Fleur would never be sure how it happened that she ended up sitting at the same table with Viktor and Cedric one morning. Later, she would know it was meant to be.
They were all studying for the second task, but were too tired to concentrate. They looked up at one another with uncertainty, always having been cordial but nothing beyond that.
“I’m from Lille,” Fleur said. Where had that come from?
Cedric and Viktor laughed. Fleur didn’t even know Viktor was capable of laughter.
“I am from Sofia,” Viktor returned.
“So that’s where Durmstrang is?” Cedric asked.
Viktor paused. “I am not allowed to tell you where it is, but no. The same vay Hogwarts is not in England, even though many students are English. Although it is different here… same Ministry of Magic. Many parts of Eastern and Northern Europe have come to share things over the years, such as the dragon reserve in Romania and Durmstrang.”
Cedric nodded in understanding. “Well, I’m from Devon.”
There was more silence.
“You play Quidditch like Viktor, don’t you?” Fleur asked. “You are very popular.”
“I wouldn’t say I play Quidditch like Viktor,” Cedric said fairly. “I couldn’t pull off a Wronski Feint, for starters.”
“Oh, I am sure you could,” Viktor said. “Have you thought of playing professionally?”
“Sometimes. Mostly it’s for fun.”
“I am a terrible player,” Fleur admitted.
“I’m sure that’s not true,” Cedric told her.
“But it is true.”
“Vell,” Viktor said, “you cannot be the only Champion who cannot play Quidditch.”
“I had not thought of it that way until now,” Fleur told him.
Viktor stood up quickly. “Enough book reading. Fleur, you vill learn how to play Quidditch. Cedric, you vill pull off a Wronski Feint. Let’s go.”
It was not until that night that Fleur remembered she was supposed to compete against them, not play games with them.
On the bright side, she had finally made friends at Hogwarts.