October 30th Ⅲ

Once everyone from Durmstrang and Beauxbatons was seated, Rowan, Terry, and Severus ended up sitting across from one of the few girls in Durmstrang and someone who seemed eerily familiar. The dark-haired young man in question was tall and rail thin with a rather weak chin. Rowan narrowed her eyes for a minute, but she recognized the scrawny fellow. It was that of Igor Karkaroff in his youth.

Terry nudged Rowan due to her fierce glare which had caused Igor Karakaroff to pointedly avoid glancing in her direction. "What?" Rowan asked without glancing away.

"Well, Filch is adding two more chairs, who could they be for?" Terry asked out loud.

"Ministry of Magic officials," Rowan replied without breaking her glaring stare.

Sighing, Terry brightens up at spotting an exceptionally beautiful young woman with silvery-blonde hair to her waist. Severus followed Terry's gaze and even flushes as he stares at the enchanting beauty. Hurriedly looking away with guilt, Severus pinches himself and reminds himself that he likes Lily and only Lily.

Ignoring Severus, Terry nudges Rowan with his elbow until she finally looks away from Igor. "What!" Rowan growled at her at the moment very, vexing friend.

Terry calmly gestures to the gorgeous beauty sitting at the Ravenclaw table. "That's my third cousin, Apolline," Terry proudly whispered. "Our great-grandmothers were sisters."

Rowan's eyes widen in recognition as her mind puts the pieces together at spotting the silvery-blonde-haired beauty sitting at the Ravenclaw table. No doubt this was the mother of Fleur, Apolline, the future Mrs. Delacour. An even more ravishing beauty than her still two future and still unborn daughters.

Apolline's blue eyes seemed to sparkle like the starry night. She had pert, pink kissable, and perfectly shiny teeth. And every time she laughed it was as though a musical sound was pulling at one's heartstrings. Without a doubt, Apolline was literally a man killer.

Glancing at Terry with dubious eyes, Rowan says, "Are you sure, you're related?"

Terry shrugs not having taken offense. "In our family, the girls tend to inherit the Veela-like beauty of our great-grandmother. While we boys are stuck with feminine-looking features, and lack of facial hair," Terry gloomily added, before brightening up. "On the bright side, I'll never need to shave." Though that isn't necessarily a characteristic a male would want.

Terry paused to point at a rather hawk-eyed Durmstrang male with blue-gray eyes matching that of Silvia's sitting further down from them. "That's Silvia's fourth cousin, Laird Flint. That side branch of the Flint family resides on the old continent in the north, in fact, it was Laird's uncle, the brother of his father whom Silvia and her family went to visit during the summer, and congratulate upon finally having a child in his elder years."

Rowan nods her head sagely in reply, before returning to glare at Igor Karkaroff. The slimy git had snuck away, while she was otherwise occupied and traded seats with another student from Durmstrang. But that did little to dissuade her as she continued her fierce glaring at him.

From further down the Slytherin table, a short-haired sixth-year witch with a crooked nose grinned a little too widely. Excusing herself for the time being, the former prefect, Delilah Pizzaro rises to her feet and makes her way over to where the fourth-year Slytherins are sitting at. To the shock of Terry, Severus, and Rowan, who even turns to stare at her, the older sixth-year slides into a seat next to Severus and is seated directly across from Igor Karkaroff.

"Well, well, hello again, Igor," Delilah Pizzaro nastily said earning a look of interest not only from Rowan, Terry, and Severus but more than a few of the fourth-year Slytherins and younger, who were now all craning their heads in her direction to better listen in.

(Not that any of the Slytherins would ever admit to such a thing in the first place, but they were a nosey bunch of gossips' the lot of them. Still, they weren't as bad as Ravenclaw's. For being such bookworms, the Ravenclaws sure loved to know everything that was going on about everyone while at Hogwarts. And the Hufflepuffs and Gryffindors were just as bad, but they just tended to be rather loud when gossiping.)

"How would have ever thought that you would ever return to Hogwarts, Igor, after that so very embarrassing incident in your first year," Delilah said with great relish as the pale-faced Igor Karkaroff turned bright red as the other Durmstrang students began also turn their heads with curiosity towards the Hogwarts witch.

Delilah smirks and says, "Igor here was sorted into Slytherin in 1966, a full year ahead of me. Naturally, you all must be wondering how I know, well, that winter our family hosted a Christmas Ball. And dear, Igor here somehow tripped and managed to rip the back of his trousers showcasing his scrawny, pale behind to the horror of those watching. Unable to show his face back here at Hogwarts from sheer mortification, he transferred away without so much as a goodbye that very winter break over to Durmstrang."

There are murmured nods and whispers from the Durmstrang students, who swiftly confirm the tale of Delilah Pizzaro to the sheer humiliation of the bright red, Igor Karkaroff. Winking, she says, "I just wanted to let you know, Igor, welcome back," before excusing herself and going back to her seat to sit with her friends.

The entire Slytherin table is filled with whispers and pointed jabs from the Durmstrang students towards Igor Karkaroff, who was trying to pretend he wasn't there. The other Durmstrang students shook their heads in exasperation. From the looks of it, it wasn't the first time Igor Karkaroff had turned and run. (And he did have a rather pointed track record in Potter's timeline suggesting just that.)

Still, Rowan had the rather strange inkling after that little talk that the sixth-year witch was the hidden culprit responsible behind the trouser incident against Igor Karkaroff. Whatever he had done, the Slytherin girl must have been mad enough to risk being caught and getting into trouble. That and she was rather impressed that a ten-year-old could come up with that kind of traumatic, and reputation running event. But then again, that's why the other houses disliked the Slytherins at times. Slytherins tended to be a petty bunch as a whole, and always got even in the end.

When at last the last of the students were seated, the staff entered filling up the top table and taking their seats. Last in line were Professor Dumbledore, Professor Vulchanova, and Madam Maxime. When the headmistress of the Beauxbatons party appeared, the pupils instantly leaped to their feet. A few of the Hogwarts laughed, but the Beauxbatons pupils paid them no heed. The Beauxbaton students remained standing until Madam Maxime sat down on Dumbledore's left-hand side.

Dumbledore remained standing as silence fell over the Great Hall. "Good evening, ladies and gentlemen, ghost and most particularly – guests," said Dumbledore as he beamed at all the foreign students. "I have great pleasure in welcoming you all to Hogwarts. I hope and trust that your stay here will be other comfortable and enjoyable."

One of the Beauxbatons girls that is still clutching a cloak and muffler around her head gave what was an unmistakable derisive laugh. A sharp glare from Madam Maxime quieted the girl, who ducked her head down in embarrassment.

"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!" Before finally sitting down and Vulchanova leaned over to engage him in conversation.

The plates were filled with food as usual. There were several dishes that once would have been considered foreign but given the house elves new food menus that was no longer the case. Rather most students looked forward to the new dishes. They never failed to delight the taste buds nor to taste delicious.