New chapter. I know it's Monday I know I'm late and ah well forgive me (Helena here again). At least the chapter is here. It's the Quidditch World Cup! But I'm afraid the original writer pulled a GoF movie on us and skipped the actual game (sigh); however, we get to see some Weasley family time, World Cup aftermath and all that, small moment of hinny brewing, and some more teenage-girl gossiping lol.
Anyway, as always, enjoy.
Disclaimer: we don't own any of this. The characters and plot belong to JK Rowling and the story was originally written in Italian by EmPotter.
The original story can be found of EFPfanfic, under the name 'Sono Ginny Weasley, e questa è la mia storia'
The Quidditch World Cup
Ginny raised her head, noticing that rather than falling on top of Hermione, she was on the ground against Cedric Diggory, who had extended a hand to help her up. Gratefully ignoring Ron's disdainful looks and Hermione's smiles, she grabbed his hands and sat up. Once Cedric spotted his father, they had left to their final destination, while the Weasleys along with Harry and Hermione set off for their camp.
"So," said Arthur as they reached the two tents waiting to be set up, "no magic, and I mean it."
"No way!" Ginny said sarcastically, puffing already at the amount of useless rules that awaited them. There were wizards everywhere, even when Mr. Roberts, the Muggle owner of the campsite, was a mere few feet away from them ... and what did their father do? Nothing less than being a victim of his job.
No magic is simply impossible!
"Hey, Harry ... where do you reckon we should start?" Arthur then asked, clearly disoriented.
"Start by taking out our wands, Dad," George suggested, and everyone laughed, except his father. Arthur snorted and ordered the others to lend a hand- without making squalid jokes and without making their job even more difficult.
And so it was: they all worked hard to assemble those tents and once the shabby products stood finished before them (thank Merlin, finally!), they stepped in one by one. According to Hermione, the tents were entirely different from the Muggle ones, and she found herself excitedly gasping all the time, muttering that she would never have thought the inside were so big from what she sees on the outside. Harry was in a similar state, who stood open-jawed for quite some moments, his eyes allowing nothing but taking in the full surrounding of the magic tent.
When Ron, Harry, and Hermione went out to gather water with the pots and kettles, Ginny dragged herself to visit Fred and George in their tent.
"I can't wait for the game, I'm all excited!" Ginny declared, with a big smile on her face.
"We will be betting on that game, you know?" Fred said, raising an eyebrow in a challenge. Ginny turned to look at him, and George standing next to him, who was nodding very firmly, and at the same time, rather mysteriously.
"You're betting?"
"All our savings," George said, his look bordering madness. When their sister made a scandalized expression, thinking above all what their mother would say once she knew her sons had given all their savings for a bet on a game, he continued: "Listen little sis, Bulgaria—Victor Krum—he's always one up on his tricks. But you know, his tactics wouldn't beat Ireland because it's too strong—"
"Yes, of course, but Krum always manages to win against the opposing Seekers!" the girl objected.
"Which brings us back to our bet."
Ginny was still disconcerted, then Fred said, "Knowing this, who would you bet on?"
"Well it's obvious I'll bet for Ireland winning but… but…" with a whisper, the girl stopped.
"But Victor Krum will catch the Snitch!" Fred and George concluded in chorus with a big smile.
"Oh, that's brilliant!" Ginny exclaimed, now seriously drawn in. In fact, now that she thought about it, she was really not all that impressed: the twins were the family's kneazles, night owls. They always managed to think of everything and had an incredible imagination. As a child she had always envied them, but this feeling of hers had over time transformed into pure adoration and respect for her beloved brothers. She wouldn't dream of becoming like them now. She was who she was and that's enough.
She continued happily chatting with the twins about the upcoming game, how Victor Krum would surely take the snitch, devising a brilliant diversionary tactic against Aidan Lynch, the Ireland Seeker. They went on and on imagining about the wonderful Quidditch World Cup, until a very familiar ringing voice distracted Ginny from her pre-game conjectures-
"HEY, GINNY!" Victoria Probisher shrieked, leaping in front of her friend.
"VICKY!"
The two girls ran forward into a hug; when they broke away, Ginny noticed that her friend was much taller than she remembered. Her blonde hair, which a few months ago had been long and hanging against her back, seemed to have been freshly cut to shoulder length; the green eyes of her showed pure joy.
