Updated: June 29th, 2017

Chapter 6: Before the Match

Down in the basin was a marvelous experience. All sorts of music was playing; Irish jigs, Celtic hymns, some sort of Bulgarian opera or whatever, everything to support the two teams playing the Cup. People flew overhead on brooms; stilt-walkers clad in red and green towered above us; there were tents filled with goods to support Ireland and Bulgaria; delicious scents swirled about my nose as the world danced around me. We past rows of tents too. Some looked ordinary and others…not so much. Many had chimneys or weather vanes or both. Hermione and I laughed at a tent that was obviously magical. It was covered in striped silk and had peacock feathers at the entrance. Another tent had three floors and another had a mini garden in front complete with birdbath, sundial, and fountain.

We approached a smaller, more ordinary tent with a small sign hammered into the ground that read: WEASLEY. "Parting of the waves I think, old chap," Mr. Diggory said to Arthur. The men clasped hands again. "See you at the match."

"Be off with you then," Arthur laughed, giving the other man's hand a good shake.

"Bye Cedric," Harry and I called to the Hufflepuff seventh year simultaneously. Cedric smiled and waved as he and his father walked off.

"Home sweet home," Arthur sighed happily as he entered the small tent.

The Weasley kids, Harry, Hermione, and I looked at the tent skeptically. Ginny followed her dad first. The twins shared a shrug and went in after their sister. "Are we all going to fit in that thing," I asked, still staring at our tent. Once Bill, Charlie, and Percy arrived we'd be a party of eleven.

Hermione and Ron both left me and Harry outside as they too entered the tent. I gave Harry a look that said 'now or never' and we ducked through the flap. When I looked up, I felt my jaw drop. The inside was definitely three times bigger than the outside. We had walked into what looked like an old-fashioned, three-room apartment complete with kitchen and bathroom. The one thing I did not like was the furnishing. There were crocheted covers on the mismatched chairs and it had strong smell of cats. I was not very fond of cats.

"Girls choose a bunk and unpack. Sorry, but two of you will have to share," Hermione and Ginny rushed into one of the bigger rooms to grab the biggest bunk. Hermione let out a shrill shriek as Ginny grabbed a pillow and started chasing her around the tent. Ron had entered the kitchen and was looking for something to snack on. "Ron, get out of the kitchen, we're all hungry."

"Yeah, get out of the kitchen Ron," the twins said simultaneously. They were sitting at the large round table, feet propped up, leaning back in their chairs.

"Feet off the table," Arthur scolded lightly.

"Feet off the table," the twins mocked, taking their feet off the table. As soon as Arthur walked past, they replaced their feet on the table.

Harry looked at me, smiling, "I love magic!"

"Couldn't have a better spot," Arthur said happily. He opened his pack and reached in for something. At that moment, Hermione walked over to the kitchen, rummaging through the cupboards and Ginny flopped down on the salmon pink crochet-covered couch with the pillow resting on her stomach. "Right," Arthur began again as he withdrew a map. "No magic allowed, strictly speaking, while we're on Muggle lands."

The twins groaned. Hermione held out a dusty kettle and said, "We need water."

"There's a tap marked on this map…" Arthur flipped in over "…somewhere…"

"I saw one coming in," I helped him.

"Well, why don't you, Ron, Harry, and Hermione go get us some water then," Hermione grabbed a couple large saucepans so we wouldn't have to go back and forth to get water. "The rest of us will get food and wood for a fire."

After complaints from Ron, we set off across camp with the kettle and saucepans. The sun was now high overhead, making the walk hot and tiresome. But, we made our way through the rows of tents, taking in the sights eagerly. It was so amazing to see all the tents from the different countries. Our fellow campers were starting to rise and walk about. There was a little boy about two poking a slug with a wand outside a pyramid-shaped tent. His mother came out and scolded him for using his dad's wand. Ron laughed when the slug burst, Hermione rolled her eyes at his immaturity. Further on were two little girls riding on toy broomsticks. I smiled, a distant memory of myself and a black-haired boy riding on those same brooms flashed before my eyes.

Adult wizards and witches emerged from their tents. Some had secretive looks, conjuring fires or water with their wands. Others were trying to light matches, burning themselves in the process. We saw three African wizards in white having a serious conversation and roasting a rabbit on what looked like a bright purple fire. I gasped in shock and happiness at the next row of tents. A group of middle-aged witches sat by their tents with a star spangled banner stretched between them with bold black letters that read: ILVERMORNY. As we walked by, I craned my neck to see if I could spot anyone I knew. Just old witches, no old friends.

Just then, we walked into an area of all green. The tents were covered in thick shamrocks, making them look like little Hobbit holes. Much laughter and loud talking could be heard from those who had their flaps open. Harry nudged me in the side. A rather short man stumbled across the lawn and into one of the covered tents. He was struggling with many mugs filled to the brim with what I didn't think was butterbeer.

"Harry! Ron! Hermione! Cora!"

