The Durmstrang students froze. Their headmaster was usually caustic and treated people according to their standing, but he had never acted like this.
Many of them were baffled. Since when had their headmaster become so weak?
"Headmaster, they started—" a Durmstrang student shouted, trying to explain.
"I said stop!" Karkaroff's voice shot up an octave. "All of you, back to the ship! Now! This instant!"
The Durmstrang students looked at one another. Several of them went pale.
Many were furious. How could their headmaster be this weak? Nothing had happened when they had gotten into a brawl with Hogwarts students not long ago.
But Karkaroff ignored their looks.
Just then, Madame Maxime, the Beauxbatons headmistress, appeared.
He strode up to Madame Maxime and bowed, his manner almost servile. "Madame Maxime, I'm terribly sorry. I failed to keep my students in line. Please forgive me. I'll punish them severely."
Madame Maxime raised an eyebrow, clearly surprised. She knew Karkaroff well: arrogant, conceited, never willing to admit fault. He had even dared to make a few cutting remarks about Dumbledore. What had gotten into him today?
"You're too kind, Headmaster Karkaroff," she said coolly. "Young people are bound to have the occasional disagreement."
"Yes, you're very understanding." Karkaroff nodded at once. "I'll give them a proper dressing-down when we get back. I promise it won't happen again."
The Durmstrang students stood rooted to the spot, their faces growing darker by the moment.
Their headmaster was bowing and scraping before Madame Maxime like a servant, and she barely spared him a glance.
Anger was written all over their faces. Why was he so fierce with his own students and so meek with everyone else?
What had happened to the nerve he'd shown when he stood up to Dumbledore in the Hogwarts Great Hall?