Krum Chronicles

Chapter 16: Number 12 Grimmauld Place

"Cheers!"

"Bartender, another round!"

Viktor coughed as his feet hit the ground and the floo powder smoke rose. He was waving his hands in front of his face trying to clear the powder when he looked up and saw that he was not in Grimmauld place at all, unless the secret hiding place of the Order of the Phoenix was an empty, cold and dark wizarding pub. The fireplace at 12 Grimmauld Place was removed from the floo network for non-members during the first Wizarding War by Dumbledore, causing Viktor to land smack in the middle of a wizarding pub just across the way from 12 Grimmauld Place. Viktor stepped out of the fireplace and put his head down hoping to not be recognized. He sat at the bar, but did not ask for anything fearing that his accent would give him away. After some time though he knew that if he was going to get out of the pub without causing a commotion he had to act as normal as possible. That would prove difficult as he looked up to the bartender, opened his mouth and was immediately cut off by a man on the other side of the pub.

"Ay! That's Viktor Krum!" A drunken man shouted. He was heavy set, with a clean shaven face, rounded nose, very defined eyebrows and light brown eyes. Viktor's eyes widened at the sound of his name and only stared straight ahead as he felt the man approach him. He held a large mug of a clear liquid that definitely wasn't butter beer, put his arm around Viktor and said  "Oy, shouldn't you be in Bulgaria? You have a match against the French tomorrow."

Viktor looked to him and nodded. "Dah. I should get going." Getting up from the barstool he shifted and ducked under the man's arm. Viktor was not the kind of person to run from situations, but he had enough experiences with fans to know that the sooner he was gone the better. He moved swiftly to the exit and made it outside. A cold breeze made him shiver and as he looked around the muggle street he realized that he had never been in muggle England. As a member of one of the oldest pureblood families in Bulgaria he spent most, if not all of his time, in the wizarding world. He looked around and saw that it was exactly as Hermione had described. There were metal square objects with windows and wheels that were operated by muggles and only stopped and went when a large block hanging from a light post would change from green to red or vice versa. Also there seemed to be less color in the muggle world. The wizarding world seemed to always be framed by vibrant color shops, windows and walkways whereas the muggle world seemed very uniform and gray. Viktor crossed the street and walked into an alleyway where he could change this clothes. He had on his wizarding robes and knew that if he wanted to get to Grimmauld place he could not walk around muggle England looking like he did not belong. He took his wand out of his cloak and waved it over himself transforming his thick leathered boots into grey and black sneakers, his Durmstrang style pants into dark wash jeans and had on a Manchester United hooded sweater. He had no idea who or what Manchester United was, but he remembered Hermione talking about them once and how they played a sport called soccer. He smoothed out his clothes, looked down, not bad, he thought and strode out of the alley.

"Ah, so that is where he is going." A low and deep voice whispered from underneath a hooded cloak. "Where or where could our Golden Trio be?" The hooded figure then turned to follow Viktor, but disapperated at the sight of Viktor turning around and looking over his shoulder.

Viktor furrowed his brow, turned around and jogged out of the alleyway as if he was in a hurry, which he was. He needed to find 12 Grimmauld Place and it would behoove him to do so before night fall.

-O-

"Honestly Ronald! Would it kill you to speed it up in the loo? There are three other people who live on this floor and whatever you are doing to yourself in their is preventing the rest of us from beginning our day." Ginny said knocking on the bathroom door annoyed that Ron had been in there for well over half an hour.