Shortly before Ash departed from the Leaky Cauldron, a small owl flew up to her window and hit its beak against her window.
Yawning she went over the the owl and opened the window for her, allowing the owl to fly in and stretch out her leg and show Ash the letter it was carrying.
Swiftly she took the letter from the owl and she hurriedly flew out of the room once again.
To: Miss Ash Weasley From: The Annual Broom Racing Association Dear Miss Weasley, We are happy to inform you that you will be allowed to take the place of Mr. Hector Lanbone in the Annual Broom Race of 1998. You are able to register in the registration office that you'll find in Diagongränden until 7.15 of the 26th of December, with this invitation and two Galleons for the starting money. We wish you the best of luck, Steve Magnusson
Ash frowned while starting at the letter... 7.15? 7.15... 7.15 in Kopparberg...
Ash looked at the clock at the wall. 6.00... Good she still had an hour. Quietly she let her head fall onto the pillows again.
6.00 o'clock...
6.00 o'clock...
6.00 o'clock... in London.
The girls head snapped up and she fell out of the bed she was laying in.
"6.00 o'clock in London means 7.00 o'clock in Kopparberg!" she screamed to herself and swiftly pulled on her clothes and raced out of the door, down the stairs. Told Tom the landlord that she was checking out, while throwing him 2 sickles to pay for the room and then quickly ran out of the pub.
When she was standing outside the door she tried to think how she could get there. As far as she knew London and Kopparberg were about 1500 Kilometres / 909 Miles away from each other and she had about another 10 minutes to appear in front of the registration.
Alright, I won't be able to make it in one go... so best I do a pit stop in... Denmark? Yes... Denmark, she thought to herself and tried to calm herself down enough to be able to apparate without any difficulties.
Suddenly she felt herself be squished through a tight tube, her body was being compromised, her eyeballs and eardrums pressed into her body. Iron chains seemed to be binding her and she couldn't breath any more.
After a few minutes of the torture she felt the pressure let go of her again and soon she was standing in Denmark. She didn't give herself any time to even open her eyes or breath in deeply before she pushed herself through the next tube.
It was hard. She shouldn't have rushed to the next apparation so quickly - she knew that and she could already feel her guts twisting inside her a bit - but she didn't have the time to think this through. Finally she got to her destination and swiftly found herself staggering towards another wizard - unmistakeably by the 80ies outfit he was wearing, in order to blend in.
"Sorry, Sir. Do you know where the registration is?" she asked him gasping, holding her stomach in pain.
"Vad? Registrering? För den årliga kvast ras."
Ash frowned at him, but nodded hoping he was telling her the right way.
"Säker, följ mig." Ash looked at him a bit confused, but she thought he told her to follow him, so that is want she did. Together the older wizard and the Weasley walked down the road.
"Could we please hurry up a bit?"
"Hurry?..." he asked and Ash gestured at a clock that they just passed. "oh, bråttom, säker," he said and picked up the pace.
A few minutes later the ageing Wizard and the teenage girl entered a tall building in the streets centre. In that building the men pointed her towards a small door at the end of the hallway and she thanked him, with the only word she know in Swedish "Tack!" - Thank you!
Without further ado, she hurried through the door and saw that the registration was about to close.
"Wait!" she screamed and ran up to the window. "Please! Please, let me register as well!"
"Sorry, ma'am its already 7.16. We told you in the letter to be here at 7.15 latest."
"I only got that letter 15 minutes ago and I was in London!" she gasped, holding up the window with her hand, while the registration person tried to push it close.
"Well, you should have been in Kopparberg before then."
"Please, I beg of you! Let me enter the race!" she cried.
"What is this commotion about?" another person said from behind the registry.
"This girl came to late."
"Well, Miss's that's to bad for you. We told you you had to be on time. You had since yesterday to register."
"I only got the invitation fifteen minutes ago, sir. I hurried here as fast as possible."
"The invitation only 15 minutes ago? But we send them out 6 months ago."
"I'm Ash Weasley, I was the last minute person that took the place of Hector Lanbone, your association had to send me the invitation a bit late. I guess the owl didn't find me fast enough... but I swear, I only got the letter 15 minutes ago while I was still sleeping in the Leaky Cauldron in London! I came here as fast as possible"
"Ash Weasley... Weasley... I've heard that name before... show me your invitation."
