Viktor Krum

"There's no one like Krum! He's like a bird the way he rides the wind! He's more than an athlete... he's an artist."

- Ron Weasley

Viktor Krum (born c. 1976) is a Bulgarian wizard. He attended the Durmstrang Institute, and was also the Seeker for the Bulgarian National Quidditch team at the age of eighteen while still at school. In 1994, he played in the final of the Quidditch World Cup. The Irish won the match, but Viktor caught the Golden Snitch to end the match on his terms. Later in the year, he was part of the Durmstrang delegation sent to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry for the Triwizard Tournament. He was selected by the Goblet of Fire as the Durmstrang Champion, and competed bravely. However, the Tournament ended in tragedy with the death of Cedric Diggory, and Viktor returned home. In 1997, he attended the wedding of Fleur Delacour and Bill Weasley.

Early life and the 1994 Quidditch World Cup
Viktor grew up in Bulgaria, and attended the Durmstrang Institute. He was one of the last people to obtain a wand made by the noted wand-maker Gregorovitch. During his time at the school, he was confronted by the symbol of Gellert Grindelwald which had been carved into the walls by the wizard himself. Other students at the school began copying the symbol onto their books and clothing as a way of trying to shock and impress. Highly insulted since his grandfather had been killed by Grindelwald, Viktor and several other students who had also lost family at the hands of the Dark Wizard taught them the error of their ways.

A skilled Quidditch Seeker, Viktor was selected to play for the Bulgarian National Quidditch team despite still being at school, and was widely regarded as one of the best players in the world. In 1994, he played in the Quidditch World Cup, and helped Bulgaria reach the final against Ireland.

During the final match, Viktor fooled the Irish Seeker, Aidan Lynch, by performing a Wronski Feint that resulted in Lynch ploughing into the ground. Despite his skills, the Irish side were too good for the Bulgarians, and Viktor decided to end the match by catching the Golden Snitch. During his pursuit of the Snitch, he was hit in the face by a Bludger which broke his nose and gave him two black eyes. However, he caught the Snitch and ended the match on his own terms. He recieved a runners-up medal along with the rest of the Bulgarian team following the conclusion of the match.

The Triwizard Tournament
Viktor was part of the Durmstrang delegation that travelled with Igor Karkaroff to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry to compete in the Triwizard Tournament on October 30th. His presence at the school caused a stir amongst the student body since he was famous, and he was followed by groups of giggling girls. He entered his name into the Goblet of Fire to participate in the Tournament, and was selected as the Durmstrang Champion during the Halloween Feast on October 31st. He expressed no opinion on the entry of a fourth Champion - Harry Potter - into the Tournament when he found out.

Prior to the start of the Tournament, Viktor took part in the Wand Weighing ceremony overseen by Mr Ollivander, and warranted only a small mention in Rita Skeeter's article on the Tournament. Skeeter's article focused on Harry Potter's entrance into the Tournament, and Viktor was only mentioned in the last line of the article; even then, his name was mispelled.

Viktor spent a lot of time at Hogwarts in the library, as he had become attracted to Hermione Granger. Each day, he went to the library with the intention of talking to her, but could not work up the courage. The groups of infatuated girls continued to follow him, lingering behind bookcases and watching him.

The First Task
On November 24th, Viktor took part in the First Task of the Triwizard Tournament. He had been forewarned of the dragons by Karkaroff (who had snuck into the Forbidden Forest), and showed no surprise when the dragon task was announced. He drew the Chinese Fireball and the number three slot. Entering the arena after Fleur Delacour, Viktor didn't even think of flying. He used the Conjunctivitis Curse to blind the dragon and retrieve the Golden egg; but the dragon, confused and blinded, stumbled around and crushed half the real eggs it was guarding. Viktor lost points for that, and tied with Harry Potter for first place.

The Yule Ball and the Second Task
With the approach of the Yule Ball, Viktor finally found the courage to ask Hermione to the ball as his date. They, with the other Champions, opened the dancing at the Ball; and Hermione spent the evening trying to teach Viktor how to pronounce her name correctly. An unexpected side-effect of their apparent relationship was that Hermione was chosen by the judges of the Tournament to be the hostage that Viktor would have to rescue from the Lake.

Having worked out the clue from the Golden egg, Viktor knew he had to breathe underwater for at least an hour during the Second Task. He chose to attempt to Transfigure himself into a shark, but managed only to transfigure his head. Still, it worked well enough for him to reach the Merpeople's village. However, the teeth on his shark head were not placed well enough to bite through the ropes holding Hermione. Harry, who had reached the village before Viktor, saw the trouble he was having, and feared for his friend. He grabbed a jagged rock, then thumped Viktor on the shoulder and gave it to him. Taking the rock, Viktor cut through the ropes holding Hermione and headed for the surface. He arrived outside the time-limit in second place, but was awarded third after the judges took into account Harry’s determination to rescue all the hostages.

Back on dry land, Viktor confessed to Hermione that he had never felt about a girl the way he felt about her; and invited her to stay with him in Bulgaria over the summer.

