You might ask how someone would hide from Muggle eyes an entirely
huge Quidditch stadium---built to hold a great deal of the wizarding world.
Then again, if you were to ask, you would probably get a very simple
response, something to the tune of a Muggle Repelling Charm. But repelling
muggles, like most things in the Wizarding world isn't as easy as it
sounds. These were the thoughts running through the mind of Tanner
Youngblood as she slept restlessly in a tent...which was covered by green
shamrocks. Tanner opened her eyes and blinked once, then again looking at
the inside of her tent...which was also green. She rolled out of a green
sleeping bag and pulled on a shirt, which to her liking, was not green. She
stood up, though a little too fast, banging her head on the top pole of the
tent.
"Damnit! That's what I get for being so tall." Tanner removed her ponytail holder and shook out her cropped brown hair. She looked around the tent briefly to notice that her two tent-mates were both gone. She shrugged her shoulders and pulled on a pair of jeans. Reluctantly, she emerged from the tent when she heard several unfamilliar voices. The bright light stung her eyes as she reached in the pocket of her jeans for her glasses. The two boys outside of the tent finally turned around and recognized that she had finally woken up.
"Hey Tanner, come over here for a minute," Seamus Finnegan, her best friend said. He and Dean Thomas, another close friend, were talking to several other Hogwarts students who Tanner assumed were fourth years, like Seamus and Dean. Tanner herself would be a fifth year, but the two fourth years in front of her were the only people who would truly accept her. Tanner walked over to the group of students and stood next to Seamus. "This is Hermione, Harry and Ron. They go to Hogwarts too. They're fourth years." Tanner nodded, morning not being her best time of morning, speaking was completely out of the question.
"Aren't you a fifth year?" the girl asked her. Tanner assumed that the girl was Hermione. Then again, she could have been named Harry or Ron, you'd never know.
"Erm...yes." Tanner was obviously not famous for her long responses. The guys were going on and on about the upcoming Quidditch match and Tanner supposed that she was to keep the girl company, much to her dismay.
"So, are you nervous about O.W.L's? Isn't is challenging taking all of those classes? What classes are you in? I'm taking arithmacy next year, it's supposed to be very challenging you know..." The girl droned on about any number of things. Tanner nodded at appropriate places and managed to look interested, no matter what she was thinking in the back of her mind. She was ever thankful when Seamus made his way into their conversation.
"Well..we'd best be going. I think my parents are cooking breakfast...and they need some water. Tanner, do you want to go with me?" Tanner nodded and they headed off, leaving Dean at the mercy of all three.
"Thanks for inviting me here and all...I know it probably didn't set too well with Dean," Tanner said after they were away from the crowd. Seamus looked at her, smiling.
"I don't think he minds you, but he probably feels threatened by you...because I'm friends with a girl and all." Tanner smirked.
"I don't seem too threatening, do I?" She and Seamus had been close friends for about two years. She and Dean weren't as close, though she still considered him a good friend.
"Not to me you don't. I could take you any day!" Seamus always seemed to be one to brag when it came to his own ability.
"You wanna test that?" Tanner said playfully. Before she knew it, Seamus had tackled her and they began to wrestle. It went on like that for a few minutes before Dean showed up with a very disapproving look on his face.
"Whenever you guys are done flirting, you can come back to the campground. We're about to go over to the stadium." Tanner then realized how compromising of a position she had been found on, with Seamus on top of her. She sighed, rolled over and got up, thinking that it would be a long day. Tanner and Seamus went back to their area of the camp ground, without speaking. Tanner looked over at Seamus and managed to mouth a silent 'sorry', before Dean could think anything. Seamus nodded, running forward to catch up with Dean and, perhaps, set things right.
Dean and Seamus reached the campsite about five minutes before Tanner who was preoccupied with her own thoughts on one subject or another. The main one was Quidditch. Tanner was the athletic type of girl who would never be seen wearing a dress...and she loved Quidditch more than anything, although she wasn't on the Ravenclaw team...as of yet. She intended to try out at the beginning of that year. Her heart leapt at the thought of finally leading Ravenclaw to the Quidditch Cup...