Ash smiled at the man and quickly got out the invitation she had in her trouser pockets, "here sir."
The man - who seemed to be in charge of the registration took the letter from her and scanned over it. Next he took out his wand and lightly tapped on it.
All of a sudden the invitation folded itself and started speaking. "This letter was send of by Sven Hansson on the 25th of December 1998 at 12.36 o'clock Swedish time and was received by Ash Weasley on the 26th of December at 6.59 o'clock Swedish time."
The Registration person scowled a bit before he asked, "where was it received?"
"Leaky Cauldron, London, United Kingdom at 6.59 o'clock Swedish time."
The man looked at her. "and you came here at 7.16? How did you manage?"
"I apparated," she answered truthfully.
"Alright," he said nodding to himself, "give her the badge."
"But sir!"
"We'll make an exception. It wasn't her fault that this Sven was to stupid to send the invitation of earlier we knew about the change in competitors since Saturday, as far as I remember," he told his subordinate, before turning to Ash. "You'll be allowed to enter," he told her, while the other one gave her a badge with a flashing 124 on it.
"Thank you, sir!"
"No need. But be sure to be on time at the start of the race and promise me to live through it," he said with a smile and shut the windows as she nodded her head violently.
As soon as the windows closed and she was alone she let herself fall on the ground and clutched her stomach.
"Damn it. I think a few organs switched positions," she mumbled to herself. Slowly she took a few deep breaths and got up from the ground again. Bend over she staggered to the door and went through it. "Now.. where is that medical squad when you need it?" she asked herself and walked out of the door and looked around.
Again she tried to help herself by asking passer-byers. "Excuse me, do you know where the healers are?" she asked a boy that seemed around her own age.
"Healers? Yeah, they're at the start," he said with a thick Swedish accent.
"Could you show me there? I really need to see them."
The boy looked up and down the street and crossed glances with one of the others he was with. "Sure. Come with me."
"Thank you very much!" she said with a smile.
"No problem... really," he said and he and his friends changed direction to show the girl to the starting line.
"Is one of your relatives participating today?" the boy asked her, with interest.
"No," she said smiling.
"Then why are you here?"
"I've been watching the race every year so far with my parents -" she started but the boy didn't let her finish.
"Ah! So, whom are you rooting for?"
"I'm rooting for myself," she said and started grinning when she saw his astonished face.
"You're participating?"
"Yeah, I was allowed to take the place of my friends 'step-father'."
"But how old are you?"
"Just turned 17."
"Don't you have to be at least 20 to participate?"
"No, they changed the rules a few months ago. You only have to be overage now - thankfully in the wizarding world that is 17."
"But if you just turned 17... then you weren't overage when you had to sign up."
"Yes... but I took the place of someone else, who was. And as I am overage now, they don't have a problem with it."
"Wow... that means you must be the youngest racer since, forever!"
Ash looked at the boy and nodded. "I do believe I am..." she said astonished with the fact herself.
The boys and her talked a few more minutes until they reached the healers quarters.
"Thank you a lot that you brought me here!" she told them with a smile and waved the boys goodbye as they left her to fend for herself again.
"Hello, my name is Ash Weasley," she said walking up to a bored looking lady.
"Sorry, we are only responsible for racers."
"I am a racer."
The lady looked at her. "Where's you badge?" she asked and Ash swiftly pulled out her badge to show it to her. "Alright. What's the problem."
"I think a few organs changed position. Could you check?"
The lady looked at her with an raised eyebrow and motioned Ash to follow her into the tent, where she felt Ash's stomach for each organ.
"No, their all where they should be." she said and Ash sighed in relieve. "They just got a bit twisted during apparation... Here, take this it'll untwist the organs again and you should be fit in an hour or so."
Taking the potion from the healer, she quickly gulped it down and tried to shake the bad taste out of her mouth.
"Thank you! I'll be on my way now!" Ash said, trying to stand up, but the healer stopped her.
"And where do you think you're going?"
"Meet a friend?"
"No chance. You'll have to lay down for a while, otherwise I won't let you start," she said and Ash looked at her wide eyed.
"But my friend is waiting for me!"
"Then go, but you won't be able to race," she threatened.
"That's blackmail, did you know that?"
"I don't care as long as we have a healthy racer at the start of the race," she countered and made sure that Ash wouldn't be able to sneak out.
