The Quidditch World Cup
The alarm was buzzing. She pulled the covers over her head, but that didn't stop that horrid noise. She flung her arm out to try and turn it off. Finally, she found the alarm, but it wouldn't turn off! Her hand picked up the alarm and threw it to the ground. Finally, it was silenced.
She then felt a strong arm wrap around her waist. She smiled into her pillow.
"Good morning, Lil," James breathed into her ear. He started kissing down her jaw line – he knew it drove her crazy.
"You know, we really need to get going," she said, trying to convince herself as much as James.
"Are you sure?" he asked mischievously, though he didn't stop.
Then, they heard someone call from downstairs, "Hey, Potters! Get up! We've got to get to the World Cup!"
Lily groaned. "How in the hell is it that Sirius – of all people – can get up at four o'clock in the morning? I've known him for who knows how many years and I've never seen him up this early before," she grumbled as she dragged herself out of bed.
Ten minutes later, Lily and James were downstairs having a cup of coffee with Sirius when Harry and Leia finally came down too. After a quick breakfast, they Flooed to the Weasley's to pick up Ron, Hermione, Fred, George and Ginny. Bill, Charlie, and Percy, the only three fully qualified wizards of the Weasley children, would meet them at the camp site in a few hours.
From the Weasley's home, all ten of them began their hike to the spot where they were suppose to find the portkey.
"Alright, everyone, spread out and start looking," said Lily as everyone began to look for the portkey, all looking as though they would fall over in a dead sleep at any moment.
"Over here Cedric, I've found it!" called a voice from the other side of a hill. They all turned to see Amos Diggory, who Lily knew worked at the Ministry, holding a moldy old boot, followed by a handsome boy of about seventeen.
"Hi, Amos," said James as he shook his hand. "Everyone, this is Amos Diggory, and his son, Cedric, who you know."
They all said hello, and while Amos did not dare comment in front of Lily and James, she noticed that Amos's eyes kept lingering on Harry's scar.
Sirius glanced at his watch and said, "Hey, it's nearly time, we'd better grab on." With a bit of difficulty because of the bulking backpacks, they all managed to touch part of the portkey just as it was activated. With a sudden jerk from behind her navel, Lily was pulled forward through swirling colors and howling wind. Soon enough, her feet slammed on the ground. Once she gained her balance, she helped Harry, Ron and Leia off of the ground before they all headed toward the campsite. Lily helped Amos with the Muggle money before they set off to their respective campsites.
They spent a good hour trying to set up the two tents, mostly because James and Sirius were more of a bother than a help. But by the time Bill, Charlie, and Percy showed up, the tents were ready. While it may have looked like nothing miraculous, the inside of each was like a large apartment, with plenty of room for all of them.
But the rest of the day was rather boring. They spent the remainder of a perfectly great summer's day talking to various members of the Ministry that came by. Once the kids, and James and Sirius, had bought their various souvenirs it was time to start heading towards their seats.
Of course, we just had to be at the very top, Lily thought bitterly as she climbed what felt like the millionth stair. Finally, they were there – the Top Box. Lily thankfully sat down in her chair as she looked around the brilliant gold stadium. It was slowly filling with thousands of people, sporting either green for Ireland or maroon for Bulgaria.
Then Lily realized who had come into the box. It was Cornelius Fudge, along with who appeared to be the Bulgarian Minister of Magic. Fudge seemed flustered because he was trying to tell the other Minister something, but he didn't seem to understand a word of English. However, it wasn't long before Fudge spotted them.
"Ah, James," Fudge said in his usual pompous manner as he shook James's hand, "glad to see all of you here," he continued as he looked down the row at her, Sirius, the Weasley's and Hermione before his eye's rested on Harry. "Brilliant day for a Quidditch match, wouldn't you agree?...I see Barty's elf is saving him a spot. Ah, and here's Lucius!"
Lily, along with James, Sirius, Leia, Harry, Ron and Hermione, quickly turned to see Lucius, Narcissa, and Draco Malfoy come into the Top Box. Even though Lily was sitting on the right of James, she could sense that Sirius, who was sitting on the other side of James, was tensing up. This was probably the first time that he had seen his cousin – Narcissa – since he was sixteen.
"Ah, Fudge," said Lucius, holding out his hand as he reached the Minister of Magic. "How are you? I don't think you've met my wife, Narcissa? Or our son, Draco?"
