Chapter Five
Harry could feel the excitement building inside him again; he had no idea how he was ever going to sleep tonight that was for sure.
They stayed in the garden a little while longer chatting but it wasn't long before Mrs Weasley hurried them all to bed.
"You've got an early start tomorrow so I want you all well rested!" She smiled as they stood around the crowed sink brushing their teeth, "You'll need to be up before dawn to walk to the Portkey."
Harry carefully remembered to put his toothbrush and toothpaste away in the small travel bag Lily had let him borrow. He then took the toothpaste out again because he'd forgotten to put the lid on.
"Umm, Mrs Weasley?" Harry asked quietly, "Where am I sleeping?"
"Oh, just follow Ron dear." Mrs Weasley told him.
Harry smiled and followed Ron. He wasn't expecting Ron to open the door to a room which already had the twins on camp beds on the floor playing exploding snap.
"Umm." Harry looked around.
It was a small room anyway but with so many beds in there was barely any floor space left.
Ron looked rather embarrassed, "You can have the bed, the real bed." he said, moving a large pile of clothes off the cover and shoving them roughly underneath, which was already over flowing with stuff.
Harry shook his head, "Na it's fine. I like sleeping on the floor, reminds me of muggle camping!"
Ron smiled in relief, "I know it's a bit squashed in here. Bill and Charlie are in Fred and George's room you see, Hermione in with Ginny. I did say that Percy should go with either Bill and Charlie or in here but he's got so much work to do with this stupid new job he has to have a room to himself." Ron blushed.
"What he means to say is, we hope you don't mind being so cosy." Fred grinned.
Harry grinned back, "Not at all." he said jumping onto the free camp bed and nearly landing on George's back. The twins laughed and dealt in Harry and Ron for the game of snap.
Harry had felt like he'd barely closed his eyes before there was a knock on the door.
"Time to get up boys!" Mrs Weasley called, far too awake for someone this early in the morning.
Harry rubbed his eyes until they hurt, trying to get his brain to wake up at least a little bit, before he shoved his glasses on and got dressed.
"We can come back up to pack." Ron told him, watching Harry carefully check everything was still in his rucksack.
Harry shook his head, "I'd rather get it done now, not like I've got much to pack anyway."
Ron could smell bacon cooking and didn't want to wait, "You're going to need way more stuff that that."
Harry finished putting the last of his over night things away and stretched, "Mum's got most of it. Her and Danica are apparating later on."
Ron nodded and they went down to breakfast, followed a few minutes later by Fred and George.
"How are you this morning Harry?" Mrs Weasley asked, serving him a large English breakfast.
Harry shrugged, "Ok. Just tired." He yawned, "Thank you for breakfast."
Mrs Weasley beamed at him, "No trouble dear, I'm just glad you slept all right. Ron's bed isn't the comfiest, he's next in the queue for a new mattress."
"He slept on the camp bed Mum." George said, a bit of bacon hanging out his mouth.
Mrs Weasley glared at Ron, "I told you to give him your bed!" She hissed, "And eat nicely!" she tapped George on the arm with her spatula.
"I did offer." Ron pleaded.
"It's OK, I offered. I really didn't mind. It's Ron's room, he should have the bed. And it reminded me of when I went muggle camping." Harry smiled.
Mrs Weasley's face softened slightly but it was clear she still wasn't happy. However at that moment a sleepy eyed Hermione and Ginny walked into the kitchen which ended the conversation.
"Now have you all got everything?" Mrs Weasley asked, as they finished their breakfast.
Everyone nodded.
"Where's Bill, Charlie and Percy?" Ron asked.
"They're apparating later so they get a bit of a lie in." Arthur smiled, "Lucky them really!"
"I can't wait till I can apparate." Harry smiled.
"It took Charlie two attempts to pass his test." Fred grinned.
"Yeah ended up five miles from where he was meant to be the first time!" George laughed, "Landed on some poor old lady doing her shopping."
"Yes, well he passed the second time. With flying colours." Mrs Weasley said, glaring at the twins, "And all the others all passed first time."
Ron leaned it to talk to Harry quietly, "Yeah, Percy only passed last week, keeps apparating down to breakfast just to show us that he can."
Harry sniggered and finished his cup of tea. They were soon all standing outside, the Weasley's and Hermione all with very large rucksacks.