After an hour that healer checked her patient again and allowed her to leave, telling her that she wasn't allowed to apparate for the next three days. Mentally cursing her, Ash went out of the tent to find Gringotts and Blaise before the race started.
"Blaise!" she whispered into his ear as she quietly came to a stop behind him. Tensing a bit, he turned around and smiled as he saw Ash stand in front of him. "I'm sorry for the delay! Where are the others?" she asked curious.
"Damn Ash! Where were you? I've been waiting here in the freezing cold for one and a half hours now! I thought you wouldn't be coming!" he fumed, when he remembered the wait.
"I know, I'm sorry. I apparated a bit to quickly and my organs got a bit... twisted?"
"Are you alright now?"
"Yeah, no worries about me! Where are the others?"
"I lost them a while ago," he said with a smirk.
"Nice! Then there's no chance that Molly will find me before the race and try to stop me!" she beamed at him and gave him a hug. He hugged her back tightly.
"I'm sorry about what happened yesterday, mother shouldn't have said anything about the race to your aunt..."
"It's no big deal! I'll probably be quite screwed once I finish the race and will have 1000 years of house arrest... " she laughed. "Oh, by the way, did you bring what I asked you for?"
"Of course," he said and pulled out her wand and a duffel bag with clothes in it.
Ash grinned at her friend and took them of him. "Thank you."
"Any time."
Suddenly her badge started vibrating and the voice of a man came out. "All racers are asked to make their way to the starting line, the race will start in 10 minutes."
"Fuck!" Ash cursed and looked at Blaise. "Come on, we have to hurry," she said taking her friends hand in her left hand and carrying her broom in her right hand.
Halfway to the start line, she threw her Nimbus to Blaise while she took out the black cape that Blaise had brought her and covered her face with it. Next she took the broom off her friend again and said goodbye to him. Leaving him alone while she went into the players only section - hoping that her aunt wouldn't see her until after the race.
The 124 racers where all standing in a row anticipating the signal that would tell them that the race started.
Ash was standing right in the middle of them all, feeling a bit out of place when she saw the tall, muscular or lean witches and wizards that where all at least 25 years old.
Right next to her was Konrad Weiss - the Seeker of the German National Quidditch Team, on her left was Olaf Andersen one of the Chasers of the Nordic National Quidditch Team and the winner of last years Annual Broom Race. Then a few people down she could see his colleges Lorre Gustafson, and Peter Hansen, the beaters Asgeir Knutsen and Asgard Pettersson, the Keeper Martin Helstrom and Seeker and Captain Tina Lundstrom. Furthermore she saw, Gianni Fedele from the United States team as well as Tim Sullivan, Justin Time and Ken Tersias - the three top Quodpot players in the United states.
Around them she could hear the calls of the fans, especially Olaf Anderson's name was echoing through the crowed.
Then they hear the whistle - Get ready. The racers get ready to jump of the ground.
A second whistle - Set. The racers tense and wait.
A loud bang shook the air and the racers propel themselves of the ground.
The race begins.
The 124 racers where all standing in a row anticipating the signal that would tell them that the race started.
Ash was standing right in the middle of them all, feeling a bit out of place when she saw the tall, muscular or lean witches and wizards that where all at least 25 years old.
Right next to her was Konrad Weiss - the Seeker of the German National Quidditch Team, on her left was Olaf Andersen one of the Chasers of the Nordic National Quidditch Team and the winner of last years Annual Broom Race. Then a few people down she could see his colleges Lorre Gustafson, and Peter Hansen, the beaters Asgeir Knutsen and Asgard Pettersson, the Keeper Martin Helstrom and Seeker and Captain Tina Lundstrom. Furthermore she saw, Gianni Fedele from the United States team as well as Tim Sullivan, Justin Time and Ken Tersias - the three top Quodpot players in the United states.
Around them she could hear the calls of the fans, especially Olaf Anderson's name was echoing through the crowed.
Then they hear the whistle - Get ready. The racers get ready to jump of the ground.
A second whistle - Set. The racers tense and wait.
A loud bang shook the air and the racers propel themselves of the ground.
The race begins.
-
Ash pushed herself off the ground and her broom took up speed as she clung to the tails of her rivals. Quickly she found the best position on her broom and sped of into the distance.
It was an awesome feeling, up here in the clouds, the air running through her hair and pushing back her cape... For the first time in forever she felt truly free again.
