Chapter 05: A Surprise at the Cup!
"Mr Crouch, would you like a cup of tea?" Percy asked as his boss had arrived shortly later.
"Oh!" Mr Crouch had not noticed Percy at the moment, "Yes- thank you, Weatherby." All the Weasley kids, minus Percy, all chocked on their drinks, or food in which they had been continuing to eat. Percy was very pink in the face with embarrassment. "Oh, and I've been wanting to have a word with you too, Arthur." Mr Crouch said, his eyes falling upon Mr Weasley as they began talking about flying carpets and amongst other sorts. They changed the topic minutes later to the Cup preparations.
"Although there is still plenty left to organize, eh?" Ludo Bagman said catching the kids attentions.
"We agreed not to make the announcement until all the details-"
"Oh, details!" Ludo Bagman said waving the word away like a cloud of smoke. "They've signed, haven't they? They've agreed, haven't they? I bet you anything these kids'll know soon enough anyways. I mean, it's happening at Hogwarts-"
"Ludo, we need to meet the Bulgarians, you know." Mr Crouch said, deciding to pull Ludo Bagman away from the Weasley before he told any more. "Thank you for the tea, Weatherby." Mr Crouch had not taken one sip of the tea, but handed it back to Percy nonetheless. Bagman got to his feet and left with Mr Crouch, the gold coins chinking in his pockets as he walked. "I'll see you in the box!" Ludo Bagman called waving at them before the two men Apparated away.
"What's happening at Hogwarts, dad?" Fred asked as soon as the two men Disapparated. "What were they talking about?"
"You'll find out soon enough." Mr Weasley said with a smile.
"It's classified information, until such time as the Ministry decides to release it." Percy said stiffly, "Mr Crouch was quite right not to disclose it."
"Oh shut up, Weatherby." Both Fred and George shot at him, receiving yet another nasty look from Percy.
Once lunch was done with Fred, George and Kellie decided to have a look around, promising they would be back in time for the match. "How much did you say you brought?" Fred questioned as the two twins hovered over Kellie's shoulder as she pulled a large box out of her bag.
"It's in here." She said, "And not just ton-tongue toffees..."
"What else?" George said with an amused grin.
She opened it up and they spotted ton-tongue toffees, fake wands, jelly-leg jello cups, confusion cotton-candy, and many other of the trios inventions. "And don't forget these." She grinned pulling out order forms. "I was able to make a couple of copies before we left."
"How many?"
"Let's say enough to get us about 100 customers." Kellie grinned at the twins who grinned back approvingly. She pulled out a small bag, a purse of sorts, and opened it once she closed the box. "Slip that into there for me, Fred." She instructed as she pulled out a folder, "George, slip these into the folder, I have two folders. One for unused order forms, the other for submitted order forms."
"Genius, you are." Fred grinned as the box slipped into the bag, the bag appearing to have held nothing. George slipped the folders into it as well.
"I know." She said with a smile before she closed up her bag of items she had brought and slipped it under her bed.
"So this is where you'll be sleeping?" George teased.
"Let's go." Kellie said ignoring him. The three of them left, waving a farewell to the group of Weasleys before setting off.
"Never before seen or tasted treats!" Fred called as they walked, rows away from Weasley's campsite. "Weasley Wizard Wheezes! Get them now before everyone else does!"
Ludo Bagman appeared from one of the tents and walked over to them, "I recognized that voice." Fred and George grinned, Ludo had loved the fake wands, "What goods to you have now?"
"Why Kellie, why don't you tell the man what we have in store." Fred said as Kellie pulled the box out, and the order forms. George took the box while Kellie handed an order form to Ludo Bagman.
"We have variety of sorts, Mr Bagman." Kellie began, "As you see on the order form, we have ton-tongue toffees, fake wands, jelly-leg jello cups, confusion cotton-candy, plug-up pastries, and so much more. If you need any help for any explanation, Fred will take the leg."
"Fascinating, quite really!" Ludo Bagman said like an excited school-boy. "What in the world are plug-up pastries?"
"Don't want to go to a family reuinion? Maybe not wanting to have to go shopping with the wife? Plug-up pastries has your back by plugging up your nose, and allowing you to give the signs of congestion, without feeling them." Fred explained.
