Soon after Harry had left his office, he heard another knock at the door.
"Come in," he barked, and was surprised when he saw the broad, unsmiling face of Viktor Krum enter the room.
"Tolga told me you wanted to meet," Krum told him firmly. "Is now good time for you?"
"Yes, come in," Snape told him, pointing to a chair. "I would normally offer you tea, but under present circumstances . . ."
"I do not like the English tea anyway," Krum told him, waving it off as if it had no importance. "Niceties do not change that Mir is dead."
"They do not," Snape agreed gravely, seeing the pain in the young man's eyes. This more than anything convinced him that Viktor was innocent.
"Is Headmaster Karkaroff going to be released?" he asked.
"Soon, most likely," Snape told him. "They are interviewing him. It got a bit . . . interrupted with Dumbledore being disabled."
"Has he been arrested?"
"No," Snape answered. "Right now the ministry is officially taking the position that the headmaster is merely a material witness and helping them sort out relationships and the like. He is not even listed as a suspect."
"He is a bastard," Krum confirmed. "But he didn't kill Mir."
"I'm inclined to agree with you," Snape admitted, deciding that Krum was someone he wanted to be forthright with. "However, the ministry is not of a similar opinion."
"They are idiots," Krum said without passion. "And their idiocy is going to let Mir's killer walk free."
"Tell me about Mir," Snape invited.
"You know enough about him," Viktor told him. "My parents said that they . . . informed you of our relationship and duties. I come to ask you have you found out who killed my friend."
"I do not know yet, Mr. Krum," Snape answered smoothly. "Who do you think it was?"
Viktor snorted, leaning back in his chair and assessing Snape shrewdly. "Many at my school say it was Hogwarts to throw me off my game, that they fear I will win. One person has even said Madame Maxime, as we cannot trust one of such . . . obvious mixed blood."
"I asked for your opinion," Snape reminded him calmly.
"And I am under no obligation to give it," Krum answered, equally enigmatic. "But at present I can tell you that I don't have a firm one."
"I have heard you placed under suspicion," Snape intoned.
Viktor snorted. "Then Mir's subterfuge worked. Are you of that opinion?"
"I am not," Snape decided to be honest. "I think it most unlikely. About as unlikely as Harry Potter."
Viktor scoffed. "That boy is no killer," he told Snape. "There is no genius behind this tale, or they would have picked a more likely suspect."
"So not Potter and not you, who does that leave us?"
"A school full of jealous wizards trained to think the fittest survive, a school of charming but deadly women who would woo and then curse, and a school where two contestants were entered illegally and seems poised on the brink of a civil war."
"Nicely put," Snape nodded. "You see my dilemma."
"My school is the obvious culprit," Krum continued. "We are . . . conservative. We are much more . . . practical about the teaching and application of the dark arts. For us, the fit survive and the weak deserve no mercy. We value blood lines and loyalty above all, and shun the more liberal views of muggles and creatures. Our headmaster is a former death eater, as I'm sure you're aware."
"I am aware," Snape nodded.
"We know what you British think of us," Krum continued. "Bigots, hard, and unfeeling. And after the time spent here I cannot say that you are entirely wrong. Someone from Durmstrang motivated properly would kill without remorse."
"You are severe on your school," Snape observed.
"Only if you think being hard is a bad thing," Krum answered levelly.
"True," Snape conceded.
"The Beauxbatons is also suspect," Krum continued. "Far more liberal than Durmstrang, they have a mixed blood as their headmistress and there are rumors of students with creature heritage. Though seeming charming and mannered, make no mistake that their allure is deadly. Though their school is a palace set to breed civility, it could also breed avarice. And poison is a woman's weapon, is it not?"
"Traditionally," Snape conceded.
"Liberal about bloodlines do not mean that one from their school would have any problems killing and then framing your Harry Potter."
"But we have no person of suspect," Snape answered.
"And then your own school," Krum continued. "Nobody has solved why the under-aged child was named as a champion, nor has anybody sought to prevent what could be deadly for him. He is obviously under-aged and under-trained, yet still he competes. And we at Durmstrang know how the dark is rising in England, despite the assurances and soft words of your headmaster. I wonder how a school as disingenuous as this one thinks it earns any trust? Seems the perfect place to hide a murderer."
"You are accurate, however unflattering," Snape nodded.
"And you ask me who has done it? Who has killed Mir?" Krum asks, his voice deepening with emotion. "I will tell you who; someone who has no pity in their heart. Someone who is so duplicitous that they think the outcome of this tournament is more important than people's lives. Someone desperate."
"Can you think of someone like that?" Snape asked him.
"I think when this is over we will see that this is about more than the tournament," Krum conceded. "I just do not see why the tournament would elicit this strong of a response. At Durmstrang we are not shocked by murder; it is a reality that we live with. To be shocked means to not think, to not be practical. I think when this is done we will see that it relates to the rise of your Dark Lord."
"I hope you are wrong," Snape told him. "But I am afraid you are not."
"This attack is on me," Krum told him sadly. "But they will fail. Killing my Kruven Brat does not discourage me, it raises my courage. I shall win this tournament to show that the killers of Dragonmir Danchev will not be successful."
Snape, taken aback by the bravery shown by the young Drumstrang student, was caught off guard when his wand began to heat. He had nearly forgotten that he had given Potter a way to contact him, and it was now being activated. He felt a stab of what felt like annoyance, though he could recognize some anxiety in it. What did the brat need?
"Please let me know if you think of anything else that I need to know," Snape told him.
"You are an honorable man, Professor Snape," Krum nodded. "I shall tell you."
"Thank you," Snape answered, cognizant of the honor Krum extended him. "I shall keep you informed as well."
"Then in all honor I have one other thing to tell you," Krum said. "I had not thought to help you in this way, partially because it is . . . not practical. It is more of an observation or a feeling."
"Anything can help at this point," Snape told him. "I would appreciate any observations you might have for me."
"I meant what I said about the person being no genius," Krum told him. "I do not thing whoever did this deed had it well thought out. Your Harry Potter was framed, but why? Surely the person would realized that there was no evidence of him murdering Mir and he would be cleared. And then the attempt on you and the headmaster was more . . . tactical. And it cleared Harry, effectively nullifying the earlier framing. I believe that the actions were committed very differently."
Snape thought for a moment, seeing the logic, but unsure if he agreed with all the implications. "Thank you for your observations," Snape told him.
"If I can be of further help, please let me know," Krum told him. "And my family would appreciate you keeping us informed as you are able without compromising your investigation."
"I will," Snape nodded. "I hold you and your family in the utmost respect."
"And we you," Krum replied.
As Snape made his way to where he knew Potter was located, he realized that he had found the conversation with Krum less than fully satisfying. He had been impressed with how the teen had understood the politics behind the matter, but he was still a stubborn Durmstrang student bent on honor and courage.
And now Potter had called him with the charmed chess piece Snape had provided to him, and he wondered the situation that he would come upon. It didn't feel urgent, and surely if it was life and death Flitwick or McGonagall would have no problems dealing with it. Why was he required?
As he entered the dining room, he came upon Harry in the middle of a scene. Smirking to himself at causing the golden boy a little embarrassment, he said calmly, "Dear me, Potter. I would think that a boy who had just been caned by my hand this morning would be able to stay out of trouble until at least lunch time."