All around her she saw her fellow racers wear the same facial expression of bliss as her as they allowed themselves to enjoy the breeze of air rushing past them.
But then the race truly started and they regained their poker faces. It was around 24 miles before they reached the Dragon reservation. The worst thing they could do, was reach the reservation when they were in a group - only individuals are able to make it through the Short-Snouts unnoticed. Those who stayed with the group where bound to get their attention and be attacked.
While looking at the other racers, she noticed that she was one of the smallest racers in the whole crowed - giving her the hope that the Dragons that saw her, saw another one of the racers as well and would see them as the tastier meal or the bigger threat.
While the wind was whipping passed her she saw most of the professionals gain some distance on her and swiftly she leaned on the broom even more to get rid of the air friction and shot after them. Olaf Andersen was the one she should keep an eye on. He had won this race two times in a row already and surly knew the shortest and safest way to Arjeplog.
Ash had already flown a few races before in Germany, but this was harder and faster then even she expected.
Sure, she knew that the really good racers only needed around 4 to 5 hours to get from Kopparberg to Arjeplog, but she couldn't quiet image how fast that meant that they needed to fly.
In only 15 minutes the first ones reached the Dragon reservation. Ash got there three minutes later, but she wasn't going the fastest she could go yet.
She had taken the three minutes to check out the nearing reservation for any signs that the Dragons were near and watch the professionals flying style and speed. If she wanted even the slightest chance to defeat them, she would need to know their technique. But she couldn't dismiss the other witches and wizards either.
Sure, a couple of them, seemed harmless, they didn't want to win the race because "The most important thing is not to win but to take part!"
But there a couple of others that looked to be the calculating type, like her - Look at what the people that did this before do and figure out how to win with that.
But there was one major difference between her and those other calculating racers - she had a brother that was Dragonologist and taught her everything there s to know about Dragons, emphasizing the parts on what to make sure to do if you fly through a Dragon infested place.
Quickly she pointed her broom towards the ground and went of a super quick descend, only pulling up when she was about two metres above the ground. Staying at that height she sweeped over the bare rock below her and then entered the forest.
Yes. It was dangerous - she could have hit an tree at any time and with the speed she was traveling in, that wouldn't have been a nice sight.
But on the other hand it was also safe, because the Dragons didn't have the space to fly through these trees. Meaning that for the time being she wouldn't have to worry about them.
Rule number 1: Stay out off the sight of the Dragons.
She heard a the swishing sounds of brooms around her and a couple of screams from above. When she glanced left, she could see Weiss manoeuvring through the the forest like her. In front of her was Andersen and somewhere on the right was another racer that she couldn't quiet distinguish from the others.
When they neared the end of the forest - and were about to enter a open field, Ash slowed her broom down a bit - trying to make it look as if she stumbled or hit something so that a couple of other racers shot passed her.
Rule number 2: Never be the first, second of third to enter open space, with the exception that your absolutely awesome and are wearing some weird perfume that repels Dragons... (or are Olaf Anderson)
Ash 'got her bearing' again after three racers passed her, she flew out of the woods and saw the first Dragons.
They were Swedish Short-Snouts, dragons with the average length of about 22ft and native to Sweden that inhabit the wild, uninhabited areas, mostly in the northern mountains of Sweden - but they like this reservation a lot as well.
Why? Because, as Ash now saw, it was a very large mountain range as well, with nearly no forests.
Their silvery blue scales gleamed in the sun, as they flew into the air and started attacking the witches and wizards that invaded their territories.
There were still three people in front of her, the fourth one was already ... disqualified due to lifelessness.
Suddenly one of the Dragons roared and as Ash looked up into the sky she saw one of them get ready to blow out its powerful flame.
Rule number 3: Don't panic - even if a Short-Snout is attacking you with its super hot powerful flame that can even burn bone in a matter of seconds!
This - Ash sadly had to admit - was one of the hardest rules to follow. Especially because she knew that if that flame reached her in any way or from, not ever her teeth would be left for her family to identify.
Ash wished that she had gotten Blaise to get her the fireproof stuff that Charlie had given her a few winters ago for her birthday. - She would have fit right in, because that stuff was made out of Short-Snout skin... Alright, maybe she could be happy that she didn't wear that.
Quickly she tried to think on what Charlie had told her to do if she was attacked by a Dragon...
