Voila! Another chapter uploaded ^^
Many thanks to, madamemoreau and Vajoliroja for reviewing and enjoying the story so much ^^ I put a lot of thought into the plot and check facts to make sure I get things right regarding the HP universe.
and thanks to you who favourited/alerted the story.
now on with the story!
Chapter 7 Top box meetings
Selene p.o.v.
I would have walked past the portkey for sure if Remus had not stopped me and pointed at the object in front of me.
"An empty drink can?" I questioned, of all the items to use as a portkey, they chose an empty can?
"Nobody would pick it up." Remus replied reaching down to grab the object. Gosh how much I hated portkeys. I tightly held on to his hand," you've obviously never met extreme environmental activists."
I closed my eyes as I felt the familiar pull from behind my navel and within a few seconds we landed on the edge of a forest with in front of us a field filled with tents.
"Are you alright?" Remus asked me before letting go of my hand.
I breathed in and exhaled deeply," I doubt I'll ever be when it comes to this type of transportation."
"Come on, let's go find Arthur and surprise Harry."
Finding Arthur proved to be rather difficult. We had no clue where their tent was, and honestly all of the tents looked alike. But then Remus spotted a couple of red heads in the distance," I do believe I see a couple of Weasley kids over there." Remus pointed a few feet away and sure enough I too spotted two tall red headed boys, the Weasley twins. A we neared them another pair of red headed children came into view, Ron and his sister Ginny.
"Professor Lupin! Miss Merrythought!" Ginny exclaimed gleefully when she saw us. At the calling of our names and older man, Arthur Weasley I presumed, came out of the tent followed by Hermione Granger and a clearly surprised but broad smiling Harry Potter.
Without warning the young boy ran forward and flung his arms around Remus," Professor Lupin, it's so good to see you."
Remus patted Harry on the back," It's good to see you too Harry and its Remus remember? Not Professor." He winked. Harry smiled and turned to me. Although I did not receive a hug as Remus had, Harry did shake my hand," You look good Miss Merrythought."
"Thank you Harry, so do you." Harry nodded and moved his head to look behind me, his smile disappeared.
"What about Padfoot?" He asked with a hint of hope in his voice. I had expected as much from Harry, Sirius was just as important to him as he was to Sirius. I glanced over at Remus who stood next to me.
"Padfoot could not come with us, Harry. It is still too dangerous for him, especially at a Quidditch tournament where the Ministry is keeping watch." Remus said to the boy.
Harry nodded in understanding, though I could tell he was still very disappointed that his godfather wasn't with us, as did Remus, who gave him an apologetic look. Hermione greeted me, a bit more warmly than Harry had done, with a hug.
"Nice to see you again Hermione," I smiled.
"Remus welcome!" Arthur Weasley greeted Remus with a quick hug and a pat on the back," and Miss Merrythought, pleased to make your acquaintance, I have heard a great deal about you. All good I assure you, do you fancy Quidditch?" Mr Weasley shook my hand firmly as he kept on rambling.
"Nice to meet you Mr Weasley and please it is Selene." I smiled, deliberately ignoring the Quidditch question.
"Arthur." He replied.
"We are situated in the top box," Arthur smiled broadly whilst pointing towards our seats in the stadium," best seats in the house."
Together with Harry, Hermione and the Weasley family we made our way to the top box. I glanced down into the arena, which was incredibly big and even though I did not like Quidditch I had to say these were indeed great seats. I looked at Remus who had already taken his seat without looking into the arena.
"Afraid of heights, Mr Lupin?" I teased taking the seat next to him.
Remus shook his head and replied," I was simply enjoying the view right in front of me."
Suddenly a couple seats to my left I heard Harry call out happily," Dobby!"
Behind him sat a House elf, wearing a tea towel draped like a toga, its face hidden in its hands and the large bat like ears sticking out.
"Did Sir call me Dobby?" the house elf said with a squeaky voice. I spun around in my seat as did Hermione and Ron. I'd recognize that voice anywhere, Winky.
"I'm sorry. I thought you were someone I knew…" Harry said.
"Winky knows Dobby, Sir." She replied. Her eyes moved upwards and she stared at Harry's head," you is Harry Potter."
"I am."
"Winky!" I spoke up, interrupting her conversation with Harry. Winky's big brown eyes widened.
"Miss Selene?" The tiny House elf squeaked," is you here too?"
"Winky, what are you doing here?"
"Master sends me to the top box. Master wants me to save him a seat," She nodded at the empty space besides her.
"I is no liking heights, Miss Selene." She said with trembling voice.
"If you're afraid of heights, why do you come up here?" Hermione asked Winky.
"Winky does what she is told, Winky is a good elf!" She nodded firmly. Quickly she glanced over the edge and pushed back all the way into her seat, shivering with obvious fear.
I felt bad for Winky, she was a nice House elf and she did not deserve to be treated like this. If Mr Crouch would not show up this night I was going to give him a piece of my mind.
"Do you want me to sit with you Winky?" I offered," At least until Mr Crouch comes back to reclaim his seat?"
"No, no Mr Barty's place that is." Winky said from behind her hands which she had placed against her face to hide her vision from the high view. Oh the loyalty of House elves.
"I feel bad for her." Hermione said and then she asked me," how do you know Winky, Selene?"
"Winky is my neighbour's House elf." I answered," She belongs to Mr Bartemius Crouch."
"Belongs?" Hermione frowned." Like a slave?"
I had forgotten that Hermione was a Muggle. She probably did not know about how House elves run the household of us wizards and witches.
"It is a mutual understanding between elves and the wizard world." I quickly added.
Hermione crinkled her nose," mutual?" she looked at Winky who was still shivering in her seat.
