Happy Valentine's Day!

Chapter 12: Family is Complicated

Clutching their purchases, Arthur Weasley in the lead, they all hurried into the wood, following the lantern-lit trail. There were sounds of thousands of other wizards moving all around them, shouting and laughing, singing and joking. The atmosphere of feverish excitement was highly infectious; none of the kids could keep a grin from their face, even Boston flashed a toothy smile around while they all made their way towards the stadium.

After twenty minutes of walking, talking, and joking loudly, they at last emerged on the other side of the wood to stand in the long-reaching shadow of the gigantic stadium. Kat could only see a little amount of the immense gold walls surrounding the field, but she could still tell that all of Hogwarts could have fit inside, and that included the forbidden forest.

"Seats a hundred thousand," said Arthur to Harry. Kat looked around at the messy-haired boy in the glasses whose eyes were big as Quaffles. "Ministry task force of five hundred have been working on it all year. Muggle Repelling Charms on every inch of it. Every time Muggles have got anywhere near here all year, they've suddenly remembered urgent appointments and had to dash away again . . . bless them," he added fondly, leading the way to the nearest entrance, which was already surrounded by a swarm of shouting witches and wizards.

"Excellent seats!" said a Ministry witch at the entrance when she checked the tickets. "Straight upstairs, Arthur, as high as you can go."

The stairs into the stadium were carpeted with a rich purple. They clambered upwards with the rest of the crowd, which slowly filtered away through doors into the stands to their left and right.

Kat started to lag behind a little, getting winded from all the stairs and Boston turned back to laugh at her for her lack of athleticism.

Boston nodded her head up the stairs and pointed at her own back, indicating to Kat to jump on.

Kat gave her a smile and jumped as high as she could, wrapping her legs around Boston's waist and gripping her shoulders. Boston hooked her arms under Kat's knees and lifted her a bit to sit just above her hip bones. Kat leaned forward into Boston and rested her head on her shoulder, draping her arms over Boston's shoulders and interlocking her fingers.

"You're too good to me, Boston," Kat mused.

Boston just smiled and shrugged.

They made their way up even more, balloons following them every now and again, when Kat heard Ron from up ahead say, "Blimey Dad, how far up are we?"

"Let's put it this way," a voice came from below them, "if it rains, you'll be the first to know." Everyone looked down to see Lucius, Draco, and Narcissa Malfoy.

Boston came to stand on the landing with Ron, Harry, and Hermione, and Kat jumped off her back. Everyone else had stopped on the stairs above them.

Lucius looked like his normal pompous self, opting to ignore the rule about muggle wear, and wore a robe of deep black that seemed to soak up all other color. His long, straight, white-blond hair hung perfectly as he looked up at them all smirking. His hand rested on his walking stick that Kat knew held his wand.

Draco wore a black suit that suited him nicely but seemed a bit old for her 14-year-old cousin, Kat thought.

Narcissa looked like her normal regal self, a pinched expression on her face. Her two-toned black and white hair was wrapped in an elegant knot at the base of her neck and a long black dress covered her milk-white skin.

"We are in the Minister's box," called Draco, "by personal invitation of Cornelius Fudge himself."

"Don't boast, Draco!" said Lucius, jabbing the snakehead of his walking stick harshly into his son's stomach. "There's no need with these people."

Kat ignored her uncle and called, "Cissy!"

"Hello Katherine," Narcissa called back, watching in horror as her niece swung one of her legs over the railing, then the other, lowering herself to their landing. Kat gave her stoic aunt a bone-crushing hug then looked to her younger cousin and reached up to ruffle his pale hair.

"Your father did not mention you would be here," Lucius sneered at her.

Kat waved him off. "Oh don't you worry Lucy, he didn't know."

Lucius started to say something again, but Kat turned away from him and faced Draco. "Minister's box is exciting!" said Kat. "The Weasleys were kind enough to invite me and Boston, but we will see you after, Draco, yeah?"

Draco looked to his father over Kat's head. Of course he was taller than her. "Yeah, maybe Warner, we'll see." Kat rolled her eyes. Draco was always distant when his father was around to see.

"How is darling Vega?" asked Narcissa.

Kat sighed. "Oh she and Bart are the same as always."

Narcissa nodded knowingly. "Well," she started, "with everything happening this year, I know you will be staying at Hogwarts over Holiday, but please feel free to send an owl if you need anything."

"Will do, Cissy!" Kat beamed at her aunt and wondered what she knew about Hogwarts, but knew better than to ask. "Give me a boost, Draco?" she asked, indicating to the rail above.

"I'm sure you could just," he started but stopped with an exasperated look from Kat. He interlocked his fingers in a basket formation and bent his knees. Kat put one foot in his hands and he lifted her quickly as she jumped and grabbed the railing above. Boston helped pull her over the top with a thin drawn line where her mouth used to be.

"See you later!" Kat called down as they all made to continue up the stairs.

"Do enjoy yourself," Lucius called sinisterly, as the head of his cane smacked down, pinning Harry's jacket between it and the railing, "while you can."

Boston looked practically feral at this. Lucius released the boy and gave a smile that was more of a sneer. They all turned away, Hermione shooting them a rude look as they went to climb the stairs again.

Nearly all the way up at the top, the group ran into Amos and Cedric. Boston turned a glorious shade of red that looked very similar to Charlie's hair.

"Just a little farther to go," said Cedric with a smile. Boston dipped her head slightly at him as they continued on.

They reached the very top of the stadium soon after, right as Ludo was giving opening remarks about the World Cup. Amos and Arthur were up ahead talking amongst themselves about the event as a whole and how well everything had gone. Cedric turned to talk to Bill and Charlie about who everyone was supporting and who they thought would actually win.

"Yeah, the four trouble makers even put galleons on the game," Bill commented.

Kat leaned over the railing to get a better look at the oldest Weasley. "Did you just call Boston and I trouble makers?" There was a mocking quality to her voice.

A smile spread across the man's face and he shook his head, making the fang hanging from his ear hit lightly against his jaw. "You two are almost worse than Fred and George and you know it, Kat."

Boston scowled at the man but Kat just laughed. "Oh please Billiam, we are angels and everyone knows it."

"Sure, if by angels you mean poltergeists, then yeah, Boston and you are angels," Charlie said. Cedric let out a breathy laugh that had the hard shell of Boston's features soften and red crept up her neck.

"Watch it!" Kat jokingly warned. "Peeves wouldn't appreciate us encroaching on his territory."

The Hogwarts poltergeist Peeves was legendary. Prankster extoridinare, only the twins really rivaled the spirit in terms of mischief and troublesome behavior. Peeves had been at Hogwarts longer than anyone could remember and loved messing with the students, pushing Kat through the trick step and starting a food fight in the great hall by throwing pudding at Boston, Peeves seemed to love messing with Argus Filch, Hogwarts caretaker, the most. Their "war" against each other was one of the funnier things Kat had experienced at Hogwarts.

They finally settled in their seats; Percy, closest to Arthur, had Bill and Charlie on his other side. Cedric took up the next seat, and somehow Boston ended up in the seat next to him. Kat smiled at her friend but also felt a little bit of pain. There was Hermione, Harry, and Ron between them. Kat took the seat next to Ginny who in turn seemed to have fought off George and Fred for that seat.

They had had to duck under a beam holding up one of the massive lights on their way to their seats. Both Kat and Fred had bashed their heads on the beam, as neither of them were paying much attention to where they were going and were far more interested in the incredible scene around them.

They probably looked a little odd, like a long line of kids smiling from ear to ear and tackling each other for better seats. George hoped that it would always be like this. Their strange family, everyone with a smile on their face, even Boston.