"Can I carry something?" Harry offered, Mr Weasley also had two large shopping bags.
"Oh don't worry about that Harry." Mrs Weasley smiled, "They can manage all that."
Harry smiled, it wasn't long before they were out of sight of the house and Harry took the two shopping bags, "I don't mind. Really."
Mr Weasley gave him a smile and nodded. The walk up Stoatshead Hill was a steep and exhausting one. The great hill that left Ottery St Catchpole in it's shadow looked no smaller when Harry was huffing and puffing half way up it.
At the top however the view was amazing.
"Well done everyone, we made very good time. Now we just have to find the thing." Mr Weasley smiled.
"What is it?" Hermione asked, looking around the long grass.
"Oh it could be anything." Mr Weasley said, a most unhelpful answer in Harry's mind.
"Over here Arthur! I've got it!" a voice called.
"Ah brilliant!" Mr Weasley smiled, gathering everyone together, "Everyone this is Amos Diggory, and I think you all know his son, Cedric."
Harry recognised Cedric, he was seeker for the Hufflepuff team at Hogwarts, he was going into Sixth year as far as he was aware.
"Amos here works with me in the Ministry, well different departments, he works for the Control of Magical Creatures."
"Brilliant work you do though Arthur!" Mr Diggory beamed, "Long walk?"
Arthur shook his head, "Not too bad. We live just the other side of the hill. You?"
"We had to be up and out at two, didn't we Ced? Worth it though! Quidditch World Cup, wouldn't miss it for a bag full of Galleons. Which is about what the tickets cost!" Mr Diggory laughed, "Mind you, looks like I've had it easy, are they all yours Arthur?" Amos asked, raising an eyebrow.
Mr Weasley laughed, "No, no, just the red heads. I've got three more at home though."
Mr Diggory looked a mix of impressed and confused, his gaze ran along the length of the children and stopped on Harry, "Well, well, well. If it isn't Harry Potter!"
Harry gave an awkward smile and rubbed the back of his head, "Nice to meet you."
Mr Diggory looked excitedly at Harry, "I've actually met you once before, must have been nearly ten, no eleven, years ago now! How time flies and Ced has told us all about you of course, something to tell your Grandkids isn't it! I played Quidditch with the Harry Potter!"
Harry looked rather embarrassed as did Cedric.
"It's not really a huge thing for those of us who went to school with him." Cedric told his father, "We're not even on the same team."
"I bet Hufflepuff has beaten Slytherin a few times though!" Mr Diggory laughed.
They all stood awkwardly for a moment, Hermione, Harry and Ron all let out a small laugh as well while the others looked less than impressed. Mr Weasley and Mr Diggory looked at their watches.
"Well, best be getting ready!" Mr Weasley said, he seemed as excited as Harry felt.
Harry looked down to where Mr Diggory was showing Mr Weasley a very old, boot.
"Come on." Mr Weasley told them, motioning for them to move around.
Harry had travelled by Portkey once before, when Lily had gotten a mild case of Dragon Pox when he was about five. He hadn't enjoyed it one bit, one of the reasons Lily, Sirius and Severus had all invested in side along apparation permits.
"That's it, now anyone else coming from this area?" Mr Weasley asked.
Mr Diggory shook his head, "Don't think so. Lovegoods have been there for a week already and the Fawcetts couldn't get tickets. Aren't any more of us in the area is there?"
Mr Weasley smiled, "Excellent, right, everyone hold on, that's it. Only need to be touching it."
They moved around the boot until they were all touching it, it wasn't easy as the boot was rather small and they were carrying several large, bulky rucksacks between them.
Mr Weasley watched his watch closely, "Right, three...two...one."
Harry felt himself pulled uncomfortably by his navel forward, spinning though the air. He closed his eyes to the wind rushing around his face, at least his finger was glued tightly to the boot. It wasn't long before he felt himself crash to the ground, the boot landing a few feet from him.
"Seven past five from Stoatshead Hill" a voice said.
He, Hermione and Ron were tangled in a heap on the cold ground. He pulled himself up and straightened his clothes before helping Hermione to her feet. Ron looked a little insulted that Harry hadn't helped him up first.
"Hello Basil!" Mr Weasley said, walking over to two men. One had a large quill and roll of parchment.
