Chapter 29
"Dad this pole goes there," Ron directed Hermione and Holly helped put up the tents. "Holly!" Came a voice as Holly spun to be greeted by an old friend.
"Fleur!" She greeted as she dropped her supplies as the two hugged, Fleur gave a quick check to cheek kiss. As Ron turned a shade of red, Hermione had a neutral expression. Holly quickly introduced everyone who was hanging around as the boys seemed to take a bit of a shine to her if the dulled expression on a few faces was anything to go by.
"Why didn't you tell me you were going to be here," Holly grinned,
"I wanted to make it a surprise," She admitted
"Well you got me, how have you been?" Holly smiled,
"Busy, my father has been helping me practice my dueling, I am in the amateur league. I think I might go pro," she grinned,
"Nice," Holly supported,
"Why didn't you tell me she was so," Ron gestured at Fleur, Who giggled an indulgently more than happy to complemented on her looks.
"What and ruin the surprise," Holly chuckled nervously as she noticed Hermione was being distant.
Ginny shook hands as well, "What lovely hair you have," Fluer complemented, as Ginny gave Holly a look. "Honestly Holly I could give you my hair care potion or at least a tangle free comb." She commented as Holly sighed,
"I know I am a slob," Holly waved off, "but I just don't have the time this summer I was camping most of the time, nobody to look pretty for."
"Hey," Ron frowned at Holly who burst into laughter, this seemed to loosen up Hermione who properly introduced herself.
"Hermione, I have heard so much about you. The best witch in the year two if Holly's letters are anything to say. Ron grumbled good naturally at having a reputation worth mentioning.
"A well," she gave Holly an apologetic look as Ginny weaseled free of Fluer. Holly frowned at Ron who's jaw was going a bit slack as he watched Fleur wall off. Holly eventually shooed Arthur away as she and Ron got the tent up.
"What is that?" Arthur asked as Holly pulled out a lighter. What followed was a long chat about how a lighter worked, Arthur still wanted to use the matches, but even that had to be reigned in after the pile started to grow.
"Tag in," Holly sighed as her patience reached its limit as Hermione and her followed the map to get some water.
"So She seems nice," Hermione nodded as she glanced at Holly agreed.
"Worried I might run off with you?" Holly chuckled as Hermione didn't respond.
"Well, you could do a year abroad." Hermione shrugged,
"I don't feel like learning a new language," Holly admitted as Ron caught up. "What do think Ron?"
"I think something is up with that girl," Ron frowned, " They do t make them like that at Hogwarts." He received to hard glares at that comment.
"She's part Veela, they are capable of bewitching the, um Well you know boys, of a certain age," Holly struggled through as Ron turned Red and Hermione looked ready to laugh. "Watch out she's a man-eater," Holly teased, as Ron gulped, as Holly leered, "she wraps them around her finger for fun robs them of everything and then tossed them aside." She chuckled cruelly.
"Really?" Ron nervously chuckled a few octaves up.
"Hardly, I am just yanking your chain," Holly waved off as the ran into a lot of school friends in Dean and Shamus. They ran into Oliver and got to meet his mother as well. Cho waved at them but they already had a bucket of water so they didn't linger.
It was weird seeing so many wizards at one time children playing with wizard toys and seeing the odd wizard who was being chased down to put on some pants.
"Wizards are so weird," Hermione commented,
"They live longer I think the record was like seven hundred and fifty-five so it would surprise me if after a certain age you just stop caring." Holly shrugged,
"By that number, Dumbledore is on the young side," Hermione blinked in surprise.
"I think that's Nick, Hermione the lifespan expectancy is a hundred and Thirty-seven." Ron reminded as Hermione turned pink as they both glared playfully at the trickster.
"Ack," Holly was splashed with a fair amount of water as they all had a good laugh. They entered into one of the tents that looked like large flat.
"What happened to you?" Arthur asked
"I need new friends, they don't appreciate my sense of humor," Holly whipped her hair back as Hermione groaned.
"Mr. Bagman the man of the moment !" Arthur greeted Holly grabbed Fred by the arm and yanked his ear down. The man in the yellow Quidditch robes approached
"Ahoy! Arthur old man couldn't ask for a better day." He went on as ministry officials rushed past.
"Don't make any bets with him, my dad said he's in debt to the Goblins you might not get anything back if you even if you win." She whispered,
"Seriously?" Fred frowned,
"Yeah, he had to deal with some Goblins asking about it, his gambling issue is kind of an open secret. Watch."
