Zuko spent his time with the Weasleys considerabley well. The red heads started to dan the colour green in support for Ireland, while many other wizards around their tent were wearing red for Bulgaria. Quidditch was still a foreign game to him but Harry, Fred and George gave him a quick run through.
"There are seven players on a team," George stated.
Fred continued his sentence listing off the positions, "There's three chasers, one Keeper, two beaters and a seeker."
"The chasers carry a ball about this big," Harry espimated the sized and held up his hands as if he were holding the ball. "It's called the quaffle. The three chasers play the ball down to the opposite side of the feild and try to score in one of the three opposing goals, which the keeper tries to block,"
"The beaters are the best position on the team, Me and freddie play the beaters for the Gryfindore team." George nudged his brother, both beaming, "we have the job of hitting bludgers with a bat, trying to bloody up the other team while defending our own,"
Zuko cringed, "Sounds painful,"
"It is," the brothers said in unison.
"What about the seeker?" Zuko asked the group of three.
"Oh that position is harry, he flies around searching for the golden snitch, hense the name seeker," Fred said.
"Yup, once when i catch the ball, which is the size of a walnut by the way, the game is over and we are rewarded one hundred and fifty points." The black haired boy said, he seemed to know alot about the game.
Hermione spoke up from where she sat in the corner reading a small green book, "The ball used to be a small fast yellow bird called a snitch, almost like a humming bird. they would catch those but usually the bird died because the seeker would accidently break its bones. After endangering the species, they switched to small golden balls in its place. hense the name the golden snitch,"
"thanks for the fun fact hermione, i will right that down right away," George joked. the poofy haired girl huffed and resumed reading her book, Advanced Rune Translation.
The four boys then heard a man calling outside. "Bets! Bets! Bets on the World Cup! Who will win? You tell me!," the boys ran outside to see a man jumping around happily. He was wearing yellow and black stipped robes, Zuko thought he looked like a vulture bee. "Arthur Weasly!" the man walked over to where Mr. Weasley fiddled witha lawn chair, "Would you fancy a flutter on the match?" he jingled what seemed like a small bag of money. "I already got two bets for Bulgaria scoring first, i offered him nice odds."
"Ho ho! go on then how about a Galleon for ireland winning?" Arthur replied, tossing a gold coin towards the wasp coloured man.
Ludo looked a bit dissapointed, "Only a galleon? very well then," He took out a list and a quill, "Arthur Weasley, a galleon Ireland." The man looked up happily and clapped his hands together, "Any other takers?'
"Now Bagman," Arthur said sternly, "The kids are too young to gamble, I dont think Molly would like them risking their pocket money,"
Fred and George completely ignored their father and tossed a small pouch containing all their money at the man, "We will bet, thirty seven galleons, fifteen sickles and three nuts that Ireland wins but Krum gets the snitch,"
The man gave a childish grin of excitement as he counted the money and wrote down the names.
"Now boys," Arthur retaliated, "that was your savings... i dont think...your mother," He bagan but couldn't think of anything that would change the twin's mind, because frankly nothing could.
Ludo Bagman put the pouch of change into his robe, "Now Arthur, the boys are old enough to know what they want. You reckon Ireland will win but Krum gets the snitch? not a chance boys, not a chance," He chuckled. "Ill give you excellant odds on that one! what about you boy? Do you want to bet?" Bagman looked right at Zuko. a puzzled face crossed his face after his eyes flickered up to see Zuko's hair, "Is he one of yours Arthur?"
"No," Arthur laughed, "This is Zuko a friend of ours,"
"Oh!" The colourful man chuckled, his childish face smiling like an idiot, "Well, any friend of the Weasleys is a friend of mine! How much are you willing to bet boy?"
"Sorry im not interested in beting, I would just like to watch the game," Zuko gave a small smile towards the man who gave a disheartened shrug.
"Very well then, no harm no foul," Ludo whipped out a pocket watch and gasped, "Oh! would you wool at the time! we should get going!" the man in the wasp attire dissaparated, Percy cursed his recklessness with magic, even though the nearest muggle tent was rows away.
"Oh he's right! Come one boys! hurry up! someone call the women! we should get going!" Arthur called out and raced around to get everyone together.
