Chapter 78: Ludo Bagman

"Er.. Mr Weasley, I think we've to use magic, or else we all are not going to fit in here." Chris said to Mr Weasley, who was appreciating the two small tents, which they just managed to erect.

"Oh. Nothing to worry. We'll be a bit cramped," said Mr Weasley smiling, "but I think we'll all squeeze in. Let's have a look."

Mr Weasley dropped his hands and knees and entered the first tent. Chris followed him and duck under the tent flap. The inside looked like as an old-fashioned, three-room flat, complete with bathroom and kitchen. There were crocheted covers on the mismatched chairs and a strong smell of cats. Chris smirked.

"Well, it's not for long," said Mr. Weasley, mopping his bald patch with a handkerchief and peering in at the four bunk beds that stood in the bedroom. "I borrowed this from Perkins at the of­fice. Doesn't camp much anymore, poor fellow, he's got lumbago."

He picked up the dusty kettle and peered

inside it. "We'll need water. …"

"There's a tap marked on this map the Muggle gave us," said Ron, who had followed Harry inside the tent. "It's on the other side of the field."

"Well, why don't you, Harry, and Hermione go and get us some water then" — Mr. Weasley handed over the kettle and a couple of saucepans — "and the rest of us will get some wood for a fire?"

"But we've got an oven," said Ron. "Why can't we just —"

"Ron, anti-Muggle security!" said Mr. Weasley, his face shining with anticipation. "When real Muggles camp, they cook on fires outdoors. I've seen them at it!"

Hearing this Chris chukled. Mr Weasley's enthusiasm for 'living a day like muggles' was truly inspiring.

Mr Weasley turned to Chris. "Girls are in the other tent. Go and have a look, hope you'll like it."

As he finished, Chris, Ginny and Hermione went to the second tent. It was a bit smaller than the first one but enough for three girls to live. It had a two bunk bed and a single one; few chairs and a bathroom.

Hermione dropped her bag on the single bed and left with Harry and Ron to bring water.

Chris put her bag down and collapsed on a chair.

"That Portkey is super exhausting."

"Yeah. I know." Ginny replied distracted.

"Ginny I'll take the lower one.." Chris pointed at the bunk beds.

"No... please let me take the lower one. Can you take the upper one?" Ginny said hurriedly.

"Ok ok. Take it. I'll take the upper one." Chris said slightly surprised. "Ginny I don't think you're afaird of heights or something. I mean you're a Gryffindor team Chaser."

"Er... I'm not afaird of heights it's just... when I was a kid, I slept in bunk bed. It was three bunk bed, .... and at night.... Fred and George bursted something near my ear, when I was asleep and hearing that noise I fell off the bed." Ginny said getting embarrassed. "Literally I hit the ground face flat. That almost broke my nose.... Mom made both of them sleep in the attic for a week."

Chris laughed hearing this and in few seconds Ginny joined her as well.

"Don't laugh. It hurts." Ginny said sitting beside Chris.

"I never thought I'll see you chickening out over a small fall." Chris replied laughing.

"Enough. Let's help Dad a bit. Or else don't know what he'll do with the fire." Ginny said still grinning.

"I've to say he had took this anti-muggle security very seriously."

"Nah... I know my Dad, he's just trying to enjoy a day by living like a actual muggle. He's always fond of muggle things and technics."

"I know. The last time he went to our house, Dad gave him a full bag of batteries. He said he collect them." Chris replied grinning.

"He even collect plugs. Where do you think the toaster went which your Dad gave us?" Ginny said, laughing.

"What? No..." Chris said surprised.

"Yes. He opened it with some muggle machine. It's in the attic I guess." Ginny said and both of them burst into laughter.

Collecting firewoods was not a difficult task, Mr Weasley, Fred, George, and Chris brought enough firewoods to cook. The difficult task was teaching Mr Weasley, how to lit the fire with matches. Everytime Chris showed him how to do it, and everytime he managed to light a match and promptly dropped it in surprise.