"How long have you been here? We are in the tent next door!" declared the redhead, with a big smile.
"I thought so!" exclaimed Vicky, who already seemed to know everything about everyone there on the campsite. "I saw your brother, Harry Potter and their friend walk past our tent loaded with pots and kettles, and I thought you must be next door—I was just about to take a walk; you know, I was hoping to see Ritchie too, but then I just saw—never mind—how nice to see you again!"
Ginny beamed at her, then introduced her to Fred and George. She, of course, said she knew them already because of how famous they were at Hogwarts, and how the twins went about their jokes that couldn't be easily forgotten; they told Vicky she was very nice too. Once they had moved away from the girl, the three Weasleys returned to their tent for food. Arthur sat and told Harry and Hermione about all the members of the Ministry coming in and out of the campground but the Weasley children already knew enough about the Ministry to be interested in paying any attention.
At sunset, the emotions around the grounds became almost palpable: the street salesmen were apparating with carts full of bright rosettes that screamed the names of the players, pointy hats, flags, puppets from players' collections and many other things that Ginny had never seen in her life and he could not wait to buy-
"Come on, Gin, we have to get something!" Bill said cheerfully, taking her by the hand and dragging her to a cart loaded with souvenir. Ginny immediately plunged her face into the little things from the seller. "Oh, wait ... Charlie, lend me a few galleons, I swear I'll pay you back!"
"Piece-of-rubbish-of-a-dragon!" Charlie scanned around, marching up to the trolley next to Ginny and Bill, who was holding out his hand. "Here, I want every knut back!" he added, threateningly, but he was so excited by the game that the threat seemed like a joke.
With Charlie's money, the three of them bought identical rosettes that screamed the names of the players. They immediately put them on. Upon returning to the tent, they saw that Arthur had a giant Ireland flag, waving itself every five seconds; Ron was sporting a pointy hat, along with a shamrock, a small figure of Krum and an Omniocular; Harry and Hermione carried the same things, though without the doll of Krum. The only ones who did not have anything were the twins, who had really bet all their savings, sending Arthur and Percy out of their minds.
"Dad, but-" Ginny paused, as a deep, resonant gong rumbled across the camp.
"It's time!" exclaimed Arthur, as excited as the children while illuminated under the green and red lights. "Come on, let's go!"
-;-;-;-;-
Ginny came out of the field almost hopping and with a smile on her face, discussing with her brothers the game they had just witnessed. The World Cup match had been really great, special. As usual, the twins were damn right: Ireland had won but Krum had taken the Snitch. That match would certainly have been etched in her mind like ink on parchment and Krum ... what wouldn't she give to fly like him!
"I'm telling you that Levski could play better!"
"And Volkov?"
"Heck, the quaffle kept passing them without them noticing!"
"But can we talk about Lynch? He couldn't do anything after that first crash!" Ginny observed, still charged.
"Krum was good and clever though ..."
"No blames, Charlie. Krum won us money," Fred boasted, amid general euphoria.
When everyone returned to the tent they found themselves still arguing over the game while they sipped hot cocca. Charlie seemed furious of the seeker victory of Bulgaria and he did nothing but scream at Fred and George, who continuously shot jokes stupid to blow his nerves, waving around their money. At first, Ginny briskly joined the discussion but later the sleep began to fall on her. At one point she could no longer even tell who was talking and who was quiet ... couldn't understand anything until ...
"HOLY MERLIN!"
Ginny awoke with a start and realized that Bill was holding her arm, so as not to drop her, and that her beloved hot chocolate was all over the floor: she had fallen asleep, knocking over everything. Taking the cue, Arthur beckoned everyone to go to bed with promises of discussing the game the next morning. Everyone obeyed; Ginny and Hermione entered the tent next door, noting that the joyous songs around the campsite still had to end.
"Goodnight," Ginny muttered, still embarrassed by the spectacle she had given before and pulling the sheet over her head. Hermione returned a goodnight and they both fell asleep immediately. It seemed to Ginny that she had just fallen asleep when she heard her father's agitated voice...
"Ginny… Hermione ... wake up! Get up right away!"
"M-Mr. Weasley?"
"Hermione, you have to get up!" Arthur cried, almost terrified, as he pulled the covers from his daughter's bed. Ginny moaned slightly and opened her eyes a little, noticing the feverish look on her father. Perhaps the game had gone to his head, and that was not a good reason to wake up two sleepy girls. "Grab your jackets and get out immediately! Something…strange going on."
