* In Part III we watch Aliena accompany Bill, Charlie, and Percy to the
World Cup campsite. There they meet Ludo Bagman, whom Aliena instantly
distrusts.*

** If you've read this far then you're interested enough to know that
some of these are my characters but not all my creation.**

Part IV- The World Cup

Bill escorted her to the massive arena, a stadium that could fit
up to a hundred thousand fans. It was covered in gold walls, and rich
purple fabrics spanned out as if it were a regal palace. "Prime Seats!"
the Ministry witch said as she took their tickets, " Top Box! Straight
upstairs Arthur, and as high as you can go."

The stairs inside the stadium were rich purple. The marched
upwards until it almost seemed as there would be no end. Until their path
took them into a small box, which was situated between two goal posts.
They all took their seats in the plush gold chairs and looked out into
the stadium filled to the brim with a hundred thousand witches and
wizards. Everything looked majestic and wonderful from their lofty
position, and Aliena's eyes even drifted to the giant advertisement board
as messages flashed across the field. Then her eyes fell on the small elf
seated behind their row.

" Ma neth coryn." Aliena said softly to the elf, who fearfully
parted her fingers to see who was speaking Elvish.

" Dobby?" Harry said incredulously, taking notice of the house
elf.

The frightened little creature opened her eyes to look at Harry,
but he soon realized that it wasn't Dobby at all. " Did sir just call me
Dobby?" she squeaked, her eyes poking out of her fingers.

" Sorry," Harry told her, " I just thought you were someone I
knew."

" But I knows Dobby too, sir!" the elf squeaked again, her fingers
tried to shield her face as though there was a bright light shining right
at them. " My name is Winky, sir, and you must be." Her large eyes
widened even more into the size of dinner plates, " you is surely Harry
Potter!"

" Yeah, I am." Said Harry. Aliena listened on as Harry inquired
about his friend Dobby, the house-elf.

But slowly their conversation became strained, every time Harry
asked about Dobby, Winky only replied in distaste, it seemed that in her
opinion, Dobby was becoming a bad example of what a house-elf was. At
last, Winky conceded that she was in the box to save a seat for her
master, even though she was afraid of heights, a mark of a good house-
elf. She gave into her fear and hid away in her seat.

" So that's a house-elf?" Ron muttered. " Weird things aren't
they?" then he turned to Aliena who had been listening the entire time,
"sorry, I know you're an elf and all too, but you're not like them at
all."

" No, I guess I'm not." Aliena chuckled, " but a long time ago
there wasn't a difference between my race of elves and theirs. Its just
after time, some of them gradually fell into the service of wizards
whereas others did not. The house-elf evolved into a smaller and more
compact form to facilitate their jobs. But I think if you knew them well
enough you'd see some similarities." She smiled at Ron and Harry, even
Hermione seemed to be unaware of he connection.

" That's wild." Harry said.

" Yeah, but kind of cool at the same time." Hermione put in. They
turned back to the game and Hermione began reading from her program. " A
display of the team mascots will precede the match." She read out loud.

" Oh, and that's worth watching," said Bill. " National teams
bring creatures from their native land, you know to put on a bit of a
show."

Over the next half hour the box began to fill with very important
wizards. Even the Malfoy's dropped in. Aliena turned her head as they
entered and Lucius Malfoy looked at her, then gave her another glance. He
had gone to school with Aryen and must have thought that Aliena was her,
there looks were very similar. He scanned over the rest of the Weasleys
and took notice of Hermione and Ron too.

" Good lord Arthur," he said darkly, " what did you have to sell
to get seats in the Top Box? Surely your house wouldn't have fetched this
much."

Bill went rigid, just like his father, and Aliena turned to him.
But his eyes were shooting daggers at the Malfoys. It seemed as though
everyone accompanying the Weasley's were now in utter loathing of the
blonde haired Malfoys. Aliena was worried that Bill would have stood up
there and picked a fight with the senior Malfoy, but Ludo Bagman made his
grand entrance and all their anger lessened in surprise.

Ludo asked if everyone was ready and then aimed his wand at his
throat and maximized the sound of his voice. Then he proclaimed that the
Bulgarian mascots would now be taking the field. First came the amazing
group of white women came into the stadium, at least a hundred of them.
They were Veela and Aliena had only heard of them, never being able to
lay eye on them before and they were quite beautiful. As the music
started Aliena felt Bill's arm tighten around hers, and she watched in
amazement as the other men around her fell into a dazed trance, she was
only just fast enough to catch Harry by the foot before he could put
another leg over the balcony ledge.