"And you three come up with them?" Mr Bagman said looking at the three kids.
"As young as we can remember." George grinned.
"Who's the mastermind that knows the spells?"
"She is." Both twins said gesturing to Kellie.
"My dear, you have amazing skill to be able to preform these." Ludo Bagman said with a grin. "Barty! C'mere Barty!" Ludo Bagman called spotting the older man, Percy's boss. "Look at these, Barty!"
Mr Crouch walked over and exaimined it, "Coughing Cauldron Cakes?" He said looking it over, "And these actually work?" Fred handed Mr Crouch as fake wand and he gave it a swing, it squawking and turning into a rubber chicken.
"Fascinating, isn't it, Barty?" Ludo Bagman said with a spring in his amusement. "This young lady is the mastermind behind the spells."
"Experimentals?" Mr Crouch said and Kellie nodded, licking her lips slightly in slight nervousness that he might figure out they had used magic under aged and out of school. "Have you heard of the Experimental Charms Department?"
"Just today." Kellie said indulgently. "Weatherby had been telling me about it." Fred and George held back their snorts of laughter as Mr Crouch took no notice the difference between Weatherby and Weasley.
"What's your group called here?" Mr Crouch asked as Ludo handed Mr Crouch the order form.
"Weasley Wizard Wheezes." Fred told him.
"I'll have to remember that..." Ludo said to himself.
"We must be off." Mr Crouch told Ludo Bagman, "Miss... Weasley?"
"Oh no!" Kellie said embarrassed, "Kellie Cotton, sir. How rude of me."
"Miss Cotton, I look forward to seeing you at the Ministry for a job in the future, am I to presume?" Mr Crouch asked her.
"Yes, Mr Crouch." She beamed at him, excited.
After a couple of hours of selling stuff, they made their way back towards the camp, sliding everything back into Kellie's bag. "Now, I'm going to hold onto the money so it's not suspicious that you two got any more money." Kellie explained, "Seeing as you gave all your saving up to gamble."
"You'll see, love." Fred said wrapping an arm around her shoulders, "We'll be rich by the end of the game."
They made their way back to camp where everyone else prepared to get ready to go. "What did you three do? Cause mayhem?" Percy sneered at the twins.
"Actually we ran into Mr Bagman and Mr Crouch." Kellie said, knowing Percy would be pleased to hear that she was introduced to Mr Crouch properly and he was hoping to see her once out of school at the Ministry.
"That's great." Mr Weasley said hearing the conversation.
"So you're going to pursue work at the Ministry?" Percy said happily.
"I'm counting it as an option." Kellie told him, "Although Bill was telling me the other day about when he was curse breaker... that sounded pretty interesting too." She grinned at all the possibilities, "I just don't want to be an assistant is all, Perce."
They made their way through venders, Harry buying Omniculars for himself, Ron and Hermione while Fred and George constantly begged Kellie for some money to buy some things. "No." She said another time, "We agreed so it wouldn't be conspicuous."
"Then buy us something." Fred whined, "A hat even."
"Fine." Kellie sighed fetching her money that she had gotten from her burger joint, mixed in with the Galleons, Sickles and knuts. "Hey, can I get two rosettes?" She asked one of the vendors, "I'll give you a fake wand, and five Muggle euros, along with 3 Sickles." Kellie bargained.
"And why would Ineed Muggle money?" The wizard asked.
"Because," Kellie began, "Haven't you ever wanted to taste Muggle food withoutfirst having to do a money exchange at Gringotts first? Or maybe you're stuck in the Muggle world without your wand, in an anti-Apparation zone, and all you have are our form of money, wouldn't you want to be able to buy something?"
"You are right..." The wizard hummed in thought. "You have yourself a deal." Kellie nodded with a smile in approval as she gave the swap.
She turned to the boys and handed them the rosettes, "Thank you Kellie." They both said hugging her tightly. She pulled the same stunt minutes later to get a pair of Omniculars for herself, shifting the three Sickles for two Galleons instead, seeing as the Omniculars were more expensive.
