Setting off from where they'd landed they soon came across a large forest and after twenty or so minutes of walking they saw a small hill in front of them, a dirt path following it up. Reaching the top of it they saw an amazing sight. In the valley below was a sea of tents, topped with flags, banners and other decorations as thousands of people moved around them whilst a huge structure, not quite visible enough to see properly in the early morning haze, that had to be the stadium itself stood in the distance beyond the site on the other side of a large forest.
"Welcome to the Quidditch world cup" Amos stated as they all took in the view.
As they travelled down the other side of the hill towards the camp site a few skimmers were seen flying overhead, though their owners would have a long walk to their tents from the size of the settlement. The camp itself offered nowhere for the eye to rest with the crowds of people that were a showcase of Atmos's diversities, the displays of support for the two competing teams, Terra Atmosia in sky blue colours and Terra Durmstrang in red as the music that filled the air, a mixture for both teams.
Following Ace and Amos, who were now both reading off small maps of the site they'd unfolded from their pockets they soon reached a wide lane between the tents very close to the forest. "Right, it look as though we're down here" Amos said checking his map against Ace's. "So we'll see you later" He added before waving The Storm Hawks and Starling goodbye as he lead the Diggorys off in one direction.
"We're this way" Ace said to the Storm Hawks and Starling, indicating the opposite direction.
Trudging up the field between long rows of tents, most looking perfectly normal though every so often passing one that were most likely owned be sorcerers owing to the actual puffing brick chimneys, or bell pulls, or weather vanes. However, here and there was a tent so obviously magical that they paused and looked at it for a while in their surprise. For example halfway up the field stood an extravagant confection of striped silk like a miniature palace, with several live peacocks tethered at the entrance whilst a little further on they passed a tent that had three floors and several turrets; and a short way beyond that was a tent that had a front garden attached, complete with birdbath, sundial, and fountain.
"Always the same," Said Ace, smiling. "They can't resist showing off when they get together" He added just as they came across a very small but perfectly ordinary canvas tent, a wooden sign with a number hammered into the ground besides it. "Here we are, this is us" Ace told them as he stopped and pointed it out.
"What all of us?" Finn asked in disbelief, staring at the far too small tent.
"Course, though I should explain now that Amos lent it us" Ace replied, a smile on his face as he watched them try to figure it out.
"And that makes a difference?" Aerrow asked, like the others not getting how it would work. In response Ace merely shrugged as he indicated them to go in as he stooped down, ducked under the tent flap as he went in himself. Taking a moment to glance at each other with puzzlement and curiosity the followed him in. Aerrow felt his jaw drop at what he saw on the other side as he appeared to have walked into what looked like an old fashioned, three room flat, complete with a sets of bunk beds on either side, a bathroom, kitchen and small lounge area. In fact the only indication that they were in a tent was the canvas roof above them and the walls it lead down to. "We'll be a bit cramped," Ace said, not looking at all surprised by his surroundings as he dumped his rucksack on one of the armchairs. "But I think we'll all squeeze in" He added before turning to the others.
"What do you think?" He asked, looked amused by their stunned faces.
"Right now I'm loving magic" Finn managed to say before they all began unpacking and settled in.
Over the day a sense of excitement had hung over the camp site like a cloud, more so as the afternoon had worn on. By dusk, the still summer air itself seemed to be quivering with anticipation, and as darkness spread like a curtain over the thousands of eager spectators geared themselves up for what promised to be a memorable night. The Storm Hawks and Starling had spent the last hour or so sitting outside their tent, around the small camp fire they'd constructed, as they watched people pass, their tent being pitched alongside one of the main paths.
"Ah, there you are!" Amos's voice called at one point, making them all look up to see him and the Diggorys approaching.
"Amos you settled in aright?" Ace asked.
"Just about, crowded isn't it?" He replied, looking around for a moment.
"Care to join us for while?" Ace then offered, which they gladly accepted.
"You don't realise how popular Quidditch is until you see it like this" Cedric said as he sat down besides Starling, with Cho sitting on the other side of him. "You ever play it?" Piper asked, knowing the game required a lot of piloting skill with skimmers which she knew, along with professional players, Sky Knights and their squadrons also had.
"Never really the time recently for a proper game, though we had have a little pass with a Quaffle occasionally" Cedric replied. "What about you guys?" He asked, looking to Aerrow in particular as Sky Knights tended to be the best flyers in their teams.
"Same story really, especially a few years ago with the Aurora Stone incident" He said casually.
"Yeah I heard about that, you were there to weren't you Starling?" Cedric asked Starling, who nodded.
"It's where I first met this lot" She replied, indicating the Storm Hawks.
"What happened there, if you don't mind me asking?" Cedric then asked them all as all of Atmos except for the Storm Hawks and Starling only knew certain details.
"What didn't happen" Piper replied, looking amused as did the other Storm Hawks and Starling, all remembering how chaotic that day had been.