"Tanner! Hurry up!" Her thoughts were jarred by Seamus...once again. She ran slightly to catch up with him and Dean who were heading towards the stadium. Once they got there, it took them a few minutes to figure out exactly where their seats where. After all, Dean wouldn't even let her see the tickets.
"I know where I'm going! And plus, these tickets will be great as memorabilia." Tanner felt a hand on her shoulder. She looked at it and found it to be very pale. She turned around slowly and found herself face to face with Draco Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle.
"Well, if it isn't Tanner Youngblood...or should I say Mudblood," Malfoy, Goyle, and Crabbe snickered. Instinctively, Tanner reached for her wand, but then she put it back in the pocket of her jeans. "Fuck off Malfoy," Tanner said. None of the boys were too shocked at her profanity, or if they were, they didn't show it.
"Watch your language mudblood, you make yourself sound even more vile and intolerable." Tanner had finally taken enough. She charged towards Malfoy and before she knew it had punched him. She and Malfoy fought for about twenty minutes until he pulled out his wand and cursed her. Tanner, stunned, fell back into Seamus's arms. Seamus immediately pulled out his own wand,
"You'll pay for that...and that's a promise," Seamus said as he pointed his wand at Malfoy. Malfoy laughed, seeing no obvious threat.
"Defending your girlfriend, Finnegan? Hmph. It wouldn't surprise me. After all, you're a half blood." At the insult on his family Finnegan yelled,
"Expelliaramus," and shot off at Malfoy. Unfortunately, Seamus's magical skill wasn't as great as it should have been for a fourth year and he hit a rather plump woman in her rather plump arse. Tanner, by this time, had regained most of her senses and had her wand out. She, on the other hand, had a new way to deal with Malfoy.
"Accio Nimbus," she yelled. On command, her broomstick came from their area of the campsite. Tanner mounted it and flew high above Malfoy's head. Once she was directly above him, she cast a spell, knocking Malfoy on his bum. He didn't even know what hit him. Tanner coasted back down and stood in front of Malfoy. "And that, Malfoy, is what happens when you insult me or my friends." She smirked and walked off. Dean just looked at her, obviously amazed at this display of guts. Tanner leaned down to help Seamus up and they headed into the lantern-lit path that lead to the stadium. On the way there, Tanner hung back as Dean and Seamus walked ahead; exchanging jokes and acting like what they were-best friends.
"If I could change this day, I would.if I could make you stay, I would." Tanner absent-mindedly sung the words to one of her favorite Muggle songs. She didn't know anyone else could hear her, but, obviously someone did.
"What'd you say, Tanner?" Seamus turned around to face her and Tanner automatically blushed.
"Erm.nothing," Tanner said as she returned to her own thoughts, thankful that Seamus hadn't heard exactly what she had said. After all, she wasn't even thinking about him.
They finally reached the end of the path and all three had to take a step back and admire everything in front of them. There were people everywhere.witches and wizards from all over the world. Tanner couldn't help but gasp, but she immediately slapped her hands over her mouth. She caught up with the two boys and they entered the stadium to watch what would later be called the game of a lifetime.
They were all early to the game, so they wandered around the stadium aimlessly with Dean in the lead. Tanner thought she spotted her close friend, Cho Chang, also a Ravenclaw. She turned away from the two boys for a minute to wave to Cho and then, when she turned back around, she had completely lost sight of them. She stood there for a minute, completely dumbfounded until, when she was looking back again, she felt someone's hand grab hers and pull her forward out of the crowd. She looked forward and saw that it was Seamus. His hand in hers sent some sort of electricity and she jumped.
"You okay?" He asked as he looked at her with some sort of concern. She nodded, afraid that anything she said might be the wrong thing, though with Seamus there used to not be a wrong thing with Seamus.but now things had changed.
"I'm fine, just, things are weird."
"With you and Dean? He'll come off it.he's just jealous.or maybe he's got a thing for you." Dean, who had apparently resurfaced, shot Seamus a look and then decided to interject his way into the conversation.
"Our seats are over here." They were sitting far away from Seamus's parents but still on the Irish side of the stadium-much to Tanner's dismay because she was a Bulgaria fan. Then again, Seamus and his Irish ancestry wouldn't be caught dead on the other side.