"Have a nice night." She said with a smile as she waved away the wizard. She turned back around and continued to walk with the twins. A gong sounded not long after, and everyone made their way towards the stadium where the Quidditch World Cup would take place.
"Prime seats." The Ministry Witch said as she looked at the tickets, "Top Box! Straight upstairs, Arthur, and as hugh as you can go."
The stairs were carpeted in rich purple, Kellie noticed, the stairs were somehow formed to go directly up. Kellie followed behind Fred, and George behind her so they wouldn't become separated, as they reached the top box. Witches and wizards were filing into their seats, and Fred grabbed hold of Kellie's wrist to stop her from being hit on by another wizard from a different school.
When they reached the top box, they all filed into the front row to look out on the field. Accross from them, Kellie noticed, was a large blackboard at their eyelevel. It had different advertisements going accross it, such as family brooms, and mess removers. "Astounding." Kellie grinned as she looked around. Never before had she seen such a thing.
"Pretty cool, huh?" Fred asked as he sat back in his seat on Kellie's left, while George sat on her right.
"Blimey it is." Kellie stood from her seat and looked over the railing at the people filing into their seats, "I've never seen so many witches and wizards!" Both twins joined her on either side and gazed around.
"Looking for Cedric Diggory, are we?" Fred teased, causing Kellie to blush.
"N-no!" She huffed as she tore her eyes from Fred. She looked down around the stadium, "He didn't tell me where his seat was."
"So you're saying that if he told you were his seat was, you'd be looking for him then?" Fred picked up, easy to find Kellie's simple holes.
"No!" She said not looking at Fred while she licked her lips, looking around.
"It says here A display of the team mascots will precede the match." Hermione read loudly getting everyones attention.
"Oh, that's always worth watching." Mr Weasley said happily, "National teams bring creatures from their native land, you know, to put on a bit of a show."
"Well Ireland is obviously Leprechauns." Kellie said, "Wonder what Bulgaria will be."
The next half hour proved to be important as Mr Weasley shook hands with many of the people that entered the top box and Percy kept jumping to his feet so often it looked like he was trying to see on a hedgehog. Once the Minister of Magic arrived, Percy jumped up, bowed so low, his glasses fell and shattered on the floor. Kellie and the twins looked away to stop themselves from laughing at Percy's rather clumsiness.
The Minister was accompanied by the Bulgarian Minister, and he was introduced to Harry, who Fudge had made look like they were old friends, much to the dislike of Percy. The Bulgarian Minister didn't speak English, but knew who Harry was by the scar on his forehead. "Must suck to be you." Kellie mumbled as she leaned over to Harry. "If I were you, I'd try to hide the scar and see if people recognized you without it."
Harry half laughed at the thought when the Ministers' voice rang over once more, "Ah, and here's Lucius!" The Minister greeted him as he, his rat faced son Draco, and his wife, a tall, thin, blond woman who looked like she had smelt something nasty- Kellie assumed and pointed out to George who was next to her, that it must be because Lucius Malfoy tries so hard to woo her that it makes her want to throw up- and had received a quite powerful glare from her, as if she had heard Kellie's comment.
"Ah, Fudge." Lucius Malfoy said, shaking the Ministers' hand, "How are you? I don't think you've met my wife, Narcissa? Or our son, Draco?"
"How do you do, how do you do?" said Fudge, smiling and bowing to Narcissa Malfoy. "And allow me to introduce you to Mr Oblansk- Obalonsk- Mr- well he's the Bulgarian Minister of Magic, and he can't understand a word I'm saying anyway, so never mind. And let's see who else- you know Arthur Weasley, I daresay?"
"Yes you would daresay." Fred said in an undertone that Kellie almost didn't catch. The moment was tense before Lucius Malfoy made a crude remark to the Weasleys, "Good lord, Arthur. " he was speaking softly, as if the Minister could not hear him, "What did you have to sell to get seats in the Top Box? Surely your house wouldn't have fetched this much?"
Lucius Malfoys comment was not heard by the Minister, who had been distracted, but was brought back, "Lucius has just given a verygenerous contribution to St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries, Arthur. He's here as my guest."
"How- how nice." Mr Weasley had forced out, with a very strained smile.
