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The arrival of the Beauxbatons carriage at Hogwarts was a moment of elegance and enchantment. When the beautiful, delicate carriage emerged from the horizon, gracefully gliding through the air and was identified by the students, a hush came over the crowd admiring the beauty of the carriage. It seemed to be otherworldly in its design, considerably different from anything that was found at Hogwarts. It appeared to be crafted of shining, ornate white and pale blue materials that seemed to shimmer from within.

As the Beauxbatons carriage touched down gently on the Hogwarts grounds, the doors opened, revealing the Beauxbatons students, who stepped out with an air of poise and sophistication. Their uniforms as elegant as the carriage itself, the presence exuding a sense of refinement and charm. Harry smiled as he recognized Fleur, noting that normally her appearance and appeal would have been enough to draw the attention of everyone in the crowd, certainly every boy's. However, Harry had a feeling that all eyes were on the female Headmaster, as the giantess approached Professor Dumbledore.

But as exciting as the Beauxbatons entrance had been, Harry had really been looking forward to the emergence of the Durmstrang ship from the Black Lake.

Noticing a series of ripples breaking across the the inky black surface, Harry stared at the surface of the lake anticipating the ship's arrival that the ripples heralded. In one quick motion, the surface of the lake was broken as the ship began to smoothly rise, water cascading off its sleek, black hull, glistening in the evening sunlight. The ship was enormous, its dark wood adorned with intricate carvings and runes that no doubt allowed for the underwater travel, each shimmering with an ethereal glow. The ship continued to rise, towering over the lake as it approached the shore, until it stood majestically on the water's surface defying expectations.

The Durmstrang students, clad in their distinctive crimson robes, stood proudly and motionless on the ship's deck, casting an aura of strength and mystique, before beginning to disembark as the ship made it to the shoreline and a gangplank was lowered.

Harry watched as current Durmstrang Headmaster and former Death Eater, Professor Karkaroff, approached Dumbledore and greeted him, before leaning over his shoulder and welcoming his favorite student to separate himself from his classmates and join him.

As the imposing, slightly stooped form of the walked by them Ron aggressively elbowed Harry in the ribs as he let out a very shrill and excited squeak. "Oh my god, Harry … it's Krum!"

Victor Krum's brooding and stoic expression turned towards Ron's outburst to identify the culprit before beginning to turn back towards his awaiting Headmaster. However, he stopped suddenly as his eyebrows shot up and he looked back in their direction.

"Harry Potter …?"


"Harry Potter …?"

The entire gathered crowd of students, from all three schools, fell into a sudden and profound silence as Victor Krum pronounced Harry's name. Krum's voice echoed through the air, his piercing gaze locked onto Harry, and a palpable tension enveloped the entire gathering. The stillness in the crowd was broken by a growing wave of excitement, as students from Beauxbatons, Durmstrang, and Hogwarts jostled to secure a better view, eager to witness what was happening.

Caught off guard, Harry found himself in a bewildering situation, unsure of how the Bulgarian Seeker, could possibly know of him at this point in the tournament. He was positive that during his initial participation in the Triwizard Tournament Victor Krum had not recognized him based on his appearance. As the eyes of the crowd bore into them, Harry was immobilized, his gaze questioningly fixed upon Krum. He awaited some explanation from the renowned Quidditch player, a sense of curiosity mixing with the apprehension, but the seconds seemed to stretch on and provide no relief.

However, before Krum had the opportunity to say anything else and before he himself was able to think of a response, he couldn't help but witness a remarkable transformation of expressions on the face of Igor Karkaroff. In a matter of seconds, Karkaroff's face cycled through an array of emotions, from initial surprise to slight fear, followed by a fleeting, but unmistakable hatred, before ultimately settling into an expression of mild disdain. An expression Harry had become all to accustomed to being directed his way.

Karkaroff, however, seemed to be the first to overcome the surprise of the situation. He swiftly shook off his initial shock and took charge, striding down to where Krum stood and ushering him forward, guiding the Quidditch prodigy towards the castle doors with an air of authority.

As Victor Krum entered the majestic castle, the gathered students couldn't contain their curiosity and began engaging in excited whispers and animated discussions. Harry found himself inwardly groaning at the attention he was once again going to receive.

'Why can't I ever get a break.' He lamented inwardly, frustration gnawing at his thoughts.

Turning his gaze toward his companions, he spotted his friends in the distance, frantically gesturing to him. They were navigating through the crowd of students streaming into the castle, their intent clear as they headed towards one of the alcoves just outside the grand entrance.

As Harry joined them in the alcove, he finally had the chance to look them squarely in the eyes. What he saw etched across their faces was a profound shock, their expressions, especially Ron's, easy to ready.