As soon as everyone stood together and the heads were counted, Zuko and the Weasleys head off into the woods. They could hear thousands of people moving around them, laughter and snatches of singing were heard through the trees. everyone joked around Zuko about random things like trolls and bogeys. Since he had no idea what any of them were talking about he just kept quiet. after walking for what seemed like twenty minutes, Mrs. Weasley walked up next to him and handed him what looked like a sweater. Zuko didn't even notice how cold he was untill the soft fabric touched his hand.
"Here deary it is going to get cold in the stands, better to be warm than to catch a fever," Zuko thanked her with a respectful bow. she chuckled and mention what a gentleman he was then returned back to where she was previously walking with Ginny.
Zuko pulled the sweater over his black tee shirt. Warming his skin he saw the sweater was red and had a golden Z on the front of it. "Wow she knits fast" he mumbled in awe at the completed clothing piece.
"She makes those sweaters every year," harry stated,"No wonder she can knit one in a couple hours," he chuckled.
after about twenty minutes of walking the woods cleared and thinned out into a feild. the family stood in the shadow of an immense stadium. Zuko was sure that the gold walls could hold ten fire nation ships.
"Seats about a hundred thousand," Mr. Weasley noted noticing everyone's awestruck faces.
Percy walked near the front of the group, looking as if he thought he were leading them, though it was Arthur who Zuko was following. "Took the ministry almost a whole year to build it," He piped up and bragged, though nobody was listening to him.
They headed up towards the nearest entrance where a huge crowd of witches and wizards stood. A thin ministry witch stood in the door way and announced seats as the people walked by. "Weasleys! Prime seats, top box! Straight up the stairs as high as you can go," the witch pointed a boney finger towards some steps, Zuko heard Ron complain about climbing the stairs.
"Don't be so lazy Ronald," Hermione said walking past the group she started on the stairs.
about fifteen minuets of climbing floor after floor everyone was a bit tired. Finally the stairs opened up and ended in a small carpeted box was situated high ubove the stadium and centered about the middle of the quidditch pitch. the room was filled with two rows of purple guilded chairs, the weasleys filed in and took up the entire first row. Zuko sat between Hermione and Harry. Ron sat on the other side of hermione and gave some protective glares at Zuko, he was the only one who didn't accept him being a Malfoy no matter what his past was like.
Zuko looked out of the box and saw a scene he would only dream of. a hundred thousand witched and wizards were taking their seats. The stands rose hundreds of feet above the oval feild. A golden light illuminated the field, seeming to be emitted from the stadium itself. Zuko saw a giant black board floating across the stadium, golden writing was scribbling across the board then blinked and erased itself. Zuko imagined a hand writing the words with golden ink.
The Bluebottle: A broom for the whole family!-Skower's all purpose magical mess remover- Bertie Botts Every Flavor Beans-
It was a giant advertising board. he felt Harry move on his side. Zuko saw the kid, he was looking around the box and his eyes stopped somewhere behind him, "Dobby?" Harry stood up and walked over to a small creature sitting in the back of the room. Zuko recognized the Creature as a house elf, it was shaking terribly, covering its eyes with its ears and hands. Nearly all the weasleys group turned around interested in what the creature was doing. Zuko however got bored and looked back out to the stadium.
Zuko saw Ron fiddle with something. they looked like glasses but they had all sorts of nobbs and buttons on them. Ron pu them on and gasped, "Amazing!' turned a couple nobbs, "Wow!"
"What exactly are those?" he asked the boy.
Ron reluctantly removed the glasses from his eyes, "They are omnioculars, you can rewind what you see and watch it again and see it in slow motion too,"
"Wow! can i see?"
"No get your own," ron sneered, "You are a Malfoy im sure you can afford it." Hermione smacked ron upside the head, "Ow, what was that for?" he grumbled to himself. hermione gave him a death glare, he rolled his eyes and put the omnioculars back on. "Woah i can watch this bloke pick his nose again, and again, and again..."
"So whens this game thing suppose to start?" Zuko was getting tired of waiting. he leaned his head back against the chair and closed his eyes.
"Well," Hermione stated, looking at her velvet covered tassled programme, "It says here there is suppose to be a Mascot display before the match starts,"
"Ooooo," Arthur said, "That's always exciting!"
Harry sat back down with them. "House elves are complicated," He breathed.
Zuko opened his eyes to see who else was in the box with them. One by one the seats slowly filled up as people trickled into the room. Arthur stood up and shook hands with almost everyone, by the way they dressed Zuko could tell they were very important, and very rich. Percy too was jumping up from his seat ever so often that it looked like he was being fire bended in the bum. Zuko recognized a wizard standing in purple robes, Cornelius Fudge stood there greeting his guests. Percy jumped up and gave the minister a bow so big that not only did he look ridiculous but his glasses also fell to the floor and shattered. Percy turned so red in embarrassment that he looked like a beat as he fixed his opticals with a swish of his wand. Cornelius Fudge walked over and greeted Harry as if an old friend.
"Oh you know Harry here," Zuko saw he was talking to a Bulgarian man. He must have been somesort of government official due to his expensive outfit. Cornelius seemed to have trouble speaking to him. "Harry potter... the boy who lived...come on now you have to know him!"
The bulgarian noticed the lightning scar and started making squeaky noises, pointing to him and speaking something in a foreign tongue.
"Ah i am terrible with languages, the only other one i know is troll, for that you just point and grunt," the portly man chuckled then noticed Zuko sitting there, "Oh Zuko! barely noticed you there! How have you been? its great to see you again!"
Zuko stood up and gave the minister a respectful bow, like he would give in the four nations. "its an honour to meet you again sir" he said. He saw Percy slouch in his chair giving both Harry and him jealous glares.
"always greeting people like one would a king," Cornelius chuckled, "I see you have met some new friends including the famous Harry Potter! good for you boy." he slapped Zuko on the shoulder then looked around the room, "Ah! and there is Lucius!"
Zuko turned to see the Malfoy family walk through the door. he was afraid for the punishment he would get for not returning to the tent in hours. Noticing that they didn't see them he quickly turned back around and slouched in his seat trying to hide from their glare. He heard Harry and Hermione turn around in their seats to watch the new comers. He listened as Fudge walked around and introduced Lucius to everyone.
"Now i am sure you know Mr. Weasley here," the portly man stated as the walked over to Arthur. Zuko shrunk down even more in his seat, anymore and he would have been absorbed in the cushions.
"Good Lord," He heard the cold man's voice say. maybe if Zuko didn't look at Lucius he wouldn't be noticed. "What did you have to sell to get seats in the top box? Surely your house wouldn't have fetched this much?"
Fudge who wasn't listening mentions, "Oh lucius has just mad a very generous donation to the St. Mungo's Hospital."
"That's very nice," Zuko could hear the strain in Arthur's voice, like he was trying to hold back his arm from murdering the blonde haird man.
"Zuko," He heard Lucius growl, "Where have you been? we have been looking for you for hours! Get over here now!" He sounded like he was yelling but the volume of his voice was that of a normal conversation.
Zuko sighed under his breath, "I guess you didn't look that hard then," Zuko grumbled and shot Lucius a stare.
"What was that boy?!" he shot back at the prince. Zuko looked back to his feet and walked passed the row of Weasleys who all seemed to be both glaring at Lucius and looking sympathetically to their friend at the same time.
He passed Mrs. Weasley who gave him a nice squeeze on the shoulder, "Its going to be all right deary," she gave him a soft hug. "If you need anything just ask us," her smile was sweet as he turned back and headed down the row. Multiple "see you laters" and "good lucks" were said in his direction but they were all muted out by the glare he got from Malfoy.
"Don't you ever run away like that again, do you hear me? or i will not forget to tell them about this. What on earth are you wearing boy?" he tugged at the warm sweater Molly Weasley had knitted him.
"A sweater, i was cold." he grumbled.
"Take it off," he demanded.
"No,"
"Excuse me? i said take that hideous sweater off," Lucius growled his blue eyes piercing into zuko's.
"No, I am cold and i will wear it. My friend gave it to me i am going to keep it." Zuko bore his stare right back into the man. Zuko's arms clutched the sweater protectively around him.