" Harry what are you doing?" said Hermione from her seat. The
music had stopped and the women were all laughing at their male
counterparts, because many were in the midst of some strange action.

Then it was the Ireland's mascots to come out. They rushed into
the stadium like a wild comet from the sky. Then it split into two great
balls of brilliant light, a rainbow arched between them and then it
formed a great shamrock, which soared around the stadium spitting out a
golden spray of beautiful coins. Everyone ecstatically rummaged for all
the coins they could reach. Even Ron was so happy that he gave all that
he could to Harry. Bill himself grabbed a handful and began examining the
coins carefully.

" Interesting," he said to Aliena, " this is the best quality
leprechaun gold I've seen, they're getting better at making it more
convincing, these are bound to last several hours."

Then the different teams came out each player was introduced,
Bulgaria first and Ireland second. As the Bulgarians came out onto the
field, there was a wild applause from the Bulgaria supporters. But when
Krum came out, very few could contain their excitement. " That's him,
that's him!" Ron yelled excitedly over the crowd below. Even Aliena was
up on her feet applauding him.

Then out came the Irish team, and again there was a tumultuous
response from the crowd, for every player most of the Top Box cheered,
except of course the Bulgarian diplomats who only lightly clapped out of
courtesy. Then the game was underway and it was riveting. Everyone was on
their feet cheering, clapping, and whistling to the players soaring
across the field. And every time and Irish scored, the leprechauns would
leap up and form a glittering shamrock high above he field. And when the
Bulgarians scored the veela would start to dance. But when Ireland
received the penalty shot, the veela angrily began to stomp and dance.
The referee went nuts and started making for them.

Everyone laughed at this, except the referee who announced that
the Bulgarian mascots would have to be ejected from the game. Which
contorted into an angry battle between mascots. And with all this
happening on the ground below, there was little time for the officials to
watch what was happening in the air. Krum had been injured and his nose
was bleeding profusely. Aliena was shocked as she watched this.

The game progressed with incredible speed, and amazing ferocity.
Then suddenly Aliena, who had been watching the rest of her game through
her Omnioculars whirled it around to see Lynch diving, Krum in hot
pursuit. Obviously this was no Wronski Feint, Lynch was sure he saw the
Snitch and he was chasing it. But Krum was faster and better on the
broom. Krum closed his hand around the Snitch, while Lynch took a second
dive right into the dirt. There was a huge roar from the stadium as the
Irish were announced the winners. The Ireland team did a huge victory lap
around the stadium, and the leprechauns showered them with gold. The
Bulgarians were at the other end, looking sadly dejected at the loss. But
they all still seemed to maintain their honorable appearance. The World
Cup was brought into the Top Box and Aliena clapped lightly as the Cup
was passed from the panting wizard couriers, to Cornelius Fudge, and then
to Troy and Quigley from the Irish team. It was an amazing sight to see.

When the rush was over, all the wizards started turning to make
their exit out of the stadium. Mr. Weasley led them out of the Top Box
and onto the camping grounds. Fred and George stayed behind to get their
money from Ludo Bagman. Slowly, they made it to the campsite. Everyone
was still in a daze, the dazzling array of brilliant memories of the game
still swimming through their minds. Bill was looking through Aliena's
Omnioculars replaying all the key moments, and every now and then would
let out a cheer as if the game was still being played.

Once back inside their tent, Mr. Weasley and Aliena made everyone
a mug of hot cocoa and they sat around discussing the various aspects of
the game. Mr. Weasley and Charlie were the loudest, arguing about
clobbing. But when Ginny spilled over her hot chocolate in exhaustion,
Mr. Weasley proclaimed that they all had to get to bed, so slowly they
all crept into their beds.

But although Bill was drifting off to sleep beside her, Aliena
laid awake, looking at the canvas top of the tent. There was something
chilling her bones, the way only evil could. It kept her awake as she
listened to the cheers and music echoing from surrounding campsites.
Suddenly, the chill became to unbearable, and Aliena shot up and got out
of the bed, Bill woke with a start and amidst questions of what was
wrong, he followed her hurriedly to the front of the tent. She threw back
the opening and looked out into the field. A mob of hooded wizards were
marching along in the darkness, reigning mayhem over all they passed.

Bill turned around and went back inside to wake his father. And
the terrified screams began to break the silent night.