"Dad please do it fast. Even I can do it now." Ginny said. "Chris showed it almost hundred of times."

"Yes. Yes. Oopss." He dropped it again.

"Dad stop playing with it." Fred said grinning.

Finally they lit the fire.

"It's going to take time to heat up." Chris said checking the fire.

A blonde haired girl with extremely pale eyebrows approached them.

"Hullo everyone."

Chris looked up, "Luna!"

She smiled as Chris and Ginny hugged her. As usual her wand was resting on the upper part of her left ear, a pair of reddish earrings were hanging from her ears and a butterbeer cork necklace dangling on her neck.

"We heard you came two weeks ago?" Ginny asked.

"Yeah, it wasn't crowded that time." Luna replied smiling. "I'm roaming around here for days, but it's nice to see so many people today. You two want to join? We can look around a bit."

"We?" Chris said uncertainty looking at Mr Weasley. Ginny looked at him as well.

"Why not. Just don't get lost." Mr Weasley said smiling as he noticed the girls' eyes on him. "And if you do, then ask any Ministry Wizard to show you the way. Alright?"

"Ok." Ginny grinned. "Let's go."

"And what about us?" George asked.

"You two are going to stay with me. I need help." Mr Weasley answered.

"For what?" Fred asked surprised. "Watching the fire?"

"Now now boys, your mother asked me to keep an eye on you two, so I'm going to do that." He said putting an end of the conversation.

Fred and George looking more grumpy sat near the fire.

Chris, Ginny and Luna set off across the campsite. Now, with the sun risen and the mist lifting, they could see the city of tents that stretched in every direction. It was a beautiful site, many Wizards and Witches were cooking outside their tents, some wizard kids were riding toy broomsticks which rose only high enough for the kids' toes to skim the dewy grass. Some little witches were running here and there chased by their parents. Chris noticed a few Wizards in weird dresses. It was like they had no idea what's normal in Muggle world. Some witches, with furtive looks around them, conjured fires with their wands; others were striking matches with dubious looks on their faces, as though sure this couldn't work.

As they were walking, eagerly watching the surroundings, a boy collided with Chris.

"Sorry. Sorry." The boy said nervously.

"It's alright." Chris looked up and saw...

"Neville?" Ginny said surprised.

"Oh hi Ginny." He said and tried to smile.

Neville Longbottom was a boy in Harry's year.

"Why're you looking so nervous Neville? Did you lost your map or something?" Chris asked looking at his nervous face and saw his pink face went scarlet. Chris understood she guessed right.

"With whom you came Neville?" Ginny asked, also realising the fact.

"I came with my few Aunts and Uncles. I was just looking around with the map. But then I don't know how I lost it." Neville answered.

"Where's the tent? If you can tell me a bit. I think I can help." Luna said.

"Really?" Neville asked surprised.

"Yes, we'll help you." Ginny said smiling.

"But I don't remember where the tent was." Neville said, panicking a bit.

"Relax Neville relax. You forgot things because you got nervous." Chris said seriously. "Took a deep breath... Relax a little bit... think..."

After hesitating a little, he did it.

"I think our tent was at... the second field.... is it a thing?" Neville answered thinking.

"Yes it is. Let's go." Luna said and started walking.

Chris, Ginny and Neville followed her.

On the way they saw few muggle shops, the wizards and witches were examining curiously the things and the muggle sellers were selling them, thinking they're foreigners.

Chris noticed a chocolate stall, "hey let's go over their. I'll buy some chocolates."

Chris brought many chocolates and other normal muggle toffees and sweets. She gave some to Luna, Ginny and Neville; and also took some for others.

"You know they're really different from our sweets." Ginny said eating one caramel candy.

"Yeah, they don't jump in our stomach, you see." Chris said smiling.

"Yes they're really good." Neville said eating a big bar of chocolate.

Soon Neville was completely normal, he wasn't getting nervous or stumbling on people.

Suddenly he pointed out a large group of teenagers whom Chris had never seen before.

