Lillian 'Anna' Potter || Goblet of Fire

Chapter Seven: The World Cup

The box filled gradually over the next half hour. Mr. Weasley kept shaking hands with people whom Anna assumed were important wizards, and Percy jumped to his feet so often, it appeared like he was trying to sit on a hedgehog. When Cornelius Fudge, the Minister of Magic himself arrived, Percy bowed so low, his glasses fell off and shattered on the ground.

Embarassed, he hastily repaired them, shooting jealous looks at Harry and Anna, who Fudge had greeted like old friends. Anna had never met Fudge before, but she was aware that he was the one who had found Harry after he ran away from home last year, so she gave him a thankful smile as he shook her hand.

He then turned to Harry, shaking his hand and asking how he was before introducing him to the wizards on either side of him. "Harry Potter, you know." He told the Bulgarian minister loudly, who didnt seem to understand a word of English. "Harry Potter? Oh come on, now. You know who he is - the boy who survived You-Know-Who?"

The Bulgarian wizard spotted Harry's scar and began talking loudly and excitedly, pointing at it. "Knew we'd get there in the end." Fudge said wearily to Harry and Anna. "I'm no great shakes at languages; I need Barty Crouch for this sort of thing. Ah, I see his house elf's saving him saving him a seat. Good job too, these Bulgarian blighters have been trying to cadge all the best places..as, and here's Lucius!"

Anna turned to see Lucius Malfoy, his son, Draco, and a woman that she assumed must be Draco's mother. Draco and Anna had never gotten along - even though she had never done anything to upset him. She suspected that it must've been one of those male pride things because Harry had rejected Draco's hand of friendship in their first year.

As much as Anna despised him, Draco was still impossibly handsome, with sapphire eyes and carefully styled hair that shone against his pale skin. His mother was blonde too, with a bit more pink in her skin. Tall and slim, she probably would've been beautiful if not for the permanent scowl on her face.

"Ah, Fudge." Mr. Malfoy greeted, holding out his hand as he reached for the Minister of Magic. "How are you? I don't think you've met my wife, Narcissa? Or our son, Draco?" He said. "How do you do, how do you do?" Fudge greeted them with a smile, bowing ti Mrs. Malfoy. "And allow me to introduce you to Mr. Oblansk. Oblansk - Mr. Mal - well, he's the Bulgarian Minister of Magic, and he can't understand a word in saying anyway, so never mind. And let's see who else - you know Arthur Weasley, I daresay?"

While the two men had never talked to each other kindly, they had, however, endured a rather painful conversation that may have involved some fists. Mr. Malfoy's eyes swept over Mr. Weasley, and then up and down the row.

"Good lord, Arthur." He said softly. "What did you have to sell to get seats in the Top Box? Surely your house wouldnt have fetched this much?" Anna's hands folded into fists, and the overwhelming urge to sock Mr. Malfoy came over her.

Fudge, who wasn't listening, said, "Lucius has just given a very generous contribution to St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries, Arthur. He's here as my guest." He said with a smile. "How-how nice," said Mr. Weasley, with a very strained smile.

Mr. Malfoy's eyes had gone to Hermione, who went slightly pink, but stared determinedly back at him. Anna knew that the Malfoy's prided themselves on being purebloods, so anyone of Muggle descent, like Hermione, were second class. Under the gaze of Fudge, Mr. Malfoy didn't dare say anything as he and his wife went down the line to their seats.

Draco pushed past Anna, making sure that his elbow embedded painfully into her side. "Playing nice with the Mudbloods, eh?" He whispered so only she could hear him. Anna only glared into his sapphire stare. "Shove off, Malfoy." She spat, her fingernails cutting into her palms from her fists being clenched too tightly. She couldn't cause any trouble for Mr. Weasley - not after everything the Weasleys had done for her. He scoffed, walking past her to join his parents.

"What did he say to you?" Ginny asked curiously as they settled back into their seats. "Nothing worth repeating." Anna said tightly, using her left hand to pry open her clenched fist. "What I wouldn't give to give the Malfoy son and father a beatdown..."

Ginny raised an eyebrow, but didn't pry. They were distracted by Ludo Bagman excitedly charging into the box. "Everyone ready?" he said, his round face gleaming excitedly. "Minister, ready to go?" He double-checked.

"Ready when you are, Ludo." Fudge said comfortably. Ludo whipped out his wand, directing it at his own throat and said "Sonorus!" and then spoke over the roar of the crowd that was now filling the packed stadium. His voice rose over their cheers, booming into every inch of the stands.

"Ladies and gentlemen...welcome! Welcome to the final of the four hundred and twenty-second Quidditch World Cup!"

It was a long and exciting match - even for Anna, when even looking at a broom made her stomach twist with embarrassment. The game was an excellent distraction from all her boy problems - from Cedric's odd distant stare to Malfoy's attempt to get a rise out of her.

Ireland ended up winning, even though Bulgaria caught the snitch, and Anna couldn't tell who was cheering more - Ireland, or Fred and George, who had gambled on this exact outcome. But Anna wasn't paying attention to the music, the cheers, the dances. All she knew was that during the cheer, she had spotted Cedric across the stands - and there was another girl by his side.