Chapter 566: Cheating
Bagman left the Quidditch Pitch with the group but lingered at the back of the line, deliberately slowing his pace to walk alongside Karkaroff.
"I don't understand why these preparations always have to wait until nightfall," Bagman complained, rubbing his hands together as the cool night air settled in. "Have they not considered the weather?"
"Yes, quite inconvenient," Karkaroff replied, his expression one of polite concern. "Would you care for a drink? I have some excellent gin on the ship. It will warm you right up."
"Durmstrang gin, eh?" Bagman looked momentarily tempted but shook his head. "No, Igor, I'm supervising the maze later... and with Chris and Barty around, well, you know how serious they are about their duties. They wouldn't appreciate me drinking at a time like this."
"You're overthinking it," Karkaroff said dismissively. "A small glass won't hurt. They won't even notice."
"Forget it," Bagman said with a glance ahead—deliberately or unintentionally—toward Kyle. "But I do have something to discuss with you... Have you any special requests regarding reserved seating for the Durmstrang side?"
"Absolutely," Karkaroff replied promptly. "This is a rare event, and many of our professors and honorary alumni wish to attend to watch Viktor win his final championship. I'm requesting twenty more seats in the first three rows."
"That's quite a lot," Bagman said, frowning. "Ten, at most."
"Ten is far too few," Karkaroff countered. "Fifteen, at the very least."
"It's a difficult ask, Igor. But let's step aside and discuss this."
The two veered off toward the Black Lake, their voices fading into the distance.