"AND NOW.introducing the BULGARIAN team mascots!" an announcer said over a rather loud speaker. Tanner looked around somewhat anxiously as Seamus pushed himself back further into his seat. Out of nowhere, a group of dancing blonde girls came out from behind the pillars of the large stadium. Every male in the stadium was completely mesmerized by them. Tanner didn't know exactly what they were, so she looked to Seamus for an answer. He was leaning forward in his seat, gaping at the girls with his mouth wide open.
"Seamus! Who.I mean, what are they?" Never prying his eyes away from the girls, Seamus responded,
"They're veelas. They're so beautiful." Tanner scoffed and looked away from Seamus and to Dean, who was also staring intently at the girls.
"If you'd ask me, they look like a bunch of dumb blondes." Then again, Seamus hadn't asked her and thus, he paid her no attention. "Whatever," she said as she looked out into the crowd. She heard moans and cries which told her it was safe to look back at the Quidditch field.
"Damn it. They're probably the best thing Bulgaria has to offer," Seamus said after they had left. Tanner, noting her friend's comment smacked him in the back of the head as a silent warning that he was in dangerous territory. Before Seamus could retaliate, the announcer began to blare.once again.
"AND NOW.introducing the IRISH team mascots!" Seamus excitedly stood up and began to applaud before even seeing his team's mascots. Tanner shrugged her shoulders, barely noting the announcements. She did, however look up when minions of green men fell from the sky. Tanner's first thoughts were of aliens, but then the showers of gold finally clued her in.
"LEPRECHAUNS!!" Seamus confirmed her suspicions, they were leprechauns and there were showers of gold falling from the sky. Everyone was standing up, trying to catch some.but Tanner just sat there until a piece of gold smacked her in the head.
"Damn you and your Irish pride!" Tanner chunked a piece of gold at Seamus's head and hit him-full on. They fought with the gold for several more minutes until they heard the announcements for both teams. Seamus cheered for his team.and of course, Tanner cheered for the Bulgarian team. The game was rigorous the whole way through and Tanner paid special attention to Viktor Krum.
"Seamus-check out Krum.he's really good." Seamus finally tore his eyes away from the Quidditch field to look at her.
"He's not that good. Check out the IRISH seeker.now there's sheer talent!" Tanner chose to ignore Seamus's bigoted comment and watch the game. Krum actually was a very talented seeker, and he needed little help from the beaters to make his way to the snitch. The only thing disappointing about the teams is that they were both all-male, which was a little bit of a downer. Tanner zoned out briefly, thinking about her own Quidditch dreams when all of a sudden, the whole stadium roared.Ireland had won by 160 points. Seamus grabbed her hand and started jumping up and down. Once again, the familiar surge of electricity running through her whole body. Seamus gave her a hug and she wanted to hold on, but, she had to let him go.
**************************************************************************** ************************
At the end of the night, after everything had calmed down from the conjuring of the dark mark, Tanner found herself sitting on the outskirts of the campground, staring up at the sky. She wanted to cry, laugh, or something.anything to show what she was feeling. But she couldn't. She didn't.feel.
"Find anything interesting up there?" A voice emerged from the darkness, startling her. Tanner turned to look and was face to face with Dean.
"Just the stars.which are interesting enough." He sat down next to her, which surprised her.
"Look, I didn't mean what I said earlier. And I didn't mean to offend you if I did." She shrugged her shoulders, not really wanting to answer him. "I know you don't believe me, and you don't want to hear my excuses.but I do have a good reason." Tanner turned to look at him,
"What?"
"What do you mean what?"
"What's your good excuse?" He looked down, then managed to look back at her. "I'm not used to have to compete for things I want. Back.before Hogwarts, I never had to compete with anyone. And it's weird.especially when the person I have to compete with is one of my best friends." Tanner looked at him, not too sure what he meant by 'compete'.
"I don't get it, what do you mean?"
"I like you.and I have since when me and Seamus were first years. I wasn't sure at first.but then, when I saw you two together, I knew." Tanner looked up, looking for something, something to tell her what to say, what to do. She was looking for a sign. "They say you can look to the stars, for answers.for a sign. But I guess my luck's run out, because I don't know what to say to you.or what to do." Dean remained silent for a moment before responding.
