The summer between the end of Bella's third year and the beginning of her fourth year at Hogwarts was fun but nothing compared to the excitement Bella and Ron felt when their father announced over dinner one night that he had managed to secure tickets to the Quidditch World Cup, not only for them and their siblings but their friends as well.
"We have got to write to Harry!" Ron cried enthusiastically.
'Harry - DAD GOT THE TICKETS - Ireland versus Bulgaria, Monday night. Mum's writing to the Muggles to ask you to stay. They might already have the letter, I don't know how fast Muggle post is. Thought I'd send this with Pig anyway. We're coming for you whether the Muggles like it or not, you can't miss the World Cup, only Mum and Dad reckon it's better to ask their permission first. If they say yes, send Pig back with your answer pronto, and we'll come and get you at five o'clock on Sunday. If they say no, send Pig back pronto and we'll come get you at five o'clock on Sunday anyway. Hermione's arriving this afternoon. Freya and Emily are coming tomorrow morning. Percy's started work - the Department of International Magical Co-operation. Don't mention anything about Abroad while you're here unless you want the pants bored off you. Bella's hanging over my shoulder as I write this and she wants me to tell you she says hi. See you soon - Ron'
Ron attatched the letter to the small, grey owl he had gotten from Sirius at the beginning of the summer and it hooted happily while Ron tied the letter to its leg. Ron let him go out of the window and he took off, flapping its wings rapidly. Hermione arrived shortly after they sent Harry the letter and she was extremely tanned.
"The weather in France is exceptional this time of year." she beamed.
"Did you have a good time?" Bella asked, leading her up the spiral staircase to Ginny's room on the third floor.
"It was great!" Hermione said enthusiastically.
Bella pushed open the door to Ginny's bedroom and Ginny sat up on her bed with a start.
"Hermione's here." Bella said.
"You gave me a fright." Ginny chuckled.
"Tonight, you and Ginny are going to sleep in here." Bella explained to Hermione. "Then tomorrow it'll be me, you, Ginny, Freya and Emily in here while Ron and Harry sleep in our room."
"Okay." Hermione smiled brightly.
Ron appeared in the door way behind them, a sort of awkward smile on his face.
"Hey, Hermione."
"Hi." she replied, smiling brightly at him.
The rest of the day passed quickly and Bella was in bed early that night, happily waiting for the rest of her friends to arrive.
"What's gotten into you?" Ron chuckled as Bella lay on her back, staring at the ceiling.
"I'm too excited to sleep." Bella said, still staring at the ceiling.
"You're mental." Ron replied, climbing into bed.
"Least I'm not boring like you." Bella retorted, turning so she faced away from him.
"Don't be like that." Ron said, a teasing hint to his tone.
"Get stuffed, Ronald Weasley." Bella said, turning slightly to stick her tongue out at him.
"That's more like it." he laughed, turning out the light.
Bella was shaken awake the next morning and she opened her eyes to find Freya hanging over her.
"I wondered when you would come back to the land of the living." Freya laughed, standing beside the bed.
"What time is it?" Bella asked groggily.
"9 o'clock." Freya replied.
"You're early." Bella chuckled.
"My dad dropped me and Emily off about ten minutes ago." Freya said. "Emily's talking to Hermione and Ginny."
Just then, Ron let out a loud grunt in his sleep and both girls laughed.
"Let's leave his majesty to sleep." Bella said, standing from the bed.
Bella led Freya back out into the hallway and pulled their bedroom door shut behind her. She heard voices in the kitchen down below and leant over the bannister.
"Hey, trouble." Charlie smiled, looking up at her.
"Charlie!" she cried.
Bella abandoned Freya on the top landing of the Burrow and raced, as fast as her feet would take her, down the many stairs. She jumped down the last two steps and crashed into Charlie's arms. He chuckled and lifted her into the air, hugging her tightly.
"I thought you weren't coming until tonight." Bella said, muffled as she buried her head in the crook of his neck.
"We wanted to surprise you." Charlie replied.
"We?" Bella asked, pulling back. She looked over Charlie's shoulder and spotted Bill, talking to their father, in the living room.
"I'm so glad you're home." Bella said.
"Me too." Charlie replied.
He set her down on the ground just as Freya stepped into the kitchen.
"Charlie," Bella said, taking Freya's hand and pulling her further into the kitchen. "- this is Freya, one of my best friends."
"Nice to meet you, Freya." Charlie smiled.
"You too," Freya replied. "- I've heard a lot about you."
"What have you been telling people about me, Bella." Charlie teased.
"That you're ugly and you smell." Bella teased back, sticking out her tongue.
Charlie gasped in mock horror; "Ugly? This face?"
"Yes, that one." Bella laughed.
"Alright, I'll give you that one." he chuckled.
After the introductions were out of the way, Bella and the others sat around waiting until her father, Ron, Fred and George could go and bring Harry home.
"You boys behave, now!" her mother scolded Fred and George
"We're only going to pick Harry up, mum." Fred said.
"What could we possibly do to get us into trouble?" George added.
Fred turned his head to where Bella was sitting on the couch behind him and winked at her and she winked back. Fred went first, patting his trouser pocket discreetly; George followed, Ron after him and her father brought up the rear.
"Those boys." her mother sighed, shaking her head.
Bella, Ginny, Freya, Emily and Hermione filled Charlie and Bill in on everything they had been up to at school.
"... and Snape flew off the handle! Went mental! Thought he was going to explode!" Bella finished, nearly crying with laughter.
"Fred and George are rubbing off on you." Bill laughed.
"It wasn't me!" Bella cried. "I wasn't even there."
"A likely story." Charlie sniggered.
Fred chose that moment to tumble through the grate, tears of laughter rolling down his cheeks. He fell to the floor, trying to stop laughing. George mirrored hun, falling out of the grate on top of Fred.
"What did you do?" Charlie asked, laughing at their brothers shrieks of laughter.
Ron stepped out of the grate behind Fred and George, looking down at them in admiration. Fred and George were still rolling around on the floor in fits of laughter. Harry came next, looking shocked and excited at whatever had gone on in the Muggles home.
"Oh Harry." Bella breathed, rushing over to him. "I'm so happy to see you."
"I'm happy to see you too, Bella." Harry said.
"I cannot believe you boys!" their father scolded the second he stepped from the grate. "You just wait until I tell your mother what you've done!"
"What have they done?" their mother asked as she appeared behind their father.
Everyone vacated the room (Fred and George crept away in the crowd but their mother dragged them back to the living room by their ears), wanting to escape their mother's wrath. They could hear their mother shouting from the living room by the time they reached Ron and Bella's attic room and Bella winced, glad her rage wasn't being inflicted on her.
"I'm so glad you're all here." Bella smiled. "This summer is going to be the best!"
