Chapter 80: Quidditch World Cup pt. 2

The match became faster, but more brutal. Volkov and Vulchanov, the Bulgarian Beaters, were whacking the Bludgers as fiercely as possible at the Irish Chasers, and were starting to prevent them from using some of their best moves; twice they were forced to scatter, and then, finally, Ivanova managed to break through their ranks; dodge the Keeper, Ryan; and score Bulgaria's first goal.

"Fingers in your ears!" bellowed Mr. Weasley as the veela started to dance in celebration. Almost every men and boy in the box, looked away, avoiding looking the field. Chris looked around and saw Draco, Harry and the Weasley boys all shut their eyes and ears completely. Chris chuckled and looked at the Veela women, she was very curious about their abilities. Chris remembered Dames, a Dementor, who told her about the magic aura around peoples. 'Maybe the aura of the Veelas create this kind of addiction towards them,' Chris thought as the veela stopped dancing, and Bulgaria was again in possession of the Quaffle.

"Dimitrov! Levski! Dimitrov! Ivanova — oh I say!" roared Bagman.

One hundred thousand wizards gasped as the two Seekers, Krum and Lynch, plummeted through the center of the Chasers, so fast that it looked as though they had just jumped from airplanes without parachutes. Chris followed them with her eyes.

"Oh God. Oh God. They're going to crash. Oh God." Ginny shrieked beside Chris looking through Chris's Omnioculars. "Oh my..."

Ginny jumped up from her sit as at the very last second, Viktor Krum pulled out of the dive and spiraled off. Lynch, however, hit the ground with a dull thud that could be heard throughout the sta­dium. A huge groan rose from the Irish seats.

"Fool!" moaned Mr. Weasley. "Krum was feinting!"

"It's time-out!" yelled Bagman's voice, "as trained mediwizards hurry onto the field to examine Aidan Lynch!"

"Is he alright? He'll be playing, right?" Ginny said hanging over the side of the box, looking horror-struck.

"He'll be okay, he only got ploughed!" Charlie said reassuringly to Ginny, "Which is what Krum was after, of course. …"

"Relax Ginny. Sit." Chris said pulling her onto her seat.

Chris took the Omnioculars from Ginny and pressed the replay and play-by-play buttons on her Omnioculars, twiddled the speed dial, and put them back up to her eyes.

She watched as Krum and Lynch dived again in slow motion. Wronski Defensive Feint — dangerous Seeker diversion read the shining purple lettering across her lenses. She saw Krum's face contorted with concentration as he pulled out of the dive just in time, while Lynch was flattened, and she understood — Krum hadn't seen the Snitch at all, he was just making Lynch copy him. Chris had never seen anyone fly like that; Krum hardly looked as though he was using a broomstick at all; he moved so easily through the air that he looked unsupported and weightless. Chris turned her Omnioculars back to normal and focused them on Krum. He was now circling high above Lynch, who was being re­vived by mediwizards with cups of potion. Chris, focusing still more closely upon Krum's face, saw his dark eyes darting all over the ground a hundred feet below. He was using the time while Lynch was revived to look for the Snitch without interference.

Lynch got to his feet at last, to loud cheers from the green-clad supporters, mounted his Firebolt, and kicked back off into the air. His revival seemed to give Ireland new heart. When Mostafa blew his whistle again, the Chasers moved into action with a skill unri­valed by anything Chris had seen so far.

After fifteen more fast and furious minutes, Ireland had pulled ahead by ten more goals. They were now leading by one hundred and thirty points to ten, and the game was starting to get dirtier.

As Mullet shot toward the goal posts yet again, clutching the Quaffle tightly under her arm, the Bulgarian Keeper, Zograf, flew out to meet her. Whatever happened was over so quickly Chris didn't catch it, but a scream of rage from the Irish crowd, and Mostafa's long, shrill whistle blast, told her it had been a foul.

"And Mostafa takes the Bulgarian Keeper to task for cobbing — excessive use of elbows!" Bagman informed the roaring spectators. "And — yes, it's a penalty to Ireland!"

The leprechauns, who had risen angrily into the air like a swarm of glittering hornets when Mullet had been fouled, now darted to­gether to form the words "HA, HA, HA!" The veela on the other side of the field leapt to their feet, tossed their hair angrily, and started to dance again.

This time Chris focused on the aura around the Veela but soon something happened which broke her all concentration. Hassan Mostafa, suddenly speeded on his broom and landed right in front of the dancing veela, and started to act very oddly. He was flexing his muscles and smoothing his mustache excitedly. Chris laughed loudly. Ginny giggled and hearing this Bill, Charlie, Fred and George opened their eyes and started laughing too.

