Lyla jumped as the stranger's warm breath tickled her earlobe. She swung around viciously, got to her feet and was standing face to face with large, broad shoulders. Her eyes traveled up to meet the bright blue eyes and focus on the wide jaw speckled with red stubble, rutted nose crooked smile that made up the vaguely familiar face looking down at her
"You know each other?" Jerry laughed looking between Lyla and his friend. Jerry's friend nodded, still smiling down at Lyla, not breaking eye contact as Lyla narrowed her eyes trying to place his face.
"Lyla Esmeralda Murphy" Jerry's friend said, his eyes traveled up to her scalp "Your hair is different" Lyla subconsciously put her fingers to her roots "No!" Jerry's friend said frantically, "I-I like it"
His gaze was starting to make her uncomfortable "I-I'm sorry. I can't place your face" she shrugged. The stranger blinked and looked down, his smile faltering.
"Uhh, Lyla, this is my friend Charlie Weasley" Jerry chimed in, trying to make the best of an awkward situation as he always did "I believe he was your year, a Gryffindor" Jerry slapped Charlie on the back proudly.
Lyla's eyes grew wide and she took a step back to look at Charlie "Charlie…Weasley?" she said and then started laughing. Charlie turned his gaze to the floor and started shifting uncomfortably on his feet. "I'm sorry, Charlie" she said, still smiling and placing her hand on his arm, feeling his large bicep. Her touch brought his eyes instantly back to hers "I'm sorry you just…you look…you got really…" she couldn't seem to find the right words as they stared into each other's eyes as her fingers rested against his defined muscle.
Charlie hoisted a shining grin back onto his face "Hey, we all changed" he twirled the end of her hair in between two of her fingers and winked. She dropped her hand heavily to her side
"Yeah" she said breathlessly
"Hey George" said Fred loudly behind them
"Yes Fred?" replied his twin
"Get me a knife, will you?"
"What for, brother?"
"To cut this tension with"
Lyla blinked and turned back around to face the group, smiling, and sat back down. Charlie pulled up the stump next to her and Jerry next to him. Steven and Arthur had been talking about something called a ruler and began excitedly explaining it to the rest of the group.
A few minutes later Alicia gave out a squeak and everyone turned their head to follow her gaze. Walking toward their group was a girl with light brown, curly hair and a light dusting of freckles across her light skin, a tall, gangly, red-headed boy and another boy with messy black hair and green eyes behind a pair of glasses.
"Harry Potter" Alicia whispered in Lyla's ear.
Lyla pinched her elbow and hissed in her ear, "Calm down crazy." Alicia pouted and crossed her arms but kept her mouth shut nonetheless.
"More of yours, Arthur?" Ethan guffawed, standing up to make room for the newcomers and to extend his hand to them
"No, no" Arthur chuckled, "Just the red-head. Ron this is Ethan, Ethan this is Hermione Granger and, of course you know, Harry Potter"
Lyla's uncle shook everyone's hand as they were introduced to him and said, "Nice to meet you." but he held Harry's hand for a fraction longer, giving him a flighting but meaningful look. "The one's you don't recognize here are mine" he explained and waved his hand, signaling everyone else to introduce themselves.
"Hi, I'm Steven" Steven said, half-standing up to shake everyone's hand
"Jerry, nice ta meet ya"
"A-Alicia" she said, just waving from her seat
"I'm Lyla"
"This is Lyla" Charlie said at the same time that she did. They both looked at each other, and then away.
"Ay, Charlee, come help me get some Butterbeer. It's not an Irish match if I don't get a little forgetful beforehand" said Jerry, standing up and patting Charlie on the back to signal him to go to the Murphy's tent.
Steven, Fred, George, Harry and Ron went into the tent to paint their faces for the match. Hermione sat in Steven's seat.
"So, Hermione" Lyla said "What year are you in school?"
"Fourth year" she replied, politely
"Alicia is going in to Hogwarts this year" Lyla explained, nodding at her sister
"Oh how lovely!" Hermione said, "Are you excited?"
Alicia nodded silently and Lyla knocked her knee into Alicia's leg to tempt her into speaking "Yes" Alicia croaked, "I'm nervous too though." She and Hermione spoke at length about school and what to expect.
Charlie and Jerry came back just as the sky was beginning to glow with the light of the setting sun. They passed around some bottles of Butterbeer to those who were of age in the circle.
By the time the sun finally set, they were all drinking and laughing; a mixture of the Butterbeer and the, now lit, campfire warming Lyla's cheeks. When it was finally time to head toward the pitch Lyla Fred and George to put an Irish flag on her cheek and Jerry handed her a huge green and white fabric top hat with shamrocks all over it and a blinking green necklace. She wore them proudly as all the members of the Weasley and Murphy clan walked down to the pitch. They were all singing and shouting with everyone else and Jerry hoisted Alicia onto his shoulders so she could see over everyone else's heads. Lyla and Charlie mixed in between their two families laughing and joking about the old times, he, too, had allowed his brothers to give him minimal amounts of Irish war paint. When they reached the entrance and had to go their separate ways, Uncle Ethan going with the Weasley's to the Top Box and the Murphy's walking all the way up the steps to their seats that were level with the Keeper's posts.
After two amazing openings from Bulgaria and Ireland, the amazing seats they had to sit so close to all the action, a great time with family and friends, and, not to mention, Ireland winning the World Cup. It really was an amazing experience and a night of a lifetime.
After hours of jubilation from Ireland's win and when Jerry finally lost his voice after screaming so much Lyla laid down in her bunk above Alicia's, exhausted and sore but excitement still coursing through her veins and cheers pounding in her ears.