"Who d'you reckon they are?" he said. "They don't go to Hog­warts, do they?"

"I think they're from foreign schools." Luna said. "I met one boy a year ago, when me and father went out for adventure. He was from a foreign school, though I don't remember the name."

At last after almost rounding the entire second field Neville spotted his Aunt, thanked Chris, Ginny and Luna and left.

On the way back to their tent, they met few other people, one of them was Melvin Catterick, a Hufflepuff boy in same year as them.

"Hi Chris!" He shouted as he came running towards them.

Ginny and Luna giggled as Chris sighed.

"Hey Melvin." Luna said.

"O hey Luna, and Ginny... and Chris." Melvin said smiling.

"Hello Melvin." Ginny replied, suppressing her grin.

"Hi." Chris replied dryly.

"How are you Chris?" Melvin asked blushing. "Enjoying the Quidditch World cup?"

"Yeah. Very much. Who're you supporting by the way?" Chris asked smiling a little.

"Oh I'm supporting Bulgaria. Victor Krum is a great seeker, you see." He said grinning broadly.

"Oh I see, well... I'm supporting Ireland." Chris said raising her eyebrows. "Bye Melvin."

Melvin tried to say something but Chris had already moved on. Ginny and Luna followed her still giggling.

Next they stumbled into Oliver Wood, the old captain of Chris's House Quidditch team, who had just left Hogwarts, dragged Chris and Ginny over to his par­ents' tent to introduce them, and told her excitedly that he had just been signed to the Puddlemere United reserve team.

Then, Luna helped Chris and Ginny to return to their campsite and left for her father's tent.

As they came back to Weasley's tent, Chris noticed the eggs and sausages were almost ready while Mr Weasley were pointing the passing Ministry members to Harry and Hermione.

Chris catched a bit of their conversation.

"Arnold Peasegood, he's an Obliviator — member of the Accidental Magic Reversal Squad, you know." Said Mr Weasley. "… and that's Bode and Croaker … they're Unspeakables. …"

"They're what?" Harry asked.

"From the Department of Mysteries, top secret, no idea what they get up to. …"

"I think the Sausages are ready, Mr Weasley." Chris said smiling.

"Oh you two are back. I was getting worried. And yes the sausages." Mr Weasley said with a smile and started to work on the sausages.

"Here." Chris emptied her bag in front of Fred and George. "All of these for you all."

"That's muggle chocolates. Where did you find them?" Hermione said grinning as she picked up one.

"Oh! There are plenty of muggle shops here." Ginny said smiling. "On the way of second field."

"You went to the second field?" Ron asked surprised. "Without a map?"

"Yeah Ron, you see we've sharp memories." Chris said grinning.

Almost everyone started to laugh, Ron looked away.

"Actually we met Neville. He lost his map and was wondering around so we helped him to get back to the second field." Ginny said smiling at Ron.

" 'course he lost his map." Ron said annoyingly.

Just then Bill, Charlie, and Percy came strolling out of the woods toward them.

"Just Apparated, Dad," said Percy loudly. "Ah, excellent, lunch!"

"And chocolates." Bill said as he took a chocolate from Chris's hand.

Chris rolled her eyes. "I didn't brought these for you three."

"Who cares." Charlie said laughing and put few candy in his mouth.

They were halfway through their plates of eggs and sausages when Mr. Weasley jumped to his feet, waving and grinning at a man who was striding toward them. "Aha!" he said. "The man of the moment! Ludo!"

Ludo Bagman was easily the most noticeable person Chris had seen so far. He was wearing long Quidditch robes in thick horizontal stripes of bright yellow and black. An enormous picture of a wasp was splashed across his chest. He had the look of a powerfully built man gone slightly to seed; the robes were stretched tightly across a large belly he surely had not had in the days when he had played Quidditch for England. His nose was squashed (probably broken by a stray Bludger, Chris thought), but his round blue eyes, short blond hair, and rosy complexion made him look like a very over­grown schoolboy.

