"Ahoy there!" someone shouted. Grace looked up from her spot between Bill and Charlie. She had went straight to them once they arrived and sat in between them while they ate, and listened to Charlie as the talked about the dragons he works with in Romania. She still hasn't looked at Harry. "Arthur, old man," he greeted with a smile as he reached their campfire. "What a day, eh? What a day! Could we have asked for more perfect weather? A cloudless night coming... and hardly a hiccough in the arrangements. Not much for me to do!" Grace realized that this must be Ludo Bagman.
She watched as a few Ministry officials rushed past, pointing at evidence of a magical fire that was sending violet sparks into the air.'Not much for you to do, huh? Bunch of codswallow'Grace thought. 'Pompass, arse kisser,' she thought, glaring at Percy, who was now holding his hand out to shake.
"Ah – yes," Arthur started, grinning. "This is my son, Percy. He's just started at the Ministry – and this is Fred – no, George, sorry –that'sFred, Bill, Charlie, Ron – my daughter, Ginny," Arthur said, pointing to each of them. "This is my niece, Grace Black," Grace gave Ludo Bagman a polite smile and a small wave, "and these are Ron and Grace's friends: Hermione Granger and Harry Potter." Grace didn't miss the double take that Bagman had at Harry, and rolled her eyes at him. "Everyone, this is Ludo Bagman," Arthur told them. "It's thanks to him we've got such good tickets –"
Bagman beamed and waved his hand, trying to make it appear as if it was nothing. Grace didn't buy it at all. She didn't like that man for some reason. "Fancy a flutter on the match, Arthur?" Bagman asked eagerly as a jingling sound came from his robes. "I've already got Roddy Pontner betting me Bulgaria will score first – I offered him nice odds, considering Ireland's front three are the strongest I've seen in years – and little Agatha Timms has put up half shares in her eel farm on a week-long match."
"Oh... go on then," Arthur nodded. "Let's see... a galleon on Ireland to win?"
"A galleon?" Bagman asked, looking disappointed, and Grace glared at him as he quickly recovered. She didn't think her Uncle should be betting with him at all. "Very well, very well.. any other takers?" he asked, hopefully looking around at them.
"They're a bit young to be gambling," Arthur said. "Molly wouldn't like –"
"We'll bet thirty-seven Galleons, fifteen sickles, and three knuts," Fred spoke up as he and George quickly pooled all their money – not including the money they had won that morning in breakfast. They had yet to ask Ginny, Hermione and herself to pay up. "That Ireland wins –butViktor Krum gets the Snitch! Oh, and we'll throw in a fake wand."
"You don't want to go showing Mr. Bagman rubbish like that!" Percy protested, but Bagman didn't seem to care. His face brightened as he held up the fake wand as took it from Fred and gave it a wave, and when the wand gave a loud squak and turned into a rubber chicken, he laughed loudly.
"Excellent! I haven't seen one this convincing in years! I'd pay five galleons for that!"
"Boys," Arthur cut in, looking at Fred and George apprehensively. "I don't want you betting... that's all your savings! Your mother – "
"Don't be a spoilsport, Arthur!" Bagman interrupted with excitement as he rattled his pockets. "They're old enough to know what they want! You reckon Ireland will win but Krum'll get the Snitch? Not a chance, boys, not a chance!" he chuckled. "I'll give you excellent odds on that one, we'll add five galleons for that funny wand, then, shall we..."
"Cheers," George grinned as he took a slip of parchment from Bagman, when he was finished writing on it, then tucked the parchment away carefully. Then Bagman turned back to Arthur cheerfully.
"Couldn't do me a brew, I suppose? I'm keeping an eye out for Barty Crouch. My Bulgarian opposite numbers making difficulties, and I can't understand a word he's saying. Barty'll be able to sort it out. He speaks about a hundred and fifty languages."
"Mr. Crouch?" Percy asked, suddenly looking excited, first he's looked that way since he arrived. "He speaks over two hundred! Mermish and Gobbledegook and Troll-"
"Anyone can speak Troll," Fred interrupted.
"Yeah, we're doing it right now, talking to you," Grace spoke up, glaring at Percy. Everyone, save for Percy and Arthur, snorted to contain their laughter. Percy glared at her before turning away to put the kettle on the fire with his nose in the air. "Git," Grace muttered, glaring at Percy.