"Not always, no…" I admitted not moving my gaze away from the tiny House elf. Luckily Hermione decided to step back from our conversation and I sat down in my seat as well.
As soon as I had sat down, Cornelius Fudge arrived accompanied by the Bulgarian minister. He nodded at Arthur, Remus, me and the other Weasley's but Fudge greeted Harry with great warmth, as if they were old friends. He shook Harry's hand and started talking to him.
I turned my attention back to Remus who had been very quiet ever since we had arrived in the top box," you alright Remus?"
He frowned for a moment but then gave a small smile," I'm fine Moonpie."
"Ah, here is Lucius." Fudge exclaimed loudly.
I glanced over my shoulder and sure enough behind us stood the Malfoy family. I recognized Lucius and Draco immediately and seeing them together, I noticed how much the two looked alike, no mistake they were father and son. The woman next to Draco was probably his mother, tall, slim and blond like her partner and son.
"Lucius," Fudge said with a smile and he then bowed to Lucius' wife," Let me introduce you to…but wait you know Arthur Weasley, don't you?"
Lucius' cold grey eyes swept over Mr Weasley and all of his children," Good lord, Arthur…what did you have to sell to get seats in the top box?"
I remembered how rude Lucius had been to Hagrid after the trial regarding Buckbeak's 'attack' on his son. Sad to say Lucius Malfoy was as rude now as he had been then.
"I really dislike that man." I whispered to Remus.
Although I don't think Lucius could have heard me, he did look my way at that moment and a thin smile formed on his face.
"Miss Merrythought, we meet again," he spoke in a low voice.
I felt Remus slip his arm around my waist and pulled me close. Lucius' eyes flashed for a second and he nodded at his wife," I don't think you have met my wife Narcissa?"
"Charmed…" I said to the woman.
"I'm sure you are my dear." Narcissa replied coldly and I couldn't help but narrow my eyes at her comment.
"Come, come my dear don't dawdle, let us continue to our seats." Lucius Malfoy said and he motioned for his son and wife to move along. As soon as they were out of sight Remus removed his arm from my waist.
"I can tell you like him too, don't you?" I said to Remus, who kept staring after Lucius.
"What did he mean with, we meet again?" Remus asked not moving his gaze.
"I've met Lucius at Hogwarts, when Fudge was visiting Hagrid about the trial." I placed my hand on Remus' arm," and he was just as charming then as he was just now."
Remus exhaled deeply through his nose and sat back in his seat.
The beginning of the Quidditch final had started and the crowd went wild when the Bulgarian mascots entered the field, there were hundreds of Veela. Gorgeous women, non-human might I add, with white gold hair and silver tinted skin. The Veela started to dance and managed to mesmerize most of the males in the crowd. I had to nudge Remus a few times before he managed to break his gaze away from the group of dancing women.
"What?" He asked me with confusion.
"Enjoying the view are we?" I crossed my arms and glared at him.
"They're really good dancers, Moonpie." He countered.
"I bet…" I huffed. Not only Remus, but most of the men in the top box were behaving ridiculously.
Glancing over my shoulder I saw Winky who was still hiding her face in her hands. No sign of Mr Crouch. This was ridiculous. I was starting to get really mad at his behaviour, and not just because I had never really liked him that much anyway.
Then the Irish mascots arrived on the scene, leprechauns, creating the most magical of fireworks display in the sky. The Leprechauns drifted off and as soon as they were seated on their side of the field did the match finally start.
The players arrived and I looked at the screen to see the zoomed in faces of the players. Most of them were surprisingly good looking. I felt a poke in my right side. Remus was smirking at me," Enjoying the view are we?" He chuckled.
"Oh shush!"
The game was finished sooner than I had expected. The Irish had won, 170-160, and even I cheered along with the others. It had been an exciting match, with the Irish winning but it had been Viktor Krum, the seeker of the Bulgarian team, who had caught the Snitch. The Irish team was presented with the Quidditch World Cup in the top box.
Remus and I descended the purple carpeted stairs. It felt good to be back on the ground again. Remus stretched out beside me," that was a great match."
"Yes," I agreed," it was."
"Still not a Quidditch fan?"
"Not one bit."
Arthur Weasley and the children soon appeared behind us, talking and cheering about the match. After a moment Arthur Weasley clapped his hands together," I say it is about time we got back to our tent and continue the celebration there."
We all followed Arthur back to their tent, but on the way something caught my eye, Winky. She stood there in the middle of a big crowd, moving her head as if looking for something.
"Remus, wait." I said and Remus stopped. I hurried over to Winky who did not notice me until I stopped in front of her nose.
"Winky are you alright? Where is Mr Crouch?" I asked her. The House elf looked up at me. Her big brown eyes were glistening as if she had shed tears.
"Winky has lost Master Barty…" she whispered softly followed by a hiccup.
"You lost Mr Crouch?"
"Winky is a baaaad elf!" She shook her head vigorously.
"Stop it Winky, perhaps Master Barty is back in his tent. Did you check the tent yet?" I suggested.
Winky stopped badmouthing herself and removed her hands from her head," Winky has not checked the tent…"
"There you go," I smiled at her, but her face still held a guilty expression," Hold on just a moment Winky."
I turned around and walked back to Remus," I'm going to take Winky back to Mr. Crouch's tent." Remus opened his mouth to protest," Winky is in no state to go back on her own, besides…someone needs to tell Bartemius this is no way to treat a House elf."
I could see he was reluctant to let me go on my own but after a moment and a deep sigh Remus gave in," Fine, but don't get yourself into trouble and come back immediately, Moonpie, even if Mr Crouch is not there. "
"I will." I assured him with a quick peck on the kiss.
What will happen in the next chapter? I know... but you can all venture a guess ^^
Please let me know your opinion on the story, I do ever so much enjoy reading them :)
Until next time!