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"Ahoy there!" Bagman called happily. He was walking as though he had springs attached to the balls of his feet and was plainly in a state of wild excitement.

"Arthur, old man," he puffed as he reached the 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!"

Behind him, a group of haggard-looking Ministry wizards rushed past, pointing at the distant evidence of some sort of a mag­ical fire that was sending violet sparks twenty feet into the air.

Percy hurried forward with his hand outstretched. Apparently his disapproval of the way Ludo Bagman ran his department did not prevent him from wanting to make a good impression.

"Ah — yes," said Mr. Weasley, grinning, "this is my son Percy. He's just started at the Ministry — and this is Fred — no, George, sorry — that's Fred — Bill, Charlie, Ron — my daughter, Ginny — and Ginny's friend Christina Norton — Ron's friends, Hermione Granger and Harry Potter."

Bagman did the smallest of double takes when he heard Harry's name, and his eyes performed the familiar flick upward to the scar on Harry's forehead.

"Everyone," Mr. Weasley continued, "this is Ludo Bagman, you know who he is, it's thanks to him we've got such good tickets —"

Bagman beamed and waved his hand as if to say it had been nothing.

"Fancy a flutter on the match, Arthur?" he said eagerly, jingling what seemed to be a large amount of gold in the pockets of his yellow-and-black 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," said Mr. Weasley. "Let's see … a Galleon on Ireland to win?"

"A Galleon?" Ludo Bagman looked slightly disappointed, but re­covered himself. "Very well, very well … any other takers?"

"They're a bit young to be gambling," said Mr. Weasley. "Molly wouldn't like —"

"We'll bet thirty-seven Galleons, fifteen Sickles, three Knuts," said Fred as he and George quickly pooled all their money, "that Ireland wins — but Viktor 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 hissed, but Bagman didn't seem to think the wand was rubbish at all; on the contrary, his boyish face shone with excitement as he took it from Fred, and when the wand gave a loud squawk and turned into a rubber chicken, Bagman roared with laughter.

"Excellent! I haven't seen one that convincing in years! I'd pay five Galleons for that!"

Percy froze in an attitude of stunned disapproval.

"Boys," said Mr. Weasley under his breath, "I don't want you betting. … That's all your savings. … Your mother —"

"Don't be a spoilsport, Arthur!" boomed Ludo Bagman, rattling his pockets excitedly. "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. … I'll give you excellent odds on that one. … We'll add five Galleons for the funny wand, then, shall we. …"

Mr. Weasley looked on helplessly as Ludo Bagman whipped out a notebook and quill and began jotting down the twins' names.

"Cheers," said George, taking the slip of parchment Bagman handed him and tucking it away carefully. Bagman turned most cheerfully back to Mr. Weasley.

"Couldn't do me a brew, I suppose? I'm keeping an eye out for Barty Crouch. My Bulgarian opposite number's 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?" said Percy, suddenly abandoning his look of poker-stiff disapproval and positively writhing with excitement. "He speaks over two hundred! Mermish and Gobbledegook and Troll …"

"Anyone can speak Troll," said Fred dismissively. "All you have to do is point and grunt."

Chris chuckled as Percy threw Fred an extremely nasty look and stoked the fire vig­orously to bring the kettle back to the boil.

"Any news of Bertha Jorkins yet, Ludo?" Mr. Weasley asked as Bagman settled himself down on the grass beside them all.

Chris listened attentively, she remembered the thing Sirius said yesterday at the dinner, 'Sometimes simple things make bigger problems.'

"Not a dicky bird," said Bagman comfortably. "But she'll turn up. Poor old Bertha … memory like a leaky cauldron and no sense of direction. Lost, you take my word for it. She'll wander back into the office sometime in October, thinking it's still July."

"You don't think it might be time to send someone to look for her?" Mr. Weasley suggested tentatively as Percy handed Bagman his tea.

"Barty Crouch keeps saying that," said Bagman, his round eyes widening innocently, "but we really can't spare anyone at the mo­ment. Oh — talk of the devil! Barty!"