"Now, we can't have that!" said Ludo Bagman, though he sounded highly amused. "Somebody slap the referee!"

A mediwizard came tearing across the field, his fingers stuffed into his own ears, and kicked Mostafa hard in the shins. Mostafa seemed to come to himself; Chris, watching through the Om­nioculars again, saw that he looked exceptionally embarrassed and had started shouting at the veela, who had stopped dancing and were looking mutinous.

"And unless I'm much mistaken, Mostafa is actually attempting to send off the Bulgarian team mascots!" said Bagman's voice. "Now there's something we haven't seen before. … Oh this could turn nasty. …"

It did: The Bulgarian Beaters, Volkov and Vulchanov, landed on either side of Mostafa and began arguing furiously with him, gesticulating toward the leprechauns, who had now gleefully formed the words "HEE, HEE, HEE." Mostafa was not impressed by the Bulgarians' arguments, however; he was jabbing his finger into the air, clearly telling them to get flying again, and when they refused, he gave two short blasts on his whistle.

"Two penalties for Ireland!" shouted Bagman, and the Bulgarian crowd howled with anger. "And Volkov and Vulchanov had better get back on those brooms … yes … there they go … and Troy takes the Quaffle …"

Play now reached a level of ferocity beyond anything they had yet seen. The Beaters on both sides were acting without mercy: Volkov and Vulchanov in particular seemed not to care whether their clubs made contact with Bludger or human as they swung them violently through the air. Dimitrov shot straight at Moran, who had the Quaffle, nearly knocking her off her broom.

"Foul!" roared the Irish supporters as one, all standing up in a great wave of green.

"Foul." Ginny also screamed.

"Reminded me the last match with the Slytherins." Chris said with a sigh.

"Foul!" echoed Ludo Bagman's magically magnified voice. "Dimitrov skins Moran — deliberately flying to collide there — and it's got to be another penalty — yes, there's the whistle!"

The leprechauns had risen into the air again, and this time, they formed a giant hand, which was making a very rude sign indeed at the veela across the field. At this, the veela lost control. Instead of dancing, they launched themselves across the field and began throwing what seemed to be handfuls of fire at the leprechauns. Chris saw that they didn't look remotely beautiful now. On the contrary, their faces were elongating into sharp, cruel-beaked bird heads, and long, scaly wings were bursting from their shoulders —

"And that, boys," yelled Mr. Weasley over the tumult of the crowd below, "is why you should never go for looks alone!"

Ministry wizards were flooding onto the field to separate the veela and the leprechauns, but with little success; meanwhile, the pitched battle below was nothing to the one taking place above.

"Levski — Dimitrov — Moran — Troy — Mullet — Ivanova — Moran again — Moran — MORAN SCORES!"

But the cheers of the Irish supporters were barely heard over the shrieks of the veela, the blasts now issuing from the Ministry mem­bers' wands, and the furious roars of the Bulgarians. The game recommenced immediately; now Levski had the Quaffle, now Dimitrov —

The Irish Beater Quigley swung heavily at a passing Bludger, and hit it as hard as possible toward Krum, who did not duck quickly enough. It hit him full in the face.

There was a deafening groan from the crowd; Krum's nose looked broken, there was blood everywhere, but Hassan Mostafa didn't blow his whistle. He had become distracted, and Chris couldn't blame him; one of the veela had thrown a handful of fire and set his broom tail alight.

"This is stupid." Chris couldn't took the Veelas attitude anymore.

"Time-out! Ah, come on, he can't play like that, look at him —"

"Look at Lynch!" Harry yelled.

For the Irish Seeker had suddenly gone into a dive.

"He's seen the Snitch!" Harry shouted. "He's seen it! Look at him go!"

But Chris wasn't focusing on the match, she concentrated hard on the Veela women and suddenly few Veela women's wings caught fire. They were surprised, the Wizards were looking like something impossible had happened. The Veela started to stop the fire but it kept spreading

Half the crowd didn't seemed to have realized what was happening; the field was a mess. Chris focused on the match as the Irish supporters rose in another great wave of green, screaming their Seeker on … but Krum was on his tail.

"They're going to crash!" shrieked Hermione.

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"They're not!" roared Ron.

"Lynch is!" yelled Harry.

And he was right — for the second time, Lynch hit the ground with tremendous force and was immediately stampeded by a horde of angry veela.

"The Snitch, where's the Snitch?" bellowed Charlie.

"He's got it — Krum's got it — it's all over!" shouted Harry.