It was gone quickly enough as Holly introduced herself as the familiar glance at the scar as everyone was introduced. Percy introduced himself despite his dismissal of the man didn't prevent him from making a good impression.
Holly watched as Arthur was pushed into putting some money down as they caught the faint expression change on the former beater.
"Any other takers?" He offered as Holly accidentally stepped in front of George who looked ready to say something. "So I heard this isn't the only big event going on this year, something big, Percy here keeps teasing everyone about it."
"So you heard about that huh?" Bagman,
"Don't get any ideas," Arthur frowned as Percy looked nervously as Ludo gave a look at the new ministry worker that one would give to older child teasing a younger sibling.
"Anyway can I have a cup of brew?" Bagman pointed as Arthur prepped up some tea. He sat down on the grass as he reminded Holly very much of an oversized child. "Been trying to find Barty he's the only one..." he carried on as Percy went on about his boss and Fred did his usual thing and annoyed his older brother despite his point in some languages.
"Any news on Bertha Jorkins?" Arthur asked as Holly listened as Percy gave him some tea. Barty apparated next to the camp as Holly frowned at her lost chance as the conversation carried on about the Bulgarians demands.
"Would you like some tea, Mr. Crouch?" Percy asked as he did a bow that made him like a hunchback.
"Thank you, Weatherby," Crouch nodded as they made talked on as more hints about the big event.
"Ah, one clue too many," Holly grinned at the mention of the Hogwarts. "Triwizard tournament," she guessed as the adults blinked their silence confirmed it.
"Seriously?" Fred and George went wide-eyed,
"Now, now don't go blabbing boys, it's supposed to be secret," Arthur hushed as the two twins grinned.
"Honestly," Crouch frowned, "anyway thanks for the tea Weatherby," he pushed back the undrunk tea as Holly puffed herself up in truth Sirius had hinted about it so she had looked up discontinued stuff but Hogwarts was the tip-off she needed to narrow it down.
"Crafty girl," Ludo smiled as the two headed off, as the day slowly drifted off to the evening.
"World Cup, haha!" Sirius announced as everyone was alerted as James, Sirius, Remus, and Tonks popped in.
"Here you are," He handed out monoculars a few of them.
"Your kidding these things must have coast a small fortune," Arthur frowned as Sirius waved him off.
They are old ones I found at the grim old place, they may not even work let me know if they don't." He admitted as James took the distraction to hand over some extra pocket money. "Oh here, we got your letter for supplies you got to have a dress for an event, we got everything else except that. See if you like anything, if not I'll bring you along for a quick trip before school starts." He whispered. She nodded not sure about the dress idea.
They found themselves heading up as her dad's group headed out, "we will pour out a fire whiskey for you Sirius called as Arthur shook his head and waved back.
"So who's the woman with the green hair?" Ginny asked, "she seems friendly enough," referring to Tonks.
"Yep," Holly responded neutrally
"You think you," Ginny started,
"No," Holly shut down in a tone that brokered no argument. "I think she has a thing for Lupin," she added hastily, "Sorry I just," she didn't like the idea of another woman around it was greedy and stupid but she didn't like the idea of anyone moving in and changing things. Not that she had seen much of Lupin since she started school.
"No problem," Ginny nodded as she looked sympathetic. they headed up to the top box as they spotted a house elf sitting next to an empty seat.
"Dobby?" Holly blinked, but at a second glance, this was clearly not the house elf she freed. "Sorry," she apologized as they took their seats Ron and Hermione sat down.
"Did you say Dobby ma'am?" the house elf suddenly spoke up, as Holly, glanced over. "My name is Winky and do you know Dobby the house elf?"
"Yes I am sorry, I haven't seen him in some time," Holly waved off as she swallowed the house elf made her uncomfortable a slight to her it felt like a moral slight to see a sentient individual treated as property. Even if willing, "How is freedom treating him?" she asked
"You did a bad thing he's not finding any work, no one want's to pays a house elf. getting ideas above his station." she scolded Dobby as she kept her eyes covered.
"Isn't the-," Hermione started Holly put a finger to her lips then pointed at her ears.
"He wasn't well-taken care off, the family he had didn't derive his loyalty. Does your family deserve your loyalty?" Holly asked as Winky glanced between her fingers at Holly she looked Holly in the eye.
