The smile on Sirius's face grew brighter still.
He slowly stood up, walked around the table, and approached Karkaroff.
He was not that tall, but his presence was like an invisible wall, forcing Karkaroff to take an involuntary half step back.
"Just a few necessary safety precautions, Igor."
Sirius's voice was as light as if he were discussing the weather.
"After all, no one knows whether someone might try using a few... underhanded methods to compromise the fairness of the competition."
He stepped closer, lowering his voice further.
"Wouldn't you agree?"
"A former... Death Eater."
Boom-
Those two words exploded in Karkaroff's mind like a pair of bombs.
All the color instantly drained from his face.
He wanted to argue, wanted to roar, but it felt as though a wad of waterlogged cotton had been stuffed down his throat. He could not get out a single word.
He could feel the puzzled looks from the Durmstrang students behind him.
All of Hogwarts was laughing at him.
"What's wrong, Headmaster Karkaroff?"
Sirius straightened up and spread his hands, an innocent expression on his face.
"You look... very nervous."
"Surely you aren't afraid this little waterfall might wash away something... you don't want us to see?"
Humiliation.
Utter, undisguised humiliation.
Karkaroff dug his nails deep into his palms.
He could not crumble here.
He could not expose his fear in front of all the students.
He abruptly straightened his back and forced out a smile uglier than a grimace.
"Absurd!"
He all but shouted it.
"Durmstrang has never feared any challenge!"
"Nor do we need any despicable tricks!"
He spun around, sweeping his students with a gaze so stern it bordered on cruel.
"Go!"
"Put your names in!"
"Show the people of Hogwarts what true champions are!"
The Durmstrang students did not