When they reached the shadow of the the giant stadium Hermione couldn't help but stare at large stadium in front of her . Hermione looked around and saw every others had the same reaction as her except Percy who looked curiously but not awestruck . Hermione observed " You didn't seem surprised by this vastness ? " causing Percy to look at her and said " My father's office is another ten times large than this , so it is not that big " . Hermione looked at him in disbelief and before she could ask a Ministry witch at entrance checked their tickets and said ""Prime seats! Top Box! Straight upstairs, Arthur, and as high as you can go."
Mr. Weasley's party kept climbing, and at last they reached the top of the staircase and found themselves in a small box, set at the highest point of the stadium and situated exactly halfway between the golden goalposts. About twenty purple-and-gilt chairs stood in two rows here, and Harry, filing into the front seats with the Weasleys, looked down upon a scene the likes of which he could never have imagined.
A hundred thousand witches and wizards were taking their places in the seats, which rose in levels around the long oval field. Everything was suffused with a mysterious golden light, which seemed to come from the stadium itself. The field looked smooth as velvet from their lofty position. At either end of the field stood three goal hoops, fifty feet high; right opposite them, almost at Harry's eye level,was a gigantic blackboard. Gold writing kept dashing across it as though an invisible giant's hand were scrawling upon the blackboard and then wiping it off again; watching it, Harry saw that it was flashing advertisements across the Bluebottle: A Broom for All the Family - safe, reliable, and with Built in Anti-Burgler Buzzer ... Mrs. Shower's All Purpose Magical Mess Remover: NoPain, No Stain! ... Gladrags Wizard wear - London, Paris, Hogsmeade...
Harry tore his eyes away from the sign and looked over his shoulder to see whoelse was sharing the box with them. So far it was empty, except for a tiny creature sitting in the second from last seat at the end of the row behind them. The creature,whose legs were so short they stuck out in front of it on the chair, was wearing a tea towel draped like a toga, and it had its face hidden in its hands. Yet those long,bat like ears were oddly familiar..."Dobby?" said Harry tiny creature looked up and stretched its fingers, revealing enormous browneyes and a nose the exact size and shape of a large tomato. It wasn't Dobby- it was, however, unmistakably a house-elf, as Harry's friend Dobby had been. Harryhad set Dobby free from his old owners, the Malfoy family.
Its voice was higher even than Dobby's had been, a teeny, quivering squeak of a voice, and Harry suspected though it was very hard to tell with a house-elf -that this one might just be female. Ron and Hermione spun around in their seats to look. Though they had heard a lot about Dobby from Harry, they had never actually met him. Even Mr. Weasley and Percy looked around in interest.
"Sorry," Harry told the elf, "I just thought you were someone I knew." "But I knows Dobby too, sir!" squeaked the elf. She was shielding her face,as though blinded by light, though the Top Box was not brightly lit. "My name is Winky, sir - and you, sir -" Her dark brown eyes widened to the size of side plates as they rested upon Harry's scar. "You is surely Harry Potter!" "Yeah, I am," said Harry. "But Dobby talks of you all the time, sir!" s he said, lowering her hands very slightly and looking awestruck.
"How is he?" said Harry. "How's freedom suiting him?" "Ah, sir," said Winky, shaking her head, "ah sir, meaning no disrespect, sir, but I is not sure you did Dobby a favor, sir, when you is setting him free." "Why?" said Harry, taken aback. "What's wrong with him?""Freedom is going to Dobby's head, sir, " said Winky sadly. "Ideas above his station, sir. Can't get another position, sir." "Why not?" said lowered her voice by a half-octave and whispered, "He is wanting payingfor his work, sir." "Paying?" said Harry blankly. "Well - why shouldn't he be paid?"Winky looked quite horrified at the idea and closed her fingers slightly sothat her63face was half-hidden again. "House-elves is not paid, sir!" she said in a muffled squeak. "No, no, no. Isays toDobby, I says, go find yourself a nice family and settle down, Dobby. He is getting up to all sorts of high jinks, sir, what is unbecoming to a house-elf. You goes racketing around like this, Dobby, I says, and next thing I hear you'sup infront of the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magica lCreatures, likesome common goblin.
"Why should you not be paid ? You do work and you deserve that " Percy said heatedly causing Winky to look at him with wide eyes . At the next moment Winky jumped from her seat and bowed in front of Percy earning startling looks from everyone around him . Before Percy could say anything Winky squeaked " It's a great honor to meet the great Perseus Jackson .We elvs had heard about your achievements sir . It is a great honor to finally meet the -" whatever Winky was about to be said was muffled by Percy clamping a hand over her mouth . Percy looked around everyone sitting in the box was looking at him with wide eyes . Percy paled and looked at Harry and asked " Am I back to my old self ? " shaking Harry out of his shock . Harry looked at him and saw many ginger hair had changed into his old color and brown eyes had changed into sea green color . Harry nodded at him causing Percy to curse under his breath .
Percy looked at Winky and said something in a different language which was like gibberish to Harry . He looked around him everyone even Hermione wore a confused expression .
When Percy finished speaking Winky nodded fastly Harry was afraid her head would fall out of her neck . Winky looked at Percy and spoke in the same language causing Percy to smile in relief.
Then Winky went to seat and closed her eyes with her hands making Harry think she has fear for heights.
All the Weasely , Hermione and Harry looked at Percy in question causing Percy to sigh and said " I will explain later " . Everyone nodded at that .