Krum, his red robes shining with blood from his nose, was ris­ing gently into the air, his fist held high, a glint of gold in his hand.

The scoreboard was flashing BULGARIA: 160, IRELAND: 170 across the crowd, who didn't seem to have realized what had hap­pened. Then, slowly, as though a great jumbo jet were revving up, the rumbling from the Ireland supporters grew louder and louder and erupted into screams of delight.

"IRELAND WINS!" Bagman shouted, who like the Irish, seemed to be taken aback by the sudden end of the match. "KRUM GETS THE SNITCH — BUT IRELAND WINS — good lord, I don't think any of us were expecting that!"

"Woooooooowwwww." Ginny jumped up and down throwing her hand up in the air.

Fred and George started to dance.

Chris also jumped in happiness with Ginny but then a voice whispered in her ears, "That was really cool. How long you can do that without a wand?"

Chris turned around and saw Bill grinning at her.

He saw it.

After Chris realized that Ministry can track a under-age student using magic outside the school, she started practicing wandless magic for curiosity. Though it started because her little bit of laziness, like moving something from places, or cleaning the house without touching anything; soon it was replaced by interest and she started to do things with the help of her mind. But Chris decided not to tell anyone about these now, as it can be little advantage for her later.

___________________________________

As they returned to the tent, nobody felt like sleeping at all, and given the level of noise around them, Mr. Weasley agreed that they could all have one last cup of cocoa together before turning in.

Chris went and sat in a corner of the tent, Ginny didn't followed her as she was in a deep conversation with Hermione about the Bulgarian Seeker Victor Krum. As expected Bill came and sat beside her.

"So....?"

"So what?" Chris asked looking innocent.

"Listen, no need to lie. Your secret is safe with me." Bill said smiling, "it's just a little surprising to see you do 'that' at such an early age."

Chris understood why Bill didn't mention the 'wandless magic'. Fred and George were not very near but enough to became interested if they hear that kind of things.

"I was just a little curious about I can do these things or not? And it turns out I can." Chris replied seriously. "I didn't completely mastered it though."

"Oh that was enough for your age." He lowered his voice, "15 wings caught fire."

"You counted it?" Chris chuckled.

"Yeah. It was amusing so I had to." Bill said grinning. "I know you're very talented witch Chris. And I encourage you to learn many more things, so if you need my help.. just ask."

"So how about that book about Egyptian curses and the curse breaking spells and things?" Chris asked smirking.

Bill laughed, "Right to the business? Do you know I didn't even gave it to Charlie?"

Chris nodded.

"Fine I'll give you before you go to Hogwarts. Anything else my Lady?" Bill said with a bow.

"Umm... Nothing now, but I'll let you know." Chris said grinning.

Bill laughed, sipping his cocoa.

Ginny came to them yawning, "What're you... ta... talking about?"

"That you need to go to sleep." Bill said getting up. "Dad! I think we should go to beds. Ginny is really sleepy."

"Hey.. I'm not... sle.. sle.. sleepy." Ginny yawned again.

Everyone laughed.

Ginny went red, "fine, maybe a little."

"Right. Boys it's time. Change and then to beds." Mr Weasley said taking the mugs from everyone. "And girls to your tents."

Chris got up and went towards the other tent with Ginny and Hermione.

In the girls' tent Chris, Ginny and Hermione changed into their sleepwears and climbed in their beds. From the other side of the campsite they could still hear much singing and the odd echoing bang.

Ginny was asleep in a minute, Hermione was trying to sleep, tossing and turning. Chris, who was on the top bunk, lay staring up at the canvas ceiling of the tent, watching the glow of an occasional lep­rechaun lantern flying overhead.

She knew, she have learnt more than any other witch in her age, but, she felt she needed to learn much more. Dumbledore's voice always echoes in her mind, 'You're born for a big task. The future is yours to change. Your destiny is bigger than Harry.'

Chris was almost asleep when suddenly the noise outside changed into screams. Chris jerked up, holding her wand tightly which was beside her pillow. She listened carefully and it was indeed screams. She jumped out of her bed.

"Ginny! Hermione! Wake up." Chris said pulling a jacket over her sleepwear. "GINNY! HERMIONE! GINNY! C'MON."

Hermione woke up, hearing Chris's loud voice. "What happened?"

Ginny also woke up.

"Hermione, Ginny grab a jacket come out. Fast. Something is happening outside, which is not going to end well, I've a feeling." Chris said running outside.

"Chris don't go alone." Hermione said getting up and wearing her jacket hurriedly.

"No. Hermione, don't leave Ginny alone." Saying this Chris ran out of the tent.