Dark child

30

I don't believe it!" Draco said, in a stunned voice, as the Hogwarts students filed back up the steps behind the party from Durmstrang. "Krum, Elara! Viktor Krum!"
"For heaven's sake, Dra, he's only a Quidditch player," said Elara.
"Only a Quidditch player?" Draco said, looking at her as though he couldn't believe his ears. "El — he's one of the best Seekers in the world! I had no idea he was still at school!"

As they recrossed the entrance hall with the rest of the Hogwarts students heading for the Great Hall, Elara saw Lee Jordan jumping up and down on the soles of his feet to get a better look at the back of Krum's head. Several sixth-year girls were frantically searching their pockets as they walked —
"Oh I don't believe it, I haven't got a single quill on me —"
"D'you think he'd sign my hat in lipstick?"
"Really," Elara said loftily as they passed the girls, now squabbling over the lipstick.

They walked over to the Slytherin table and sat down. Draco took care to sit on the side facing the doorway, because Krum and his fellow Durmstrang students were still gathered around it, apparently unsure about where they should sit. The students from Beauxbatons had chosen seats at the Ravenclaw table. They were looking around the Great Hall with glum expressions on their faces. Three of them were still clutching scarves and shawls around their heads.

"Over here! Come and sit over here!" Draco hissed.
"Oh, okay." Elara said and stood up to change her seat, as Viktor Krum and his fellow Durmstrang students came to the Slytherin table. Draco, Crabbe, and Goyle were looking very smug about this. As Elara busied herself sitting on the other side of Draco, he bent forward to speak to Krum.

"They look a lot happier than the Beauxbatons lot." Elara thought. The Durmstrang students were pulling off their heavy furs and looking up at the starry black ceiling with expressions of interest; a couple of them were picking up the golden plates and goblets and examining them, apparently impressed. Up at the staff table, Filch, the caretaker, was adding chairs. He was wearing his moldy old tailcoat in honor of the occasion.

"Yeah, my father is an old friend of professor Karkaroff..." Draco was talking to Krum, as all the students had entered the Hall and settled down at their House tables, the staff entered, filing up to the top table and taking their seats. Last in line were Dumbledore, Professor Karkaroff, and Madame Maxime. When their headmistress appeared, the pupils from Beauxbatons leapt to their feet. A few of the Hogwarts students laughed. The Beauxbatons party appeared quite unembarrassed, however, and did not resume their seats until Madame Maxime had sat down on Dumbledore's left-hand side. Dumbledore remained standing, and a silence fell over the Great Hall.

"Good evening, ladies and gentlemen, ghosts and — most particularly — guests," said Dumbledore, beaming around at the foreign students. "I have great pleasure in welcoming you all to Hogwarts. I hope and trust that your stay here will be both comfortable and enjoyable."
One of the Beauxbatons girls still clutching a muffler around her head gave what was unmistakably a derisive laugh.
"The tournament will be officially opened at the end of the feast," said Dumbledore. "I now invite you all to eat, drink, and make yourselves at home!"
He sat down, and Elara saw Karkaroff lean forward at once and engage him in conversation.

The plates in front of them filled with food as usual. The houseelves in the kitchen seemed to have pulled out all the stops; there was a greater variety of dishes in front of them that weren't commonly served at Hogwarts, including several that were definitely foreign.

The Great Hall seemed somehow much more crowded than usual, even though there were barely twenty additional students there; perhaps it was because their differently colored uniforms stood out so clearly against the black of the Hogwarts' robes. Now that they had removed their furs, the Durmstrang students were revealed to be wearing robes of a deep bloodred.