"Still not over the coloring book, eh?" Charlie teased, and she huffed.
"Or the times that he pulled your pig tails to get you to stop running?" Bill asked, smiling.
"Or the time that he forced you off your toy broom, saying it was his turn and Aunt Helena said to share."
"Or the time that he called you a boy because you refused to wear a dress for Christmas dinner."
"Or the time he forced you to rewrite the entire alphabet when you were five because you kept mixing up your 'd's and 'b's and 'p's, and wouldn't let you stop until you got them correct."
"To be fair, Charlie, I wouldn't be over that either if it were me," Bill said, and Charlie paused, then nodded in agreement.
"I still sometimes write Dercy just to take the piss," Grace muttered, trying not to smile. Charlie and Bill laughed. "I swear, I think he hates me for no reason at all." Bill and Charlie's laughter stopped and they shared a look. "What? What is it? He hates me doesn't he?"
"Er... no, no he doesn't-" Charlie started but she rolled her eyes.
"He hates me, why?"
"He doesn't hate you," Bill started carefully.
"He doesn't like me, either. I've done nothing to him, he's the one that's been a git to me my whole life."
"I don't think it's you, he doesn't like..." Charlie started carefully, "it's well... it's your dad he doesn't like."
"My dad?" she asked, frowning. "How did he even know who my dad is? None of us knew until June..." Bill and Charlie shared an awkward look. "Right?"
"Well, not exactly," Bill spoke up, giving Grace a small, awkward smile. "We, er... we knew your dad... before well, before he got arrested."
"You did?" she frowned, looking between them and they nodded awkwardly. "How?"
"Well... we were at your parents wedding," Bill answered. "They babysat us a few times, your dad was really funny," Bill laughed lightly.
"Yeah, we really liked him...before well..." Charlie's voice faded.
"Percy doesn't remember being a part of the wedding, he was too little. He barely even remembers anything about Uncle Si-your dad," Bill continued. "He just remembers that one day, your dad is shooting off fireworks and making us laugh to... well, killing thirteen people and being sentenced to life in Azkaban."
Grace blinked twice and looked at the ground. She had no idea her cousins knew her dad. It made sense that they did, they were so much older than she was. "How come I never knew that you all knew my dad?" she asked quietly.
"Mum and Dad forbade us from talking about it, or mentioning Sirius Black in the house when you were around," Charlie answered carefully. "Said that we had no business talking about it, since Aunt Helena didn't want you to know, and we couldn't even hint that we knew..."
"And since you and Ron were so close, and would cause trouble with Fred and George," Bill started again. "Percy thought that you were going to well... that you were going to be like your dad."
"So he thought that if he was a prick to me that I would want to stop coming round?" she asked angrily. Bill and Charlie grimaced as they nodded.
"Yeah..." Charlie answered. "It isn't right, and unfair."
"You wouldn't hurt anyone who didn't deserve it," Bill added, giving her a small smile. "Just keep on what you're doing, and ignore him, Gracie."
Grace only nodded numbly as she stood up from her spot on the ground and walked into the tent. She no longer felt like being around anyone, and was going to sit in the room she shared with Ginny and Hermione, until someone told her it was time to start heading up to the cup.
"Grace," Percy called once she entered the tent. She paused and glared at him. "Would you mind grabbing the-"
"You've got arms and legs, you can get it yourself!" she snapped at him, no longer trying to pretend to be in a good mood because she wasn't. Ever since they came back from the water tap, she's been in a horrid mood and then learning about Percy's rudeness toward her only made it worse.
"Meow, ickle-wittle Gracie-Racie's claws are-" George started but Grace's fiery glare turned to him.
"Will you shut up! Do you always have to take a piss out of everything!" She shouted and then turned, deciding she no longer wanted to be around them. "I'm going for a walk," she huffed.
"Must be someone's time of the month," Fred muttered under his breath, George and Ron nodding in agreement. Hermione glared at them, and Ginny threw a rock at Fred.
"Alright, alright! Enough," Arthur called, as Fred dodged the rock.
"I'll go with her," Harry said, instantly standing up from his spot on the ground and running to catch up with her.
