F is for Fudge - Re imagining Harry Potter

The Quidditch World Cup

Disclaimer: The OC sounds like a Mary-Sue but I swear she improves hahaha it's aaaaaall character development. Or so I tell myself. This is the fourth year, in this timeline, Cornelius Fudge has had a son, Benedict, who married Amora Diggory, Amos Diggory's sister. Therefore, the OC (who is a Ravenclaw, btw) is both Cornelius Fudge's granddaughter and Cedric Diggory's cousin. The Mary-Sue is strong in this one.

Marie had spent almost the whole summer with the Diggory since her grandfather was so busy with the preparations for the Quidditch World Cup. She liked to be in the white brown fenced château, she liked the peace and the domestic feeling that house had, so different from the minimalist Fudge mansion. She was very close to her cousin, Cedric, and they went out almost every day; he knew how lonely she used to feel and was always ready to put a smile on her face, they had grown together and the age difference was only three years.

Everyone woke up early that day, even Ms Diggory who wasn't going to the game helped her husband, son and niece to get everything settled; they ate breakfast while making predictions about the game and what they would buy when they got there.

"You two be careful, understand? Marie, if you could attach yourself to Cedric I would be much calmer. "Said Ms Diggory with sincere concern.

"Mom, you don't have to worry... The Minister's staff must be much better than me." Replied Cedric with a warm smile.

"Oh, I know! But... " She looked at her niece and there it was... that look.

She knew that her aunt didn't mean it as an insult, but quite often she would stare at the girl with such a pitiful look that Marie felt the necessity of looking away.

"Don't worry auntie, I'll be fine." The girl forced a smile; it was enough for her aunt.

"Let's go kids." said Mr Diggory saving everyone else from that awkward situation. "We have a long way."

By hearing that, all thoughts of pity and anxiety vanished instantly from Marie's head, she would finally meet her friends again, and she was certain they would have so much fun together that nothing else would matter. She stuffed her last toast in her mouth and drank the rest of the juice. Fifteen minutes later (because Cedric needed to go to the bathroom) they were apparating in the woods near the house.

I will never get used to this thought Marie after throwing up her entire breakfast behind the nearest bush.

"One day you'll have to learn to apparate, you know that right?" said Cedric rubbing her back after pulling her hair into a ponytail.

"I hate this, with all my heart." She spat on the ground still feeling a little dizzy.

"Are you ok?"

"I'll be." Marie smiled at him and he ruffled her hair.

"Are you alright, kiddo?" asked Mr Diggory when they approached again. "You know, someday you'll have to learn to apparate."

"Yeah, I'm aware of that." She and Cedric exchanged a privy smile.

"We are right on schedule; Arthur will be here any minute now."

More like thirty-four minutes. They'd waited for a long time when Cedric decided to climb a tree to see if he could spot them. In the meantime, Marie turned to her uncle:

"You know, you and untie must stop worrying so much about me."

"Oh, sweetheart, we've only said those things because we care." He sounded wounded.

"I know... And please don't think I don't appreciate it, because I do, I truly do." She came closer and touched her uncle's arm. "You are like parents to me, I'm grateful for having such an amazingly supportive family.

"So what's the matter?"

"Uncle, sometimes... I don't know, the way you and auntie look at me... I don't need anyone's pity!"

"Pity? Merlin's beard!!" Mr Diggory was very surprised "Marie, we know that you can take care of yourself, and we value your independence. But we are your family, we just want to take care of you... To make sure you're safe. What happened to your parents..." he made a pause, his eyes were lost in a dark memory.

"What happened to my parents it's in the past." Said she very incisively while forcing a smile, her words had come out colder than she anticipated. "I can't live my present if my past is holding me back, uncle."

"You are right, honey... I'm sorry if I or your aunt ever made you feel any different from loved and respected." He touched her cheek with tenderness making her smile. A real smile this time. "Oh, look... Over here, Arthur! Over here, son, we've got it!" Amos screamed when he saw his colleague and friend Arthur Weasley coming towards them with a little troop.

"Sorry Amos! Some of us had a bit of a sleepy start." Answered Mr Weasley looking at a pair of bed-faced Harry and Ron.

Marie had already run towards her best friends Hermione and Ginny giving them a tight hug; she loved being among friends more than anything. Hermione complimented her hat and Ginny glanced at her scarf intently, her clothes were expensive and the youngest Weasley was always scanning her outfits. Smiling at Ginny, she complimented her lovely handmade coat, Mrs Weasley was great with the needles. She secretly wished Mrs Weasley would someday knit something for her. After some words with the girls, she was then trapped into a head lock by Fred while George patted her head. 

"Oh my, master Frederick! Hast thou ever seen such fine garments?" George took one of the ends of her scarf and covered his lower face batting his eyelashes coyly.

"Howth couldth Ith, lord Georgelinovick? 'Tis of the most sophisticated texture." Fred grabbed the other end imitating his brother. "'Tis not fit for impoverished hands such as mine." 

Ever since Marie had had her share of please-famous-grandpa-notice-me rebellious pranks in the previous semester, she and the twins had grown closer, besides, she had found a way to sneak in some money to finance their prank experiments over the summer. Although grateful, they would constantly mock her because of her family name.

"Unhand me, you fiends!" she danced away from them dramatically. "Ye art tarnishing my property with thine untaught manners."

"Speaking of goods," said Fred anxiously looking at her backpack. "Please tell me you've brought everything."

"Course I did." 

"Mom confiscated ours." George was overly defeated.

"Growing careless, aren't we?" said she in a sarcastic tone.

"It's not carelessness! The woman can smell these things, I swear!"

"Seriously, I have no idea how you guys survived so long without me." she said wrapping her arms around theirs.

"Honestly, I have no idea." Fred kissed her on the cheek with a quick smack.

Cedric came down from the tree, and she noticed Hermione and Ginny looking at each other with shy smiles, her cousin was fairly handsome and attracted a lot of female attention. But no time for further small talk, they were already late, Cedric approached her and the twins, and they started to talk about quidditch; both the Weasley twins saluted Diggory with a very brief nod, they weren't over Gryffindor's defeat yet. The twins scowled again when Mr Diggory started to talk about the game and how Ced should be proud of BEATING HARRY POTTER, BY MERLIN'S BEARD! Very embarrassing. Marie caressed the twin's arms trying to calm them down while cackling internally.

When the time came the group gathered around the boot held by Mr Diggory, travelling by portkey was worse than apparating; as soon as Marie's feet touched the ground the nearest bush became a toilet.