"I don't want you to say anything you don't feel," Dean said as he looked away from her.
"I can't lie to you, I never have been able to."
"Well, do you have feelings for Seamus?"
"That's just it, I don't know."
"Damnit! That's what I get for being so tall." Tanner removed her ponytail holder and shook out her cropped brown hair. She looked around the tent briefly to notice that her two tent-mates were both gone. She shrugged her shoulders and pulled on a pair of jeans. Reluctantly, she emerged from the tent when she heard several unfamilliar voices. The bright light stung her eyes as she reached in the pocket of her jeans for her glasses. The two boys outside of the tent finally turned around and recognized that she had finally woken up.
"Hey Tanner, come over here for a minute," Seamus Finnegan, her best friend said. He and Dean Thomas, another close friend, were talking to several other Hogwarts students who Tanner assumed were fourth years, like Seamus and Dean. Tanner herself would be a fifth year, but the two fourth years in front of her were the only people who would truly accept her. Tanner walked over to the group of students and stood next to Seamus. "This is Hermione, Harry and Ron. They go to Hogwarts too. They're fourth years." Tanner nodded, morning not being her best time of morning, speaking was completely out of the question.
"Aren't you a fifth year?" the girl asked her. Tanner assumed that the girl was Hermione. Then again, she could have been named Harry or Ron, you'd never know.
"Erm...yes." Tanner was obviously not famous for her long responses. The guys were going on and on about the upcoming Quidditch match and Tanner supposed that she was to keep the girl company, much to her dismay.
"So, are you nervous about O.W.L's? Isn't is challenging taking all of those classes? What classes are you in? I'm taking arithmacy next year, it's supposed to be very challenging you know..." The girl droned on about any number of things. Tanner nodded at appropriate places and managed to look interested, no matter what she was thinking in the back of her mind. She was ever thankful when Seamus made his way into their conversation.
"Well..we'd best be going. I think my parents are cooking breakfast...and they need some water. Tanner, do you want to go with me?" Tanner nodded and they headed off, leaving Dean at the mercy of all three.
"Thanks for inviting me here and all...I know it probably didn't set too well with Dean," Tanner said after they were away from the crowd. Seamus looked at her, smiling.
"I don't think he minds you, but he probably feels threatened by you...because I'm friends with a girl and all." Tanner smirked.
"I don't seem too threatening, do I?" She and Seamus had been close friends for about two years. She and Dean weren't as close, though she still considered him a good friend.
"Not to me you don't. I could take you any day!" Seamus always seemed to be one to brag when it came to his own ability.
"You wanna test that?" Tanner said playfully. Before she knew it, Seamus had tackled her and they began to wrestle. It went on like that for a few minutes before Dean showed up with a very disapproving look on his face.
"Whenever you guys are done flirting, you can come back to the campground. We're about to go over to the stadium." Tanner then realized how compromising of a position she had been found on, with Seamus on top of her. She sighed, rolled over and got up, thinking that it would be a long day. Tanner and Seamus went back to their area of the camp ground, without speaking. Tanner looked over at Seamus and managed to mouth a silent 'sorry', before Dean could think anything. Seamus nodded, running forward to catch up with Dean and, perhaps, set things right.
Dean and Seamus reached the campsite about five minutes before Tanner who was preoccupied with her own thoughts on one subject or another. The main one was Quidditch. Tanner was the athletic type of girl who would never be seen wearing a dress...and she loved Quidditch more than anything, although she wasn't on the Ravenclaw team...as of yet. She intended to try out at the beginning of that year. Her heart leapt at the thought of finally leading Ravenclaw to the Quidditch Cup...
"Tanner! Hurry up!" Her thoughts were jarred by Seamus...once again. She ran slightly to catch up with him and Dean who were heading towards the stadium. Once they got there, it took them a few minutes to figure out exactly where their seats where. After all, Dean wouldn't even let her see the tickets.
"I know where I'm going! And plus, these tickets will be great as memorabilia." Tanner felt a hand on her shoulder. She looked at it and found it to be very pale. She turned around slowly and found herself face to face with Draco Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle.