They then gave a quick run through of what happened to Amos and the Diggorys, everyone laughing and joking at parts such as when Finn and Junko had abandoned the plan and had ended up getting caught or when Stork had backed the Condor into the Raptors. They had, however, downplayed Ace's role quite a lot as he had been under Cyclonis's control for most of the day's events. Luckily Amos and the Diggorys seemed to be more interested in Cyclonis herself and what it had been like to face her on her own Terra, something that no other Sky Knights or squadrons had achieved, at least any that had come out of it alive. It was just as they were going through how they managed to escape, however, that a unrecognised voice was heard to address them a short distance away.
"Well, well, well if it isn't Ace from the Storm Hawk squadron" The cold, drawling and high held tone said, making everyone look up. The voice belonged to a man with a pale, pointed face, long pale blond hair and cold grey eyes who was dressed in tailored black suit underneath a expensive looking and fur lined cloak, kept in place by a heavy silver fastening. He was also carrying, like Amos had been before, a walking stick but unlike Amos's wooden, worn and obviously well used stick this one looked brand new with polished black metal for the stick and a bejewelled snake's head on top. Standing besides him was a boy, also dressed in a tailored black suit, of Aerrow's age, who had to be his son for he had the same pale, pointed face, pale hair and sneering smirk on his face whilst a woman that could be his mother, a tall, slim woman with dark brown hair, which had blond streaks, and blue eyes. She was dressed in a fancy grey velvet dress under a similar black cloak which added to the image that this was a a family of very wealthy people that knew it and wanted to show it.
"Lucius, long time no see" Ace said, standing up, sounding a little surprised though mostly cold and distasteful.
"Indeed" Lucius replied in the same dark tone. "Amos, how are you?" He then asked Amos, seemingly knowing him more recently and frequently. "I don't think you've met my wife, Narcissa, or our son, Draco?" He introduced the woman and boy beside him.
"Pleased to meet you" Amos said with a nod of his head, trying to sound as polite as he could though obviously as cold towards Lucius as Ace was.
"In fact Draco is soon to enter his sixth year at Hogwarts, your son also attended there I believe?" Lucius then said to Amos, trying to sound casual.
"He did, a few years ago, Cedric has just taken over the squadron" Amos said, nodding his head in his son's and squadron's direction.
"So, that must mean that these must be the new Storm Hawk squadron all of Atmos has been talking about?" Lucius then asked in Ace's direction. "So which of you is the Sky Knight?" He then enquired, looking at them all before Aerrow stood up.
"Aerrow" He introduced.
"Yes, I must say from what I've heard you were very fortunate to have come out of the Dark Master's Terra alive, she was very powerful after all" He said, though didn't sound praising at all.
"Just lucky I guess, that or Cyclonis just wasn't up to it" Aerrow replied, his tone and mood similar to that of Ace's and Amos's.
"Your very brave to mention her name, or very foolish" Lucius replied with a slight glare.
"Fear of the name brings fear of the thing itself" Piper spoke up from where she was sat, sharing Aerrow's distrustful tone.
"You think so?" Lucius seemed to challenge for a moment before losing interest as he looked back up towards Ace and Amos.
"Well, this has been a, pleasure, do enjoy yourself won't you, while you can" He added in as polite a tone as he could bother to put on before he left with his wife and son, quickly disappearing into the crowds.
"Git" Ace muttered under his breath as soon as he was gone, sitting down again.
"Exactly what I feel, but I'd be careful around him Ace, he still has his influences and contacts" Amos warned as Ace merely huffed.
"Who was that?" Aerrow asked also sitting down, having never seen his uncle so frosty with anyone before.
"Lucius, he works where I do at the Ministry of Magic, the sorcerers equivalent to the Sky Knight council" Amos explained.
"He also was part of Cyclonis's band of followers during her first rise to power when she used sorcerers but as soon as she vanished he came crawling back insisting he'd had no choice and had never wanted to follow her, the Ministry of course believed his story not wanting to lose such a wealthy and notable figure" Ace positively spat out. Suddenly a deep, booming gong sounded somewhere beyond the forest, and at once, blue and red lanterns blazed into life in the nearby trees, lighting a path to the field.
"Looks like it time to go" Cedric said, sounded excited as everyone quickly forgot the incident with Lucius as they got excited for the upcoming game.
Following the trail of lanterns through the forest, hearing the sounds of thousands of people moving around them, shouts and laughter, snatches of singing, the atmosphere of feverish excitement was highly infectious. For about twenty minutes they walked through the woods until at last they emerged on the other side and found themselves in the shadow of the gigantic stadium they'd seen that morning from the top of hill that overlooked the valley. The view from the valley hadn't done it's size justice as now, up close, it towered above them with walls of golden fabric and stone which covered the structure and seemed to make it glow all on it's own.
Inside was a huge open space in the centre of the stadium where the bold green pitch stood with the stands all around in a vast oval shape, all ready packed with thousands of cheering spectators.
"How high up are we?" Finn called to Ace over the noise.
"Far as we can go" Ace replied as he checked the tickets whilst they climbed high and high up the stairs of their stands. After saying goodbye to Amos and the Diggorys as they found their row of seats, the Storm Hawks and Starling at last reached the very top seats. Dauntingly high, it was a good thing they all had a head for heights, the seats were perfect to see the game as the three goal hoops at either end of the field stood just below their level. It was looking very much like it going to be a spectacular event.