396 Karkaroff... Karkaron...

"FASTER!" Karkaroff shouts as he casts yet another curse at his student.

Krum is sweating profusely with his breathing ragged, he manages to knock away the red spell cast by his Headmaster with a counter spell layered on the tip of his wand. The red spell deflects off to the side and hits the wooden wall of the ship's room they're practising inside.

Karkaroff "NO! YOU DEFLECT IT AT YOUR OPPONENT YOU IMBECILE!" he shouts furiously, waving his wand and causing two planks beneath krum to shoot up in an attempt to bash him. Krum can't react fast enough an is toppled over when a plank slaps him on the chest while the other on his knee that's still sore from the injury received during the first task.

Krum "Arggh! H-Headmaster! Please don't target my knee!" he shouts from his back while holding his leg in agony.

Karkaroff "Why would I do that! You've challenged someone to a duel while you are still injured, do you think they won't take advantage of that!" he quickly says, wondering if this was really all the talent his protege had. He was an amazing Quidditch player but his spell casting was above average at best, not nearly enough for someone of his stature.

Krum "It it between me and him, the schools are not involved!" he pleads.

Karkaroff "Do you really think such a public event will not implicate the schools involved!?! What if you lose!? How will the school look then? We pride ourselves at training all students in the combat arts while Hogwarts focuses on solely academic purposes, if you lose, we lose. We will be the laughing stock of Europe!" he says through gritted black teeth.

Krum immediately feels the pressure of his entire school on his back when he hears this, he hadn't realised his challenge would result in such drastic results.

Karkaroff "Not only that! You challenged someone to a duel over a girl from Hogwarts! A champion no less you Govedo!"

Krum frowns at hearing this and retorts, "I vink that doesn't matter."

Karkaroff walks up and slaps him in the ear, "Now listen to me you Koochi sin! You may think you're big shit but fame fades, especially if your fans start hating you! You should get a Bulgarian girl and make them happy! Even staying single would be better than spitting on them and dating some English Grozna kurva!"

Krum becomes angry with his headmaster as he continues to insult Ciri, "Ve vill continue" he shouts, grabbing his wand and launching a curse at Karkaroff who's still berating him. Caught off guard the man is launched to the end of the room and collides with the wall, cracking some planks as he lands.

Krum realises that he may have just heavily injured his Headmaster and rushes over to help him, that is, until he hears hoarse laughter.

Karkaroff coughs and splutters as he lets out a creepy laugh that echoes throughout the room, "Yes! This is exactly what you need!" he shouts, grinning ear to ear despite the apparent pain he's in.

Krum tries to help him up by Karkaroff smacks his hand away, "You need to be Ruthless! Cunning! CRUEL!" he shouts pointing his wand at Krum knee and silently casting something that causes the boy to scream in agony as he drops to the floor. "YOU WILL LEARN VHAT IT IS TO BE STRONG VIKTOR! AND I VILL TEACH YOU!"

Elsewhere :

A rat is crawling through Knockturn alley in search of a certain store, they look for a couple of hours and eventually find it. The simply named "Wine store", he scurries inside and is almost shocked by he disparity of Knockturn Alley's dirty, grimy architecture and this places clean and noble one. The rat squeaks and raises it head to a person look straight at it over the counter.

"Hello customer, would you like to purchase something?" they say with a smile that doesn't reach their eyes.

Peter Pettigrew is terrified as the pale person with red eyes immediately identifies him, he shifts into his dirty buck toothed human form that ironically resembles a rat, or fat hamster before bowing a deep as his fat gut will allow. "H-hello! I-I-I am here to speak w-with the vampire f-families... My M-master wishes to make an offer..." he stutters out, the knowledge that this being could tear him apart with it's bare hands at the fore front of his mind.

The vampire across the counter chuckles, "Oh? And who might this "master" be?"

Peter "I-I cannot reveal that..."

"Then begone, as I doubt my clan head would wish to make deals with someone who we have no knowledge of... Unless you would like volunteer something to our stock?" they say, a threat made clear.

Peter shakes hi head while trembling in fear, "N-no!" he says but realises if he returns with a negative or no response he'd definitely be punished. "My master believes we have a common goal and wishes to ally with your people." he stutters out.

... The vampire doesn't reply and instead pierces the tip of his finger on a fang before drinking the pinprick of blood that oozes out.

Peter "We wish to cooperate with you, if you accept we will hand Ciri Rivia to you on a platter."

The vampire looks at him strangely while thinking "Ciri Rivia?", he'd need to ask his informants if this name holds any weight to any of the families. "Hm, I will see if we have any need for your assistance. Return in four days and I will see if anyone is interested. Begone." he says, waving his hand an allowing Pettigrew to transform back into a rat and scurrying back into Knockturn Alley.