A wizard had just Apparated at their fireside, and he could not have made more of a contrast with Ludo Bagman, sprawled on the grass in his old Wasp robes. Barty Crouch was a stiff, upright, el­derly man, dressed in an impeccably crisp suit and tie. The parting in his short gray hair was almost unnaturally straight, and his nar­row toothbrush mustache looked as though he trimmed it using a slide rule. His shoes were very highly polished. Chris could see at once why Percy idolized him. Percy was a great believer in rigidly following rules, and Mr. Crouch had complied with the rule about Muggle dressing so thoroughly that he could have passed for a bank manager.

"Pull up a bit of grass, Barty," said Ludo brightly, patting the ground beside him.

"No thank you, Ludo," said Crouch, and there was a bite of im­patience in his voice. "I've been looking for you everywhere. The Bulgarians are insisting we add another twelve seats to the Top Box."

"Oh is that what they're after?" said Bagman. "I thought the chap was asking to borrow a pair of tweezers. Bit of a strong accent."

"Mr. Crouch!" said Percy breathlessly, sunk into a kind of half-bow that made him look like a hunchback. "Would you like a cup of tea?"

"Oh," said Mr. Crouch, looking over at Percy in mild surprise. "Yes — thank you, Weatherby"

Fred and George choked into their own cups. Percy, very pink around the ears, busied himself with the kettle.

"Oh and I've been wanting a word with you too, Arthur," said Mr. Crouch, his sharp eyes falling upon Mr. Weasley. "Ali Bashir's on the warpath. He wants a word with you about your embargo on flying carpets."

Mr. Weasley heaved a deep sigh.

"I sent him an owl about that just last week. If I've told him once I've told him a hundred times: Carpets are defined as a Muggle Ar­tifact by the Registry of Proscribed Charmable Objects, but will he listen?"

"I doubt it," said Mr. Crouch, accepting a cup from Percy. "He's desperate to export here."

"Well, they'll never replace brooms in Britain, will they?" said Bagman.

"Ali thinks there's a niche in the market for a family vehicle," said Mr. Crouch. "I remember my grandfather had an Axminster that could seat twelve — but that was before carpets were banned, of course."

He spoke as though he wanted to leave nobody in any doubt that all his ancestors had abided strictly by the law.

"So, been keeping busy, Barty?" said Bagman breezily.

"Fairly," said Mr. Crouch dryly. "Organizing Portkeys across five continents is no mean feat, Ludo."

"I expect you'll both be glad when this is over?" said Mr. Weasley.

Ludo Bagman looked shocked.

"Glad! Don't know when I've had more fun. … Still, it's not as though we haven't got anything to look forward to, eh, Barty? Eh? Plenty left to organize, eh?"

Mr. Crouch raised his eyebrows at Bagman.

"We agreed not to make the announcement until all the details —"

"Oh details!" said Bagman, waving the word away like a cloud of midges. "They've signed, haven't they? They've agreed, haven't they? I bet you anything these kids'll know soon enough anyway. I mean, it's happening at Hogwarts —"

"Ludo, we need to meet the Bulgarians, you know," said Mr. Crouch sharply, cutting Bagman's remarks short. "Thank you for the tea, Weatherby."

He pushed his undrunk tea back at Percy and waited for Ludo to rise; Bagman struggled to his feet, swigging down the last of his tea, the gold in his pockets chinking merrily.

"See you all later!" he said. "You'll be up in the Top Box with me — I'm commentating!" He waved, Barty Crouch nodded curtly, and both of them Disapparated.

Chris looked at Bill and Charlie curiously, who were sipping their tea, grinning.

"What's happening at Hogwarts, Dad?" said Fred at once. "What were they talking about?"

"You'll find out soon enough," said Mr.Weasley, smiling.

"It's classified information, until such time as the Ministry de­cides to release it," said Percy stiffly. "Mr. Crouch was quite right not to disclose it."

"Oh shut up, Weatherby," said Fred.