Ash heard another roar... 'Hope that a bigger Dragon comes? No, can't be... why did I just think that?'
She heard the roar again - and her eyes widened in horror as she looked up at the sun and saw the silhouette of an Norwegian Ridgeback across the sky.
"What the fuck! Why is a freaking Norwegian Ridgeback here!" she shouted and forgot all about the Snouts.
Hurriedly she concentrated her every last nerve on gaining speed and getting to that slightly narrower cliff she saw about 10 kilometres North of her.
She didn't look back, didn't want to know what was happening behind them, all she cared about was getting to the cliff.
As soon as she reached the cliff she shot down into it, until she nearly reached the ground. To her left and to her right was about a metre and under her she saw spikes reaching out for her. Gently flying just above the spikes she listened to the sounds that were coming from the clearing.
Here and there she heard shots of despair cries of pain that suddenly stopped or increased.
She could still here the sounds after another 5 miles of rushing through the narrow cliff. When she didn't hear the cries any more, she flew on for another 20 miles and then allowed her broom to fly upwards again and check where she was and if anyone else was near.
Slowly she flew out of the ground and didn't see anyone around her - thankfully she didn't see any Dragons either.
Swiftly she took out her wand and the map that they had given the participants and pointed at it. Immediately it showed her were she was and where she should go.
She was about 4 miles off course. If she flew to her left now, she'd be going the swiftest way to Arjeplog from here.
Quietly she put the map back in her pocket, but kept the wand in her hands, ready to attack and defend if a Dragon were to notice her rushing through their mids.
Three and a half hours into the race, Ash was happy that it was held during the day - at least she could now see the problem that lay in front of her.
Currently, she was standing at the edge of a gigantic dragon infested breeding ground... and if she wanted to get to Arjeplog, she needed to cross that.
No chance of flying around it, no chance of anything - at least if she still wanted any chance of winning this race. Only chance was to rush through this as fast as possible.
"I wonder if the Impervius Charm works with Dragon fire..." she muttered worriedly while she slowly let her broom hover above the ground and then started flying forwards, leaving behind the last protection she had in the forest.
She started off slowly, thinking that maybe slow moving flying objects would be ignored by these Dragons, it worked for a while - until she was about 1/4 into the grounds - but soon enough one of the breeding mothers saw her and began to hiss and roar - alarming the other dragons about the intruder in their middle.
"Scheiße!" Ash screamed and brought her broom to high speed in a matter of seconds.
The female dragons around her jumped from their nests and began snatching at the flying witch. The hot blue flames of the Short-Snouts rushed passed her.
She didn't have any time to think through anything, all she did was let instinct take over her body as she swooped through the hundreds of Dragons, evading their flames and snaps and protecting herself with few attacking and defending spells here and there.
Left, right, down, up, right again followed by a spiral downwards and a sharp turn left.
"Desino Flamma," she bellowed when she saw the flames near her.
"Impervius," she yelled when a flame stroked her.
"Conjunctivitis," she screamed when a Dragon was about to snap at her.
"Impedimenta," she cried when their teeth nearly grazed her.
Soon she saw the end of the breeding grounds that ended in another woody forest. With her last flicker of hope she yelled out "Lumos Solem," and a strong ray of light flared out of her wand, temporally blinding all living being on the field as she sped into the protecting forest.
-
Meanwhile, the Dragon keepers that had been in the clearing and watched the witch fly through the breeding grounds - defending herself superbly.
"She's quite good... you think this is the first time in this race?"
"Yeah, I've never seen this one before."
"She must have had some experiences with Dragons though."
"I guess, but I could have done without her passing through here. Now we have to calm them down again..."
"Damn, you're right... how about we give them a sleeping drought?"
The first Dragon Keeper looked at the other one, thoughtfully. "Sounds like a plan. I'll get right to mixing it!"
-
When Ash rushed through the first trees, tears started to fall down her face. "Oh Merlin, Oh Merlin, Oh Merlin," she muttered and shook her head disbelievingly. "I really made it through... How?"
While she swished past the trees, towards Arjeplog, the tears of shock started to slowly ebb away and soon she had a hold of herself again.
"Everything is alright, everything is good..." she said to no one in particular as the next clearing came nearer and nearer. Soon she found herself outside of the dense canopy again. However, she wasn't alone. Only a few 100 meters in front of her, she saw Olaf Andersen fly near the ground.
