Draco watched as his father and mother played their third round of Wizard's Chess. Each had won one round already, and this round was being played to determine the ultimate winner.

If Draco had not known that his parents loved each other, the expressions on their faces would have worried him. They were clearly in "conquer the enemy no matter the cost" mode. The atmosphere inside the Malfoys' tent was definitely intense.

Draco watched his parents play in great interest. He was not as good at Wizard's Chess as they were, and they were about equal in ability. There was definitely no telling who would eventually end up winning, and Draco was enjoying every moment of it.

There was suddenly the sound of voices coming from outside their tent. Draco immediately recognized his friends Gregory Goyle's and Vincent Crabbe's voices, along with the voices of their fathers and mothers.

Lucius and Narcissa looked up from the board, their faces clearly conflicted. They knew that the proper thing to do would be to end their game immediately and to go greet their guests. At the same time, though, it was clear that they really wanted to finish. Lucius and Narcissa were not often competitive with each other, but on the few occasions that they were, it was unwise to get in their way.

"I'll go greet them and keep them entertained until you two finish this round," Draco offered. "Just please let me know which one of you ends up winning."

Lucius and Narcissa nodded their heads in appreciation before directing all their attention back to the chess board.

Draco lifted up the tent flap and walked outside, where the Goyles and the Crabbes were standing outside.

Gregory and Vincent immediately rushed over to greet Draco. They clapped their huge hands on his shoulders.

Draco winced slightly. His friends really did not know their own strength.

Draco then walked over to their parents. He nodded his head politely at their fathers, both of which nodded back.

Draco next directed his attention to Gregory's and Vincent's mothers. He took Georgina Goyle's hand and kissed it, and he afterwards did the same with Nicola Crabbe's hand.

"You are such a gentleman like your father," Georgina smiled sweetly.

"I wish I could get my son to do that," Nicola smiled with clear affection.

"My parents will be out shortly," Draco spoke. "They're finishing a very intense game of Wizard's Chess."

"Then we better stay out of your tent," Georgina responded in understanding.

She then pulled out her wand and used it to conjure herself a chair.

Nicola did the same with her wand.

"How have you all been doing lately?" Draco inquired politely.

"Very wonderful, thank you for asking, Draco," Nicola answered. "I know that my husband and son, though, can't wait for the World Cup to get started. It's all they've been talking about lately."

"Same here," Georgina laughed.

Draco exchanged grins with Gregory and Vincent. He couldn't wait to start talking about Quidditch with them.

The tent flap lifted up, and Lucius and Narcissa stepped outside.

"Lucius, Cissa, you two didn't have to rush your game on our behalf," Georgina spoke.

"You didn't rush us, Georgina," Narcissa responded reassuringly.

"We were about done when you arrived," Lucius added as he took Georgina's hand and kissed it.

"So, which one of you two ended up winning?" Nicola asked as Lucius went to give her hand a kiss.

Lucius hesitated for a moment before saying somewhat sheepishly, "I did. But it was a very close game."

"Your games always are," Georgina smiled.

"Hi, Pansy, Mrs. Parkinson, Mr. Parkinson, sir," Draco spoke up, catching sight of the three approaching figures. "How are you all doing?"

"We were having the loveliest morning, until we met that Muggle at the gate," Pansy answered, a nasty expression on her face. "Guess what he called us? He called us 'weirdos?'"

"He did the same with us," Draco replied sympathetically.

Pansy wrinkled her nose in disgust. "We shouldn't have to tolerate that. It's not right."

"What was the Ministry thinking anyways, having a Muggle so near to a Wizarding event?" Iris Parkinson added.

"That was the exact same thing I was wondering, Mrs. Parkinson," Draco responded politely.

"It wouldn't surprise me if Dumbledore was involved in all this somehow," Lucius sneered. "No doubt he thought that forcing us to have to speak with a Muggle would encourage us to start relations with them."

Everyone made faces of disgust at Lucius's words.

"If something is not done, Dumbledore will be the downfall of our kind," a man's voice spoke.

"Nott," Lucius greeted. "Theo."

An older man was walking towards them. A teenage boy Draco's age was by his side. He didn't look happy to be there.

Draco wasn't surprised. He knew that Theodore Nott did not care much for Quidditch. He would much rather be reading a book than watching a Quidditch match.

"Lucius, it's good to see you," Mr. Nott said, exchanging a brief handshake with Lucius.

"Mr. Malfoy," Theodore greeted respectfully. He then handed Lucius a book. "Here is the book you allowed me to borrow. I finished it just last night. It was very interesting and enlightening."

"Anytime you want to discuss it with me, you can," Lucius offered.

"Now, now, Lucius," Mr. Nott spoke, "give Theo a little break. He is on vacation, after all."

Theodore frowned slightly at his father.

"Why didn't anyone tell me about this little party over here?" a woman's voice asked.

"Rosalind," Lucius greeted. "Blaise."

Rosalind Zabini and her son Blaise both nodded their heads at Lucius. Blaise then made his way over to Draco, Theodore, Pansy, Gregory, and Vincent.

"May we be excused?" Draco asked politely.

"Of course," Lucius answered.

Draco motioned for the other teenagers to follow him some distance away from the adults.