Mr Malfoy gazed towards Hermione, who blushed under the gaze, before his eyes landing on Kellie. "And who's this young lady I haven't seen before?"
"That's Kellie Cotton, father." Draco sneered a gaze to her, unnoticed by the Minister or anyone else in the box that wasn't apart of the two groups.
"Oh?" Lucius Malfoys lip curled like it had with Hermione. "I see..." Kellie gave him a nasty look before turning back around towards the stadium. She knew by his tone that he was judging her like he had to Hermione, who was a muggleborn like herself.
"Everybody ready?" Ludo Bagman had appeared, happier than ever, "Minister- ready to go?"
"Ready as you are, Ludo." The Minister said comfortably.
Ludo pulled his wand out and directed it at his throat, "Sonorus!"
The next time he spoke, his voice carried over the stadium as everyone began to hush to hear what he had to say. "Ladies and gentlemen... WELCOME! Welcome to the final of the four hundred and twenty-second Quidditch World Cup!" The screams and clapping overpowered Ludo Bagman who paused to let it die down. "And now, without further ado, allow me to introduce... the Bulgarian National Team Mascots!" The scarlet side of the stadium roared in approval.
"I wonder what they brought." Mr Weasley contemplated, as he leaned over his seat to see like the rest of the Weasley, Harry, Hermione and Kellie. "Aaah!" He shouted removing his glasses and cleaning them, "Veela!"
"Veela?" The twins asked, looking to Kellie for an answer.
A hundred Veela's were now gliding out onto the field and the question was soon answered. They were women far more beautiful than any ordinary women. Their skin was shining bright as the moon, and their golden white hair fanned out behind them without wind. Soon music began and the veela began to dance.
Kellie watched in amazement at the girls, occasionally grabbing Fred from diving out of the Top Box and onto the Quidditch floor were they were dancing. The music had picked up, and the veelas danced faster. She reached out and grabbed Fred once more and pulled him back, "Fred, stop it. You're going to hurt yourself." She stated and he sat back once more, watching them. "You too, George!" Kellie said having to grab George from accompanying Fred.
When the veela stopped dancing, angry yells could be heard, all which came from the guys. Kellie mused as she watched Percy, Ron, Charlie, Fred, George and even Bill all shouting down for the veelas to continue. She glanced to the other girls, Hermione rolling her eyes and and Ginny giggling and finding it amusing.
"And now," roared Ludo Bagman's voice, "kindly put your wands in the air... for the Irish National Teem Mascots!"
In the moment it was said, green and gold comets came zooming into the stadium. It did a circuit around the stadium before splitting into much more smaller comets, each hurling towards the goal posts. A rainbow arced suddenly across the field, connecting the two balls of light. The crowd oooohed and aaaaahed, as though at a fireworks display. Now the rainbow faded and the balls of light reunited and merged; they had formed a great shimmering shamrock, which rose up into the sky and began to soar over the stands. Something like golden rain seemed to be falling from it.
Kellie recognized it instantly as fool's gold as Ron began to collect the gold. "Ron, you do know-"
"There you go, Harry." Ron said as he handed Harry the gold. "For the omnioculars! Now you've got to buy me a Christmas present, ha!" He seemed to think he had defeated the purpose.
"Ron-"
"Don't worry about it Kellie. Everyone can have some gold." He said with a large grin. Kellie sighed in defeat, knowing she wasn't going to be able to get through to Ron until the gold would disappear from his hands.
The game soon started and it went by quick. The quaffle was passed between players, and it was being scored on Bulgaria much more than it was on Ireland. A couple of fouls, and Irelands seeker crashing a couple more times later, Bulgarian seeker, the hawk-looking Viktor Krum, caught the snitch.
Kellie was standing like the rest of everyone in the area and she looked to the scoreboard, Bulgaria: 160, Ireland: 170. "IRELAND WINS!" Ludo Bagman's voice boomed. "KRUM GETS THE SNITCH, BUT IRELAND WINS THE MATCH!" Everyone seemed taken back much like Ludo Bagman was. "Good lord, I don't think any of us were expecting that!"
"We were!" The twins chimed clasping their hands together and started to their victory dance, chanting a "We're rich!"
