinked.

"Your coat is made of the fur of their relatives. They got a bit nervous when they saw it on you."

"Oh. I'm sorry." Harry apologised. "This was my birthday-present from my wife. No idea where she bought it, but tell the demons that they can be sure that neither my wife nor I killed their father-in-law."

"Cousin and uncle, but never mind."

"Um, Harry?" Hermione spoke up. "I fear I'm the culprit."

Young Potter looked at his sister-in-law with great interest.

"I mean… I bought that coat when I spent a day at St. Petersburg during the summer. Ginny told me she had no idea at all what to give you for your birthday, so I thought she'd be happy if I brought this coat."

"Oh, well… I guess we cannot give these folks their relatives back, can we?" Harry mused.

"No Green Flame Torch this time." Hermione shook her head.

"Never mind, Harry." Krum said. "They'll calm down… hopefully… but in the future I'd really watch my step if I were you."

"What do you mean?" Harry and Hermione asked in unison.

"Vindictive creatures, pogrebins. You have a death wish, mate."

"Oh, cool." Harry grimaced, watching as professor Ivanovich and two other teachers carried the demons out of the room.

Afters the ghosts departed, the guests finished their meals, still without the fifth judge.

"I think there's no use waiting for him any longer." the headmaster told Olympe Maxime and McGonagall. "I suggest you go to bed now – must have had a tiring day behind yourselves."

"Oh, vairy much so, Monsieur Khrum." Madame Maxime nodded. "My students need sleepin' an' a nice wharm bed."

"I cannot guarantee the warmth, only the bed, I fear, but I promise that we'll do everything in our power to make your stay enjoyable." Krum bowed slightly in Olympe's direction. "Let me show you to your rooms, ladies."

McGonagall and Maxime stood up to follow Viktor. "Professor Letaieff, our Flying teacher, here will show your students their dormitories. Oh, Herm-own-ninny, Harry, would you also follow me, please?"

As they walked past the staff table, Harry felt the stare of that woman on himself again. He decided not to show that he had noticed her gazing at him, but as they exited the hall, he turned to Krum: "Who was that female teacher with the long black hair and pointed purple hat?"

"Professor Tatyana Fiodrovna. Potions teacher. The best at potions-making, if you ask me. She could easily beat your professor Snake."

"Snape." Harry and Hermione replied in unison.

"Whatever." Viktor waved.

Professor Ivanovich hurried past them with the two pogrebins in the hand. He opened the door of the entrance hall and kicked the demons out into the snow.

"Hey, that's rude!" Harry said. "They didn't do anything bad, after all… I'd also be mad if I saw someone wearing Sirius' scalp, for example."

The two demons' landing in the snow was indicated by two muffled thuds. Suddenly a louder thump followed, accompanied by the ringing of sleigh-bells.

Harry and Hermione exchanged surprised looks when the door of the entrance hall burst open, admitting a figure cowered with snow.

"Bloody reindeers!" he cursed. "That Rudolph couldn't wait a single day to catch a cold! No! He had to fall ill today! On the day of the great feast! That's my ill-luck!" he dusted snow off his ruby-red coat and white beard.

Strangely to Harry, he was cursing in English, with a rather unmistakable British accent.

The Santa-looking guy, after having wiped his coat clean, hurried up to Viktor Krum.

"I'm sorry for being late! Is anything left of the food… at least in the kitchen?" his voice sounded hopeful, his blue eyes glinted impishly. If he had been a bit slimmer, he would have been a spitting image of…

"Dumbledore." Harry whispered.

The old chap must have had very good hearing, since he looked at the young man with a broad smile. "Harry Potter, right?" he shook Harry's hand with such a fervour that Harry feared he'd rip it off. "Splendid, just splendid. I heard a lot about you… Harry Potter this, Harry Potter that… But I guess you deserved your fame, young man. Well done, well done, a real hero, eh? And you," he turned to professor McGonagall, "must be the charming Minerva." he gripped McGonagall's hand and pressed a smacking kiss on it. "If the rumours are true, you are just as clever as pretty." he winked at her and turned his attention to Madame Maxime, while Minerva wiped her hand on her robes with a rather disgusted look on her face.

"Who… who is this man?" Hermione whispered to Viktor while the enthusiastic fellow was wooing Olympe.

"Yes, Mr. Krum, who is this… this… man?" McGonagall asked.

"He strangely resembles professor Dumbledore." Harry commented.

"No wonder he does." Krum shrugged. "They are brothers. This is Aberforth Dumbledore."

A/N2 + Disclaimer 2: Ivan Ilyich belongs to Leo Tolstoy and Anegin belongs to Puskin. (They must be rolling in their graves now that I'm using their characters as Durmstrang ghosts:)

I decided to 'teach' Vicky to speak English in a normal way – his old way of speaking really irritated me and it was simply tiresome to always write 'vot' instead of 'what' and stuff like that. (Originally I started writing him that way, but I stopped because I had enough.) The only thing I kept from his old way of speaking is 'Herm-own-ninny', because that's a classic :)

Now, please, review!