(A/N from Sushi: sigh I love typing/writing this series. People actually review and say they like it! Nothing like my stuff on FictionPress. It's so frustrating how the Civil War stories I do goes unnoticed! grr It's like doing months of research for a term paper and then your teacher doesn't grade it. Tons of work—no feedback!

Anyway, done with my ranting. Onto Chapter Ten!)

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At 5:55 Friday night, everyone was lined up on the lawn in front of the castle. First years stood in front, second years behind them, third years behind them, and so on.

"I can't see."

"Miss Schreiter, if you can't see, kindly get stronger glasses."

"Yes, Professor." Hannah glanced up at Rachel, who stood next to her. "Can you be my eyes?" she asked the significantly taller girl.

"Of course, Hannah. There's nothing to see, though."

Seamus glanced at Dean's watch. "5:57."

"Ouch!" Rachel exclaimed suddenly.

"What?"

"That was my foot, Seamus."

Everyone gasped, as Rachel hadn't called Seamus by his first name since the beginning of September. "Are you okay?" Katelyn asked worriedly, placing a hand on Rachel's forehead.

Rachel swatted it away. "Yeah, I'm fine."

"I'm sorry for stepping on your foot," Seamus said, looking her straight in the eye.

"It's okay," she replied levelly.

Seamus took a deep breath. "I—"

"Aha! Unless I am very much mistaken, the delegation from Beauxbatons approaches!"

Any thought of what had just been going on immediately flew out of everyone's heads as a sixth year pointed toward a large back shape in the sky.

"It's a dragon!" shrieked someone in the first row.

"Don't be stupid," someone shouted back. "It's a flying house!"

Neither of these guesses proved correct, as they soon found out. A large, baby blue horse-drawn carriage touched down a few yards away from the first years. It was titanic—drawn by twelve elephant-sized palominos, it could have easily fit ten Hagrids inside.

The door of the carriage, which bore two crossed wands with gold stars shooting out of them, swung open suddenly, and a boy in matching blue robes jumped out. He bent over and unlatched a golden staircase, and then the biggest, most regal-looking woman any of the Funny Farm had ever seen before stepped out. Her bright brown eyes shone in the moonlight, and her dark, clean skin was perfectly clear.

"My dear Madam Maxime," Professor Dumbledore said, kissing the woman's hand.

"Dumbly-dorr," she replied. "I 'ope I find you well?"

"In excellent form, I thank you."

"My students," Madame Maxime said, waving at the slightly frigid-looking teens that were climbing out of the carriage.

"Cool," said Seamus, peering at the horses over the third years' heads. "Whaddaya think, Dean? Dean? Whoa, man, you okay?"

Everyone turned to look at Dean in time to see his eyes roll back in his head and his knees buckle.

"Dean!" Hannah shrieked, throwing out her arms to catch him. But alas. It was not to be. Dean was much taller than poor, tiny Hannah, and though she could not keep him from toppling over, she successfully cushioned his fall.

"Oh, my gosh!" Tanya cried. "Are you okay?"

Hannah attempted to get Dean off of her, but to no avail. "Ouch. Yeah, I'm fine. But Dean's out cold, I think."

At this moment, Professor McGonagall spotted this rather questionable situation. "Mr. Thomas!" she hissed. If Beauxbatons hadn't been there, she would have lost her head completely. "What are you doing on top of Miss Schreiter?"

"He blacked out, Professor," Seamus said hurriedly. "Hannah tried to keep him from falling." To prove his point, he tried to pull Dean, who was still helplessly unconscious, off of Hannah.

"Here, let me help," Rachel said, hurrying to grab Dean's other arm. With their combined strength, they got Dean up onto his useless legs and supported him against their shoulders.

Professor McGonagall looked down her nose at them and sniffed disapprovingly. "Inform Mr. Thomas when he comes to that he is not to pass out in public again."

"Yes, Professor."

"The lake!" shouted a sixth-year. "Look at the lake!"

The water in the Black Lake was swirling around and around and out of the water rose—a boat. "The Black Pearl!" Katelyn shrieked.

"Durmstrang," Rachel corrected. "They're here!"

The gangplank of the ship splashed down against the shore, and dozens of heavily cloaked people came ashore.

"Dumbledore!" one of them called. "How are you, my dear fellow, how are you?"

"Blooming, thank you, Professor Karkaroff."

"Dear old Hogwarts," Karkaroff said with an insincere smile. "How good it is to be here, how good…Viktor, come along, into the warmth…you don't mind, Dumbledore? Viktor has a slight head cold."

"It's Viktor Krum!" Rachel exclaimed in a whisper.

"Excuse me," someone with a very thick accent said behind them. "Do any ov you haff a pen?"

They all turned around to stare at the newcomer. He was rather tall, with a mop of curly dark hair and steely grey eyes. He watched them expectantly.

"Er…um, yeah," Rachel said finally. She unzipped her ever-present messenger bag and pulled out one of her precious Muggle ballpoint pens.

"Tank you," the stranger replied. "Um…I am Nickolay Ivalyo Chevenkov, vrum Durmstrang. I leeve in Bulgaria."

"You're welcome," Rachel answered hesitantly. "I'm Rachel Hekman, from…Hogwarts. I live in the United States of America."

"I am the great-nephew ov de Bulgarian prime minister."

"I am the great-great-niece of the old Dutch prime minister."

Nickolay grinned at her, flashing perfectly white, straight teeth. "Dank you."

"You're welcome," she said, sounding slightly breathless.

At this moment, Dean came to. "Eh?" he said, blinking at Seamus, who was trying to not drop his friend but also stand as tall as he could. "What's going on?"

"You passed out," Seamus replied.

"But who are you?"

"I'm your best mate, stupid!"

"Not you," Dean said crossly, and pointed at Nickolay. "Him."

"I am Nickolay Ivalyo Chevenkov," Nickolay said, holding out a hand.

Seamus let go of Dean so abruptly that Dean nearly toppled to the ground again. "Hey, Nickolay," Dean said, quickly regaining his balance and shaking Nickolay's hand. "I'm Dean Thomas."

"If all Hogwarts students will please file into the castle," McGonagall called, and Nickolay gave a start.

"Iv you vood excuse me, I must catch up vith my vellow learners," he said, and hurried toward the other Durmstrang students.

"He seems like a decent guy," Rachel admitted as they climbed the stairs into the Entrance Hall.

"We'll see," Tanya replied.