When Myths Meet Magic || 4

9|| Piper

Piper watched as the Durmstrang students walked over to the Slytherin table. Her eyes scanned the crowd.

"Are they an all-boy's school?" she asked Pansy. Pansy shook her head.

"They're probably just sexist," she muttered. "They think boys have a better chance of surviving the tournament."

"What buttheads-- hello!" she smiled pleasently at the Durmstrang student that had just sat between her and Draco. He turned to her and gave a quick smile back.

Pansy caught her breath. "That's Viktor Krum!" she hissed not-so-subtly to Piper. "He's only the best seeker in the world!"

"Good for him." Piper turned her attention back to the Beauxbaton students who were sitting in the Ravenclaw table next to them. Several of the girls were speaking rapid-fire French but before Piper could eavesdrop, Pansy elbowed her.

"Did you not hear me?" she asked in awe. "It's Viktor Krum!"

"Yes, I heard you," Piper said back. "Hello to you, Viktor. Pass the peppermint humbugs, will you?"

Viktor passed her the peppermint humbugs.

"How are you taking this so calmly?" Pansy whisper/shrieked. "It's--"

"--Viktor Krum," Piper finished for her as she passed the humbugs back. "Give the guy a break, will you? Imagine how he must feel right now."

Piper was suddenly aware of Viktor's eyes on her and wished she had whispered. Surprisingly, Viktor smiled at her before turning back to his dinner. Piper wrinkled her nose at the scent of steak. Even though it smelled delicious, memories of that meat-processing plant still infiltrated her nose.

"He's a man of few words, isn't he?" Pansy sighed before turning to her own plate.

More French floated into Piper's ears.

--cold and drafty here.

What is this food? At least they have some of our own food.

Is there a ceiling? Why can I see the stars? Piper turned to the girl that spoke, who was eyeing the ceiling with a strange fascination, though it was well hidden behind a bored facade. Her hair was long and silvery, and she had a natural glow of beauty around her. Piper would not be surprised if she found out she was a daughter of Aphrodite.

It's enchanted, she said to them in fluent French. The girls' gaze snapped to hers.

You are French? The girl who complained about the temperature asked her incredulously.

Piper fought to keep her eyes from rolling. No, I speak Greek, she said completely poker-faced.

The boy complaining about food tilted his head. He looked remarkably like Jason, though his hair had a brownish tint. If you are French, why are you in this school?

Maybe I wanted to be in this school, Piper challenged him.

Ridiculous, the silver-haired girl said. Beauxbatons is the best wizarding school in France.

In France, maybe, Piper replied. But we're not in France, are we?

Pansy elbowed Piper. "You speak French?" she asked. "What're they saying?"

Piper grinned. "They just called you a turtle headed monkey. Pretend you called her a turtle headed monkey," she whispered to the three students in French. They all laughed, except for Pansy, who looked a bit more than miffed.

"I'm kidding," Piper said. "We're talking about Hogwarts."

Pansy rolled her eyes. "Real good friends, you all seem to be," she said. "You never told me you were French."