The four of us turned around to see Seamus Finnigan. He was sitting in front of a covered tent with an older woman, who I guessed was him mom, and Dean Thomas. He asked us if we liked the decorations and told us that the Ministry wasn't too happy about them. Seamus's mom eyed us, asking if we were supporting Ireland. Harry assured her we did and we moved on.

"Like we'd say anything else surrounded by that lot," Ron commented.

Up the field, there was a large Bulgarian flag indicating where the Bulgarian tents were located. Each one of them had the same poster attached to it. The picture was of a surly faced man with buzzed hair and heavy black eyebrows. The man was blinking and scowling, nothing else. "Krum," Ron said quietly. "Viktor Krum, the Bulgarian Seeker!"

"I think he looks really grumpy," Hermione observed as we passed another scowling Krum.

My lip curled in disgust, "Ditto." Ron flipped on us. He said Krum is an unbelievable Seeker and young, 17 or 18 or something. I smirked when Ron said Krum was a genius. He looked more brawn than brain.

Around the corner, there was already a small line for the water pump. We stepped in line right behind two wizards in an argument. I didn't really catch what they were saying just something about a pair of ridiculous pin-striped pants. Hermione's face went so red as she tried to hide her giggles. She had to go around the corner until the wizard wearing the awful pants left.

As soon as we got our water, we headed back to our campsite. On the way, we spotted more of the familiar Hogwarts faces and their families. The first person was Oliver Wood. Oliver almost literally dragged Harry over to meet his parents. He excitedly told Harry he'd gotten on the Puddlemere United reserve team. While Oliver's parents engaged Harry in some small talk, Oliver turned to me. I giggled like an idiot when he asked what I thought of the World Cup so far. Sure we hadn't seen much, but I'm sure I said 'it's cool' about ten times before I felt Hermione tugging at my sleeve.

The next person we saw was Ernie Macmillian and then further away Hermione and I waved to our fellow Gryffindor and roommate Jo Walker. Beyond her was Cho Chang. Cho was a very pretty Ravenclaw fifth year of Asian descent. She smiled and waved to Harry. He dumped a ton of water down his front in attempt to wave back. Ron and I laughed to ourselves. Harry had been smitten with Cho ever since the first Gryffindor-Ravenclaw match last year.

"Hey! Hey Coralynn!"

"Oh, no," I groaned. The voice of the boy I abhorred the most came from behind in short panting breaths. I didn't know he was following us and I wish he hadn't. Ron turned first, a scowl appearing on his brow. Harry and Hermione both had amused looks on their faces as I turned, a forced grimace stretched across my face. "Hello, John. Good summer?"

"Cora, you must be magical because I've fallen under your spell."

If looks could kill, John Haring would have been long dead by now. Ron's fist clenched. "You don't seem to remember my fist in your face, Haring," Ron threatened. "Like to be reacquainted?"

"Ron," Hermione threw him a stern look.

I sighed, "Let's just go."

My three friends and I turned to leave. John reached out, grabbing my arm. When I looked at the boy a flash of remorse flickered through his eyes. "Cora, I'm sorry. You know I don't mean anything by it…right? It's just all in good fun?"

My eyes narrowed as I yanked my arm out of his grasp. "Grow up," I hissed.

When we reached our tent, I was still in a bad mood. Not even Fred and George could cheer me up. I gave a half grin when Arthur attempted to start a fire, but that was the extent of my happiness. Bill, Charlie, and Percy arrived just as Hermione and Ginny started cooking a light meal. Some man, Ludo Bagman I think his name was, came over. I really didn't pay any attention. After the twins bet him 37 Galleons, 15 Sickles, and 3 Knuts that Ireland would win the match but Krum would catch the Snitch, I zoned out. They really had to be more careful with their money.

Things got really interesting when Bagman mentioned Barty Crouch. Percy had to defend his employer. He argued that Crouch could speak over two hundred languages. When he mentioned Troll, Fred joked that anyone could speak Troll. I agreed when he said all you had to do was point and grunt. Bagman and Arthur continued with their conversation as Hermione, Ginny, and I cleared the table from our meal.

"Cora, stop," Hermione pulled me aside and away from the others. "Look, I know Haring's always giving you a hard time but don't bring us down with your bad mood, okay?"

I opened my mouth to say something, but I found I was speechless. My best friend patted my shoulder and walked back out of the tent to where the others were. I closed my eyes, sighing as I pinched the bridge of my nose. I normally did this when my temper started to flare. It wasn't like Hermione was flat out yelling at me, she just wanted to have a good time and she was right, my bad mood would bring everyone down. I couldn't let one stupid-dumb-immature-jerk faced-asshole boy mess that up. No, the match would start in a few hours and I was going to forget John Haring ever talked to me today. In fact, I was gonna forget I ever had to see his stupid blonde hair that naturally pointed up in a fohawk with his slightly tanned skin and Quidditch muscles that stood out under his tight shirt and his gorgeous blue eyes that sparkled with Ravenclaw wisdom and his adorable accent with the slightest lisp.

Wait…WHAT?!