"Mmmh ... the Irish always have their own way to celebrate ..." Ginny mumbled, closing her eyes again.
"GINNY!"
She snapped her eyes open as her head knocked against the tent canvas. Only then did she realize that something was really wrong: the noises in the campsite had changed, there were no more happy songs, but screams of fright, and the sound of running footsteps echoed terribly. Ginny and Hermione quickly slipped out of bed and, with their jackets on, came outside. People fled left and right from something moving in the field: hooded men. The hooded men were destroying tents, setting them on fire, making Muggles float and turn above their heads. Ginny was horrified. Mr. Roberts' little son was turned around like a spinning top, while he screamed and prayed for the men to stop.
She felt almost like crying.
"Get away, go away from the camps!" Arthur shouted, drawing his wand. Bill, Charlie and Percy imitated him and threw themselves into the crowd to help the Ministry men hold the masked men under control. They seemed vaguely familiar to Ginny. Perhaps she had seen the same somewhere… perhaps in the papers… but the girl could not find a connection.
"Come on," said Fred, taking Ginny's hand and dragging her towards the woods, with the others at their heels. George immediately reached his twin and grabbed his sister's other hand. They ran and ran for a long time, no one knew for how long or for where the boys ran, and the only sound she could hear, as they were further and further away from the tents, was the echo of their steps and the rustle of their breaths.
Ginny couldn't take it anymore: she wanted to go back to the tent.
"Stop!" shouted George, his voice breathless. The two obeyed immediately, convinced that George had seen something in the trees or whatever else. "Where are the others? They were behind us!"
Ginny turned and realised that Ron, Harry, and Hermione had disappeared. "Oh good heaven..." she murmured.
"They might have just gone off somewhere, don't worry, they do it all the time, remember!" Fred assured, but he was quite worried too. "Wands in hands though, I don't trust this forest to give us anything good."
Fred gripped his wand with force, and so did George, pointing to the surrounding woods. Ginny fumbled to get hers, but once she found it, she felt something move around and quickly looked up while pointing her wand up towards the dark sky. Her wand wasn't even fully lifted when something vast, green and shiny appeared in that night sky.
"But what did you-" Fred jumped, grabbing his sister's free hand.
Ginny was also frightened: a huge emerald skull, with a snake crawling out of its mouth, towered over them frighteningly. At the appearance of that skull shouts and cries exploded, and the sound of running steps intensified.
"What did you do?" asked Fred.
"I didn't do anything!" Ginny screamed, terrified.
"The Dark Mark ..." George whispered, "we have to get out of here, let's go back to the tent!"
And so it was...
-;-;-;-;-
The next day, the Weasleys hurried home. After finally arriving safely, Molly Weasley hugged all of them tightly, crushing ribs, sobbing, and repeatedly kissed the twins.
In the following days, no one gave peace: they wanted to know what happened at the World Cup. Why did the Death Eaters, the followers of Voldemort, come out to the campsite to create chaos? Why did someone throw the Dark Mark into the sky? What the hell was really happening? Arthur and Percy were now only seen during dinner, both preoccupied at the Ministry, which was in trouble.
As the days wore on, the weather began to make nasty jokes and the day of departure for Hogwarts was far too bleak: heavy rain tapped against the windows of the Burrow, while Ginny packed her trunk, ready for departure. If she thought about the fact that she would finally see his friends again, the melancholy that rained upon them would go away.
"Now we just need my robes to self-inflate in the Express, and I'll look like my mum." said Ginny, buttoning the sweatshirt up to her throat. Hermione chuckled swiftly, then Ginny went on talking, "You know, she's very nervous ... Mum, I mean, she told me that Dad haven't worked such long hours since You-Know-Who was in power, and those Death Eaters at the Cup… well, what can it mean? I'm worried."
Hermione seemed so troubled by that statement that the redhead regretted having spoken. "You're not the only one, I'm worried too, and not just because I've read millions of books on the first War and ..." Ginny nodded as if to say she understood. Hermione's parents were Muggles, and Ginny knew what the girl was forced to read about. "I'm worried about Harry." Hermione concluded, lacing her shoes and carefully avoided Ginny's eyes.
"Harry?"
