Last time I talked to you
You were lonely and out of place
You were looking down on me
Lost out in space
We laid underneath the stars
Strung out and feeling brave
I watched the red orange glow
I watched you float away
Down here in the atmosphere
Garbage and city lights
You've gone to save your tired soul
You've gone to save our lives
I turned on the radio
To find you on satellite
I'm waiting for this sky to fall
I'm waiting for a sign
And all we are
Is all so far
You're falling back to me
The star that I can see, yeah
I know you're out there
Somewhere out there
You're falling out of reach
Defying gravity, yeah
I know you're out there
Somewhere out there
Hope you remember me
when you're homesick and need a change
I miss your purple hair
I miss the way you taste
I know you'll come back someday
On a bed of nails I'll wait
I'm praying that you don't burn out
Or fade away
And all we are
Is all so far
You're falling back to me
The star that I can see, yeah
I know you're out there
Somewhere out there
You're falling out of reach
Defying gravity, yeah
I know you're out there
Somewhere out there
You're falling back to me
The star that I can see
I know you're out there
Oh
You're falling out of reach
Defying gravity
I know you're out there
Somewhere out there
You're falling back to me
The star that I can see, yeah
I know you're out there
Somewhere out there
You're falling out of reach
Defying gravity, yeah
I know you're out there
Somewhere out there
You're falling back to me
I know , I know
You're falling out of reach
I know
~Somewhere Out There
by: Our Lady Peace
Chapter 2: The Arrival
Viktor didn’t know when he’d caught the cold, or how much worse it was going to get, but he knew one thing; it was making him miserable. He gently moved the oar as his friend, Vlad Poliakoff, sat down on the bench next to him.
“You should go to Karkaroff, Viktor, you look terrible,” Vlad commented.
“No,” Viktor growled. Vlad looked hurt. “Sorry,” Viktor apologized. “I just hate the way he treats me. It makes me very uncomfortable.”
Vlad shrugged, “You should go see him.”
They continued to argue with each other for the next half hour. Viktor’s head felt like it was about to split in two. Vlad gave him a look, “Go see the Headmaster.”
Viktor finally caved. He got up and walked to Karkaroff’s cabin, leaving Vlad to row.
He rapped his knuckles against the cabin door. Karkaroff shouted, “Who is it?” He sounded quite irritated.
“Krum,” Viktor answered. He desperately wished he could turn and run from the door. Instead, he stayed still and waited as he heard the latches turn and the door open.
“Viktor, what is wrong?” Karkaroff questioned, something like concern filling his voice.
Viktor wished he could just lie and go back to class. He didn't’t want any special attention, but, then again, he was feeling miserable. “I feel ill, my head feels like it is about to explode,” Viktor stated. “I just need some medicine and I’ll go back and join the rest of the class.”
“Nonsense,” Karkaroff responded, leading Viktor into his chambers. “Sit down,” he ordered. “You can wait here until we arrive at Hogwarts. The castle should be quite warm.” He handed Viktor a steaming goblet and an extra cloak.
Viktor just nodded, he knew that if he were any other student, Karkaroff would have sent him away without another word. In some ways, that seemed preferable to the special attention.
Viktor laid back on the bunk and shut his eyes. He heard Karkaroff leave the room. He fell asleep with the rushing of the wind whipping around the ship.
Tiny flashes of purple, red and gold passed through his vision. Then, suddenly she was there, but of course she was there. She was all he dreamt about.
Who was she?
She was surrounded by light. God, but she was so beautiful. She seemed to be glowing from within, so full of life, of warmth.
Viktor reached out to her, running his fingers across her cheek; her skin was smooth and warm.
Suddenly she began to fade. “No! Please, don’t go!” he pleaded. “Who are you?” he shouted to the darkness, but it was too late. She was gone.
“Viktor,” Karkaroff yelled from what seemed afar.
No! Come back! thought Viktor. He was somewhere in-between the dream and consciousness. Don’t go ...
“Viktor,” he was closer now. “Viktor,” closer still. “VIKTOR!” Viktor’s eyes opened, “Come on now, we’ve arrived,” stated Karkaroff. He lifted the extra cloak from Viktor’s body.
Viktor stood and followed his Headmaster out of the cabin. The rest of the class was standing there, waiting for Karkaroff’s instructions. They all looked a little nervous.
“Wait until I call you, and then you may enter the castle,” he told Viktor.
Viktor and the others filed out of the ship and stood in a small group. Karkaroff glided away and greeted Dumbledore, the Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Viktor looked in awe at the wizard with the long, white hair and beard. He had seen pictures of Dumbledore before, but now, none of them seemed to do him justice.
Viktor suddenly wished he’d gone to Hogwarts instead of Durmstang Institution for Magical Study; Dumbledore was probably a better Headmaster than Karkaroff.
Then, ”... Viktor, come along, into the warmth ... you don’t mind Dumbledore? Viktor has a slight head cold ...”
As Viktor walked shakily toward the two Headmasters, a murmur went the crowd of students.
While Karkaroff was talking to Dumbledore, Viktor had scanned the faces of the Hogwarts’ students. He was thoroughly shocked when he saw a mass of bushy, brown hair. Oh, my Lord, she is here. She's at Hogwarts ...