The Third Task
Prior to the Third Task, Viktor viewed the beginnings of the maze that they would have to navigate. On their way back to the castle, Viktor took Harry to one side to ask him about his relationship with Hermione. Following the Second Task, Rita Skeeter had written an article concerning Hermione toying with Harry and Viktor’s affections. Harry assured Viktor that he and Hermione were only friends, but their conversation was interrupted by the arrival of a confused Barty Crouch Sr. While Harry rushed to get help, Viktor remained with Crouch. However, he was Stunned by Barty Crouch Jr. Albus Dumbledore revived him, and Viktor believed that Crouch Sr had Stunned him when his back was turned.

Viktor entered the maze behind Harry and Cedric, and began searching for the Triwizard Cup. During the task, Barty Crouch Jr, posing as Alastor Moody by way of the Polyjuice Potion, managed to place the Imperius Curse on Viktor as part of his plot to steer Harry Potter to victory in the Tournament. Under Moody’s control, he caught up with Cedric and performed the Cruciatus Curse on him. However, he was Stunned by Harry and left unconscious. Cedric, against his better judgement, used his wand to shoot red sparks into the air, allowing him to be rescued from the maze.

Following the Tournament and the murder of Cedric Diggory, Viktor attended the Leaving Feast, which was also a memorial service for Cedric. Viktor left Hogwarts the next day, saying a private goodbye to Hermione and expressing to Harry his regret over the death of Cedric.

Later life
"Vot is the point of being an international Quidditch player if all the good-looking girls are taken?"

- Viktor Krum

Despite his offer, Hermione never visited Viktor in Bulgaria, but the two continued to correspond through letters.

On August 1st, 1997, Viktor attended the wedding of Fleur Delacour and Bill Weasley at Fleur's invitation. During the reception, he noticed that Xenophilius Lovegood was wearing the symbol that had come to be associated with the Dark Wizard Gellert Grindelwald. In conversation with Harry Potter (who was disguised by Polyjuice Potion and going under the name of Barny Weasley), he expressed the desire to duel him for wearing the symbol, but held back because it was Fleur's wedding. Later on in the reception, Viktor confronted Lovegood over the symbol and argued with him before storming off.

While at the reception, Viktor greeted Hermione enthusiastically, but learned that she was on the verge of a relationship with Ron Weasley. He then commented to Harry (who was in disguise at the time) on how pretty Ginny was. Harry immediately told him Ginny was seeing someone who was big and the jealous type, and that Viktor would not want to cross him. Viktor then bemoaned the fact that, despite being a international Quidditch star, all the good looking girls were taken.

Viktor eventually found love with a woman from his native Bulgaria.

Physical appearance
Viktor was a tall, thin, sallow young man with dark hair and eyes. He had a large, curved nose that he inherited from his father and thick, black eyebrows. Despite appearing graceful while flying on a broomstick, he was round-shouldered and duck-footed while on the ground. By the time of Fleur and Bill's wedding, he had grown a small beard.

Personality and traits
Surly and moody, Viktor usually kept his own company and rarely spoke unless he needed to. Despite his fame, or perhaps because of it, Viktor was reserved and seemed lonely. However, he was known to be good company to those he allowed close to him, such as Hermione Granger, and not what one would expect from a Durmstrang student. He also responded well to those that treated him fairly or impressed him. Cedric Diggory was always polite to him, and he was saddened by his death, and he was impressed by Harry Potter's flying skills during the First Task.

Hermione Granger
Viktor became attracted to Hermione Granger shortly after his arrival at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, and spent a lot of time in the library, watching her and trying to pluck up the courage to talk to her. Eventually, following the announcement of the Yule Ball, he finally worked up the nerve and asked her to the Ball as his date. She accepted, but told no one except Ginny Weasley, thus their arrival at the Ball together caused a minor stir, as Viktor was famous and Hermione made herself look exceptionally pretty.

Following the Ball, Hermione and Viktor continued to see each other, and Hermione became Viktor's hostage for the Second Task of the Tournament. Following the Task, Viktor told Hermione that he had never felt about a girl like the way he felt about her, and invited her to Bulgaria to visit him during the summer. However, Rita Skeeter, an unregistered Animagus, eavesdropped on their conversation and wrote an article that painted Hermione as toying with both Viktor’s affections and Harry Potter's. This led Viktor to seek out Harry, who confirmed that he and Hermione were just friends. At some point in their relationship, Viktor and Hermione shared a kiss, but she never visited him in Bulgaria, although she did write to him often. At Fleur Delacour and Bill Weasley’s wedding in 1997, he was disappointed to learn that Hermione and Ron Weasley were "sort of" a couple.

Behind the scenes

 * Viktor Krum was portrayed by Bulgarian Stanislav Ianevski in the film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.
 * Viktor is the Slavic version of the name Victor; it is derived from the Latin victoris, meaning "conqueror".

Appearances

 * Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
 * Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (film)
 * Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (game)
 * Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
 * Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
 * Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows