Quidditch Part 1.

Harry woke up with a painful crick in his neck, and a dead arm. He was about to fumble for his glasses when he realised that he was still wearing them. The reason for his dead arm, he saw, was that it was trapped under the soundly sleeping form of Ginny. He gently slide it out so as not to wake her up, wincing slightly as the blood rushed back up his arm giving him terrible pins and needles. At the same time as he looked around the room he slowly rotated his arm, and twisted his stiff neck to ease the discomfort. He noticed that they were both on a sofa in the Weasley's sitting room covered in a blanket.

They must have fallen asleep last night in the middle of Ginny's seventeenth birthday party. What must everybody have thought? Still when he thought about it, it wasn't all that surprising considering the day they had had. Harry had woken up early full of nerves and excitement about meeting, and then joining in a training session with the England Quidditch squad. Quidditch was important to him, and the thought that he might make a fool of himself while playing with them had got to him over the previous days. In the end it had been a blast, one he wasn't going to forget any time soon.

Hermione was the only calm one beforehand as Ginny and Ron were a bundle of nerves as well. It turned out that the members of the England team weren't much better. They had after all faced Voldemort down and won, and their reputation it appeared was growing by the day. Nobody really knew or understood how they had done it. This seemed to make the feat far more impressive than it actually was. Harry's thoughts on that day though were interrupted when he heard someone moving about in the kitchen. Looking at his watch he saw that it was barely six o'clock, way too early for anybody to be up and about in the Weasley household. He eased himself out from underneath Ginny, who remained fast asleep, and went into the kitchen.

"Morning Charlie," Harry said when he saw who was in there boiling some water. "You're up early."

"Merlin Harry you made me jump. I thought you were still asleep. I'm sorry if I woke you, but I'm still on Romanian time."

"I was already awake. I just couldn't believe that a Weasley was capable of getting up this early."

"Well normally I'd agree with you but I'm two hours ahead, and we always feed the dragons first thing in the mornings. It helps to keep them calm for the rest of the day." Charlie said handing him a steaming cup of tea, which he took gratefully.

"You can calm a dragon down. I never know that was possible, so are you going back today?" Harry asked.

"I'm due back tonight. If you two weren't the heroes of the wizarding world they wouldn't have let me come back at all. Not just for a plain old seventeenth birthday."

"Ginny's the hero, not me."

"You always say that Harry, and nobody believes you. Including me."

"Ginny was really pleased to see you. It's not often that she gets to see all her brothers at once anymore."

"Good thing to, after last Easter," Charlie said. Harry grinned back at him, but didn't comment, not wanting to rub his humiliation in any further.

"That reminds me she got her apparation test later today. It'll be good to have her legal, after all these months of her breaking the law."

"Yea I'm sure. Ginny didn't cripple any of the England players yesterday then?"

"Well I think she came close to hexing Jeff Lightfoot when he made no real effort to save her first shot at goal. She just gave him a mouth full instead. I could tell he was shocked at the language, but he did his best after that. Ginny still managed to get five more pass him."

"Now if there was one thing I learned early on with Ginny, it was not to patronise her. Nothing would get her angrier quicker than that. You're right Lightfoot had a narrow escape," Charlie said smiling. "I wish I could have been there."

"Well Tony Foster said she could play professional, and I think he meant it."

"From what I've heard about him he never says anything he doesn't mean. That's what makes him such a great Captain and Chaser. What did he say about you then?"

"He didn't really, except to say that all Seekers were a breed of their own and crazy."

"Well he's right about that. All us Seekers have to have a screw loose somewhere. I've been called crazy more than once in my playing days."
"And working with dragons is a nice safe occupation then," Harry retorted.

"It has its moments, but I'm not taking any criticism from someone who managed to mix them both up."

"It seemed like a good idea at the time, and she barely touched me with its tail." Charlie just snorted at this statement.

"Ron told me last night that you could have caught the snitch yesterday, but you deliberately fumbled it, so that Preacher got it instead."

"Yea well what does Ron know about Seeking," Harry said not answering the accusation.

"A great deal. In fact there's very little that he doesn't know about Quidditch. So did you fumble it?" Charlie pressed.

"No," Harry answered. It wasn't true though. They had been neck and neck chasing the snitch as they both dived towards the ground. It had been rushing up at them with terrible speed, and there had been an instant when Harry could have grabbed it. However the Cup Final was just over a week away and Harry didn't want to dent the pride and confidence of the England's Seeker, so he had swiped at it and missed, letting Preacher snatch it a moment later.

"I don't think I believe you," Charlie said, "and if they think Ginny can play professionally I know you can, so do you think you'd tryout?"

"I don't know really. I'd always had the idea of becoming an Auror, but after the last few months I'm not sure that I want to do that anymore."

"I can understand that, but you know you'd make a good one. Still there's no need to make up your mind yet, everything is still too fresh and you may change it again. So what do you think of England's chances?" Charlie asked knowing that they had strayed onto sensitive ground. Both of them spent the next hour talking Quidditch while waiting for the others to surface, allowing Harry to get to know the brother he knew least about. He came to the conclusion that Charlie was cool, but in a completely different way to Bill, and of the two he was most comfortable with Charlie.

"Good morning you two," Mrs Weasley said entering the kitchen her arms loaded with dirty clothes.

"Morning mum," Charlie answered.

"Harry what are you doing?" Mrs Weasley said when she saw a frying pan in his hand.

"Making Charlie and me some breakfast."

"Well you can stop now. I'll finish off, you just sit down."

"It's alright I enjoy cooking. I find it relaxing."

"I don't want to be rude Harry, but if I can't help in your kitchen. You can't help in mine." Mrs Weasley had unceremoniously dumped the clothes in the far corner of the kitchen.

"I don't mind you helping in my kitchen, its Winky and Dobby who object. In fact they don't like me helping them either."

"My kitchen Harry, my rules, so sit," Mrs Weasley commanded. Harry sighed inwardly and handed the frying pan over when he realised that he was fighting a losing battle.

"Are my eyes deceiving me the great heroic Harry Potter is ordered around by his own house elves," Charlie said laughing.

"They're not my house elves. They just work for me, and less of the stupid titles," Harry said glaring at Charlie.

"Behave Charlie," Mrs Weasley said. "Did you get enough sleep Harry?" Mrs Weasley never asked if he or Ginny slept well anymore, knowing they both hated admitting that they had nightmares to anybody other than themselves. So she got around that by asking if they had slept enough, which was not quite the same thing.

"Like a log," Harry said, "and thank you for the blanket, you should have woken us up."

"I didn't want to wake you. You were both sleeping so peacefully that I thought it best to let you get what rest you can."

"Well I had a good night, and I think Ginny did as well. In fact I'll go and wake her."

"Are you sure that's wise?" Charlie said.

"Why not?"

"Ginny's not a morning person and waking her up can be dangerous and painful."

"I don't know what you're talking about. Ginny's a complete pussy cat in the morning." This wasn't strictly true, but he wasn't about to admit that to Charlie. "It's not like she's a sleeping dragon or anything. You just have to know how to handle her." Charlie started to open his mouth, but closed it again.

Ginny's legs had stretched out along the sofa after he had left, and she had managed to wrap the large blanket around herself, so that she looked as though she was cocooned. Harry stood there gazing at her for a moment drinking in the view. Her hair was spread out covering the sofa, and right across her face. He didn't understand how she could sleep with it over her eyes, nose and mouth, but she managed anyway. He knelt down beside her, and with his forefinger flicked the hair away revealing a calm and relaxed face.

"Gin you need to wake up," he said gentle nudging her shoulder. There was no response, so he leant forward and kissed her on the cheek. The corners of her mouth lifted up into a smile, but her eyes remained firmly closed. He slipped his hand under the blanket and began to walk his fingers across her stomach.

"If you continue to do that, you better be able to finish," Ginny mumbled, her eyes still closed.

"Normally I would, but we're still in your mum and dad's sitting room," Harry answered. Ginny's eyes burst open and then pouted when she saw where she was and then looked Harry in the eye.

"Damn, I suppose everybody's up, and next door," Harry nodded his head, "damn." Ginny sat up slowly moving her stiff muscles she received from a day of Quidditch, and a night on the sofa.

"Your mums making breakfast," Harry said raising his eyebrows.

"She kicked you out, didn't she?"
"Yep."

"Poor old Harry no one ever lets him do any cooking."

"I'll survive, how are you feeling?"

"A little sore, but it was worth it. I had a wonderful day, thanks Harry."

"It had nothing to do with me, Moncrief the Sports Minister made the offer," Harry said sitting beside her.

"You suggested my birthday, so you had something to do with it. Come on I'm hungry," and with that she leaped out of the sofa and headed into the kitchen. Breakfast was up to its usually high standard, and Harry got stuck in with gusto, and they were shortly joined by Mr Weasley.

"Good morning everybody, I see our unexpected guests are up and about."

"Morning dad, I hope we didn't upset anybody last night by falling asleep like that," Ginny said between mouthfuls of bacon.

"If it had been my birthday party I might have been a little upset, but it was yours. As for upsetting anybody else they all seemed to think it was a great laugh. I should warn you though that many pictures were taken." Harry groaned inwardly, and wondered when those were going to come back and haunt him. "You'll be pleased to hear that once again you're both on the front page of the Prophet."

"What are we meant to have done now?" Harry asked. No matter what they said about him, it still annoyed him that they wrote about him at all.

"It seems that there was a photographer at your Quidditch practise yesterday," Mr Weasley said.

"There couldn't have been we expressly stated that no reporters were to be present," Harry said, "and we never saw any."

"I don't suppose the team or the management knew anything about it. He was probably hiding in a bush, or under an invisibility cloak, or something. That's probably why they don't know what Ginny was yelling at the goalkeeper."

"Jeff Lightfoot," Harry said automatically. "Good thing too." He looked at the picture, and saw Ginny silently shouting at the goalkeeper her long hair billowing behind her. It made her look more beautiful than ever to Harry, despite the fact that he remembered exactly what Ginny had yelled.

"I don't suppose I want to know what you were saying Ginny," Mr Weasley asked.

"No I don't think you do," Harry answered for her. Ginny was looking very uncomfortable and embarrassed. Mr Weasley kept looking disapprovingly at his daughter, but said no more.

"I'm sorry dad. He didn't treat me with respect, and I got angry at him."

"I won't say anymore petal. Just remember whether you like it or not, you're a public figure now, so think before you speak. You never know whose listening." Harry was amazed that Mr Weasley had got through with such mild disapproval. Mrs Weasley could have yelled at her for an hour, and Ginny would have brushed it off in a couple of seconds. Harry then saw the front of the Daily Prophet, which Mr Weasley had unfolded, and noticed a small headline below the picture of Ginny. 'Explosion in Diagon Alley'.

"What caused the explosion Mr Weasley?" Harry asked wanting to move the conversation on.

"They don't say Harry. It happened late last night, so I guess they don't know yet or don't want to say. No one was hurt, but the store was gutted, and Harry call me Arthur please."

"Is it one of yours Harry?" Ginny asked.

"Ours Ginny, one of ours. I don't know," Harry answered. Mr Weasley scanned the article.

"Baloney's Food Emporium."

"No it's not one of ours," Harry said with relief. "In fact I don't even remember the place."

"I know where it is," Mrs Weasley said, "but I've never been in. It only sells luxury foods, for those with money to burn."

"Maybe the owners did it themselves for the insurance," Charlie said. "After all I expect a large chunk of their custom would have been Death Eaters."

"It's a possibility. Let's hope it's not the start of something more sinister," Mr Weasley said folding up the newspaper again and putting it under his arm.

XXXXX

Ron burst into the hotel room his face alive with excitement, interrupting Harry and Ginny from unpacking their suitcase.

"Harry you've got to see our room, it's amazing, and the bathroom is out of this world. And the loo…"

"It's exactly the same as this one Ron," Hermione interrupted shaking her head in bemusement.

"You like it then Ron?" Harry said enjoying his friend's wide eyed pleasure.

"Yea," he replied, distracted by the view through the plate glass windows that covered the back wall. "You've got a better view though."

"Really do you want to swap rooms then?" Harry asked looking out the window. The sight of a Japanese neon lit city in the distance didn't really do anything for him.

