Snape sat down in front of the four adults and tried to remember when he'd been that uncomfortable. A deatheater meeting when he knew that he'd failed the Dark Lord? Perhaps.
"We thank you for coming, Professor Snape," Mr. Krum greeted him in heavily accented but clear English. "It is very kind of you to come."
"Thank you," Snape nodded. "I wish to convey my condolences with your loss. We at Hogwarts are doing everything we can to find out what happened."
"Thank you," Mrs. Danchev held a handkerchief to her eye. "Dear Tolga told us you had some questions for us, that we could help."
"Yes, I would like to ask you some questions," Snape told them, and then wondered how to say the next part diplomatically. "But I would like to start by being honest. We have no reason to trust each other, there has long been distrust between our countries and our schools."
"We do not want to air these grievances," Mr. Krum said, putting up his hands.
"Neither does Hogwarts," Snape answered seriously. "Especially in this time of grief. So I have a solution so that we may ask each other questions and trust the answers without having to question and wonder. I have made a dilute version of Veritaserum, and if administered properly it should eliminate the ability to lie but it should still allow people to refrain from answering."
"I will not turn into a babbling idiot!" Mr. Krum insisted.
"Neither do I," Snape answered seriously. "I am willing to take it myself so that we are all on the same foot. You may end our conversation at any time."
"That sounds fair," Mr. Danchev agreed. "Professor Snape is correct; we have no reason to trust each other. What he suggests is fair."
"I am the potions master at Hogwarts," Snape told them as he produced several small cups and measured out a dose in each one. "Thank you for the trust you have extended my brewing."
"There is trust and there is trust," Mr. Danchev nodded. "You take it first."
Snape drank down the flavorless, colorless liquid and watched carefully to make sure that everybody took the potion as well. When Snape was satisfied, he sat back and looked at the parents. "Ask me something that I would be reluctant to answer," he told them.
"When is the last time you knew the touch of a woman?" Mr. Krum smirked.
"Good example," Snape nodded. "I refrain from answering. Now let me try and lie: I was with a woman . . ." he found his tongue tied.
"Ask me the same," Mr. Krum instructed.
Once they were all satisfied that the serum was working, Snape decided to open in a diplomatic matter. "I will allow you to ask the first questions," he told them. "What would you like to know?"
"What do you know of his death?" Mr. Danchev asked carefully.
"He was poisoned by Moonseed poison," Snape answered. "Our medi-witch tried very hard to save him, but Moonseed poison is nearly impossible to cure even if they know that's what it was. We also know that Karkaroff caned your son that morning for an infraction to do with Krum. People have told me that your son was the person who enforced authority and made it so Krum didn't embarrass his family and country. Several people have been found to have handled moonseed poison in the past few days, they are being interviewed now. The poison has most likely originated from Headmaster Karkaroff's person, where he kept a small, personal amount of the poison that has been stolen."
"Thank you for being so candid," Mr. Krum answered, exchanging glances with the other three. "We did not expect you to have so little subterfuge."
"I have a few questions as well," Snape acknowledged. "The first of which is what is the nature of the relationship between Viktor Krum and Dragonmir Danchev?"
"It is complicated," Mr. Krum answered. "I will try to explain. First, you must understand that our families are friends; allies. We have been so for many generations."
"I understand," Snape nodded.
"We have done much to protect Viktor," Mr. Danchev explained. "We all knew it was worth it. Mir volunteered to go with Viktor, to protect him. He was Viktor's bodyguard; but more too. He was like a brother, but chosen. I am not sure the English word for that; we say Kruven Brat."
"I understand," Snape nodded. "But Mir seems an . . . unusual choice for a bodyguard."
"You English thinking that it is all about muscles," Mr. Krum scoffed. "Mir was completely loyal, and that is the most important thing. Of secondary importance was the fact that he was a brilliant wizard, in fact one of if not the best student at Durmstrang. And as a younger son, he was free of familial obligations."
"Can you imagine the protection offered by someone completely loyal but also a very talented wizard?" Mrs. Krum asked. "That is not protection you can buy."
"I see," Snape nodded, understanding. Look at how much Bella's loyalty had helped the Dark Lord, and how his own disloyalty had cost him.
"But we did not want others to know their brotherhood," Mrs. Danchev explained, wringing her handkerchief. "So we had to employ subterfuge. Mir and Viktor acted like they were rivals, that Mir held the whip-hand. That let Mir learn more and protect better."