"And the Irish team preforms a lap of honor, flanked by their mascots, the Quidditch World Cup itself is brought into the Top Box!" Ludo Bagman roared. Once the teams had entered the box and got their applause each, the Quidditch Cup was handed to the Irish team and soon, they were taking a victory lap as Ludo Bagman pointed to his throat with a word of, "Quietus-" And his voice soon came out hoarse as he began to talk, "They'll be talking about this one for years."
"I'll say." Charlie said with a grin of excitement still.
"Ah, yes... yes, I owe you... how much?" Ludo Bagman asked as the twins marched over, hands in front of them awaiting their new found riches.
"I'm going to be hearing about this one for years." Kellie mumbled, Ginny catching wind of it and let out an amused laugh.
"Don'ttell your mother you've been gambling." Mr Weasley implored the twins as they all made their way slowly down the stairs.
"Don't worry, Dad." Fred had said cheerfully, "We've got big plans for this money. We don't want it confiscated." Mr Weasley paused for a moment, as if questioning to ask for what, but decided against it.
Once reaching their campsite again, Fred and Georges' pockets jingled loudly with their winnings. Fred pulled Kellie closer to him, "Don't you wish you let us put our earning in on the gamble, love? We'd be even more rich." Kellie laughed and brushed Fred off as they entered the boys tent.
No body had felt like sleeping, and with all the noise coming from around them, Mr Weasley agreed to having one last cup of cocoa together before turning in. They soon got into arguing over the match, and it wasn't until Ginny fell asleep right at the tiny table and spilled her hot chocolate all over the floor that Mr Weasley called it to a half and insisted that everyone go to bed.
Ginny, Hermione and Kellie all left to their tent, Kellie having to listen to Ginny and Hermione giggling madly about Viktor Krum and Cedric Diggory. "They're just boys, girls." Kellie laughed, "They're not famous... well Viktor is, but Cedric sure isn't." Kellie explained as she pulled out pajamas to wear. "They're still like any other guy."
"Does that go the same for George?" Ginny teased and Kellie who blushed and threw her pillow at Ginny, knocking her over.
"Go to sleep, munchkins." Kellie said as Ginny tossed her pillow back to her and they all got changed.
Hermione and Ginny eventually wound down and Kellie waited for them to have their eyes closed before stepping outside of the tent, letting the cold breeze hit her. She closed her eyes, listening to the Irish celebrate and the loud echoing bang coming from someplace around. "It's dangerous to be out alone."
Kellie jumped and turned, unexpected anyone to be around. "I'm not alone now, am I?" She gave George a smile as she looked at him. "What are you doing out here?"
"Couldn't sleep. To excited with thoughts on the shop." George shrugged as a small breeze picked up and Kellie shivered slightly, "Are you cold?" George asked her and she nodded.
"I'll be right back. I'll grab a blanket..." She began to go back into the tent but paused, "It's not safe for you to be out here alone." She told him and he nodded before following her into the tent. She grabbed a blanket and wrapped it around herself before turning back to George. "Are you cold?"
"Me? Never." He said softly so not to wake up Ginny and Hermione.
Kellie reached out to feel if he was lying or not, and retracted her hand almost immediately, "You're freezing!"
"But not cold." George remarked back as they had made their way back outside.
"Smart ass." Kellie laughed before opening her blanket, "We can share."
She hugged him around his torso and the blanket wrapped around the two of them. Fireworks still played in the air of green and gold. "One day fireworks will be bought from our shop." George said as he held Kellie close to him for the heat, and for the sake of her being Kellie Cotton.
Kellie nodded, letting out a small "Hmm." in agreement. She had her eyes closed as she leaned against George in her hug with the blanket.
It was only a minute later, screams were heard, and it wasn't from the Irish. Kellie opened her eyes and stepped away from George, her wand pulled from her pajama pocket. "George, that's the Muggle family!" Kellie said spotting Mr Roberts floating in the air not far away. "Wake the boys..." She turned quickly and went into the girls tent. "Ginny! Hermione! Wake up!"
"What's going on?" Ginny asked groggily.
