"You saw that?" the Bulgarian wizard grunted out through his thick accent.
"My godfather got tickets. I play Seeker for Gryffindor so I was taking notes on what worked for you and Lynch."
"Lynch is excellent technical Seeker - very methodical, good flyer. Not so good at reading the Snitch or the flow of the game. Cedric Diggory tell me you best Seeker in Hogwarts. Maybe we have three way Seeker duel - keep my skills sharp since I can't practice here."
"That sounds like it would be wicked," Harry said with a grin. "My captain was devastated when our season was cancelled because of the Tournament."
Krum grunted agreement. "Our Headmaster do the same. Stupid since most of school still back home."
Krum leaned forward to Harry's ear. "We of Durmstrang respect strength and skill, Harry Potter. We have seen and respect your strength of mind and will. We very curious to see if strength of magic equals them. Perhaps some time we get a chance to duel with wand too, no? Be very interesting to see."
The Bulgarian Seeker suddenly wrapped the younger wizard into a great bear hug. Then he roared out. "You I like Harry Potter! We talk again later." And then he was gone.
"I don't know Harry," Roger Davies commented as he walked up and handed Harry a mug of butterbeer. "You seem to have a love-hate relationship going with all of the other champions."
"It's all part of the Boy-Who-Lived mystique," Cedric explained to his friend as he joined them. "Every year since Harry got here has to have some bizarre events going on that no one ever really explains. We get the rumours of course but never the real story."
"What is this- pick on Harry day?" The older boys laughed.
"Well, you are the one responsible for all of this chaos," Cedric answered with a grin.
"No, it wasn't," Harry shot back. "That was this bloke's fault." He pointed at Roger. "He wanted to add extra champions."
"No, I wanted to add me, not everyone else," Roger answered. He had a smug grin as he waited for Harry's comeback.
That comeback was prevented when voices were suddenly raised near the table where Ollivander was set up for the ceremony.
"This is impossible! My son is too young to participate in this Tournament. He should be excused immediately!" Harry didn't even need to turn around to realize it was Lucius Malfoy.
"He's my baby! It is too dangerous!" a new voice added. Narcissa Malfoy.
"Father! Mother! Please! I know I can do this! The Goblet would not have selected me if I didn't have the skill to compete! Please stop embarrassing me!"
"First time I've ever heard the little shite say please," Roger muttered.
Harry almost felt sorry for the Slytherin brat. In under a minute his own parents had probably destroyed their son's confidence and his position within the school and Slytherin. The fact they ran completely over Draco's protests and were still yelling at Dumbledore was making it even worse. The parallels to his aunt, uncle and cousin were a bit scary.
'Maybe being locked in my cupboard and ignoring me wasn't the worst thing they could have done to me,' Harry mused.
Unaware of Harry's thoughts, Cedric said, "Yah, he's a little shite but with parents like that the brat probably never had a chance."
"The Goblet of Fire creates a magical contract, Malfoy," Crouch sneered back at Lucius Malfoy. "Your little… son can quit but his magic stays behind. Feel free to take him and go."
"Now Barty, that is not very constructive," Dumbledore admonished. "Perhaps we can take this up in the privacy of my office?"
The elder Malfoys seemed to finally realize they had become the centre of attention. Without a word they tried to draw their tattered dignity around themselves. Finally, Lucius gave a simple nod of agreement.
The rest of the wand weighing ceremony went as it was planned. It was interesting learning about by whom and with what everyone's wands were made. The revelation of Fleur's vella heritage simply confirmed what Harry strongly suspected. The fact Al's wand was made with a Sasquatch hair core was cool. Sarah Dimitriova of Durmstrang's wand had a core made from a ground megalodon tooth. The rare ancient magical shark was thought extinct by Muggles and even magicals considered them almost a myth.
"Ah. Mr Potter, I wondered if I'd see you here."
"Hello, Mr Ollivander. It's nice to see you again," Harry answered politely. The old man was creepy but for some reason Harry liked the man. Plus his knowledge of wandlore was second to none in Britain
The strange old wand maker nodded absently. "And your wand - it is still operating effectively?"
Harry drew out his holly wand at the question. "Yes, sir." He handed the wand over to the wand maker.
The old wizard looked down the wand like it was a pool cue before spinning it in his hand. "Yes, definitely one of my best creations." The man studied the wand for a few seconds.
"I see you have used this wand well, Mr Potter. Its connection to you has grown stronger since you acquired it. Such a strong connection even then. Remarkable." He handed the wand back to Harry.
"Treasure this wand, Mr Potter. As you care for it, it will surely care for you."
Harry nodded with a twinge of guilt. He'd never really thought about it. The Holly and Phoenix Feather wand was simply his - like his hand; a part of him. He took it for granted.
"I will," Harry assured the wand maker with a mental promise to pay more attention to his wand.
"See that you do. And I shall send you a wand holder. I don't want to hear that one of my greatest creations was broken because you sat on it."
....
Harry argued Quidditch and brooms with the three Durmstrang champions and Cedric the rest of the time until Dumbledore and the Malfoys returned to the room. Krum championed the broom he rode in the Quidditch World Cup, a Lithuanian model called a 'Žaibas' which translated into English was a 'Lightning'. Victor claimed the broom was much more stable on tight turns and only fractionally slower than a Firebolt in a straight run. The five agreed to spend the next Saturday flying just for fun.
The conversation came to an end when Dumbledore, the Malfoys, the other School Heads and the Ministry representatives returned to the room.
"May I have your attention?" Dumbledore called out as the room became hushed. "After discussion with my counterparts, we are deviating slightly from the previously planned order of events.
"On the 28st of November, our first task will be a test of magical strength, quick wits, and spell knowledge. We shall be holding a Magical Duelling Tournament. The champions will be divided into three groups. Each group will consist of one champion from each school chosen randomly. Each champion will duel the other two members of their group twice. The champion with the most victories from each group will then move to a final group of three champions. This round each champion will only face their opponents only once. Each win is worth 10 points while a draw is worth 5 points; giving a maximum number of points available to each champion as sixty points.
"Professor Flitwick of Hogwarts, a former International Duelling Circuit champion, and Professor Groer of Durmstang, also a former champion of the International Duelling Circuit, have agreed to honour us as of Masters of the Arena. Professor Moody of Hogwarts and Professor Davis of Beaxbatons shall serve as Masters of Wards.
.....
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