Disclaimer: I do NOT own any characters in J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire and any other parts of the Harry Potter Franchise. I own Cedrella Weasley, and any other character that you do not recognize from the books.
My thoughts were jumbled as I opened my eyes. I rolled over onto my side and looked over at my younger sister, Ginny; her soft snores floating over on the slight breeze from the open window. In between us, Hermione Granger was asleep on a cot. Rolling flat on my back, I stared up at my bedroom ceiling, trying to figure out why today was so special. My eyes roamed over the various posters on my ceiling: The Weird Sister, the Chudley Cannons, and the Irish National Quidditch Team. I shot up in bed. That was it. It was the day of the Quidditch World Cup final: Ireland vs. Bulgaria and Britain was hosting it! How could I have forgotten?
I jumped out of bed and grabbed my towel, jostling Hermione's cot. "Sorry, Hermione! Ginny, wake up!" Ginny opened her eyes and glared at me.
"Ced, what is going on?" Ginny asked. I grinned at her.
"It's Quidditch World Cup Final Day!"
Ginny shot out of bed and grabbed her towel as well. "I'm up! I'm up!" I raced her out of the room. I could hear mum down stairs getting breakfast together. The sun was barely up, yet Ginny and I were running around the house, whooping with excitement. I ran up the stairs to the extra bathroom next to the twins' and Ron's room.
"Ginny, can you keep it down?" Percy complained.
"Perce! It's game day!" Ginny cried out, slamming the bathroom door. I grinned at our older brother's frustrated sigh. Fred opened his bedroom door and glared at me. I smiled at him.
"What the bloody hell is going on?" Fred mumbled sleepily.
"What's today?" I asked him, holding the door of the bathroom open.
"August 22nd…oh!" Fred withdrew his head and slammed the door. I laughed and disappeared in the bathroom. I quickly showered and ran back down to my room. Hermione was up and dressed.
"I'm going to wake up Harry and your twin," Hermione said. I nodded and quickly dressed in my favorite Irish Quidditch shirt and jeans. I toweled my short red hair dry. It barely reached my chin and was straight as a stick. It was easier for me with Quidditch, but it also made me look boyish. I know I shouldn't care, but I was growing up. I was 14 years old and no longer a little girl. I slipped on my red trainers and grabbed my wand and my jacket, sticking my wand in my jeans' back pocket.
Running down the stairs, I entered the kitchen seeing Fred, George, and Ginny sitting at the table enjoying some eggs, bacon, and tea. I slipped into my seat next to George and grabbed a plate, piling eggs and several pieces of bacon on to the dish.
"Oi, leave some for your brothers, Cedrella," Mum smacked my hand lightly with her wand. Little red sparks flew out of the tip. I winced and withdrew my hand.
"Whoa, careful, mum!" I complained. "Ron said I could have his bacon portion."
"I said no such thing." Ron, my twin, came down the stairs, glaring at me. He had grown a ton that summer and so had his red hair. It hung limply in his blue eyes. I grinned at him.
"Early bird gets the worm?" I said, trying to appease him and still get his bacon portion.
"The what?" Ron asked, sitting down across from me and smacking my hand away from his bacon.
"Hermione taught it to me." I explained. "First one here gets served!"
Hermione laughed as she came down the stairs with Harry in tow. "It's first come, first served, Ced!" I laughed and turned back to Ron."
"Exactly, that's what I meant, Ron." I tried again to slip his bacon onto my plate.
Ron smacked my hand again. "Nope, sorry, sister, gimme!" I sighed, rolled my eyes and relinquished my hold on his bacon. "Mum, why do we have to get up before the sun, but Charlie, Bill and Percy don't have to?"
"Because, Ron, dear, you all are using a portkey. Charlie, Bill, and Percy will be apparating to the game." Mum explained. Dad came into the kitchen, holding a bunch of packs.
"Right, time to go," Dad said, "Fred, George, Ron, and Harry, here you go! Ced, Ginny, and Hermione, your packs are by the door."
Chairs scraped back and last minutes grabs for food were made before all eight of us were out the door, packs, jackets, and all, and walking up the hill, just as the sun was beginning to rise. We were walking for a good ten minutes before we were at the bottom of the hill.
"Good morning, Amos!" Dad called to a man standing beneath a tree with a pack on his back and a walking stick in his right hand.
"Ah, Arthur, good to see you, old chap!" Amos Diggory smiled at dad. "You know my son, Cedric?" A tall, burly boy dropped down from the branches of the tree. Cedric Diggory, 17 year old Hufflepuff prodigy, Quidditch Captain, and heart throb of Hogwarts. I heard Hermione and Ginny sigh behind me. I rolled my eyes and looked at Fred and George. The twins were glaring at Cedric like he had killed something of theirs, which he did, their dreams of winning against Hufflepuff.
"Ah, yes, Cedric, good to see you," Dad smiled at the boy. "You probably know all of these kids."
"Yes, sir," Cedric smiled. "Hey Ced, Harry." Harry and I were the only one on good terms with Cedric. Harry nodded and I smiled at the Hufflepuff. I was out for that game and couldn't really blame Cedric for the dementors sneaking onto the pitch last year. That's what caused Harry to pass out and fall from his broom.
The group continued up the hill. Ginny ran ahead and found a manky old boot sitting in the very middle of the hill.
"Is that it, dad?" she cried out. I ran up next to her and looked down at the tattered item. It certainly looked like portkey material.
Mr. Diggory and Dad walked up to the boot with the entire group behind them.
"Yep, that's it, kids," Dad said, walking around to the other side of the boot. "Right now, gather round." Fred, George, Ginny, and I laid flat on our stomachs next to Cedric. I managed to squeeze my hand in to the mix to grab a hold of a piece of lace. Ron, Harry and Hermione were the last ones to lie down. Hermione and Ron held on to the boot. Harry just sat there with a confused look on his face.