"Should've bet on that happening," George muttered, and Ginny threw a rock at him, which he dodged.
"Grace! Wait up!" Harry called.
"Go away, Harry!"
"Wait up, Grace, please!" He called as he almost ran into someone. "Sorry, excuse me," he smiled politely. He dodged another person as he finally caught up to her. "What's wrong?"
"What are you doing?"
"You're upset," he said, making her scoff and roll her eyes. "I don't think it's a good idea to be wandering around by yourself."
"What do you think could happen with this many people?"
"Well, you could get hurt," she scoffed at his answer, "or someone could kidnap you-"
"Not likely," she muttered.
"You could get lost-"
"And you think by coming with me, you can help prevent me from getting lost?" she asked, stopping to glare at him. Harry stumbled over his feet and looked at her, then nodded. "Harry, we've spent the last three hours staring at the same tents and people, I think I'll be able to find my way back," she rolled her eyes and started walking away again.
"I'm not leaving you alone," he told her firmly, following her.
"Why are you being so persistent about this?"
"Well, you're Sirius' daughter and Ron's cousin," Harry started and she stopped walking and turned to him.
"Is that all I am? Sirius Black's daughter and Ron Weasley's cousin? That'sit?" she asked, hurt. Harry shook his head.
"No, of course not! You didn't let me finish!" he sighed in frustration. "Sirius is your dad and he's my Godfather and he wouldn't want you to be by yourself, and I'm trying to-"
"Be like a brother?" she asked bitterly.
"No," he shook his head. "I don't see you as a sister!"
"...Gee, thanks," Grace muttered as she crossed her arms and looked away.
"I-I can't see you as a sister because well, you're Ron's cousin and I've known you before we even found out about Sirius-"
"So you're only friends with me because I'm Ron's cousin?" she asked, looking at him and he could see that he was messing up because he saw the hurt in her eyes.
"No! Of course not, that's not what I meant! I just mean that... I've known you longer than I've known about Sirius being my GodfatherbecauseRon is your cousin and we're friends-"
"So, I'm just a friend?" she asked sadly, a heavy feeling settled on her heart. She should've known.
"No!" he answered quickly and she frowned.
"We're not friends?"
"Yes, but I don't see you as a friend-"
"Just stop, Harry, you're making me feel worse," Grace sighed in defeat and shook her head as she turned to walk away.
"You're more than just a friend!" Harry called to her. Grace's heart skipped as she stopped walking, and turned to look at him. Harry shifted awkwardly and stuffed his hands in his pockets. "I can't see you as a sister," he started, "and Ron's my best friend, almost like a brother and you're like a sister to him even though he would never admit it, but I can't see you that way," he continued with a shrug. "I can't say we're friends, or even best friends, because... because we're more than that.You're more than that to me. Calling you just a friend is...it doesn't feel right. You're more than just a friend to me, Gracie..."
"What am I?" she asked, feeling hopeful that he did return her feelings.
"You're...you're Grace," Harry answered lamely. "I-I can't explain it. You're...you and you make everything better and I can beme, just Harry, with you and I can't do that with anyone else. You're Grace."
Grace blinked, feeling the fluttering in her stomach and she started smiling. It may not have been the answer her heart was hoping for, but it was one that she will hold on to because it gave her hope. She walked to him and wrapped her arms around his shoulders. Harry smiled and wrapped his arms around her waist and rested his chin on her shoulder. He was glad that she wasn't upset anymore.
"Let's head back," she said as she pulled away.
"Okay," he nodded, smiling at her and reaching for her hand. She smiled, intertwining her fingers with his as they made their way back to their campsite.
A/N: Awwwww aren't they just the absolute cutest!?
Harry doesn't quite know what he feels for Grace yet, but he knows it's more than just friendship... that's a step in the right direction... right? lol...
And we learn that Bill, Charlie, and Percy all knew about Sirius being Grace's father, and knew him before he went to Azkaban~ (and also yes, there is a scene written in OotP where the Weasley children are told the truth...and it's a little emotional :( )
Next chapter is the actual World Cup! Sadly we will not get to what happens AFTER the match until next week! (I know I'm sad too bc that's one of my favorite chapters :) )
I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! :)