26- THE QUIDDITCH WORLD CUP

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CLUTCHING THEIR PURCHASES, Mr Weasley in the lead, they all hurried into the woods, following the lantern-lit trail. They could hear the sounds of thousands of people moving around them, shouts and laughter, snatches of singing. The atmosphere of feverish excitement was something Zoe always loved. The girl was sure she was going to grin through the whole night.

A group of about their aged, Irish boys were swaggering down the lantern-lit trail, while singing the Irish national anthem, all dressed in Irish colors. What was odd about them was the fact Zoe was certain they weren't from Hogwarts. So, Zoe joined their singing for a laugh, adding a bit higher note which stood out to their ears as they passed the party lead by Mr Weasley. The group of the five Irish boys turned their necks, an amused grins on their faces to see who was the one who sang and Zoe kept singing.

The Irish boys rushed to her side. She and the boys formed a line of Irish national anthem singers for a few seconds, arms around each others' shoulders.

"I like your outfit!" one of them laughed to Zoe over the noise, indicating to the Irish flag cape she was wearing.

"Keep it up, Brit!" other one yelled, showing thumbs up before they hurried out of sight, still singing the song.

"How do you know the Irish anthem?" Ginny asked amusedly after the Irish were out of sight.

"I guess I've heard it before." Zoe gave a shrug.

"I'm starting to think you're not singing the Irish songs with them just because you like singing." Fred teased, wiggling his eyebrows.

They walked through the woods for twenty minutes, talking and joking loudly, until at last they emerged on the other side and found themselves in the shadow of a gigantic stadium.

Zoe was awestruck by the sight.

Their party went towards the nearest entrance which was already surrounded by a swarm of shouting witches and wizards.

"Prime seats!" the Ministry worker exclaimed at the entrance, when she checked their tickets. "Top Box! Straight upstairs, Arthur, and as high as you can go."

The stairs into the stadium were carpeted in rich purple. Mr Weasley's party kept climbing as the rest of the crowd slowly filtered away through doors into stands to their left and right. At last they reached the top staircase and found themselves in a small box, set at the highest point of the stadium and situated exactly halfway between the golden goalposts.

About twenty purple-and-gilt chairs stood in two rows and Zoe sat with their whole party into the front seats, while being humored by the fact that their party took almost half of the seats.

Zoe saw that below her, hundred thousand witches and wizards were taking their places in the seats which rose in levels around the long oval pitch. It was almost impossible not to marvel at the view around her. Everything was suffused with a mysterious golden light which seemed to come from the stadium itself. The pitch looked so smooth Zoe doubted no one had ever walked on it. Zoe looked over her shoulder to see who they were sharing the box with and Harry seemed to be doing the same thing because their eyes met and they both grinned a bit wider. However, they were still only ones there.

RECKLESS FUN | Blaise Zabini | AuWhere stories live. Discover now