"Almost time now!" Mr. Diggory announced. I looked over at Harry as did Dad.
"Harry!" we both cried out at the same time. Harry looked up, scared, and grabbed a hold of the boot. At that moment I felt a pull from my navel and the whole world began to spin around my head. The wind rushed around us.
"All right, let go!" Dad yelled at us.
"WHAT?" all seven of us yell back.
"Let go!" Dad instructed. With that, I let go of the boot. My sense of gravity left and I fell through the air. I screamed as the wind rushed through my hair. I had never traveled by portkey before. My fall slowed and I hit the ground with a nice thump. I looked around and saw Fred, George, Ginny, Ron, Harry and Hermione all flat on their backs. Looking up, I saw dad, Mr. Diggory, and Cedric calmly walking through the air and gently landing on their feet. Of course, Cedric would be a pro at portkeys. He is a ministry official's kid.
I got to my feet, helping Ginny up. We followed the Diggorys to a great big camping site. There as far as the eye could see were wizards and witches, hyped up on the excitement of the Quidditch World Cup.
"See you later, Arthur!" Mr. Diggory and Cedric waved and disappeared among the crowds.
"Right, this way!" Dad led the way through the crowds. "Look for a sign with our name on it." The crowd was filled with chattering witches and wizards all in either Irish Green or Bulgarian Red. Ginny, Hermione, and I giggled as three very attractive wizards passed us. One with a very close hair cut winked at me. I blushed so red, my skin clashed with my red hair. He was wearing Bulgarian Red, too bad I'm an Irish fan. We finally got to where we were staying. There was one great big tent waiting for us.
"Right, in we go." Dad held the tent flap open. I entered first with Ginny and Hermione close behind us. Magic had extended the tent so there were 4 bedrooms, a kitchen and a great big living area. The kitchen was well stocked. I walked over to one of the rooms and peeked behind the thick curtain. There were two bunk beds on either side. That must be the boys' room.
"Over here, Ced!" Ginny called, peeking out from behind a curtain. Walking over, I saw Harry staring around the tent. I always forgot he didn't know much about the wizarding world.
"Right, get unpacked!" Dad ordered. "Ron, get out of the kitchen!"
"Out of the kitchen, Ron!" Fred and George echoed, sitting down at the table and placing their crossed feet on the wooden surface.
"Feet off the table, boys!" Dad said, walking pass the twins.
"Feet off the table!" Fred and George echoed again, taking their feet off the table, but replacing them as Dad walked away. I shook my head and walked over to the twins. I swatted George's arm. The younger twin looked up and grinned at me.
"Hi, Ced!" George winked at me.
"Stop annoying dad," I shoved his shoulder.
We got all unpacked and then got ready for the game. Between the eight of us, we were a great blob of green color. Ron was the only one wearing Bulgarian red. He loved Viktor Krum, the Bulgarian Seeker. On the way to the game, Fred and George kept going on and on how they predicted the game to go.
"Ireland will win, but Krum will get the snitch!" Fred said.
"Totally agree, mate." Oliver Wood appeared next to me. I blushed scarlet as I felt his arm brush mine. I have seen this boy for the past three years…why was this bothering me now?
"Oh, hey, Oliver," George grinned at his friend. Ron looked over at me and smirked. He knew what was running through my head. Stupid twin link thing! I calmed down and slipped back to walk with Hermione and Ginny. We made it to the stadium and began the long climb to the nosebleed seats.
"How far up we, dad?" Ron asked, following Dad, Fred, and George up the stairs. Ginny was about to follow the twins and Ron when we heard a snide voice behind us.
"Well, let's put it this way, if it rains, you'll be the first to know."
I turned and saw Lucius Malfoy walking past the stairway. I glared at the older wizard with as much contempt as I could. I hated his guts. Blond, snide looking Draco Malfoy came into view. I fought to keep my mouth shut. If I didn't fight it, my mouth would have dropped open. He had grown up during the summer. 13 year old Draco was like a little shrimp compared to 14 year old Draco.
"My father and I are in the minister's box," Malfoy announced to us in his snide drawl. I caught his eye and he raised his eye brows at me. I glared back at him. He went to walk away but his father caught him in the stomach with his staff.
"Don't boast, Draco." Lucius Malfoy admonished. Draco grunted in pain and looked up at his father. I didn't catch the look. But Draco glanced back at me. I did not know what I saw but I thought I saw a hint of sadness or regret or embarrassment or even, hurt. "There's no need with these people." Hermione grabbed Harry's arm to pull him away. I turned to go as well. But Lucius was not willing to let us go just yet. He snagged my sweater with his staff and smirked evilly at me. "Do enjoy yourself, won't you?" He glanced at Harry who glared at the wizard. "While you can."
What was that supposed to mean? Lucius left quickly, his robes billowing as he walked. The rest of my family turned to follow dad up to where our seats would be. I was stuck staring into the grey eyes of Draco Malfoy. I did not understand what I was looking at. He was sad or depressed or scared or all three and it was confusing as hell. Then, as if nothing had happened, Draco smirked and then followed his father. I stared after him, my mouth half open. What had just happened?
"Ced!" Ron came running down the stairs. "Come on, it's about to start!" I grinned at my twin and followed him up the stairs. The roar of the crowd filled my ears as flashes of green and red flew past us. The exhilaration of the Quidditch match rushed through my body. It was over in a matter of minutes. And we all excitedly made our way back to our tent. Fred and George cheered the Irish while Ron kept praising the very existence of Krum. It was the perfect ending to a wonderful day. At least that's what I thought.