Headfirst For Halos

By: Machiaveli

Ch 1: Lets Go Back

I sat on the edge of the lake, watching the giant squid make its way lazily across the lake; it's tentacles rising and submerging at odd intervals. A cold breeze swept over the water, raking its icy fingers through my long brown hair. I shivered and held my tattered cloak closer around my form.

The sun was setting behind the trees, its image reflecting in the giant looking glass of the lake. Slow, idle waves lapped at my toes. I loved this time of day; everything was so peaceful, calm, serine, and by now, everyone was inside, preparing to welcome our foreign guests to the castle.

I honestly had no interest whatsoever in the Tri-Wizard. I already knew who was going to be champion for each school. Cedric-more-popular-than-thou-Diggory, the 'best looking' boy in 7th year, and the subject of pretty much every girl in the school's fantasies. And Viktor-better-than-thou-Krum, international teenage heart throb and the subject of pretty much every girl around the world's fantasies. And Fleur-pretter-than-thou-Delacour, most beautiful girl in France, and subject of every guy in the nation's fantasies.

I knew them all. Each were from respectable pureblood families, and each were 'family friends'. They were the people who I was forced to socialize with at my father's parties, to talk to when we were in civilized company.

Civilized company. Something I hadn't been in for a very, very long time. I always hated being proper, well-mannered, being forced into being a lady when all I wanted was to run around outside, roll around in the grass, actually talk to someone for once. Someone who wasn't just like everyone else, someone who wasn't pretending to be something they weren't.

Hogwarts had always been my safe haven. It was my place to unwind after a summer of parties, Galas, critical stares, whispers behind my back. When I had run away from home five years ago, Dumbledore had taken me in, let me stay in the castle with himself and the staff until school started again.

The large clock inside the school chimed 6 o'clock. The guests would be arriving any time now. I rose from my position on the shore, and dusted the sand away from my person. Wavy brown hair blew this way and that, obstructing my vision as I made my slow way up to the castle. Light poured from the door as it was flung open, and a mass of students came flooding out, assembling on the front lawn.

I rushed to join their ranks, not wanting to be scolded by McGonagall for being late. Attempting to look proud, I stood alongside my fellow sixth year Gryffindors, scanning the grounds for any sign of new arrivals. A second year boy saw it first, a small white dot in the sky, growing ever increasingly larger.

For a few long moments, everyone was debating over what it was, but everyone knew when it flew right over their heads, and landed on the laws to the right of the large group of students and teachers. It was six large, white, winged horses. Snorting and frothing, their dinner-plate sized hooves shaking the ground as they stamped.

The horses were harnessed to a gigantic powder blue carriage, out of which stepped the largest woman that Katrina had ever seen. Behind here followed a gaggle of about fifteen beautiful girls, each increasingly more gorgeous than the next. The last of the group was unmistakably Fleur Delacour.

Her silvery blonde hair flowed behind her in a shimmering curtain, not one hair even a fraction of an inch out of place. Yup, and there was the drooling from just about the entire male population. I rolled my eyes. There was a reason her hair was so long. It grew in considerable amounts inside her head, leaving no room for any sort of brain, and she was about as shallow as a puddle in the middle of the desert.

Dumbledore greeted the Head Mistress at the door, and then the whole group went inside, all of the girls griping about how cold it was. This was totally and completely stupid, because all of them were clad in think looking periwinkle blue robes, and thin scarves.

The tension mounted as the door closed behind the members of BeauBatons, and everyone waited for the arrival of the representatives from Durmstrang. A few around her scanned the sky, but others searched the grounds. This time, I was the first one to notice something odd.

The glassy black surface of the lake was bubbling and frothing, churning with larger waves than the giant squid could ever produce. "The Lake!" I yelled, pointing. All eyes then turned to the lake, and a few people gasped in awe as a giant sail emerged from the glossed surface, then the mast, and then, with the roar of tons of misplaced water, the body of a ship emerged.

A few moments later, everyone herd the sound of an anchor hitting the bottom of the lake, and then the louder noise of a plank being lowered onto the bank. Out of the ship stepped about fifteen large men, each of their jaws were set, steps defined and deliberate, eyes set directly ahead of them. The last two figures out of the ship were a tall, pallid, skinny looking man, and an even taller, well-built man walking beside him.

The group walked past the Hogwarts students, to be greeted by Dumbledore, just as the head of BeauBatons had. A silky accent, of which I didn't know the origin lofted over the crowd. The voice of the headmaster reminded me very much of a snake than had been taught to talk, much like Snape's.