"I … I … don't believe it," Ron stammered, his voice tinged with shock and a trace of jealousy and suspicion. His wide eyes and quizzical tone were laden with curiosity. "How do you know Krum? Why didn't you say anything at the World Cup. What the hell, mate!"

Harry turned abruptly towards his best friend, his frustration on the verge of bubbling over, ready to deliver an angry response. But just as he was about to let his feelings spill forth, Hermione interjected, her voice rational and cool. "I do not see what the big deal is, Ron. He is just a Quidditch player."

Ron's reaction was nothing short of spectacular; he didn't faint, but the sheer horror etched onto his face at Hermione's nonchalant comment was enough to make Harry's annoyance with Ron's reaction vanish. In fact, Harry had to stifle a chuckle as he watched Ron's comical battle with his emotions.

"He's just a … just a … just a Quidditch player? Hermione!" Ron almost shouted in exasperation. "He's one of the best Quidditch Seekers in the entire world, and apparently, he is still in school … How would you like if I said Bathilda Bagshot was just an author?"

Harry couldn't help but release a muffled chuckle, only partially successful in hiding his laughter. This earned him a swift, reproachful glare from Hermione before she redirected her focus back to Ron.

In a slightly cross voice, she countered, "Those are entirely different situations, Ron. One is just an athlete, while the other is a world-renowned historical author and..." She paused, her curiosity piqued by Ron's reference. "Actually, how do you even know who she is?"

Ron's cheeks reddened as he shifted his gaze to the ground, feeling a touch embarrassed at being called out for something related to reading, "Umm … it was actually Harry's idea," he began, his words hesitant. "We had started reading Hogwarts: A History … you mention it often enough. So Harry added it to the list of books we are reading on top of our class textbooks, for some light reading …"

Ron paused mid-sentence, realizing he had veered off track, and swiftly turned his attention back to Harry, his curiosity burning. "Seriously, Harry, why didn't you tell me you knew Krum, that he knew you?"

Harry regarded his friend with a thoughtful expression, having been pondering the very same question, one that had been perplexing his mind ever since Krum had uttered his name just moments ago. "Ron, I'm being serious when I say this: I haven't met him yet, as far as I know. I'm just as puzzled as you are about how he knows me ..."

He took a brief pause, considering his response carefully, and then decided to continue with the most believable explanation. He raised a hand and pointed to his forehead. "Although Krum wouldn't be the first person to know my name or recognize my appearance before actually meeting me, simply because my parents died for me, now would he?"

Ron's shock began to ebb as he shifted his gaze from Harry's lightning bolt scar on his forehead to meet Harry's eyes. Then, with a hint of remorse, he directed his stare toward the floor, having the decency to appear embarrassed over his outburst. In a barely audible mumble, he muttered, "Maybe?"

Harry, however, shook his head and turned his attention towards the castle's entrance that Victor Krum had just disappeared into, noticing that they were among the last students still outside. As he he looked towards the door he admitted to himself that Ron had asked a good question though.

'How exactly had Victor Krum known him?'

Spotting the approaching figure of Filch, Harry became acutely aware that they had loitered outdoors long enough. Harry quickly alerted his companions to the approaching caretaker and, in an effort to avoid any undue and disproportionate punishment for their delay outdoors, he briskly led the three of them into the castle. They traversed the familiar entranceway, making their way into the Great Hall, and subsequently navigating through the maze of students to reach the Gryffindor table.

As they searched for unoccupied seats, Harry couldn't help but notice the repeated seating arrangement of the visiting schools. Beauxbaton students had once again found their place alongside the Ravenclaws, while the Durmstrang attendees had gravitated towards the Slytherin table.

It was as if Professor Dumbledore had been patiently waiting for Harry, Ron, and Hermione to join the assembly, for he promptly began his welcoming address to the guest students as soon as the trio had settled at the Gryffindor table. Harry's mood quickly waned when he realized that only about half of the students in the hall were truly paying any attention to Dumbledore's words. The remaining half seemed to be having their attention divided, their gazes alternating back and forth between Harry and Krum, undoubtedly immersed in rampant speculation about the connection between the two.

Eventually, Professor Dumbledore concluded his welcoming speech, and the long-awaited feast materialized before the assembled students and guests. The sight of delicious dishes spread across the long tables served as a delightful distraction, effectively diverting everyone's attention away from Krum's recognition of Harry. Excitement buzzed through the Great Hall as students eagerly dove into their meals, savoring the flavors and aromas that filled the air.

Amid the collective enjoyment of the feast, Harry couldn't help but keep a watchful eye on Krum, who appeared notably uninterested in the Slytherins' attempts to engage him in conversation. The young Quidditch star seemed rather detached, his focus far from the attempts of the Slytherins to win his favor.