Viktor swayed on his feet as Karkaroff led him into the castle. Viktor wanted to tell him that he was perfectly capable of walking on his own, and that he wanted to talk to the girl with the bushy, brown hair. He wanted to do this, he tried to do this, but all he managed was a rather loud sneeze. Great ...
All the students filed into a massive dining hall. The students from Hogwarts sat at the four long tables that were there. The students from Beauxbatons Academy of Magic took seats at the second farthest table from them.
Viktor was about to lead his classmates to the table at the far side of the room, the table where the girl with the bushy, brown hair sat, but Karkaroff instructed them to sit at the table that was second closest to them. Viktor did as he was told, and took a seat so that he had a clear of the girl with the bushy, brown hair.
A boy with a pale pointed face and platinum blond hair leaned forward. “Malfoy, Draco Malfoy.” Viktor grunted a hello. “I saw you at the Quidditch World Cup, brilliant bit of flying.”
Viktor nodded and looked past Draco. The girl from the bushy, brown hair was sitting in-between the same boys she sat with at the World Cup. The boy with the red hair said something that caused the girl with the bushy, brown hair to smile. That smile caused Viktor’s stomach to do a back flip.
Viktor and his fellow classmates removed their cloaks. Viktor looked up at the ceiling with awe. It reflected the sky outside. His eyes moved back to the table and he inspected the golden plates that lay there. It was all so amazing.
His attention was soon drawn to the Head Table where Dumbledore stood. His eyes twinkled as he addressed the students.
“Good evening, ladies and gentlemen, ghosts and, most particularly, guests. I have great pleasure in welcoming you all to Hogwarts. I hope and trust that your stay here will be both comfortable and enjoyable.”
A girl from Beauxbatons laughed at this. Dumbledore seemed unfazed, but Viktor scowled. She had no reason to scoff. He looked at the ceiling, the golden plates, the girl with the bushy, brown hair, the ceiling and back to the girl.
This place is perfect, absolutely perfect.
Dumbledore stated that the competition would be opened after the feast and offered his school to act as a home for all the foreign students. After he finished speaking, the tables filled with all sorts of various foods.
Viktor grabbed a few things that he had never seen before and began to eat. Despite the odd appearance, the food tasted all right.
Draco began to speak again. “I could be going to Durmstang with you. My father is close with the Headmaster.”
Viktor scowled at Draco. At first, he hadn’t really liked him, but now; Viktor was filled with extreme dislike. Draco must have gotten the hint, because he quickly stopped talking to Viktor after that.
Viktor heard some shouting across the hall and looked up. The skinny boy sitting next to the girl with the bushy, brown hair was shouting to a gigantic man sidling up to the Head Table.
“Skrewts’ doing all right, Hagrid?” he called. Skrewts? What are skrewts?
Soon after ‘Hagrid’ arrived, two other men took seats by Dumbledore. One of them Viktor knew; he was Ludo Bagman, the man who had organized the Quidditch World Cup.
Viktor turned his attention away from the Head Table and leaned over to talk to Vlad, who was busy shoveling food down his throat. “Look over at the table at the far end of the hall. Do you see the girl with the bushy, brown hair sitting next to the boy with the very red hair?”
Vlad nodded, looking at her and then back at Viktor. “What about her?”
“She’s the girl I told you about, the one in the Top Box at the Quidditch World Cup,” Viktor told him.
“Really?” Vlad asked. “She’s not glowing,” he sounded disappointed.
Viktor rolled his eyes, “Vlad, you take everything far to seriously. What I meant was, that, when I first saw her, she looked as if she were glowing, you know, because of the sunlight grazing across the stands.” Vlad nodded in understanding.
Viktor’s eyes widened with a sudden thought. He turned to Draco, “Are you knowing the name of the girl over there, the one sitting next to the boy vith the very red hair?”
Draco turned his head to see who Viktor was talking about, “Who? You mean Hermione? Why do you want to know that?” Draco made a face.
Viktor shrugged, but his mind was reeling. Hermione, that is the most beautiful name I have ever heard.
He was brought back to reality when Dumbledore began to speak again.
“The moment has come. The Triwizard Tournament is about to start. I would like to say a few words of explanation before we bring in the casket, just to clarify the procedure which we will be following this year. But firstly, let me introduce, for those who do not know them, Mr. Bartemius Crouch, Head of the Department of International Magical Co-operation,” there was a small amount of polite applause, “and Mr. Ludo Bagman, Head of the Department of Magical Games and Sports.” This time there was a much louder round of applause, but Dumbledore wasn’t finished. “Mr. Bagman and Mr. Crouch have worked tirelessly over the last few months on the arrangements for the Triwizard Tournament, and they will be joining myself, Professor Karkaroff and Madame Maxime on the panel which will judge the champions’ efforts.”
At the word ‘champions’, Viktor lifted his head slightly, as did everyone else in the Great Hall.
“The casket, then, if you please Mr. Filch.”
Author’s Note: As I'm sure you have noticed, I borrowed some of J.K. Rowling’s work from Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, chapters 15-16, Beauxbatons and Durmstrang, the Goblet of Fire, pages 217-224.
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