"Yeah ... if He comes back to power, Harry would be the first person he wants to take out." Hermione's voice was icy, and her eyes burned bright. She hurriedly lowered her head, continuing the excuse of fixing laces of her shoes.
"But ... those are just… guesses, Hermione! It's not said that He really would return!" Ginny tried to encourage her, without believing her own words. She silently cursed herself for starting this conversation.
Hermione nodded but Ginny could have sworn that her friend had turned just in time to wipe away a tear. After a tense silence, they decided to change the subject and began to insult the journalist Rita Skeeter for the idiocies she had spread in the Daily Prophet, idiocies that had sent the Ministry into more chaos.
"This year we will go to King's Cross with Muggle taxis," Molly informed them, while everyone was seated at the table with breakfast. "We tried to borrow cars from the Ministry but couldn't make it, I'm afraid."
"Better than nothing," George said, nibbling on his toast.
"No worries mum," added Fred, pouting regardless. It's been days for which the twins refrained from angering their mother, preventing her from re-discussing the history of the Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes, and they did not want another meaningless quarrel like what happened before the World Cup.
"Yeah, Mom, we'll manage!" Ginny echoed, reaching for the juice jug.
Her hand wrapped unexpectedly around Harry's, who had the same idea as the girl. Both hands sprang back, Harry red in the face but never as much as Ginny, who begged Merlin and all the saints not to become coloured like her hair. She returned to take the jug only when Harry had finished, and kept her eyes down the whole time, while Hermione, Bill and the twins stared at the two of them sideways.
Is everyone just aware of everything that goes on in this house?
At half past ten, they drove to the station in the promised Muggle taxis, excited to be in a Muggle car. What wouldn't Arthur had given to be here with them and endlessly pester the driver! However, the trip was quite boring, also because the taxi driver who had taken Ginny smoked like a chimney and didn't speak a word unless forced to: Molly had snapped her mouth close at the man's glare.
Finally arriving at the King's Cross station, they slipped pass the barrier and happily approached the Hogwarts Express, the scarlet train, puffing smoke and waiting for them.
Ginny hugged all her loved ones, pausing to kiss Bill of the cheek, then quickly got on the train, which was just about to leave. When not a shadow of her family members remained, the twins immediately sneaked away; Ron, Harry and Hermione went and got a compartment to themselves. As always, they probably didn't want all the Weasleys around to talk about whatever they do; Ginny, though she loved all three of them, was happy to leave rather than stay with them and feel left out.
She walked briskly through the train and met Neville, Seamus and Dean in one of the middle compartment. They looked at Ginny as if they had never really seen herinto the central compartment greeted Neville, Seamus and Dean, who looked at Ginny as if he had never really seen her. Rather flattered, she walked to the tail of the train, where she was sure she would find her friends… and there they were. They've all been waiting for her and as soon as she's seen they screamed with joy.
"Finally here! You're always late!" Colin shrieked in his particularly high voice, and ran to hug her.
"Let her breathe!" Demelza protested, amused.
"Demelza is right, Colin," Ritchie replied.
"Ha, she's never not right for you!" Vicky chirped, starting to laugh, while Ginny hugged Demelza. "However, even though Testa Rossa and I have seen each other at the Quidditch World Cup a few weeks ago, shove over, I want to hug her."
Christopher made a rasp noise. "Kill her, smother her, choke her! Whatever you need."
"Get away, you! Why all so emotional?" William did, pretending to throw up.
"Well said!"
"Chris, was 'kill her' a rough way of telling me that you love me?" Ginny asked, "Because if that's so ... you're kind, I really appreciate it!"
They all giggled; after finally having settled down, Ginny sat quietly on her seat, resting her legs on Ritchie's lap. Only then did she notice that in their compartment sat a boy who looks remarkably like Colin. Something told her that the 11-year-old was...
"Dennis," Colin explained cordially.
"This one is already one of the gang," added Christopher, winking at him.
"Nice to meet you, Colin told me so much about you," cried the little Dennis Creevey and Ginny could not help but smile and tightly hold the tiny hand of her friend's little brother.
"Really?"
"Pinky promise!"
"Oh uh ... all right, the pleasure is mine" replied the girl, always smiling.
