Dudley felt as though he had barely lain down to steep in Ron's room when he was being shaken awake by Mrs. Weasley.
"Time to go, Dudley, dear," she whispered, moving away to wake Ron.
Dudley rubbed his eyes and sat up. It was still dark outside. Ron muttered indistinctly as his mother roused him. At the foot of Dudley's mattress he saw three large, disheveled shapes emerging from tangles of blankets.
"'S time already?" said Fred, groggily.
"I've never woke up this early before in my life," Dean muttered.
They dressed in silence, too sleepy to talk, then, yawning and stretching, the four of them headed downstairs into the kitchen.
Mrs. Weasley was stirring the contents of a large pot on the stove, while Mr. Weasley was sitting at the table, checking a sheaf of large parchment tickets. He looked up as the boys entered and spread his arms so that they could see his clothes more clearly. He was wearing what appeared to be a golfing sweater and a very old pair of jeans, slightly too big for him and held up with a thick leather belt.
"Yeah," Dudley yawned.
"Where're Bill and Charlie and Per-Per-Percy?" said George, failing to stifle a huge yawn.
"Well, they're Apparating, aren't they?" said Mrs. Weasley, heaving the large pot over to the table and starting to ladle porridge into bowls. "So they can have a bit of a lie-in."
"Aren't we apparating?" Dudley asked.
"Oh, no—there are far too many of us for side-along, and none of you have passed your test," said Arthur.
"You have to pass a test to Apparate?" Dudley asked.
"Oh yes," said Mr. Weasley, tucking the tickets safely into the back pocket of his jeans. "The Department of Magical Transportation had to fine a couple of people the other day for Apparating without a license. It's not easy, Apparition, and when it's not done property it can lead to nasty complications. This pair I'm talking about went and splinched themselves."
Everyone around the table except Dudley and Dean winced.
Dean caught Dudley's eye and shrugged.
"Er - splinched?" said Dudley.
"They left half of themselves behind," said Mr. Weasley, now spooning large amounts of treacle onto his porridge. "So, of course, they were stuck. Couldn't move either way. Had to wait for the Accidental Magic Reversal Squad to sort them out. Meant a fair old bit of paperwork, I can tell you, what with the Muggles who spotted the body parts they'd left behind..."
Dudley had a sudden vision of a pair of legs and an eyeball lying abandoned on the pavement of Privet Drive.
"Were they okay?" he asked, startled.
"Oh yes," said Mr. Weasley matter-of-factly. "But they got a heavy fine, and I don't think they'll be trying it again in a hurry. You don't mess around with Apparition. There are plenty of adult wizards who don't bother with it. Prefer brooms - slower, but safer."
"But Bill and Charlie and Percy can all do it?"
"Charlie had to take the test twice," said Fred, grinning. "He failed the first time. Apparated five miles south of where he meant to, right on top of some poor old dear doing her shopping, remember?"
"Yes, well, he passed the second time," said Mrs. Weasley, marching back into the kitchen amid hearty sniggers.
"Percy only passed two weeks ago," said George. "He's been Apparating downstairs every morning since, just to prove he can."
"He apparated me here," Dudley said, realizing as soon as said this that everybody already knew that.
"Yes, side-along apparation," Arthur said. "Very draining—apparate too much in a short period of time, you run the risk of splinching. And side-along is much more draining."
Dudley nodded.
There were footsteps down the passageway and Hermione, Luna and Ginny came into the kitchen, both looking pale and drowsy.
"Why do we have to be up so early?" Ginny said, rubbing her eyes and sitting down at the table.
"I don't mind," Luna said. "Me and Daddy wake up early sometimes so we get the chance to hear the stars sing."
Ron and Dean exchanged glances at this little comment.
"We've got a bit of a walk," said Mr. Weasley.
"Can't we take brooms?" Dudley asked.
"Oh no, we run the risk of been seen. It isn't too far. It's very difficult for a large number of wizards to congregate without attracting Muggle attention. We have to be very careful about how we travel at the best of times, and on a huge occasion like the Quidditch World Cup..."
"George!" said Mrs. Weasley sharply, and they all jumped.
"What?" said George, in an innocent tone that deceived nobody.