"We're fine Harry," Hermione said. "There's nothing wrong with our view. I like mountains." Harry just shrugged. It wasn't like they were going to spend all that much time in their rooms anyway.

"It's a step up from the Leaky Cauldron that's for sure," Ginny said. "So what are we going to do now?"

"I don't know to be honest it's what one o'clock in the morning here," Harry said looking at his watch, "which means it's four in the afternoon back home. It's too late to go out anywhere and too early to sleep."

"When does the match start tomorrow?" Ginny asked.

"Well it starts later today at two in the afternoon, which means five o'clock in the morning to us," Hermione answered making Ron's face fall.

"Doesn't look as though we'll be getting a good night's sleep," Ginny said.

"Well at least we're not playing," Harry commented, but the thought of another broken night didn't please him.

The next morning found all of them yawning in a private box, in a massive stadium, hidden from the Muggles in the mountains. It was an impressive feat. Hermione, of course, had found out that there was room for over a hundred and twenty thousand wizards, and witches. The private box was full off Ministry officials and their families, and they had managed to grab the seats in the bottom left hand corner as far from the entrance as possible.

"Mr Potter it's good to see you and your friends," a Wizard in a long purple cloak with gold trim said. "I hope the accommodation is satisfactory."

"It's wonderful Mr Moncrief, considering the time scale, it's far more than I expected. I would have thought every thing would have been booked up months ago."

"Well of course it was, but I deliberately over booked. There's usually a cock up of some sort along the way, so it's nice to have some slack to play with. If it's not needed then it's easy enough to get someone to buy the rooms and tickets, or we could even give them away to a deserving cause. Like you and your friends. In fact I can't think of anyone better."

"Thank you. If I can return the favour sometime let me know, just as long as it doesn't involve the press."

"Fine Harry I'll bear that in mind. I hope you enjoy the game. They should be starting soon. The powers that be decided to ban the team mascots, after the last World cup, so they won't be distracting anybody this time." Harry smiled as he remembered the chaos the Veelas had caused four years ago. It all seemed like another lifetime. He sat back down next to Ginny, who was fidgeting in excitement. Their seats were at the same level as the goal hoops which meant they would get a perfect view of the Chaser action. Harry would have preferred to be a little higher so they could get more of an overview of the game, especially the seeker battle.

"Put these on Harry, and you'll hear an English translation of the commentary," Ginny said handing him a pair of earphones.

"These are broken. The cables been cut off," he said. He had seen Dudley wearing a pair with his Walkman on his eighth birthday. The Walkman had lasted only a few seconds longer than the original batteries. When they'd failed he'd thrown it to the ground in a temper, smashing the Walkman. He of course had got the blame, and of course the punishment.

"They don't need a cable Harry," Hermione said as she removed a pair off Ron's head, and replaced them the other way round. Why she did this he didn't dare ask. Instead he smiled at Ginny, receiving one in return, and put the headset on.

"Welcome to the Quidditch World Cup," a loud voice said in Harry's ears making him jump. Fortunately the volume sorted it's self almost immediately. "First out are the Bulgarian National Team, lead by their Captain Levski."

A scarlet blur flew out from somewhere below them and headed to the set of posts to their right.

"Pliska, Miosky, Dimitrov, Volkov, Vulchanov, aaaaand Krum. Can England beat a team that still has five members from the last World Cup, and who must be desperate to avenge their narrow defeat against Ireland?" All seven players were now in a close huddle floating above the central hoop, waiting for the English team to emerge.

"Come on you lot what are you waiting for," Harry heard Ron muttering next to him. The tension was radiating off him, as the England team didn't immediately follow the Bulgarians.

"They're playing mind games," Hermione said.

"Somebody could have forgotten their gloves, or something," Ginny said.

"No they're playing mind games. I heard the manager discussing it with the coach while you were flying with them. They're trying to upset the Bulgarians game routine."

"If they don't appear soon they'll end up forfeiting the match," Harry said.

"Yea Madame Hooch wouldn't put up with this," Ron added.

"There's no chance of that," Hermione said. "This is the World Cup Final. If the referee did that the crowd would tear him limb from limb. People have spent a fortune getting here." Harry had to admit that once again Hermione had a point, and so the crowd waited as the minutes ticked slowly by. The buzz of the crowd began to change. If something didn't happen soon they would end up ripping the team to pieces instead Harry thought.