"You are sure," Snape observed.
"There is an oath in place," Mr. Krum nodded. "Mir would have died if he had ever intentionally betrayed Viktor."
"We thought if Mir were caned by Karkaroff on Viktor's insistence that it would give the person targeting Krum a potential ally to recruit," Mr. Danchev agreed. "We assumed the person would think Mir bitter or vengeful, and then confide in him. Viktor was quite reluctant to agree to it, but Mir saw the necessity immediately. He insisted despite Viktor's reluctance."
"There was someone targeting Krum?" Snape asked.
"Of course," Mr. Danchev nodded. "We assume that it was someone at one of the rival schools trying to influence the tournament."
"What has happened?" Snape asked.
"Viktor had his things gone through," Mrs. Krum volunteered. "He was stunned once and unconscious until Mir found him. Mir found a charm fixed on his cloak that drained strength and made his brain fuzzy. There have been attempts at unscrupulous potions given him, but Viktor is very good about detection charms."
"Nobody has informed Hogwarts staff about this," Snape told them.
"We thought it could be handled by our people," Mr. Krum nodded. "We did not put much faith in Dumbledore. We even considered it could be sanctioned by him."
"Dumbledore is not your enemy," Snape told them earnestly. "I know that not everyone at Hogwarts is equally trustworthy, but you should trust Dumbledore."
"Do you trust him?" Mrs. Krum asked sharply.
"With my life," Snape answered, and he realized how true that statement truly was. He was a little taken aback by the simplicity he expressed at what felt like a very complicated relationship.
"Then you do understand," Mrs. Krum nodded. "That is the trust that we have."
"Who do you think did it?" Snape asked baldly.
"Someone who wants Viktor," Mrs. Krum answered simply. "The only reason to remove Mir is to get to him."
"But they will not win," Mr. Krum insisted. "Bulgaria's honor is at stake. The sacrifice made by Mir and his family will not be forgotten."
"Mir died protecting Victor Krum," Mr. Danchev told him earnestly. "And now Viktor will bring honor to our country by competing in and winning the Tri-Wizard tournament."
"I see that Mir's sacrifice will be honored," Snape nodded. "And I will do my best to find out who did this."
"What if the murderer is from Hogwarts?" Mrs. Danchev asked.
"It doesn't matter where they're from," Snape promised them. "I will find the murder and see that they see justice, no matter who it is."
Mrs. Danchev nodded, saying, "We are gratified that you are taking this so seriously," he told Snape.
"Do you trust Headmaster Karkaroff?" Snape asked them.
"Not especially," Mr. Krum answered. "But he seems to be acting honorably."
"He has given us his condolences," Mrs. Danchev told him. "He said he would be sending up Mir's things, perhaps tomorrow."
"Karkaroff has had a lot to overcome in his tenure as headmaster," Mr. Krum explained. "He has had unfortunate . . . associations in his past. Even though we at Durmstrang are far more practical and sensible around issues such as . . . previous dark Lords, there is still a stigma of associating with someone that has lost. But Karkaroff has prevailed, assuring everyone of his constancy and patriotism, as well as his ability to prepare his pupils to be tough and ready for anything."
"But we still remember," Mrs. Krum nodded to him. "We still know the choices he has made."
"Then why allow him in charge of your children?" Snape asked.
"Surely you know the answer to that," Mrs. Krum answered pointedly, gesturing to Snape's arm that held the tattoo. "You of all people."
"Only a wizard that has truly known the dark can prepare students to face it," Mr. Krum answered, nodding. "Karkaroff may be a bit of an ass, but by Merlin he prepares the students for what is coming."
"If British wizarding does fall to the rising forces, all of Europe could follow," Mr. Danchev stated. "Dark Wizards with a thirst for power rarely are confined by borders. That is why we train, Professor. That is why we let our sons pay a terrible price to protect our interests. That is why we allow an ass like Karkaroff to be the headmaster, and that is why Mir allowed himself to be caned in order to try and lure the person hindering Viktor's success."
Snape nodded, deeply affected by the honor that these families showed. He found himself at a loss of what to say.
"I believe you to be a man that understands sacrifice," Mr. Danchev continued, his shrewd eyes measuring the man before him.
"I am," he answered simply. And there seemed to be nothing further to say.