Lucius hissed , "Fine i will remove it myself," the man swished his wand at Zuko's clothing and stitch by stitch the sweater unraveled leaving a small pile of red and gold yarn on the floor. Zuko looked around the box, nobody but the Weasley and Malfoy family saw what was going on.
"How dare you!" Mrs. Weasley's voice was heard. she was mad as ever and looked like she could breath fire any minute with a flick of her tongue. "I made that for him!"
Lucius gave the lady a rude sneering smile, "No wonder it looked terrible," Malfoy gave zuko a shove, pushing him in the row behind the red head, "Sit down and stay there i don't want to hear another word out of you," Zuko flopped down in the chair behind Harry. his perfect day was ruined by the chances of his friends having seats right near the Malfoy's. out of a hundred thousand seats they had to have these ones.
screams and cheers were heard roaring throughout the stands. He heard the voice of Ludo bagman announce the Bulgarian mascots. Beautiful women came gliding over the field. Zuko heard someone whisper the word Veela. the beautiful women started to sing. it felt as if all of his worries were just melted away with the musics flowing notes. Once the veela started to dance however Zuko's mind went completely blank, all that mattered to him was that the veela wouldn't stop dancing, for if they did, Zuko felt that something terrible would happen.
"Zuko," he heard someone hiss as the music and dancing abruptly ended. he looked over to see draco staring at him. He then just noticd that he was dancing, looking around he saw that only Draco and Narcissa saw him, luckily Lucius was oblivious. Zuko glanced forward to see Hermione pulling harry off the ledge of the box.
Ludo's voice boomed across the stadium, "And now! the Irish Mascots!"
Zuko leaned forward to get a better look. Green commets shot around the stadium throwing gold flecks everywhere, to Zuko's astonishment he saw that the green comets were little leprechauns and that they were throwing gold everywhere. Golden coins landed in their top box and he bent over to start collecting the coins.
"Don't pick up the coins, we don't beg Zuko, you leave that for the lower class" Lucius's voice sneered as he growled at the wizards in front of them. The weazleys were hooting and hollering and picking up the gold coins and throwing them in the air. Zuko sat back and closed his eyes, he wished his alias could have been related to the red heads instead of the Malfoys.
the next moment he opened his eyes, the game had begun. Green and white irish wizards and witches flew around on broomsticks swarmed by the red bugarian wizards on other broomstcks. everything was happening so fast Zuko could barely percieve it. After adjusting to the speed and noise, zuko could finally understand the game. The irish had an amazing team of chasers and keepers, while the bulgarians had their skills focused on the seeker and the beaters.
"They're going to crash!" he heard Hermione scream. Zuko followed her gaze to see both the seekers speeding to the grownd. the crowd screamed "Pull up! pull up!" but the bulgarian continued to fall straight down, neck in neck with the irish. At the last second Krum yanked his broom up and flew level with the ground, his feet barely touching the grass. The irish man however hit the ground hard and fell off his broom. Para medics were sent out to help the fallen player, shaking his head with a few cheers from the crowd the green seeker was back on his broom.
Fifteen more minutes after the amazing play the irish made ten more goals, pulling ahead one hundred thirty to ten. there were fouls and false plays being thrown left and right, zuko could barley catch up. yet again the two seekers went into a dive. Screams came from the crowd when the irish seeker crashed to the ground yet again, knocking himself out cold. Zuko heard the crowd start cheering happily, looking up he saw the big score board write in gold letters Krum Caught the Snitch! Ireland won! A smile came across the princes face as he saw the two Weasley twins saunter over to Ludo Bagman with huge grins on their faces, they had one the bet, Krum got the snitch but Ireland won the game.
"What a dull game," he heard Lucius growl.
Zuko squinted as lights came on in the top box, letting the crowd easily see inside. Two panting Wizards came in holding two large trophies one silve and one gold. the two Quittich teams filed in on the sides of the box. The crowd cheered as each team was handed their appropriate trophy.
Everyone in the box was celebrating except for the Malfoys who looked unphased by the current events. He saw Fred and George rattle a bag full of their winnings. He wished he had bet some money too, the two were rich!.
The Malfoy family got up to leave. Lucus practically yanked Zuko up and pushed him through the door, without a chance to say goodbye the door closed his veiw of his new friends, they were gone.