"Well, if it isn't Tanner Youngblood...or should I say Mudblood," Malfoy, Goyle, and Crabbe snickered. Instinctively, Tanner reached for her wand, but then she put it back in the pocket of her jeans. "Fuck off Malfoy," Tanner said. None of the boys were too shocked at her profanity, or if they were, they didn't show it.
"Watch your language mudblood, you make yourself sound even more vile and intolerable." Tanner had finally taken enough. She charged towards Malfoy and before she knew it had punched him. She and Malfoy fought for about twenty minutes until he pulled out his wand and cursed her. Tanner, stunned, fell back into Seamus's arms. Seamus immediately pulled out his own wand,
"You'll pay for that...and that's a promise," Seamus said as he pointed his wand at Malfoy. Malfoy laughed, seeing no obvious threat.
"Defending your girlfriend, Finnegan? Hmph. It wouldn't surprise me. After all, you're a half blood." At the insult on his family Finnegan yelled,
"Expelliaramus," and shot off at Malfoy. Unfortunately, Seamus's magical skill wasn't as great as it should have been for a fourth year and he hit a rather plump woman in her rather plump arse. Tanner, by this time, had regained most of her senses and had her wand out. She, on the other hand, had a new way to deal with Malfoy.
"Accio Nimbus," she yelled. On command, her broomstick came from their area of the campsite. Tanner mounted it and flew high above Malfoy's head. Once she was directly above him, she cast a spell, knocking Malfoy on his bum. He didn't even know what hit him. Tanner coasted back down and stood in front of Malfoy. "And that, Malfoy, is what happens when you insult me or my friends." She smirked and walked off. Dean just looked at her, obviously amazed at this display of guts. Tanner leaned down to help Seamus up and they headed into the lantern-lit path that lead to the stadium. On the way there, Tanner hung back as Dean and Seamus walked ahead; exchanging jokes and acting like what they were-best friends.
"If I could change this day, I would.if I could make you stay, I would." Tanner absent-mindedly sung the words to one of her favorite Muggle songs. She didn't know anyone else could hear her, but, obviously someone did.
"What'd you say, Tanner?" Seamus turned around to face her and Tanner automatically blushed.
"Erm.nothing," Tanner said as she returned to her own thoughts, thankful that Seamus hadn't heard exactly what she had said. After all, she wasn't even thinking about him.
They finally reached the end of the path and all three had to take a step back and admire everything in front of them. There were people everywhere.witches and wizards from all over the world. Tanner couldn't help but gasp, but she immediately slapped her hands over her mouth. She caught up with the two boys and they entered the stadium to watch what would later be called the game of a lifetime.
They were all early to the game, so they wandered around the stadium aimlessly with Dean in the lead. Tanner thought she spotted her close friend, Cho Chang, also a Ravenclaw. She turned away from the two boys for a minute to wave to Cho and then, when she turned back around, she had completely lost sight of them. She stood there for a minute, completely dumbfounded until, when she was looking back again, she felt someone's hand grab hers and pull her forward out of the crowd. She looked forward and saw that it was Seamus. His hand in hers sent some sort of electricity and she jumped.
"You okay?" He asked as he looked at her with some sort of concern. She nodded, afraid that anything she said might be the wrong thing, though with Seamus there used to not be a wrong thing with Seamus.but now things had changed.
"I'm fine, just, things are weird."
"With you and Dean? He'll come off it.he's just jealous.or maybe he's got a thing for you." Dean, who had apparently resurfaced, shot Seamus a look and then decided to interject his way into the conversation.
"Our seats are over here." They were sitting far away from Seamus's parents but still on the Irish side of the stadium-much to Tanner's dismay because she was a Bulgaria fan. Then again, Seamus and his Irish ancestry wouldn't be caught dead on the other side.
"AND NOW.introducing the BULGARIAN team mascots!" an announcer said over a rather loud speaker. Tanner looked around somewhat anxiously as Seamus pushed himself back further into his seat. Out of nowhere, a group of dancing blonde girls came out from behind the pillars of the large stadium. Every male in the stadium was completely mesmerized by them. Tanner didn't know exactly what they were, so she looked to Seamus for an answer. He was leaning forward in his seat, gaping at the girls with his mouth wide open.