"I can't wait to see Victor Krum in action," Draco said excitingly.

Gregory and Vincent nodded their heads in agreement. Their eyes were gleaming with anticipation.

"Oh, come now, Draco," Pansy giggled. "Krum has nothing on you."

Blaise rolled his eyes. "I suppose that's why Potter is always beating him."

"You know how the school favors Potter, Blaise," Draco snapped.

"Don't you two dare get in an argument that involves Potter," Theodore snarled. "I hear enough about him at Hogwarts, and my father is always complaining about him as well. I need a break from hearing Potter's name."

"All right, all right, Theo," Blaise said, holding his hands up in surrender, "there's no need to get so hostile. Now, who do you think is going to win, Bulgaria or Ireland?"

"I really could care less," Theodore grumbled.

"Well, Draco, I know that you care," Blaise spoke. "Want to make a bet?"

Draco looked over at his parents to make sure that they weren't paying attention to him. To his relief, they were focused on their conversations with the other adults.

"I bet one hundred Galleons that Ireland will win but Krum will catch the Snitch," Draco said.

"Really?" Blaise responded, a doubtful look on his face. "All right, Draco, if you're willing to part with that much money, that's fine with me."

"I think Draco knows more about Quidditch than you do, Blaise," Pansy sneered.

"I guess we'll find out soon, Pansy," Blaise smirked.

"How much will you be betting?" Draco asked.

"Two hundred Galleons on Bulgaria winning," Blaise offered smugly.

"No matter how many of your mother's husbands die and leave her money, your family will never have as much money as my family does," Draco said, his face just as smug as the other boy's face had been. "I'll raise my bet to three hundred Galleons."

Blaise scowled at Draco but he said, "I accept your challenge."

"You're not going to raise your bet to match mine?" Draco smirked.

"Fine," Blaise smirked back, "three hundred Galleons on Bulgaria winning."

"You have none of your mother's finesse," Draco responded. "It's a deal." He then turned to Gregory and Vincent. "What about you two? How much will you be betting?"

Gregory and Vincent looked at each other.

"Um, we better not," Gregory finally said. "Sorry, Draco."

"Perhaps those two have more brains that I gave them credit for," Theodore muttered to himself.

All the teenagers turned when they suddenly heard the sounds of many people Apparating.

The people were salesman, and they were carrying trays and pushing carts full with many different types of merchandise.

All the teenagers, even Theodore, looked at each other with grins of delight.

"I wish we could be in the Top Box with you, Narcissa," Iris Parkinson commented, sending a glare at her husband.

"All the Top Box tickets were already sold out when I went to purchase them," Mr. Parkinson responded.

"Then perhaps next time you should buy them sooner," Iris replied sharply. "I am so envious of you and Lucius, Narcissa."

"Blaise and I have seats in the Top Box," Rosalind said smugly.

"Oh, are you and your son personal guests of the Minister of Magic as well?" Lucius asked.

"Well, no," Rosalind replied, now looking somewhat sheepish.

Lucius and Narcissa looked at each other and smirked.

"Well, I've never been much good at politics," Mr. Nott spoke up, "but I did manage to get me and Theo seats in the Top Box. Goyle, Crabbe, what about you two?"

Both Mr. Goyle and Crabbe shook their heads to indicate that they wouldn't be sitting in the Top Box.

Narcissa gave both Nicola and Georgina a sympathetic look.

"It doesn't really matter to us," Nicola spoke. "We really don't care much for Quidditch anyways. Besides, with a sport like Quidditch, it's impossible not to have a good seat at least at some point during the match. I have no doubt that the action will be a little bit everywhere."

"That's what makes Quidditch exciting," Mr. Crabbe grinned at his wife.

"Father, Mother," Draco's voice spoke suddenly, "would it be all right if we go buy some souvenirs? There's salespeople everywhere."

Lucius and Narcissa looked at each other. Narcissa nodded her head.

"It's all right with us," Lucius spoke. "I don't know about the others, though."

All the adults waved their hands to indicate that it was just fine with them if their children went off for a while to do some shopping.

"Stay together, though," Narcissa said. "Don't go wandering off alone. It's easy to get hurt in a crowd this huge. And try not to be gone for too long."

"Yes, Mother," Draco responded.

"Yes, Mrs. Malfoy," the other teenagers said.

Narcissa watched with a fond expression on her face as the teenagers excitingly walked off.

"I think I'm going to be leaving for a while as well," Lucius said to his wife. "I need to stretch my legs. Do you need anything, Narcissa?"

"I have everything I need, Lucius," Narcissa smiled. "Don't worry about me. Go enjoy yourself."

Lucius nodded his head at the other adults before walking off as well.

Narcissa could not help but look at her husband's rear end as he slowly disappeared from sight. She really was lucky in more ways than one.

Narcissa smirked ever so slightly.

"And us men will be going off to have some men talk," Mr. Nott spoke up. "You ladies probably want to have some woman talk anyways."

"It doesn't matter to me," Narcissa responded with an elegant shrug of her shoulders. "Ladies, shall we go into the tent? There's some fruit and wine that we can have."

"That sounds good to me, Narcissa," Georgina replied. "Thank you for your offer."

The other women echoed their agreement.