"How do you do, how do you do?" said Fudge, smiling and bowing to Narcissa. "And allow me to introduce you to Mr. Oblansk – Obalonsk – Mr. – well, he's the Bulgarian Minister of Magic, and he can't understand a word I'm saying anyway, so never mind. And let's see who else – you know James Potter, I daresay?"
The atmosphere with filled with so much tension it could have been cut with a knife. Lily could clearly remember the last time come face to face with the Malfoys – they had been under Death Eaters masks and she and James had barely escaped Voldemort for the third time.
James and Sirius looked like they wanted nothing more than to punch Lucius – and Lily was ready to restrain them, if needed.
"Well, well," Lucius said quietly, "We must always be in the thick of things, mustn't we, Potter?"
James looked like he was about to strike when Fudge, who hadn't listening, said, "Lucius had just given a very generous contribution to St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries, James. He's here as my guest."
"How – how nice," said James with a very strained smile.
Lucius's eyes fell on Lily as his eyes narrowed slightly, but Lily glared right back. She knew very well what he was thinking – years ago, he had no restrain in calling her a Mudblood, but with the Minister of Magic present, he dare not say anything. He nodded sneeringly to James, Lily, and Sirius before they all moved down the line of seats.
Lily heard Ron mutter, "slimy gits," and she couldn't help but smile. Then Ludo Bagman came into the box.
"Everyone ready?" he said, his round face gleaming with excitement. "Minister – ready to go?"
"Ready when you are, Ludo,"
Bagman pointed his wand at his throat and said "Sonorus!" before he turned to the rest of the packed stadium and said, "Ladies and gentlemen...welcome! Welcome to the final of the four hundred and twenty-second Quidditch World Cup!"
000
Hours later, they were all back in the tent, celebrating Ireland's win over Bulgaria.
"I still can't believe that Krum caught the Snitch!" said Charlie.
"I know," said James and Harry.
"He just wanted to end it on his own terms." said Sirius.
Suddenly, their was a loud noise for outside the tent. James and Sirius exchanged looks, grabbed their wands, and went outside.
"What's going on?" asked Leia. Harry started to make his way toward the door, but Lily put a hand on his shoulder.
"Wait," she said softly. "Something isn't right." Lily could faintly hear people screaming.
James and Sirius hurried back inside, both had pale faces. "There are a pack of Death Eaters holding four Muggles in the air. You guys – " James said, pointing at the Weasleys, Harry, Leia and Hermione. "Stay together and go into the woods. We'll find you when it's all over,"
"Like hell," said Bill rising from his chair. "Me and Charlie and Percy are all of age, and we're going to help," Charlie and Percy also stood.
James looked like he was about to argue, when Lily said, "Okay, but Fred, George – you take Ginny. Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Leia – go with them. And stick together. Come on!"
They all rushed outside, the youngest of the group heading towards the woods. Once they were out of sight, James, Lily, Sirius, Bill, Charlie, and Percy made their way toward the screams. They turned the corner and a wave of fear swept over Lily that she had not felt in thirteen years. Their was no mistaking those masks – they were definitely Death Eaters. And they were suspending four Muggles – what looked like a family – in mid-air, and spinning them through the air.
000
What seemed like hours later, they were still dealing the Death Eaters. As much as they flat out wanted to curse the hooded figures, they were afraid that they would hurt the Muggles. But the Death Eaters suddenly stopped laughing and were pointed up at the sky. Lily, James, Sirius, and the rest of the Ministry officials turned to see the Dark Mark hanging over the woods. Lily's mind was numb. Only one thing entered her mind – her children were somewhere under the Dark Mark.
The Death Eaters Disapparated as members of the Ministry magically caught the Muggles before they crashed to the ground. Before Lily could register what was happening, many of the Ministry workers had Disapparated. Lily and James exchanged one look before they too Disapparated.
They appeared under the Dark Mark. The Ministry people all had their wands out and were firing Stunning Spells at three figures lying on the ground.
"Stop! Stop!" James yelled. "That's my son! Stop!"
They stopped immediately and the frightened faces of Harry, Ron, and Hermione peered up at them. Lily rushed forward and pulled them into a tight hug. When she finally let go, she said, in a shaky voice, "Are you all right?"
But before they could reply, the cold, curt voice of Barty Crouch said, "Out of the way, Lily." Crouch pushed past her and headed towards the three teenagers, his wand drawn. "Which of you did it? Which of you conjured the Dark Mark?"
"We didn't do that!" said Harry, pointing up at the green figure in the sky.
"Do not lie!" shouted Crouch, who looked slightly mad. "You have been discovered at the scene of the crime!"