This was also noticed by Ron, who chose to completely move past the moment outdoors and comment on the patheticness of all the Slytherins vying for Krum's attention. Harry was tempted to point out the irony, considering Ron had just earlier been detailing the lengths he was willing to go to in order to convince the Quidditch sensation to spend time with them.

Deciding it was finally time to dig into his own meal, Harry leaned forward and helped himself to the various dishes, paying particular attention to the unfamiliar foreign delicacies that graced the table. Bouillabaisse and, what he figured was, svartsoppa were not everyday fare at Hogwarts, and he relished the opportunity to savor these exotic dishes.

Around the midpoint of the feast, a familiar voice graced their table, accompanied by the delightful lilt of a French accent. Harry was sure there was little room for doubt regarding the identity of the speaker, a feeling that was confirmed when Ron's eyes widened with a mixture of astonishment, and he stared fixedly and unblinking over Harry's shoulder.

"Excusez-moi, I see you are eating the bouillabaisse. It is magnifique, n'est-ce pas?" the voice remarked.

Harry looked up, a warm smile breaking across his face as he confirmed that it was indeed Fleur Delacour who stood before them. She loomed elegantly over their table, and he replied in kind, "Vraiment!"

This response caused Fleur's smile to widen, her initial formality melting away. "Oh... tu parles français? Pourquoi..."

"Sorry, I must apologize," Harry replied. "I only know a few words. I thought it would be polite to learn a few phrases when I learned we were hosting Durmstrang and the majestic Beauxbatons … Although my French is nowhere near as good as your English. Help yourself to the bouillabaisse, it truly is excellent."

Fleur's eyes sparkled with appreciation as she responded, "Merci, this is my favorite dish. And, to my surprise, this one is almost as good as my mother's recipe. Are you sure you don't mind?"

Just at that moment, Ron rediscovered his voice and loudly interjected, "Yeah! Please have it! It really was delicious. Take whatever you want. I can carry it for you if you want?"

Fleur responded with a tolerant smile directed at Ron before turning her gaze back to Harry and nodding apprecatively, her smile taking on a more genuine warmth. "Merci."

She then picked up the bouillabaisse and with the dish in hand, Fleur gracefully retreated to her seat, leaving a captivated and starstruck Ron … and several other students, in her wake.

"Harry … mate, she's a Veela!" Ron exclaimed excitedly, his gaze still fixated on Fleur's departure, not bothering to turn his head to address his friends.

Hermione shot Ron a disapproving look, and her reply came out as an indignant huff. "I highly doubt that, and even if that is true, it should not matter. She is a witch after all," she sated firmly before directing her attention toward Harry. "You have been learning French? When did that start? That is … actually very considerate."

But Ron, ever persistent, could not resist the urge to interject once more. "I know she's a witch, Hermione, but I'm telling you she's not your run-of-the-mill girl. They don't make them like that that around here." He added with a chuckle, his tone clearly filled with admiration over Fleur's beauty.

Harry shook his head in concern as he observed his friends' reactions. He watched Hermione whipped her head around to fix Ron with a firm glare, a clear manifestation of her disapproval.

"Ron," Harry whispered firmly, his tone carrying an undertone of admonishment, finally drawing his friend's attention from the object of his desire. "Grow up a little bit. She is a person, not a piece of meat. I am sure she gets attitude like that quite frequently. I'd wager she would appreciate being treated like a person … and for what it is worth, I think they make them plenty fine here at Hogwarts."

Ron's gaze drifted down to his plate, and he appeared to choose the wiser course of silence, acknowledging that he might be in the minority on this particular issue. As Harry turned his attention towards Hermione, her head immediately dropped to her plate as well. For just a fleeting moment, he could swear he saw the hint of a blush beginning to grace her cheeks, a reaction that didn't go unnoticed.


diggerboy4 - Thanks for the feedback!

Raymondjay41 - Glad you are enjoying it. Thats totally fair feedback, usually try a little longer but there were a couple shorter chapters just because I thought the ideas were far enough apart it seemed weird just leaving them in the same chapter. But I will keep an eye on it!

hunzbookwyrm - Thanks for the feedback!

Bettina - Thanks so much for the well thoughtout feedback - Krum storyline is coming up and it ties into the Gringotts so look forward to that! Will do!

DJ Scales - Thanks!

starboy454 - Thanks so much!

fortinpatric - You are most welcome!

zega606 - Thanks! I am glad you are enjoying the portrayals!

jkarr - Thanks so much!


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Thanks to those of you out to those of you who enjoy my stories, I promise to keep updating the stories as long as you enjoy them, and a special thanks to those of you who have taken the time to leave feedback or reach out to me directly.