"There's an attack going on. We need to get out of here." Kellie said grabbing a jacket for Ginny and one for Hermione. "Quick, put your jackets on and shoes. We must leave now." Kellie rushed them as she grabbed her bag, slipping on her coat, her shoes all ready on. "No time to look pretty girls. This is your life right now we're trying to protect."
The three girls left the tent, the boys waiting outside for them. Bill, Charlie, and Percy were fully dressed and wands out. Kellie kept hers held tight in her hand as she looked around. "We're going to help the Ministry!" Mr Weasley shouted over all the noise, rolling up his sleeves like his three eldest had done. "You lot- get into the woods, and stick together. I'll come and fetch you when we've sorted this out!"
"Mr Weasley, I'll-"
Bill cut Kellie off, "You're underage, love, protect the other, Fred- George, you two do the same!" Kellie nodded before she felt one of the twins pull her off in the opposite direction of Bill, Charlie, Percy and Mr Weasley.
Kellie turned to see Fred practically carrying Ginny, who continued to protest with, "Fred, I have my own feet, I can run on my own."
"Come on, Kellie." Fred yelled over Ginny, "Harry, Ron and Hermione are right behind us."
Only a couple minutes later when the four stopped they realized the trio was not behind them. "I'll go find them." Kellie said as they looked around.
"No you're not." Fred shouted at her. "You're going to stay with us."
"Bill told you to stay with us for a very good reason, Kellie." George said grabbing Kellie's arm before she could be stubborn and go and find the trio. "Those are You-know-who's followers." Kellie silently scowled as George continued, "You're a Muggleborn, they'll be sure to make sure you join the Roberts in the air, if that's the easiest of things they do."
"George is right." Fred said before Kellie could. "If you even try to go and find the trio, you might not return back to us."
"What about Hermione?! She's a Muggleborn as well." Kellie shot, glaring from Fred to George.
"She has Ron and Harry. She'll be fine with those two." Ginny spoke up, Fred's hand tightly grasped onto hers.
Kellie licked her lips, a little of her nerves showing through as her hand tightened on her wand more. Fred and George both grabbed Kellie and put her behind them with Ginny as a large bright green light shoot into the air. Ginny grabbed onto Kellie's arm as the colossal skull, comprised of what looked like emerald stars, with a serpent protruding from its mouth like a tongue. As they watched, it rose higher and higher, blazing in a haze of greenish smoke, etched against the black sky like a new constellation.
Kellie's breath caught in her throat as Ginny tightened onto her. Kellie had known that sign. She had seen it in old newspaper articles, read about it. The Dark Mark- he-who-should-not-be-name's mark. "It's over the woods." Kellie said in the sudden silence. "Hermione!"
"She's fine." Fred told Kellie as he grabbed Ginny's hand.
"Fred! George!" Someone's voice echoed and Kellie looked around George's arm.
"Bill! Charlie!" Fred yelled as George turned to Kellie who looked quite panicked.
"Hermione will be fine." George told Kellie as Fred pulled Ginny to to their eldest brothers. He rested his hands on her shoulders, pushing back some of her blond hair that fell from her bun. "We'll go back to the tent and they'll be there, and they will be fine."
"I hope you're right." Kellie sighed as she let George pull her to Bill and Charlie. "Bill, you're arm..." Kellie said spotting the bleeding, "I can't promise I can heal the wound entirely, but I can minimize the bleeding." Kellie said as she raised her wand to his arm.
"Kellie, you're-" She didn't let Bill finish his sentence as she flicked her wand and gave his arm a tap, the wound healing a bit, but the bleeding slowed to a minimum.
"We'll have to wrap it back at the tent." She told Bill, looking up at him with a stern look filled with an emotion of worry and panic.
"Let's get back to the tent." Charlie called, the rip in his shirt very evident.
Sorry it's been so long since I've last updated! I've been busy with some other stuff here and there and my computer wouldn't let me save anything for the longest time. =/ So yes. It is now Chapter five. Reviews anyone? This stories doing really well and I'm glad to hear that! =D You have no idea how much I look forward to seeing new reviews, favorites, C2's, and alerts! =) If Kellie ever starts to become mary-sue, you have to let me know ASAP! I don't want to ruin the story at all! Thank you again!