Chapter 191
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"Dear Madame Maxime," said Dumbledore, stepping forward with a warm smile,
"welcome to Hogwarts."
"Dumbledore," Madame Maxime replied in her deep voice,
"I trust you are well."
"Very well, thank you," Dumbledore said.
"My students," she added, gesturing behind her.
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About a dozen students had already descended from the carriage.
They appeared to be around eighteen or nineteen years old.
Most of them were shivering slightly.
Their robes were made of fine silk, yet none of them wore cloaks.
Some had wrapped scarves tightly around their heads for warmth.
Their expressions carried a trace of vigilance as they looked around.
---
Malfoy suddenly felt a gaze lock onto him.
His instincts were sharp enough to notice it immediately.
He turned his head.
A tall girl stood among the Beauxbatons students, staring directly at him.
Even with her face partially hidden, he recognized her.
Fleur Delacour.
"Big brother!"
Behind her, Gabrielle struggled free for a moment, waving excitedly at Malfoy.
Her bright eyes sparkled as she mouthed words silently.
Fleur immediately shot her a sharp glare.
Gabrielle lowered her head, looking aggrieved.
"Don't try to get friendly with him again," Fleur said firmly.
"Don't even speak to him."
"You're not allowed either," Gabrielle muttered under her breath.
"I'm your elder sister," Fleur said, adopting a stern tone.
"You should listen to me."
Gabrielle puffed her cheeks.
"You're the one who keeps looking at his picture in the newspaper!"
Fleur stiffened.
"I was memorizing the face of my… enemy," she replied stiffly.
Her tone, however, lacked confidence.
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"Is Karkaroff here?"
Madame Maxime's voice cut through their exchange.
The sisters immediately fell silent.
Beauxbatons students clearly held great respect for their headmistress.
"He will arrive shortly," Dumbledore said.
"Would you prefer to wait here, or come inside to warm yourselves?"
"Inside," Madame Maxime replied.
"But the horses—"
"Our Care of Magical Creatures professor will see to them," Dumbledore said with a smile.
Professor Grubbly-Plank stepped forward.
"We have prepared the finest single malt whisky," she added professionally.
"Come," Madame Maxime instructed her students.
---
The Hogwarts crowd parted.
She and her students ascended the steps toward the castle.
As she passed Malfoy, Fleur paused briefly.
Her eyes lingered on him for a moment.
Then she turned away without a word and entered the hall.
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Compared to Beauxbatons, the arrival of Durmstrang was far stranger.
The night grew colder.
For a moment, everything fell silent.
Only the distant snorting of the winged horses could be heard.
Then—
A deep, eerie sound echoed from the darkness.
It resembled a rumbling, sucking noise.
Like something massive moving beneath water.
---
"In the lake!" shouted Lee Jordan.
"Look!"
All eyes turned toward the surface of the Black Lake.
At first, it seemed calm.
Then suddenly—
The water churned violently.
Waves surged outward.
A massive whirlpool formed in the center, as if something were rising from the depths.
From within the swirling water, a long black structure slowly emerged.
A mast.
---
Then, majestically, a ship rose from the lake.
It gleamed faintly under the moonlight.
The vessel looked ancient—almost skeletal.
Like the remains of a sunken ship dragged back from the depths.
Dim lights flickered through its portholes like ghostly eyes.
With a heavy splash, the entire ship surfaced.
It rocked on the waves, then slowly sailed toward the shore.
A loud splash followed as its anchor dropped.
Moments later, a wooden plank extended toward land.
Figures began stepping off the ship.
---
They were all tall.
Dressed in heavy fur cloaks.
The fur looked rough and tangled.
At their front walked a man wearing a more refined cloak—
Silvery, sleek, almost matching his hair.
"Dumbledore!" he called warmly.
"How are you, my old friend?"
"Very well, thank you, Professor Karkaroff," Dumbledore replied.
---
To an outsider, the meeting seemed friendly.
But in truth, the relationship between the three headmasters was far more complicated.
Karkaroff had once been forced into cooperation.
Madame Maxime supported Dumbledore's principles.
And Dumbledore himself remained cautious.
---
Karkaroff's appearance revealed much about his nature.
He was tall and thin, much like Dumbledore.
His pointed goatee gave him a slightly comical look.
But his eyes told a different story—
Cold, calculating, and faintly vicious.
Malfoy observed him carefully.
Unlike Lucius Malfoy, Karkaroff had gained his freedom by betraying others.
He had exposed fellow Death Eaters during his trial.
Many of them were already dead or captured, making his testimony almost absurd.
Yet somehow, he had still been pardoned.
---
In the original course of events, both Karkaroff and Ludo Bagman had drawn Dumbledore's attention.
Criminal backgrounds made them inherently suspicious.
Yet Dumbledore had not anticipated one crucial detail—
The real danger was standing much closer.
The man he trusted most.
"Moody."
---
"My students seem quite cold," Karkaroff said.
"May we go inside?"
"Of course," Dumbledore replied.
The Durmstrang students followed him toward the castle.
Among them, one boy stood out immediately.
He had a hooked nose and thick black eyebrows.
"Look! That's Viktor Krum!"
A student nearly shouted.
Someone quickly covered his mouth.
Although Bulgaria had lost the World Cup, Krum's performance had made him even more famous.
His reputation as one of the world's greatest Seekers was undeniable.
"He's incredible!" Ron whispered excitedly.
Hermione shook her head helplessly.
Nearby, several girls were already arguing over lipstick—
Desperate to look presentable in case they could get Krum's autograph.
Even Lee Jordan was bouncing on his toes, trying to get a better view.
Professor McGonagall shot them a sharp glare.
They quieted slightly.
But whispers continued to spread through the crowd.