"Morning Arthur. I'd get out the way if I was you. Next lot due in at five fifteen. Not working? Lucky for some. We've been here all night." Basil shook his head, he took the boot from Arthur and threw it into a large box full of junk, "Let me find your campsite, Weasley….Weasley… ah yes, quarter of a mile that way." He said pointing, "Ask for Mr Roberts, Amos, second field Mr Payne."
"Well Portkeys!" Mr Weasley smiled, "Not the best way to travel but can't be helped sometimes. Right lets go find our spot. We'll see you later Amos!"
They waved goodbye to the Diggorys before following Mr Weasley towards a small hut. It dawned on Harry that this was a muggle camp site and he should have suggested some different clothes for Mr Weasley.
There was an old man in the hut, who looked suspiciously at Mr Weasley.
"Mr Roberts? We'd like to pay for our stay." Mr Weasley looked brightly, "Booked in a while back, Weasley."
The man looked up and down Mr Weasley's strange and mix-matched clothes, "Really?" he took a large clipboard out and looked down the list, "Booked in just for the one night?"
"Yes that's right." Mr Weasley said, his smile faltering slightly.
"You know it's been a very strange few weeks, strange people coming along and sales through the roof." The man looked suspiciously at them again, "Had some weirdo earlier give me some funny looking money, never seen anything like it before."
"Really? How odd, maybe… maybe..." Mr Weasley wasn't sure what to say. He was holding a large stack of muggle money and had no idea what any of it was.
"Maybe they were from another country." Hermione suggested, "I once went to Denmark with my parents and they had some of the strangest looking coins." she took the money from Mr Weasley, "How much was it?"
"£15." Mr Roberts said, he looked up and down Hermione and finding nothing strange about her, slowly started to get her change, "It's been so odd. Don't think these lot where foreign… saw someone in a poncho and kilt earlier."
"Shouldn't he have been wearing that?" Mr Weasley asked nervously.
Mr Roberts glared at him. Suddenly a wizard, dressed in plus-fours, apparated right in front of Mr Roberts.
"Obliviate!" The man in plus-fours shouted, pointing his wand at Mr Roberts.
Mr Roberts face went from shocked and confused to slightly dreamy. He collected the change and handed it to Mr Weasley along with a map.
"Have a nice stay." he said, pleasantly.
They followed the wizard in plus-fours into the camp site, once out of ear shoot of Mr Roberts he turned to Arthur and sighed.
Harry noticed how tired he looked, large, dark circles under his eyes and stubble covering the lower half of his chin, "Been having a lot of trouble with Mr Roberts. He needs a memory charm ten times a day at the moment to stop him from asking to many questions. And Ludo Bagman hasn't been helping! Wondering around talking about quaffles and bludgers. I don't know, I'll be glad when this is all over I'm telling you. Anyway see you around Arthur." and with that he disapparated out.
"I thought Mr Bagman was head of Magical Sports and Games." Ginny said, "Shouldn't he know better than to be talking about Quidditch in front of muggles?"
Mr Weasley nodded, "Yes, well Ludo hasn't ever been one for sticking to security but you really couldn't ask for anyone more enthusiastic."
Harry resisted the urge to roll his eyes, enthusiastic was all well and good but hosting such a big event with muggles around wasn't the brightest of moves. The ministry could have sent them away on holiday for a week, or rented the entire camp fields and have everyone pay the ministry their share.
Harry also wasn't surprised that Mr Roberts was getting suspicious. Most of the tents looked perfectly normal from the outside however some had working chimneys or castle turrets.
"Ah here's us. And look Harry is just next to us." Mr Weasley beamed.
Harry saw the camping patch, a small wooden sign with Weezly on it. Just next to them was another sign that read Snapp and just opposite Malfroy.
"Well we've two tents to set up, shouldn't be too hard." Mr Weasley said. He's pulled out a large amount of canvass and several tent poles.
It quickly became clear that he had little to no idea of how to put up a tent without magic. Harry and Hermione took charge as they were the only ones who had been camping before.
It didn't take them too long to have the two tents set up neatly and the Weasleys unpacking their things. Hermione and Ginny were sharing much to Hermione's annoyance; Ginny mostly spent her time fawning over Harry, something Harry couldn't exactly say he was pleased with.
But again, this was the Quidditch World cup, it was worth some annoyance; plus it would be long before Danica and Lily arrived, giving them all some distraction.