"Now see here, Crouch," said James, moving directly between his son and Crouch. "Where do you get off accusing three teenagers of conjuring the Dark Mark?"
"James is right, Barty," said a witch in a woolen dressing gown. "They are just kids,"
"Where did the Mark come from?" Lily asked.
"Over there." said Hermione, pointing to her left. All of the wizards and witches, except Crouch, pointed to the area Hermione directed. Amos Diggory even went there.
A few seconds later, they heard Amos say, "Yes! We got them! Unconscious! It's – but – blimey..."
Amos came back to the group carrying Crouch's elf and a wand.
"That's my wand!" said Harry. "I dropped it!"
Crouch did a spell that would show the last spell the wand performed. Just as Lily feared, the smaller, smokey version of the Dark Mark appeared.
"You dropped it?" repeated Crouch in disbelief. "Is that a confession? You threw it aside after you conjured the Mark?"
"Oh, honestly, Crouch," Lily said, throwing her hands in the air. "Do you honestly think that my son, of all people would sent the Dark Mark into the sky?" She hated to play the "Boy Who Lived" card, but desperate times called for desperate measures. "It's like accusing you of doing it."
Crouch mumbled an apology to Lily and he headed to the place where Amos had found his house-elf, but did not come back with anything. Amos, who was a member of the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures, woke the elf from one of the Stunning Spell that had missed Harry, Ron, and Hermione, and questioned her.
Winky, her name was, cried that she had only found the wand and that she didn't conjure the Dark Mark. Everyone believed her. But Crouch, who had a history of wanting to put as much space between himself and the Dark Arts as possible, threatened to give her clothes. But poor Winky only sobbed harder.
But when Hermione lashed out at Crouch for lashing out at Winky, James knew it was time to go. "Well," he said quietly after Hermione and Crouch left a nasty silence, "I think we'll take these three back to the tent, if nobody's got any objections. Barty, that wand's told us all it can – if Harry could have it back, please –"
Crouch gave Harry his wand back and the five of them left without another word.
000
When they entered their tent – one of the few that wasn't destroyed – they saw Sirius and Bill still awake.
"Where are the others?" James asked.
"They're all asleep," said Bill, "and I'm on my way." He stood from the table, bid them a good night, and went into the other tent he shared with Charlie, Percy and the twins.
Lily turned to her son and his friends. "Alright guys, you all need to get to bed – we are leaving first thing in the morning."
Immediately, Harry, Ron, and Hermione all started to protest, but Lily eventually wore them down. Harry and Ron slept in a room with Fred and George while Hermione went into the room she shared with Ginny and Leia.
She sat down at the table her husband and one of her best friend were sitting.
"You're crazy if you think that all three of them aren't listening through their doors." said James.
"I'm past caring right now," Lily yawned.
"Alright, I'm done being patient," Sirius said. "What the hell happened?"
James and Lily explained everything from that had happened under the Dark Mark. Sirius let out a low whistle. "So you don't think that Crouch's house-elf did it?"
"I don't see how she could have," Lily said, "Even if she did have Harry's wand, I didn't think that house-elves could do that type of magic anyway,"
"Not that Winky of all house-elves know the spell to conjure the Dark Mark," said James, "Hell, Crouch sent his own son to Azkaban because his was accused of being a Death Eater."
They fell silent for a while before Lily said, "This can't be a coincidence."
"What can't?" asked Sirius.
"Harry had a dream earlier this summer," Lily explained. "A dream that Voldemort and Wormtail had killed someone, and were planning to kill someone else. Harry didn't say who else, but the way he said it...I think it was him. And Bertha Jorkins went missing while on vacation in Albania shortly after Peter was seen there."
"And does Dumbledore know about this?" asked Sirius.
"Yes," replied James. "We wrote to him after Harry told us. He thinks that Harry's dream was more than just a dream. He said that Harry has some kind of connection with Voldemort, and that's why he had that dream,"
"But Harry will be perfectly safe once he's back at Hogwarts." said Sirius confidently. "That castle is probably the most protected building in the magical world. Not to mention, Mad-Eye is going to be teaching there,"
"That's true," Lily agreed. "I hated to see Remus resign, but if he can't be there, it makes me feel better that Alastor will be there,"
"But even if Voldemort is trying to get to Harry," Sirius said, "he can't possibly get to him anytime soon. Harry is the most protected kid I've ever heard of,"
"But that's just it, Sirius," Lily said sadly. "That's what we though thirteen years ago, too."