"Well I think the plan might be working the Bulgarians seem to be getting worked up," Ginny said her omnioculars pressed tight to her eyes, "all except Krum."

Harry looked through his own pair, and saw Krum flying back and forward in a lazy figure of eight as though he didn't have a care in the World. The rest of the team had various looks of disgust and anger on their faces, as they all stared at the team entrance. The commentator had gone silent, although if Harry strained his hearing he thought he could hear urgent whisperings and mutterings in the back ground. So he was taken by surprise when the wizard's voice suddenly appeared again.

"At last here they come in one big group. Patton, Masters, Lightfoot, Winfield, Sherwood, Foster the Captain and the man with the hardest task of all Preacher the Seeker. I don't envy the man who has to catch the snitch before Krum. He's only failed to catch it once in the last five years." The wizard then went on and began listing Krum's achievements. Harry took the headset off so he could concentrate on the game instead of the commentator, and the endless boring statistics.

The game though was being delayed once again. This time it was the Bulgarian players, and they were haranguing the referee. The referee, a South African according to the program, though was having none of it. Tony Foster the England Captain had a broad grin on his face, obviously enjoying the anger of the opposing team. Krum though was still flying in his figure of eight, playing no attention to what was going on below him.

"He knows how to keep his cool doesn't he?" Harry said to Ginny next to him.

"I guess he must have seen it all, and he was a Triwizard Champion as well."

"All the same I admire the way he's keeping his cool. I'm not sure I could."

"A year ago you probably wouldn't have, but now I think you might. You're a lot calmer than you were, you know Harry. Things don't bother you like they used to. I know for a fact I couldn't," Ginny said turning her attention back to the pitch. The disagreement was over, and the referee was now standing on the ground next to a large wooden box. He kicked the lid off, releasing all four balls which immediately flew straight up into the air.

The Bulgarian Chasers though just weren't ready, and the Quaffle was snatched up by Nancy Sherwood. Both Bludgers were immediately smashed by Patton and Masters sending the three opposing Chasers in different directions as they tried to avoid them. With the way open to the goalposts Sherwood sped forward aimed at the left hand hoop, but at the last minute dropped it to Winfield who scored easily in the unguarded right hand post.

"Wicked move!" Ron screamed as the crowd around them went wild. The English fans seemed to be seated in one large group. England was ahead only seconds into the game. Harry shifted his attention away from the Chasers to search for Krum.

Krum was no longer doing figure of eights. In fact he was in a steep dive, and rushing his omnioculars ahead of him Harry saw why. He was chasing the Snitch, and Preacher was hot in pursuit.

"They've seen the Snitch," Harry yelled.

"It's a feint," Ron shouted back as the crowd noise was tremendous. "It must be."

"No it's not." Both Seekers were heading towards the ground at an eye watering pace, bashing into each other in an attempt to push each other off course and get ahead. Ten feet from the ground the Snitch suddenly changed direction darting straight towards the English central hoop.

"I hope they've seen the goalpost or they're going to crash right into it," Hermione said biting her bottom lip. The England goalkeeper sped upwards to get out of the way, allowing the Snitch to fly through the middle hoop. At the last second Krum and Preacher split apart neither of them daring to follow the Snitch through together, and then crashed back into each other again on the far side of the goal.

"Fantastic flying," Ginny said and Harry could only agree, but it wasn't over yet. The Snitch ducked down to ground level speeding towards the far side of the stadium, causing many spectators on that side to lean over the edge to get a better view. Harry never quite saw exactly what happened next, but the Snitch was flying within inches off the ground, and the base of the stadium, in what looked like a desperate attempt to get away from its pursuers.

Whether Preacher made a mistake, or Krum pushed him into the side of the stadium was never discovered, but the result was the same. Preacher slammed into the ground, and Harry was sure he heard his leg break, despite the fact that he was on the far side of the stadium, and the noise was now deafening. Krum on the other hand peeled away, and flew back up to the main play area with the Snitch held tightly in his hand above his head. It was over the World Cup was won by Bulgaria after only three and a half minutes of play.