There was a small silence, then William said: "I read the newspapers ... I almost got a heart attack"
"I was so scared!" exclaimed Demelza, who had in her lap Practical Guide for Transfiguration: third volume. "But I think everyone was, in a sense it was better that I was at home, only having to look at the photos in the Prophet rather than seeing them myself."
"I had planned a good day but that happiness turned into horror," admitted Ritchie melancholy, then observing the perplexed expression of Colin, added: "Er ... I think we have to explain this to Colin ..."
"Go ahead, I'm not understanding even a bit of this moldy Chocolate Frog!" Colin snorted. Ritchie, William and Christopher turned to him, starting to explain everything, starting from the First Wizarding War, to Ritchie's description of the events at the Cup.
"Anyway, I have good news!" Vicky said, and her green eyes shone with delight.
"Yeah, you were just telling me! Spit it out!"
"We're all ears" assured the redhead.
"Okay, so ... I have a boyfriend!" Vicky shouted, purposely turning away from the boys. Ginny and Demelza both opened their mouths wide and started to say something when Vicky continued: "It was before the World Cup, you know, I went on vacation and my parents met with the Goldsteins here, and Anthony and I got together when we were there."
"Anthony? Anthony Goldstein? Of Ravenclaw?" Demelza asked.
Ginny had no idea who he was.
"Correct." nodded the blonde with a smile. The boys had turned away in apparent disgust from another side.
"But didn't you like Cedric Diggory?" asked Ginny perplexed, raising an eyebrow. "Who, moreover, came to the Quidditch World Cup with us, since my father and his father work together."
"Well, in fact, I liked Cedric but he's not my type. My guy is Anthony, definitely!"
"You said that with Cedric too," Ginny reminded her, and Demelza chuckled.
"That didn't mean anything!" Vicky retorted energetically, "I can't say that Cedric Diggory hates me, but he lies Cho Chang, the Ravenclaw Seeker, that pretty and popular girl, you know, you've definitely seen her around, so many boys liked her…"
Cho Chang ... Ravenclaw seeker ... very pretty popular girl ...
"YOU MEAN THEY'RE TOGETHER?" Ginny asked aggressively, the memory of the previous year's Quidditch match between Gryffindor and Ravenclaw knocking into her mind. Harry definitely seemed taken away by the pretty Ravenclaw Seeker, so much that he had let the Snitch slip past him over and over again, and if Cedric and Cho Chang were together ... Harry would give up hope for the girl and he could be open his eyes on other people ...
Ginny, particularly.
"Oh, um ... who?"
"Who else, Vic? Cedric and this Cho!"
"I don't know, but I do know for sure that they like each other."
"And how do you know that?" asked Demelza curiously.
"I have my sources." was the mysterious answer of Vicky, who, catching Ginny's murderous look, added: "There's a Ravenclaw, Annie Gray, who saw them kissing near the Ravenclaw Tower"
"kissing..." Ginny repeated, with a little smile.
"Yeah, with your permission, I'll go see Anthony ... I come back eh!"
And with this said Vicky disappeared, almost hopping. Ginny and Demelza watched her go away, her blond hair dancing on her shoulders, happy that she had finally found, as she always said, her prince charming. The two glanced at each other and exchanged the latest news, while the boys ended their horrible conversation.
"So, Colin?"
"I think I understood everything ..." he assured, swallowing. "But what fuck was this Voldemort doing!"
They all winced (Ritchie held her breath, turning purple) at the name, then Ginny said, "Okay, who's the one that told him You-Know-Who's name? Which of you proud Gryffindor?"
"I ... uh…" William said, shivering a little.
Ginny smiled at him. "Oh Will, I'll marry you!"
He blushed visibly, and stammered something incomprehensible.
Hope you enjoyed the chapter! Again, sorry, sorry, sorry that I'm late (I'm late, not we're late. Wasn't Ermory's fault) to this update. It's not so easy keeping the communication up with Ermory since we're both on holiday and her internet connection side of things aren't that stable. We'll try to keep up and get your uploads every Sunday.
Reviews? We'd appreciate it!
~Helena H. (editor)
Ermory: translator and owner of this account
P.S. I googled Anthony and Vicky and didn't find anything of them getting married. Spoiler? No spoiler? I'm only editor so really I'm reading this fic with you guys and... yeah. I'm intrigued.
P.P.S. So Colin didn't know anything. That means he kinda went through two years of badgering Harry without really knowing... anything.
Next: The Triwizard Tournament