The young man beside him was, unmistakably, Viktor Krum. I gasped as his face was thrown into relief by the light coming from the castle. The last time I had seen Viktor was when we were both six years old. Back then, he had been skinny, pallid, and could just barley speak English, and the English he could speak, was made nearly incoherent by his accent. He had certainly grown a lot since the last time she had seen him. His face was much more rugged, his eyes shining and dark brown. Like the rest of his classmates, he had a crew cut, though it looked like he hadn't shaven in a few days, and had a five o'clock shadow.

He was absolutely breathtaking. Apparently the rest of the girls thought so to, and were already contemplating ways to get his autograph. A few were wondering if he would sign their hats in lipstick, because they had not brought a quill. I laughed at how he would scoff at the idea. Sure, it was true that he loved his fans-I had seen him interact with them before- but lipstick? Honestly.

After the Durmstrang students had entered the hall, Dumbledore motioned for the rest of the school to follow him inside. The staff had certainly gone all out to impress the foreign ambassadors. Enchanted bats fluttered above the flames of hundreds of floating candles, which cast an eerie light over the Great Hall.

The staff table was adorned with banners, the giant H of Hogwarts, crossed wands of BeauBatons, and garnet dragon of Durmstrang. I took her normal seat at the Gryffindor table, and watched as the students from Durmstrang and BeauBatons debated where to sit.

I sighed as I watched Fleur settle herself between the two best looking boys in Ravenclaw. The two boys looked as if Christmas had come early, and were flirting shamelessly with her within seconds. Following Fleur's lead, the rest of the members of BeauBatons settled themselves among the Ravenclaws.

The Durmstrang students settled themselves with the Slytherins, and Draco Malfoy looked very smug indeed to have Krum across the table from himself. I had settled myself so that I could stare at Krum comfortably from where I sat. Just looking at him almost made me wish I hadn't run away.

But he was famous now. He could get any girl he wanted. Why in the world would he even look at an average girl like me? He wouldn't. I sighed and looked down at the food that had appeared on my plate. Perhaps it would be best to avoid him all together, and not give him a chance to recognize me from all those years ago.

Sighing, I turned my attention to my food, a salad. Beside me, my best friend Rachel was staring starry-eyed at George Weasley, who, along with Fred, were showing off their newest products. She's had a crush on George since 3rd year, and has been hopeless ever since.

"Pst… Liv!" I heard, accompanied with a sharp jab in the ribs.

I looked over indignantly at the offender, which turned out to be none other than Rachel, looking at me with great interest. "Mr. Tall, Dark, and Handsome is staring at you over there." She said, pointing while trying to look discrete, at Viktor Krum, who was indeed staring right at me.

I thought this odd. Then, I thought this kinda creepy, and then, it was just plain really scary. All throughout dinner, his eyes were on me, even while he was talking to his friends, or even Draco-which annoyed him to no end. Trying to ignore it, I looked back to Fred, George, and Rachel, who were having an argument about weather Australia was a country or a continent.

"I'm gonna tell you one last time, Australia is a country!" Rachel screamed, exasperated, her blonde hair flying into her face dramatically. She always had been pretty, and seemed to make each action seem smooth, beautiful, and graceful, like a swan.

"It's a bloody continent!" The twins yelled in unison, back at her. I loved how they would always talk together.

I contemplated, for a while about ending the argument, and telling them that Australia was both; a continent and a country, but I decided against it. Why ruin their fun? And honestly, it was the funniest conversation had ever listened to before, not including mine and Rachel's about saucepans.

Rachel: "Hey, Liv, do you ever think about saucepans?"

Me: "Saucepans? Uh, no…"

Rachel: "Yeah… me neither."

Lets just say, Rachel was a very interesting person. Rolling my eyes at the three of them, I looked over at the Slytherin table, to find Viktor Krum, still looking right at me. For a moment, I wondered if he was having some sort of seizure, and he was just staring into the point of space, just above my head. But then he blinked and picked up his goblet to take another sip of whatever he was drinking. And that theory went down the drain.

I had to admit, though, I really liked his hat. And though all the other Durmstrang students were wearing them, it looked the best on him. At least in my opinion. I also hoped the fur lining them and the coats wasn't real, or I would have to throw a fit-I was an avid vegetarian. But I bet it was comfortable, and warm, and soft… He met my gaze, and for a moment, a flicker of a smile graced his lips. I smiled back, then ducked my head an looked away.

For a few moments, I kept my eyes averted, before daring to look again. Were his eyes always that dark a brown? I didn't think so. But tomorrow, when I'm starving, I'll be able to blame it on inability to eat, due to his gorgeous eyes…

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, J.K. Rowling does. But I do own my OC's, so please don't steal them.