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CHAPTER ONE

To say the Burrow was crowded was an understatement. The family that lived there, the Weasleys, was large by itself. There were ten of them: Arthur, Molly, Bill, Charlie, Percy, Fred, George, Ron, Arabella, and Ginny. However, the two oldest children, Bill and Charlie, hadn't been home for a few years. They both lived abroad, Bill in Egypt and Charlie in Romania. This summer would be different, however. In August, just a week before term started at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, the Quidditch World Cup would take place. So, Bill and Charlie came home to attend with their family.

On top of that, the three youngest, Ron, Arabella, and Ginny, invited their friends to stay. Evelyn Cabot, Ginny's best friend, a Ravenclaw girl that shared a birthday with her, came to stay for a week. She went home just a few days before the Weasleys left for the Cup, though, so she could attend with her own family. Hermione Granger, Arabella's best friend who was also a very close friend of Ron's and Ginny's, arrived two days before the Cup and would stay for the remainder of the holiday. Harry Potter, Ron's best friend who was also a very close friend of Arabella's, arrived the day before the Cup and would also stay for the remainder of the holiday.

Because of the five extra people staying at the Burrow, new sleeping arrangements had to be made. The house only had five bedrooms: one for Arthur and Molly, one for Percy, one for Fred and George, one for Ron and Arabella, and one for Ginny. Once Bill and Charlie came home, they took Fred and George's room, booting Fred and George to Ron and Arabella's room. This left Arabella to move into Ginny's room. While Evelyn stayed, she also stayed in Ginny's room. Then she left and Hermione came, who took Evelyn's place. Once Harry arrived, he moved into Ron and Arabella's room. At this point, the only one who had his own room was Percy, earning much animosity from his siblings.

However cramped they were, they were all very excited for the Quidditch World Cup. All of them were huge fans of Quidditch; Charlie had been on Gryffindor's House team when he was at Hogwarts, and Fred, George, and Harry were on it currently. Ron, Arabella, and Ginny all planned to try out someday and hoped to make it as well. Hermione was the only one who wasn't borderline obsessed with the sport, but she enjoyed watching the matches at school.

The morning of the Cup, everyone in the Burrow except for Bill, Charlie, and Percy, who would be Apparating, woke up very early. Still half asleep, Arabella pulled on some denim shorts, a gray sweatshirt, and some pink Converse Hermione had brought her two days before. She took her long red hair, which was now down past her hips, out of the braids she had slept in, and then went downstairs to have a quick breakfast. They were out of the house and walking to Stoatshed Hill before sunrise.

They were all out of breath when they finally heard a voice call out to them. "Arthur! It's about time, son!" said a man.

"Sorry, Amos," Arthur replied. "Some of us had a bit of a sleepy start." He looked back at Ron, and Arabella sniggered. "This is Amos Diggory, everyone. Works with me at the Ministry."

"Diggory?" Arabella whispered to Ginny and Hermione, recognizing the last name.

The very boy she had in mind jumped out of a tree at that moment. "And this strapping young man must be Cedric, am I right?" asked Mr. Weasley, shaking his hand.

"Yes, sir," Cedric answered.

Arabella exchanged a grin with Ginny and Hermione and resisted the urge to let out a squeal.

They searched around for the Portkey and found it. They gathered around the mangy old boot and put a hand on it. Mr. Diggory counted down from three and then Arabella felt herself flying through the air. She was beginning to feel a bit dizzy when her father told them to let go. Reluctantly, she did, and fell through the air and landed hard on the ground, her siblings and friends falling down all around her.

[word count: 720]
[written: 4/30/20]
[published: 6/1/20]