Another Potter

fifty seven

chapter fifty seven
the goblet of fire

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At seven 'clock on the night before the Quidditch World Cup, the Greengrass family and Amelia were settling themselves down to eat beneath a clear, deep-blue sky. The large table was groaning under dishes and dishes of Mrs. Greengrass' excellent cooking. To somebody who had been living on meals of increasingly stale cake all summer, this was paradise, and at first, Amelia listened rather than talked as he helped himself to chicken and ham pie, boiled potatoes, and salad. The family of four were all talking spiritedly about the World Cup.

"It's got to be Ireland," said Daphne. "They flattened Peru in the semi-finals."

"Bulgaria has got Viktor Krum, though," said Astoria.

"Krum's one decent player, Ireland has got seven," said Daphne shortly. "I wish England had got through. That was embarrassing, that was."

"What happened?" said Amelia eagerly, regretting more than ever her isolation from the wizarding world when he was stuck on Privet Drive.

"Went down to Transylvania, three hundred and ninety to ten," said Mr. Greengrass gloomily. "Shocking performance. And Wales lost to Uganda, and Scotland was slaughtered by Luxembourg."

Amelia had been on the Gryffindor House Quidditch team ever since her second year at Hogwarts and owned one of the best racing brooms in the world, a Firebolt. Flying came more naturally to Amelia than anything else in the magical world, and she played in the position of Seeker on the Slytherin House team.

Mr. Greengrass conjured up candles to light the darkening garden before they had their homemade strawberry ice cream, and by the time they had finished, moths were fluttering low over the table, and the warm air was perfumed with the smells of grass and honeysuckle. Amelia was feeling extremely well fed and at peace with the world as she watched Marie trying to catch the moths.

Daphne looked carefully up the table to check that the rest of the family were all busy talking, then she said very quietly to Amelia, "So, have you heard from Sirius lately?"

"Yeah," said Amelia softly, "twice. He sounds okay. I wrote to him yesterday. He might write back while I'm here."

She suddenly remembered the reason she had written to Sirius, and for a moment was on the verge of telling the blonde about her scar hurting again, and about the dream that had awoken her, but she really didn't want to worry them just now, not when she himself was feeling so happy and peaceful.

"Look at the time," Mrs. Greengrass said suddenly, checking her wristwatch. "You really should be in bed, the whole lot of you you'll be up at the crack of dawn to get to the Cup. Girls, if you leave your school list out, I'll get your things for you tomorrow in Diagon Alley. There might not be time after the World Cup, the match went on for five days last time."

"Wow, hope it does this time!" said Amelia enthusiastically.

"Only can only hope," Mr. Greengrass said amused as they all got up from the table and began walking inside.

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Amelia felt as though she had barely lain down to sleep in Daphne's room when she was being shaken awake by Mrs. Greengrass.

"Time to go, Amelia, dear," she whispered, moving away to wake Daphne.

Amelia let out a yawn and sat up. It was still dark outside. Daphne muttered indistinctly as her mother roused her.