"Seamus! Who.I mean, what are they?" Never prying his eyes away from the girls, Seamus responded,
"They're veelas. They're so beautiful." Tanner scoffed and looked away from Seamus and to Dean, who was also staring intently at the girls.
"If you'd ask me, they look like a bunch of dumb blondes." Then again, Seamus hadn't asked her and thus, he paid her no attention. "Whatever," she said as she looked out into the crowd. She heard moans and cries which told her it was safe to look back at the Quidditch field.
"Damn it. They're probably the best thing Bulgaria has to offer," Seamus said after they had left. Tanner, noting her friend's comment smacked him in the back of the head as a silent warning that he was in dangerous territory. Before Seamus could retaliate, the announcer began to blare.once again.
"AND NOW.introducing the IRISH team mascots!" Seamus excitedly stood up and began to applaud before even seeing his team's mascots. Tanner shrugged her shoulders, barely noting the announcements. She did, however look up when minions of green men fell from the sky. Tanner's first thoughts were of aliens, but then the showers of gold finally clued her in.
"LEPRECHAUNS!!" Seamus confirmed her suspicions, they were leprechauns and there were showers of gold falling from the sky. Everyone was standing up, trying to catch some.but Tanner just sat there until a piece of gold smacked her in the head.
"Damn you and your Irish pride!" Tanner chunked a piece of gold at Seamus's head and hit him-full on. They fought with the gold for several more minutes until they heard the announcements for both teams. Seamus cheered for his team.and of course, Tanner cheered for the Bulgarian team. The game was rigorous the whole way through and Tanner paid special attention to Viktor Krum.
"Seamus-check out Krum.he's really good." Seamus finally tore his eyes away from the Quidditch field to look at her.
"He's not that good. Check out the IRISH seeker.now there's sheer talent!" Tanner chose to ignore Seamus's bigoted comment and watch the game. Krum actually was a very talented seeker, and he needed little help from the beaters to make his way to the snitch. The only thing disappointing about the teams is that they were both all-male, which was a little bit of a downer. Tanner zoned out briefly, thinking about her own Quidditch dreams when all of a sudden, the whole stadium roared.Ireland had won by 160 points. Seamus grabbed her hand and started jumping up and down. Once again, the familiar surge of electricity running through her whole body. Seamus gave her a hug and she wanted to hold on, but, she had to let him go.
**************************************************************************** ************************
At the end of the night, after everything had calmed down from the conjuring of the dark mark, Tanner found herself sitting on the outskirts of the campground, staring up at the sky. She wanted to cry, laugh, or something.anything to show what she was feeling. But she couldn't. She didn't.feel.
"Find anything interesting up there?" A voice emerged from the darkness, startling her. Tanner turned to look and was face to face with Dean.
"Just the stars.which are interesting enough." He sat down next to her, which surprised her.
"Look, I didn't mean what I said earlier. And I didn't mean to offend you if I did." She shrugged her shoulders, not really wanting to answer him. "I know you don't believe me, and you don't want to hear my excuses.but I do have a good reason." Tanner turned to look at him,
"What?"
"What do you mean what?"
"What's your good excuse?" He looked down, then managed to look back at her. "I'm not used to have to compete for things I want. Back.before Hogwarts, I never had to compete with anyone. And it's weird.especially when the person I have to compete with is one of my best friends." Tanner looked at him, not too sure what he meant by 'compete'.
"I don't get it, what do you mean?"
"I like you.and I have since when me and Seamus were first years. I wasn't sure at first.but then, when I saw you two together, I knew." Tanner looked up, looking for something, something to tell her what to say, what to do. She was looking for a sign. "They say you can look to the stars, for answers.for a sign. But I guess my luck's run out, because I don't know what to say to you.or what to do." Dean remained silent for a moment before responding.
"I don't want you to say anything you don't feel," Dean said as he looked away from her.
"I can't lie to you, I never have been able to."
"Well, do you have feelings for Seamus?"
"That's just it, I don't know."