"My family, Mister Crouch deserves my utmost loyalty," he determination just as fierce it was clear even the thought was was an insult Holly turned away as the house elf seemed uninterest.
"I see what you mean," Hermione frowned, as even Ron seemed a bit uncomfortable. "I take this isn't going to be easy,"
"When is anything worth doing easy?" Holly asked, Hermione, nodded, things moved on as the Minister of Magic arrived, Percy quickly introduced himself. He seemed slighted when he Fudge shook hands with Holly.
"Pleased to finally meet you, Holly Potter," Holly noticed the Minister had a bit of an entourage. "Your father talked a lot about you its a pity we never got a chance to meet before this," he greeted as Holly smiled back not failing to notice the Malfoy family moving into the top box.
"It happens thankfully nothing big enough would require us to meet, it would be odd for the Minister of Magic to drop by Hogwarts or my home unless something bad had happened."
"Too true," Fudge smiled, he started to introduced The Bulgarian prime minister as well as the Malfoy family, Arthur and Lucius glared at each other but kept their cool.
"Yes I met Draco Malfoy, we have a bit of a rivalry at Quidditch at Hogwarts." Holly waved at Draco he stiffly returned it "Pity Mister Crouch couldn't make it both his house-elf and his assistant was able to make it." She pointed out.
"Yes well the man is always busy wouldn't surprise me, it was nice meeting you," he nodded as Holly gave Percy an apologetic glance before she sat down. Bagman finally started up the game.
"Ron, what are you doing," Holly kicked the inside of his left as he dropped to his seat, as the mascots were brought forward as Ron rubbed the back of his head in mild embarrassment. Krum was amazing to watch but the Irish just had the better team as despite how dirty the game got they just kept on scoring. Holly felt like she had shouted herself horse until finally after an amazing dive Krum caught the snitch ending the game in the favor of the Irish.
The light the moments were a night worth remembering, she even spotted her dad in the crowd the group is a bit more smiley than normal as she spotted a few empty cups.
Everyone squeezed into one of the tents as everyone bounced play by plays, some more enthusiastic than others. Sirius roared with laughter as Lupin and Tonks joined in as James smiled as he lingered near the door with his hand on his wand.
Ginny had slumped to the table as everyone else was alerted to how late it was.
With the younger heading to bed, the adults pulled around the fire as Sirius poured a fire whiskey for Arthur.
"Not too much I have work in the morning," Arthur warned as Sirius shrugged,
"I am glad I am not on duty, would hate to have to be the one to tell the Irish to quiet down," Tonks frowned Arthur eventually turned in. James frowned as he something suddenly changed, the sounds that surrounded them slowly warped.
"That no longers sound like a celebration," as a few bodies started to rise up as the campfires seemed to burn harsher.
"Shit," Tonks frowned as she got up, Lupin rushed into the tent as people started to scream and people started to run as James sighed as the three adults drew their wands. Holly rushed out in her loose pajamas as Hermione blinked only for everyone to be alert as Everyone came out.
"Everyone under age keeps together and put some distance, we are going to put this down and maybe catch a few who escaped fourteen years ago," James shouted
James and Sirius rushed into the crowd as the tale tell signs of a pour imperious curse, the clouded eyes as they plunged into the growing group that marched around, tossing tents aside as they made sport of the muggles.
"Using human shields," James frowned it was the last one at all over again as the humiliation of the muggles floating above continued as the laughter and gearing carried on the mother was turned upside down, and the child forced to spin like a top.
"Screw it James just stun the bastards!" Sirius whipped out his wand as he hoisted himself over a wizard to take aim. Then something popped up in the sky that almost froze his blood. the skull and snake symbol wrapped around the crowd went silent as
"The dark mark," he whispered as the ringleaders disappeared away. "Shit," he swore as worst case scenario popped into his head. the bodies started to drop but the mass of ministry wizards that had joined in the attempts to capture the apparent death eaters. The family was screaming in panic as a few people directly under got pissed on, but the cushioning spells flew so fast it was going to take the muggles a bit of time before they hit the ground.
"That's the direction we set the kids." Lupin pointed out as James quickly started to pop in and out of the area rapid fire then he stopped, after some panicked jumping,
"Where else," James sighed as he heard the shouts of "stupify!" as he jumped over sure that his daughter had somehow got stuck in the middle of this mess.