Ron pulled out his Omnioculars and started testing them, staring down into the crowd on the other side of the stadium." Wild!" he said, twiddling the replay knob on the side. I can make that old bloke down there pick his nose again ... and again ... and again. . ."Hermione, meanwhile, was skimming eagerly through her velvet covered, tasseled program."'A display from the team mascots will precede the match,"' she read aloud.
"Oh that's always worth watching," said Mr. Weasley. "National teams bring creatures from their native land, you know, to put on a bit of a show."The box filled gradually around them over the next half hour. Harry looked at Percy who was now wearing a cap trying hard to conceal his identity. Mr. Weasley kept shaking hands with people who were obviously very important Weasely jumped to his feet so often that he looked as though he were trying to sit on a hedgehog.
When Cornelius Fudge, the Minister of Magic himself, arrived,Percy bowed so low that his glasses fell off and shattered. Highly embarrassed, he repaired them with his wand and thereafter remained in his seat, throwing jealous looks at Harry, whom Cornelius Fudge had greeted like an old friend. They had met before, and Fudge shook Harry's hand in a fatherly fashion, asked how he was, and introduced him to the wizards on either side of him.
"Harry Potter, you know," he told the Bulgarian minister loudly, who was wearing splendid robes of black velvet trimmed with gold and didn't seem to understand a word of English. "Harry Potter ... oh come on now, you know who he is ...the boy who survived You-Know-Who ... you do know who he is -"The Bulgarian wizard suddenly spotted Harry's scar and started gabbling loudly and excitedly, pointing at it. "Knew we'd get there in the end," said Fudge wearily to Harry. "I'm no great shakes at languages; I need Barty Crouch for this sort of thing. Ah, I see his house elf's saving him a seat... Good job too, these Bulgarian blighters have been trying to cadge all the best places ... ah, and here's Lucius!"
Harry, Percy ,Ron, and Hermione turned quickly. Edging along the second row to threestill-empty seats right behind Mr. Weasley were none other than Dobby the house elf's former owners: Lucius Malfoy; his son, Draco; and a woman Harry supposed must be Draco's and Draco Malfoy had been enemies ever since their very first journey to Hogwarts. A pale boy with a pointed face and white-blond hair, Draco greatly resembled his father. His mother was blonde too; tall and slim, she would havebeen nice-looking if she hadn't been wearing a look that suggested there was a nasty smell under her nose."Ah, Fudge," said Mr. Malfoy, 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 . "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 Arthur Weasley,I dare say?"It was a tense moment. Mr. Weasley and Mr. Malfoy looked at each other and Harry vividly recalled the last time they had come face-to-face: It had been in Flourish and Blotts' bookshop, and they had had a fight. Mr. Malfoy's cold gray eyes swept over Mr. Weasley, and then up and down the row. "Good lord, Arthur," he said softly.
"What did you have to sell to get seats in the Top Box? Surely your house wouldn't have fetched this much?" Fudge, who wasn't listening, said, "Lucius has just given a very generous contribution to St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries, Arthur He's here as my guest." "How - how nice," said Mr. Weasley, with a very strained smile. Mr. Malfoy's eyes had returned to Hermione, who went slightly pink, but stared determinedly back at him. Harry knew exactly what was making 's lip curl like that. The Malfoys prided themselves on being purebloods; in other words ,they considered anyone of Muggle descent, like Hermione, second-class .However, under the gaze of the Minister of Magic, Mr. Malfoy didn't dare say anything.
Lucius tried to talk to Bulgarian Minister but he caught the sight of Percy when his cap has fallen due to the a strong gust of wind .
Bulgarian minister walked towards Percy leaving Lucius dumbfounded causing Harry, Ron and Hermione to grin while Mr. Weasely tried not to laugh at him but could not help it leaving a small chuckle causing Lucius to glare at him.
Harry looked towards Percy who was speaking with Bulgarian Minister with a smile in Bulgarian. On noticing Percy Fudge , Lucius and Draco and strode towards him causing Hermione to roll his eyes at Draco. When the walked towards them Harry saw Fudge gasped " Merlin's Beard . Percy Jackson ,what a pleasant surprise to meet you here . I thought you would directly go to Hogwarts at the start of the year but I did not think I will meet you here " . When Fudge said Percy is going to Hogwarts many people gasped who were eavesdropping at conversation.
Percy nervously scratched his head and said " Well I don't want anyone to know I will be watching today's match since it will cause unwanted attention ".
Fudge nodded with a good smile and asked " Where were you staying ? If you had atleast alerted me I would have arranged a nice room for your stay without saying to anyone ".
Percy shook his head and told " It's okay minister . I am staying with ,before joining Hogwarts I wanted to have some friends so that's why I only told Professor Dumbledore about my arrival " smiling at Harry causing him to give him a thumbs up.
Lucius fake gasped and said " Blimey . That overcrowded home will be not be suitable for a world champion like you " causing to turn red in embarassement while other Weaselys clenched their fist in anger . Percy simply looked at Lucius and said " Well I would rather stay in a homey place rather than a gloomy face " causing Lucius to turn red in anger but he know he could not say anything with two ministers of magic favoring Percy .
So he turned on heels and strode towards his seat along with his son who glared at Percy for that . Percy in turn gave him a glare which caused Draco to visibly shudder and he ran towards his father like a coward he is .
Harry and Ron exchanged wide smirks while Hermione giggled at Malfoy .
Then after sometime Percy slumped down in his seat besides Hermione who seemed tired with his conversation with the two ministers. Ron leaned towards him and said " Blimey mate you know the ministers also ? " causing him to nod in return . He opened his mouth to ask something but he was cutoff by who started the final match of the world cup.
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