"What is that in your pocket?"
"Nothing!"
"Don't you lie to me!"
Mrs. Weasley pointed her wand at George's pocket and said, "Accio!"
Several small, brightly colored objects zoomed out of George's pocket; he made a grab for them but missed, and they sped right into Mrs. Weasley's outstretched hand.
"I told you you couldn't take them!" said Mrs. Weasley furiously, holding up what appeared to be a type of candy. "Empty your pockets, go on, both of you!"
It was an unpleasant scene; the twins had evidently been trying to smuggle as many toffees out of the house as possible, and it was only by using her Summoning Charm that Mrs. Weasley managed to find them all.
"Accio! Accio! Accio!" she shouted, and toffees zoomed from all sorts of unlikely places, including the lining of George's jacket and the turn-ups of Fred's jeans.
"We spent six months developing those!" Fred shouted at his mother as she threw the toffees away.
"Oh a fine way to spend six months!" she shrieked. "No wonder you didn't get more O.W.L.s!"
All in all, the atmosphere was not very friendly as they took their departure. Mrs. Weasley was still glowering as she kissed Mr. Weasley on the cheek, though not nearly as much as the twins, who had each hoisted their rucksacks onto their backs and walked out without a word to her.
"Well, have a lovely time," said Mrs. Weasley, "and behave yourselves," she called after the twins' retreating backs, but they did not look back or answer. "I'll send Bill, Charlie, and Percy along around midday," Mrs. Weasley said to Mr. Weasley, as he, Dudley, Ron, Dean, Luna, Hermione, and Ginny set off across the dark yard after Fred and George.
It was chilly and the moon was still out. Only a dull, greenish tinge along the horizon to their right showed that daybreak was drawing closer.
Dudley fell into line next to Ron and Dean. "What was that about?" he asked, meaning the sweets.
"Ton-tongue toffees," Ron said, in a low voice. "Fred and George have been in their rooms all summer—there's been funny bangs and smells, turns out they're making stuff to sell—pranks and jokes."
"Cool," said Dean. "What do they do?"
"Make your tongue grow 3-foot," Ron said. "They tested one on a gnome last week."
Dudley and Ron laughed.
Up ahead, Hermione was speaking to Mr. Weasley. Dudley could hear snippets of the conversation as they walked. They were talking about how everyone was getting to the World Cupp—apparently, the Ministry of Magic had set up Port Keys.
"Fudge is pleased with how well it's been organised," Mr. Weasley said. "And let's be honest, he could do with a success—he'll be hoping the World Cup goes off without a hitch. He hopes he might make forget some of the past few years."
"He hasn't had any luck catching Malfoy then?" Dudley asked.
"The Aurors think he's fled the country," Mr. Weasley said. "They heard a tip off that he's hiding out in France. The Spanish Enforcers are searching, but they've had no luck. Lockhart has been brought in on an advisery role, did he tell you?"
Dudley shook his head.
"Ah, well—it only happened last week. Lockhart's standing is pretty high at the moment, what with the arrest of Nott last year. I'm surprised Fudge brought him in—he's been none too happy with Lockhart. But, I suppose he feels the need to look like he's doing something."
They trudged down the dark, dank lane toward the village, the silence broken only by their footsteps. The sky lightened very slowly as they made their way through the village, its inky blackness diluting to deepest blue. Dudley's hands and feet were freezing. Mr. Weasley kept checking his watch.
They didn't have breath to spare for talking as they began to climb Stoatshead Hill, stumbling occasionally in hidden rabbit holes, slipping on thick black tuffets of grass. Dudley felt glad he had dieted last year, or he felt he might have died on that hill it was steep. He, the twins and Dean were the first to the top. Hermione was lagging at the rear. Luna walked up slowly but gamely, taking her time to glance around at her surroundings.
"Whew," panted Mr. Weasley, taking off his glasses and wiping them on his sweater. "Well, we've made good time - we've got ten minutes."
Hermione came over the crest of the hill last, clutching a stitch in her side.
"Now we just need the Portkey," said Mr. Weasley, replacing his glasses and squinting around at the ground. "It won't be big...Come on..."
They spread out, searching. They had only been at it for a couple of minutes, however, when a shout rent the still air.
