Sorry again for the long wait. I just seem to start and stop with this story a lot. Hopefully now that the filler-y summer chapters are done it will be more continuous. I'm not throwing the towel in on this story yet! Thanks for all of your feedback, I know some people have mentioned that I tend to skim stuff, but I did that mostly to get to the later years where things start to become different. I'll try and focus in on things more now. On to the chapter!
Dobby's Polka-Dotted Sock
Chapter Nineteen:
Set Up
"How long have we been standing out here, Hermione?"
"It's only been ten minutes. You should have brought your scarf if you were going to get cold, Leila," the other girl scolded, then quickly turned back to face the teachers as McGonagall swept the students with a reproachful gaze, ending all conversation. Leila wanted to point out that she had been too busy extracting her friend from the library bookshelves, but decided not to actively disobey the Deputy Headmistress so early in the year.
Leila did feel, however, that with all the magic in the world these two other schools could at least manage to be on time. Really, were they just trying to build some kind of suspense or something?
She was answered when one of the younger Ravenclaws screamed and pointed to the sky. Something was hurtling across the twilight expanse—a house, no a carriage, a carriage with a dozen flying horses. It was something out of the fairy tale books, both beautifully grand and stunningly impressive. With a thunder of hooves and wheels, the carriage landed, but it was only the first surprise.
"Woah," she heard Seamus Finnegan mutter from somewhere behind her as the largest woman to ever be seen stepped from out of the carriage. Leila would have believed the transport to have only been for the woman if not for the dozen girls who followed after her. Collectively, it seemed, all of the older boys practically licked their chops as girl after girl came to stand in a perfect straight line behind their Headmistress. She almost wanted to roll her eyes at the show-offs.
"My dear Madam Maxime," Professor Dumbledore spoke, coming forward to embrace the large Frenchwoman.
" 'eadmaster Dumblydoor, eet is good to see you," said the Madam, bending a little to accommodate his shorter stature. It was somewhat amusing to see Professor Dumbledore as shorter than someone other than Hagrid. And speaking of the Care of Magical Creatures teacher, he was paying far more attention to Madam Maxime than the horses. Leila felt a grin spreading across her face at the sight of her large friend being obviously smitten with the Beauxbatons Headmistress.
"We have only left to wait for Igor," the silver-bearded man told her, and Maxime pursed her lips almost in a pout.
" 'ee truly is one for the dramatics." No sooner had the large woman spoken, several students closest to the lake gasped or shrieked in surprise. Standing on her toes and hopping every few seconds, Leila was able to see a large whirlpool swirling in the usually calm lake, and something long and wooden was beginning to protrude from it.
"Oh!" Hermione exclaimed in both shock and recognition as the wooden object turned out to be a mast attached to a large, ghostly looking ship rising from the depths. The Durmstrang delegation had arrived. She heard a few of the girls, mostly the older ones, tittering at the sight of the foreign boys, but nothing prepared her for the gasps and exclamations from the boys. In particular, Ron.
"That's—bloody hell, that's Viktor Krum!" The redhead had a vice-like grip on her brother's arm, who was also looking stunned. Leila couldn't blame either of them, for the sight was almost surreal; just months ago they had all watched the Bulgarian zoom around on a Firebolt in the largest Quidditch stadium ever built, the crowds roaring his name. But now, here he was.
They didn't get too long to gawk, however, as Igor Karkarroff the Durmstrang Headmaster demanded that Krum be taken inside to get out of the cold evening air.
"Never mind we've been standing in it a good half hour," Leila couldn't stop herself from grumbling. Sure, it was aweing to see such a famous figure, but Harry never let anyone baby him like that and he was far more famous than any Quidditch star. More deserving of his fame, too.
"Shh!" Hermione hissed at her impatiently, but not bothering to look as she followed the Durmstrang delegation with her eyes. Leila pouted somewhat childishly, but remained silent as her friend wanted. Dumbledore turned, and gestured for the teachers to follow, the Heads of Houses organizing the students once more into neat, practically marching, lines. Perhaps the two visiting schools had made impressive entrances, but they were on Hogwarts' grounds and the castle's inhabitants were not to be outdone.
OoO
"Well, how do you like that." Leila glanced up to see Ernie Macmillian standing nearby with Justin Finch-Fletchley and Dean Thomas. The three boys were in the aisle between the Gryffindor and Ravenclaw tables, watching the Ravenclaw Quidditch Captain Roger Davies chat up a particularly buxom Beauxbatons student.