The crowd's reaction was at two ends of the scale, most were shocked into silence, including Harry and his friends. A sizeable group, but still a minority of the huge crowd, was yelling and screaming in victory, the Bulgarian contingent.

"Bloody hell, I don't believe it," Ron said eventually.

"It was a little brief wasn't it," Hermione said with classic understatement, "exciting but brief."

"I'm glad we didn't have to pay for our tickets. I'd feel really ripped off." Ron said looking thoroughly depressed. Harry wasn't really listening he was still looking at Preacher who was now surrounded by a small crowd of Medi- Wizards. He had liked the man when they had met, and the thought of him being in two types of pain, mental as well as physical upset him.

"Poor old Preacher," he said half to himself.

"He did his best Harry," Ginny said.

"That won't be much comfort to him though will it?"

"I suppose not." Krum on the other hand was being enveloped in hugs and back slaps, by his team mates. Harry had mixed feelings he had wanted England to win, not quite as much as Ron. He just never really expected them to they were outclassed, but he was happy for Krum. A Seeker of his talent deserved his victory, and it was truly his victory, the rest of the team had played no part in today's game.

The crowd though had gotten over their shock, and were starting to make their feelings known. Ron had hit the nail right on its head. The crowd had spent a fortune to come a witness the shortest game in Quidditch history, and they weren't pleased.

"Mr Moncrief the board would like to have a word with you. They say it's urgent," an official said behind them. Moncrief jumped out of his seat and followed the official.

"What do you think that's about?" Ron asked.

"I don't know maybe someone's put in a complaint or something," Harry suggested.

"On what grounds, England lost fair and square," Hermione said not noticing Ron scowl at her as she said it.

"I think they're worried about the crowd's reaction," Ginny said, and with good reason the discontent was growing, and Harry thought that it wouldn't be long before curses and hexes started to fly. The thought of up to a hundred and twenty thousand wizards, and witches doing that filled Harry with alarm.

"Maybe we should think about leaving. Things might get ugly," he said.

"Oh I don't think we have to panic yet Harry," Hermione said.

"Harry's not panicking. He's never panicked in his life," Ginny snapped.

"Alright Ginny don't bite my head off, I don't suppose Harry has. If it all goes crazy we'll just have to apparate back to our hotel rooms."

"Fine we'll stay until Moncrief returns, and tells us what's going on."

"I don't think we'll have to wait that long," Ginny said with her earphones back on. "The announcer's saying that they're trying to organise a re-match. Bulgaria are still going to be World Champions, but they hope the teams will agree to a friendly."

"Good luck with that," Harry said, "England don't have a Seeker, and aren't likely too. Preacher's not going to be playing for a week with that injury, never mind the next few minutes."

"Well perhaps they can play without Seekers. Make it the first team to score two hundred points or something," Hermione suggested. Harry, Ron, and Ginny looked at her as though she was barking mad.

"They can't do that Hermione," Ron said appalled.

"Why not?"

"You just can't, ok."

"It's not Quidditch without the Seekers," Harry added.

"But Seeking's only part of the game," she persisted.

"You just don't get it do you," Ron said. "Look at it this way. It's like studying all year and there being no exams at the end of it. It's pointless."

"Studying for its own sake is not pointless."

"I think we're getting a little off topic here," Ginny interrupted, before Ron and Hermione could continue the argument. There was a sudden commotion as Moncrief barged back into the private box slightly out of breath.

"Mr Potter I need a quick word, and a really, really big favour," he said with a worried smile, making Harry's stomach lurch in alarm.

"Alright," he said cautiously.

"You might have already heard that we're trying to arrange a friendly game to entertain the crowd, and err…prevent any unpleasantness."

"Yes."

"And you may have noticed that Rafael Preacher is not in any condition to play," Harry already had a suspicion where this was going and his stomach was tying itself in knots.

"Yes."

"Well we've had a quick chat with the teams, and they're both agreeable to you filling in as Seeker. Mr Krum especially, he seemed quite excited by the prospect," Moncrief said quickly. Harry could suddenly feel his heart pounding in his chest, and he wasn't sure whether it was from fear or excitement.

"Bloody hell," Ron said without Hermione ticking him off, as she was looking as dumbstruck as Harry felt.

Will he won't he!