Chapter 1: The Tri-Wizard Tournament

"I should have taken a dram of Firewhiskey before coming here." He thought to himself.

He was stuck in the Great hall welcoming the Durmstrang and Beaux Batons Wizarding schools. Being social and nice always exhausted him and made him surly. He much preferred the quiet of his dungeons to the noise ridden Great Hall. It would be worse tonight.

"Please welcome the ladies of the Beaux-Batons Academy and their Headmistress Madame Maxime!" Dumbledore announced.

A sigh escaped from every young man's mouth as the ladies of the Academy pranced their way into the Hall. Their uniforms of blue silk sighed as they danced their way up the Great Hall. They were beautiful girls and Severus saw that many were at least part Veela. He saw butterflies and blue birds escape their hands as they showed their abilities, albeit limited, with wandless magic. Severus was quite impressed with this display. Rare were the wizards that could use wandless magic effectively. These girls were on their way to being quite impressive ones if they could master such small tricks this early on. He noticed a young witch walking in with the Headmistress. She was too old to be a student but looked almost too young to be a teacher.

"She's very beautiful," he thought to himself.

Her fiery red hair was piled high on her head. She barely reached Maxime's hip and she shadowed the giant lady as though she knew what the Headmistress was thinking. She seemed familiar but he could not see her well enough to recognize her. He had seen her before he thought, but could not remember where. He shrugged it off, she was probably a witch he had met on one of his rare outings out into the world. He looked away and forgot about her as Dumbledore once again stepped up to the podium.

"And now please welcome the gentlemen from Durmstrang and their Headmaster Igor Karkaroff!"

As always, Igor had outdone himself in the displays put up by his students. Flaming dragons turning into phoenixes, the masculine display of Bulgarian dances and stunts had all the female students standing and squealing joyfully. Severus could not help rolling his eyes and smirking at the behaviour. The brats were so easily fooled by tricks and glamour. They couldn't appreciate true magic or Durmstrang star pupil, Viktor Krum, walked in like he owned the place.

"He will definitely be the one to represent Durmstrang in the Tournament. If the goblet chooses anyone else, it will be quite surprising." He thought to himself.

Madame Maxime, her associate teacher, Igor and his assistant came and joined them at the head table. Igor took this opportunity to sit next to him. Severus knew he would have to be social. He sighed and tried to avoid eye contact as much as possible. Unfortunately for him, it was to no avail.

"So Severus, how is teaching at Hogwarts treating you?" Igor asked him laughingly.

"Very well Igor. How is Durmstrang?"

"Good, we have great hopes in our young star Viktor." Igor answered loudly before dropping his voice to a low whisper. " I need to talk to you alone Severus. It's very important!"

Severus looked away and listened in on other conversations happening around him. One caught his attention.

"Professor Dumbledore," a low female voice asked. "It is imperative that I speak to you after dinner. Would it be at all possible?"

"Of course, Miss?"

"Roseline de Grosaillon, sir."

"Let us finish our dinners and we can head up to my office."

"Thank you Sir!"

That voice, he knew it. Who was she? He had to find out.