"I don't understand it," Dean was saying, "Professor Dumbledore told us to get to know the other schools, but how can we do that if they just ignore us?" Her housemate had a point; so far, the foreign students had only sat and talked with the Ravenclaw and Slytherin students, something that made Ron as mad as Malfoy was smug.
"Maybe it's for the best," Justin commented, "I wouldn't know what to say to one of them anyway. I mean, how do you even begin a conversation with them?"
"Same as you do with a normal person, I expect," she couldn't help from remarking, and they turned to see her.
"Oh really?" Ernie challenged, crossing his arms, "If it's so easy, why aren't you trying it?"
She realized she was being called on it and sighed, shoveling the last of her breakfast in her mouth and swallowing. "All right, who do you want me to get you for your next Hogsmeade date?"
Dean shook his head, smiling, Justin stared wide-eyed, but Ernie scoffed.
"That's easy enough. You're a girl. Girls know how to talk to girls. No, if you're really serious about this, you're going to have to talk to—" his eyes began scanning the Slytherin table, before finally halting on a very prominent figure. "Viktor Krum."
Leila hoped her gulp wasn't that noticeable. "Krum?" She repeated. "The Quidditch star?"
"That's right," Ernie was smirking now, certain of his victory. Well that wouldn't do.
"Fine. I'll be back," She stood, slinging her bag over her shoulder, and walked past Ernie who spluttered.
"You—what? Hey, wait- I didn't mean—Potter, get back here!"
She told herself that it would just look pathetic to turn back at that point, so she walked steadily down the aisle, turned right and right again into the Slytherin aisle, and continued to where Krum was seated. Two of his friends were across from him and all three were listening to something Malfoy was telling them. Boy did he look different, face all lit up and animated, happy for Godric's sake. The transformation was as different as whenever he sucked up to a teacher. It made her sick thinking of how fake it was.
Perhaps it was that anger now boiling in her stomach that caused Leila to simply drop into the empty space on Viktor Krum's right and begin talking.
"Hello there, how're you liking Hogwarts so far?" Best to just dive in and all that. Krum turned to her quizzically, while Malfoy leaned almost comically forward to catch sight of the intruder. When he recognized her, his jaw dropped, mouth working silently for once. Krum, however, spoke.
"It iz- very nice. You are?"
"Oh, well I'm—"
"Potter!" Malfoy had regained the use of his vocal chords. It truly was a shame. "What are you—this is the Slytherin table you stupid—do you know who—"
"I'm not blind, Malfoy, I can see he's Viktor Krum," she found it easier to make it sound casual when she was arguing with the Slytherin boy. She turned back towards Krum, blocking out Malfoy's sounds of protest. "Saw you at the World Cup, actually. Bloody brilliant, even if you were bleeding all over the place."
"Zank you," he replied, still seeming a little confused, as though working out how she had suddenly dropped into place at this table. "Potter, you say?"
Oh. She supposed the last name possibly was famous abroad as well. "Yes, that's my name. Leila Potter, I'm Harry—"
Malfoy cut off the usual introduction again with "Potter!"
Leila sighed, somewhat exasperated with his repetitiveness, and faced him. "Yes, what now Malfoy?" But she realized the blond was not actually looking at her. Instead, he seemed to be calling for help from her brother, who had entered the Great Hall late with Ron. Harry glanced over and she watched, almost amused, as he took in the scene and his eyes widened in comical horror behind his glasses. Pretty soon, he and Ron had covered the distance to the table.
"Tell your sister to leave our table!" Malfoy hissed at Harry, who was clearly pinning her with his famous look that silently asked "Why? Why are you doing this to me?". She shrugged at her twin.
"You could have just asked me, Malfoy, I'll leave if you think you'll get Gryffindor cooties or some other rubbish." She stood and grabbed her bag. "Say goodbye to the nice Quidditch player, Ron," she couldn't help but tease as her red-haired friend could only stare at the sportsman in awe.
"Oh! Um, er—"
"Nice chatting with you," she said, giving a cheery wave. Malfoy's glare only intensified as Krum's two buddies chuckled a little, but then Harry dragged her off.
"C'mon, Hermione's in the library," he muttered, face blazing red as a Weasley as they hurried from the Hall.
"What could she possibly be studying already?" Leila asked and Ron actually managed a snicker, which was good. Awareness seemed to be returning to him. They had almost escaped when—
"Potter!"
Both turned, but upon facing the Potions Master, it was obvious by his cold gaze who he was talking to. She wasn't sure how Malfoy got his Head of House to materialize so quickly, but she wanted to hex the sneers off both of their faces.
"Yes? Sir?" She added when he did not immediately respond.
"Detention and ten points from Gryffindor for disrupting the morning meal." Merlin, Malfoy looked so smug she thought he might start preening at any moment. Krum was watching the whole thing, his features contemplative, while Leila merely rolled her eyes.
"Whatever you say, sir," she replied, feeling some small satisfaction when Snape scowled at her 'arrogant attitude' as he would no doubt put it. Maybe Sirius and the others had gone a little too far with their pranks in the past, but the git made it impossible to feel any sort of pity.
Leila turned and almost bumped into Ernie on her way out the door. Her mood having taken quite the downturn, she merely pointed her finger in the Hufflepuff's face, warning, "You owe me." Those three words alone made a sheen of sweat break out on the boy's face as he gulped.
OoO
"I can't believe you actually did something that stupid," Hermione muttered quietly as they followed her up and down shelves. The bushy brunette would grab a book, examine it, and then either discard it or add it to the increasing pile.
"You know me, Hermione," Leila grinned, only a little sheepish, at her friend who simply clucked her tongue while still smiling slightly.
"Well," the other girl paused a moment, before asking, "What was he like? In person?"
"Not much of a conversationalist, truth be told," she replied, "Probably why he sits with Malfoy all the time, all the git ever does is talk."
"This is probably his second language, Leila," Hermione reminded her. "I'm sure it must be very difficult and strange to adjust. But also very exciting. I should wonder—"
"Hey Hermione, I thought you were taking less classes this year," Ron suddenly interrupted from behind them. Neither girl had realized they'd left the boys trailing behind. "What's with all the books, then?"
"I am taking less classes than last year, but that means I can catch up on all the extra reading I neglected," Hermione explained.
"Of course," Ron groaned.
"Cheers," Harry grinned, shaking his head in both resignation and disbelief of their friend's literary habits.
"So Ron, how are Fred and George recovering from the Age Potion mishap?" Leila asked, all four laughing a little at the memory of the Weasley twins with white, fluffy beards.
"Oh, they'll be fine. Madam Pomfrey got it all sorted out, you know."
"That's good, I'm not sure what your mother would have done," Harry remarked, sending them all into another bout of giggles that had Madam Pince looking up sharply from the front desk.
"At least now they know they don't have to worry about growing bald in old age," Leila finally managed to whisper after reigning in her laughter for the time being.
They were shooed from the library and sent off the their first class shortly after.
OoO
The whole Hall was buzzing with excitement, but even the foreign students remained completely still and quiet. Professor Dumbledore received the attention of everyone, as per usual. But the true focus of the evening, the object that drew every eye, was the flickering blue falmes of the Goblet of Fire. It blazed to life then, a piece of paper shooting out and slowly floating on tiny air currents to the Headmaster's outstretched hand.
"The Durmstrang Champion: Viktor Krum"
Hardly a surprise, that one. Even still, she applauded the Bulgarian along with the rest of the Great Hall's current inhabitants.
"The Beauxbatons Champion: Fleur Delacour"
She clapped politely even as a super model of a girl stood from the Ravenclaw bench and quite literally strutted into the adjacent room. The attention of every male was completely on her, and boy did she know it. She heard several of her female housemates scoff a little, but Leila eagerly looked up as the third and final parchment was issued from the Goblet.
"The Hogwarts Champion: Cedric Diggory"
Well, not a terribly bad choice of representative. She gave Angelina a sympathetic shrug all the same; it would have been wicked to have Gryffindor represent. But perhaps it was the Hufflepuffs' time to shine.
The Hall had erupted into frantic discussions on the Champions and the Tournament, ranging from any list of topics. She herself turned to engage Harry in conversation but as a result saw the flash of red from the Goblet reflected in the lenses of his glasses. Whirling around, Leila heard the whole room hush as Dumbledore reached out, almost hesitant, and plucked the parchment from the air.
"Harry Potter."
So it took me quite a few months, but there's the chapter for you. I'm hoping that showed some more interaction between Leila and the other characters, and of course now the Tournament's set up. I'm hoping you all stick around for the next chapters, because I've been dying to write them since I started this whole thing. Thanks for reading, and please review!