"Over here, Arthur! Over here, son, we've got it."
Two tall figures were silhouetted against the starry sky on the other side of the hilltop.
"Amos!" said Mr. Weasley, smiling as he strode over to the man who had shouted. The rest of them followed.
Mr. Weasley was shaking hands with a ruddy-faced wizard with a scrubby brown beard, who was holding a moldy-looking old boot in his other hand.
"This is Amos Diggory, everyone," said Mr. Weasley. "He works for the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures. And I think you know his son, Cedric?"
Cedric Diggory was an extremely handsome boy of around seventeen. He was Captain and Seeker of the Hufflepuff House Quidditch team at Hogwarts.
"Hi," said Cedric, looking around at them all.
Everybody said hi back.
Cedric had guided Hufflepuff to a victory over Gryffindor in the finaly match of last season. But, since Gryffindor had won the Quidditch Cup anyway thanks to a pair of spectacular victories over Slytherin and Ravenclaw, there was no hard feelings.
"Had to get up at two, didn't we, Ced? I tell you, I'll be glad when he's got his Apparition test. Still...not complaining...Quidditch World Cup, wouldn't miss it for a sackful of Galleons - and the tickets cost about that. Mind you, looks like I got off easy..." Amos Diggory peered good-naturedly around at the three Weasley boys, Dudley, Dean, Luna Hermione, and Ginny. "All these yours, Arthur?"
"Oh no, only the redheads," said Mr. Weasley, pointing out his children. "This is Luna, a friend of Ginny's. And these are Dean, Dudley and Hermione—friends of Rons."
"Ah, Dudley Dursley and Hermione Granger," Amos said, shaking hands with them all. "I was wondering if I'd bump into you at some point. I read all about your capture of Black in the summer—it was in the Prophet of course."
"Thanks," Dudley said, shaking hands.
"And Ron, I've heard all about you from Ced. He tells me you're quite the seeker," Amos Diggory said.
"Yeah, yeah I do Ok," Ron said, casually.
"Course, my Ced is pretty good himself. Though I expect you know that since he beat you last year," Amos said, putting his arm around Cedric who looked embarassed.
"Gryffindor won the cup though, Dad," Cedric said.
"The best way to judge players is how they compete directly against each other," Amos Diggory said, genially, slapping his son's back. "You won, doesn't take a genius to see who's the better flier."
"Must be nearly time," said Mr. Weasley quickly, pulling out his watch again. "Do you know whether we're waiting for any more, Amos?"
"No, there's only the Lovegoods, and young Luna is with you, is your dad going?"
Luna, who had been bending down to examine a flower looked up. "Daddy was going to get tickets, but since Mr. Weasley got us some, he said I could go with him. He's going to stay at home and work on his book on Crumple Horned Snorkacks."
"The Fawcetts?" Arthur asked.
"Couldn't get tickets," said Mr. Diggory. "There aren't any more of us in this area, are there?"
"Not that I know of," said Mr. Weasley. "Yes, it's a minute off...We'd better get ready..."
He looked around at Dudley, Dean and Hermione.
"You just need to touch the Portkey, that's all, a finger will do -"
With difficulty, owing to their bulky backpacks, the eleven of them crowded around the old boot held out by Amos Diggory.
They all stood there, in a tight circle, as a chill breeze swept over the hilltop. Nobody spoke. It suddenly occurred to Dudley how odd this would look if a Muggle were to walk up here now...eleven people, two of them grown men, clutching this manky old boot in the semidarkness, waiting...
It happened immediately: Dudley felt as though a hook just behind his navel had been suddenly jerked irresistibly forward. His feet left the ground; he could feel Ron and Hermione on either side of him, their shoulders banging into his; they were all speeding forward in a howl of wind and swirling color; his forefinger was stuck to the boot as though it was pulling him magnetically onward and then -
His feet slammed into the ground; Ron staggered into him and he fell over; the Portkey hit the ground near his head with a heavy thud.
Dudley looked up. Mr. Weasley, Mr. Diggory, and Cedric were still standing, though looking very windswept; everybody else was on the ground.
"Seven past five from Stoatshead Hill," said a voice.