Believe it or not, it has been over two decades since the first Harry Potter novel was published and almost 17 years since the series first hit the big screen! It is hard for many fans to comprehend that so much time has passed due to the enormous popularity that still surrounds J.K. Rowling’s wizarding world. Theme parks, museums, and spinoff movies continue to bring the characters to life for new generations.

This year LeakyCon, a premiere annual Harry Potter convention that has been hosted my multiple countries in the past, will be held in our own city. That’s right, LeakyCon is headed to Dallas and bringing some awesome guests as well. As I mentioned before, the Harry Potter movies and books are still very much alive to fans across the globe. The two media forms have been so intertwined over the years that it is almost impossible to mentally separate the actors in the films from the characters in the books. When reading the books, the mention of Harry Potter will continue to evoke the appearance of Daniel Radcliffe in the minds on many fans.

The same can be said for the Bulgarian legend Viktor Krum. And why not? Stanislav (Stan) Yanevski played the character almost flawlessly. His large athletic figure, stoic features, and authentic accent made him a remarkable match to what many readers envisioned as they read the novels. To the dismay of a large number of fans, Krum only made a brief appearance after his grand debut in The Goblet of Fire. Many people were left wanting to see and know more about the Quidditch star.

There is good news for that faction of fans; Stan is scheduled to be a guest at this year’s LeakyCon! Attendees will be able to find him in panels, as well as autograph and photo sessions. However, in my true fashion, I couldn’t wait another month to have my questions answered. I was able to interview Stan ahead of his scheduled Dallas arrival to gain some personal closure and also preview what is to come for those who are lucky enough to go to LeakyCon.

You had not acted before you were cast in Harry Potter. The first scene you filmed for the Goblet of Fire was the maze portion of the Triwizard Cup. For a first time actor that seems like it would be a bit unnerving to be thrust into so early. Was it?

“My very first scene was indeed the maze sequence from the Triwizard Tournament. It was intense to start off with an action scene where there were stunts and a lot of stress that needed to be shown to the audience since it is a tournament. However Warner Brothers were very good in making sure we knew each other before the start of shoot. We had an introductory period where we got to know each other well enough to feel and become friends. We spent quite a bit of time together playing some well planned games by professionals who’s idea was to loosen us up and feel comfortable on set. We were also very lucky to have Mike Newell as the director of the film. He was really friendly and seemed to love working with younger cast. He did not hesitate to create a friendly atmosphere of a playground where he would throw himself at the hedges or roll on the ground and get all dirty with us. He’s a wonderful director who definitely knows how to get the best out of his actors. The whole team on Harry Potter was amazing and this helped us immensely in terms of performing in front of the camera.”

In what ways do you identify most with Viktor Krum? What about least?

“Krum is a great character. He is a sports person, so am I. He is competitive and gives his best just like I try to in everything. So in terms of sports we are quite the same. He surprises everybody by inviting Hermione to the ball, which is exactly something that I would do. Not to mention that Hermione was stunning…what guy wouldn’t try and go to the ball with such girl, right? However he didn’t speak much and was said to be a more physical kind of being. I’m quite the opposite; I like to be amongst fans and people. I love hearing all the different stories everybody has to tell and just see how colorful the world around us really is.”

You are actually Bulgarian. Is there a sense of national pride knowing that you are able to help bring focus to a country in which many people in the world know little to nothing about?

“Yes, I am Bulgarian and quite a proud one too. It is quite a responsibility to carry on your shoulders, representing your country in a world that has not heard much about it. I am blessed to have a lot of love from my fans from around the globe. They are with me on my social media giving me love and encouragement. I try to be as active as possible and make videos of my trips whether it is flying to a destination or just a road trip on my motorcycle. I am happy and proud that I can help my country become more well known. Bulgaria is a beautiful country, one of the most ancient countries in Europe and has tons of historical sites, legends, stories, etc. etc. to be discovered. Did you know that the first computer was invented by a Bulgarian? Did you know that Yogurt originated and was invented in Bulgaria? Did you know that the Cyrillic alphabet was invented by two Bulgarian brothers? Well, these are just a few examples of what Bulgaria and its history have in store for all who are interested.”

Obviously there were many memorable moments filming the movie. What was your favorite moment on set?

“Being part of a project like the Harry Potter series is a wonder, a dream come true for any actor. It was filmed for a much longer period than a film would usually be filmed for, so there was plenty of time for memories to be created. It would be hard to pick the best or my favorite so I’ll answer this question with one sentence: I loved the family feel that we had overall and being around the cast and crew was awesome at any point in time both on and off set. We were really well taken care off, so everything was wondrous!”

J.K. Rowling published that Krum was able to finally win the Quidditch World Cup in 2014 after coming out of retirement from a heartbreaking career. Do you find this disappointing or fitting for his character?

“Well Krum does win the Quidditch World Cup in the end, so he manages to fulfill his dream. I’d much rather have him win the Cup every time there is a Quidditch tournament but it is a dynamic world even here. We all know what happens in the Football World Cup – ups and down, full of surprises. I think that J.K. Rowling has planned and created a really well thought out sports character in terms of Krum being the best Quidditch player in the world. This is no one-man team sport, so there could be many reasons for what’s happened to Krum in terms of career.”

If you could create a Triwizard Tournament challenge what would it consist of?

“If I could create a Triwizard Tournament challenge… Oh, that is one hard question. I love travelling and discovering new cultures and worlds. I ride a motorcycle in life and I do that as often as I can. It would have to be something along these lines. So maybe the challenge would be: The first one who places their flag on the tips of all world’s wonders (of course going through different magical obstacles would win the task). I’d definitely get the crowds involved to make it more interesting for the viewers and the Champions themselves.”

Why do you think Viktor Krum didn’t join the final fight at Hogwarts if he was so into Hermoine?

“Actually if you’ve read the books closely you would notice that Krum comes back in the Deathly Hallows and gives Harry some very vital information, warning him of what’s about to happen. I did come back to shoot on the Deathly Hallows: Part One for all of this (unfortunately it was all cut and we haven’t seen any of it anywhere as of yet). Krum did fight on Harry’s side [at Bill’s wedding] there and was fighting off Dementors. However I do think that if Durmstrang, as a whole, were brought into the fight to back Hogwarts up that would have been awesome for all of us to see! Maybe they didn’t because of Karkaroff’s background and history… who knows? Only J.K.Rowling can answer this question correctly. The rest will be left to our imaginations. (Not to mention that even though he was into Hermione she ended up being with Ron, right? Haha!)”

Had Viktor Krum gone to Hogwarts, what house would he have been sorted into and why?

“Had Krum gone to Hogwarts, what house would he be sorted into? Well this is one hard question again! I think Krum would definitely be faithful to Durmstrang and not change schools. However, knowing the power of love, maybe Hermione would be a good reason for him to move schools. He is brave, but quiet. Strong, but not too sure how smart he is. Maybe he is more into building a good physical image and appearance. Nevertheless, he is kind and a great gentleman. I’m sure he’d like to be in Griffindor, but I guess the hat would maybe sort him in Hufflepuff (Cedric being a Hogwarts champion from that house) or maybe a Slytherin due to him being friends and sitting with the Slytherins at the Yule Ball. Who knows? I know that I was sorted into Slytherin by Pottermore, so…”

There you have it folks! Stan and possibly Krum would be sorted into Slytherin, another blow to all of you Slytherin hating folks out there! Don’t miss this rare opportunity to meet the world’s greatest Quidditch player in person. Stan will be appearing at LeakyCon (located in the Kay Bailey Hutchinson Convention Center) during August 10-12. You can find more updated information about LeakyCon on their website by clicking here.