Quickly she looked around her and saw Tina Lundstrom another couple of 100 meters behind her.
Her eyes widened in shock as she figured, that this meant she was one of the top racers right now, probably runner up right now...
This prospect of actually having a chance to get one of the top placements, made her forget all about the past affairs and she only concentrated on the now and here. Getting her broom to go maximum speed she rushed after Olaf - swearing that she wouldn't let him out of her sight ever again - at least for the duration of the race, everything else would be creepy.
She had no idea how far away Arjeplog was from where they were, but she guessed that it wouldn't be all to far away now.
The dragon nest episode had taken her about 30 minutes, meaning if they would make to times, the race could be over in only 20-30 minutes.
But then again, who knew what the others had to go through to make it through this race so far? Definitely not her, she had her own adventures to fret about.
Ash did not look back for the rest of the race, she imagined Lundstrom gaining on her quickly, she could imagine all the other players appearing in the horizon and trying to take away her position.
So she did the only thing that she could think off, she speed along the round so fast she could, never looking back to let herself be panicked by the stress and trying to get nearer and nearer to the high-speed broom-racing champion of the last two years.
Finally the little blond witch saw a small town appear at the far end of the horizon.
Buildings started to appear behind the next hill and soon she found herself staring at the goal of the race, the finish line.
A smile started spreading on her face as she saw a huge crowd of people gathered at the goal, cheering for them, cheering for Olaf, cheering for Tina, cheering for her.
She tried to increase her speed even more as she rushed to the end, but the broom was already at its limits. Still she flew the fastest she could.
All of a sudden, however, Tina was beside her...
Swallowing hard Ash tightened the grip on her broom and leaned into the hilt even more.
Tina was a head length in front of her...
Grimacing in pain as Ash watched the other witch gain on her, she did everything she could think of to gain speed herself.
Tina had over taken her...
With a frustrated yell, she looked at the back of the Nordic Teams Captain as she passed through the goal a few minutes after Olaf and a few seconds after Tina.
She followed after them as they slowed down and gently landed on the soft Swedish snow.
As soon as her legs hit the ground, they buckled away under her and only a second later she found herself on the floor panting and starring at the blue sky, not a shred of cloud could be seen.
All around her she could hear the roar on the crowd, chanting their names as the three of them lay on the floor.
Nobody was allowed into the racers area, if they weren't a racer themselves, therefore they could quietly stay planted there, without any problems, as the rest of the surviving racers finally came to Arjeplog.
After about 10 minutes, one of the others finally found the strength to get of the ground. When Ash opened her eyes to look, she saw Olaf walk up to his team mate and pull her off the ground, congratulating her on the race.
Next the two of them went over to her.
Olaf held out his hand for her to take. Closing her eyes for just another second she gathered her strength and took his hand with a smile on her face.
"Good job," he told her with a grin as he pulled her of the ground.
"Thank you," she gasped and shifted her weight so that her legs could carry her body. "You weren't to shabby yourself, it seems."
Olaf laughed a deep laugh that shook her whole frame. "I never do bad," he told her with a smirk.
"You took me quite by surprise there, suddenly charging out of those trees, what way did you go?" Tina asked her also shaking Ash's hand.
"I got a bit off course, suddenly found myself at the dragon breeding grounds. Only way I could go was through them... it seems to have been a short cut though," she answered truthfully.
"You actually went through the breeding grounds!" Olaf asked astonished.
"Yeah... but I didn't know about that, until I stood before them."
"Still... you're a mad little girl," he said with a grin on his face.
"What is you name, by the way?" Tina asked, after agreeing with her college.
"Ash Weasley's the name," she told them with a smile.
The three of them talked for another few minutes, until one of the tournament people walked up to them and congratulated them on their win.
"Wait... I really came in third? As in I was the third best racer of the whole race?"
"Yes."
Slowly it dawned to Ash on what she had actually managed. She had decided to join the race only five days ago... she hadn't practised or anything such and yet, she was now the third best of the whole race, a race that had started of with 124 people.
"I... I... I need to go to my family," she said in shock and turned to her fellow winners. They smiled and nodded at her.
"We'll see you at the podium later on, and I do hope you'll come to the after-party!" Olaf said, hitting her on the shoulder with a force that made her stumble.
"Sure... We'll see each other there!" she told them, with a small, shy smile and walked of towards the crowed, hoping she would be able to find her family there.