JOKESTER ↝ K. BELL [2]

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"With a final score of 170-160, Ireland wins the 422nd Quidditch World Cup!"

Newton Scamander II had never seen such excitement in his life as, everywhere he looked, Quidditch spectators who had gathered from all across the world to see that night's events unfold began to cheer, both for their chosen teams or the prospect of any winning bets, including two of Newt's friends, Fred and George Weasley, who jumped up and down hysterically at the prospect of what they'd won.

"Let's go kids," Fred and George's father, Arthur Weasley, said to the group consisting of his children and their friends, beginning to lead them down the various staircases that made up the Quidditch World Cup stadium, already beginning to flood with spectators making their way back to their tents for that night's celebrations of Ireland's victory over Bulgaria.

Newt followed closely behind his twin sister Vasantha Scamander, their friends Clarissa Weasley and Cedric Diggory not far behind them as they made their way out into the cool summer night. Leading the way behind Arthur was the Weasley triplets' eldest brothers, Bill and Charlie, and bringing up the rear of the group was Ron and Ginny Weasley, along with their friends Harry Potter and Hermione Granger.

"Let's go, ladies and gents!" Fred exclaimed as the group neared the Weasley family's tent, ducking inside.

"It's party time!" George added, following after his twin.

"Lively night, still." Cedric's voice sounded from behind Newt, who spun around to see the Diggory boy talking to Clary, gesturing back in the direction of the festivities. "Care to take a walk?"

"Walk?" Newt asked, his gaze turning to the partying witches and wizards around them. It was such a nice night, and the air was so full of celebrations, it sounded to him like a wonderful idea. "Hey, we'll come with you!" he offered cheerily, only to be met with a harsh stomp on his right foot by his sister. "Ow!" he hissed, shooting her a dirty look. "What the bloody hell was that for?"

"You know, it's pretty late," Vasantha said, her eyes quickly darting in the direction of Cedric and Clary before turning back to Newt with raised eyebrows. "I think we'll just stay here, right Newt?" 

"What are you-?" he began to ask in return before he stopped suddenly, his jaw dropping as his gaze moved quickly back and forth between Cedric and Clary, the boy's flirty demeanor and the girl's pink tinged cheeks showing that, wherever the two were wandering off to, they clearly wanted to be alone. "Ohhhhhh. Y-yeah, we'll be right inside. See you both later." he stammered nervously, ducking inside the tent to avoid any further embarrassment as Clary and Cedric bid goodbye to Vasantha.

Inside the tent, the Weasleys had begun a small party of their own. While Arthur started a small fire in the hearth, Bill and Charlie had opened a bottle of Firewhiskey, and Fred and George had begun an Irish jig in the middle of the room, where Vasantha soon joined them. Ron sat in the middle of the kitchen area, sulking over Bulgaria's loss that evening, and Ginny and their friends sat on one of the sofas, chatting animatedly about some of the different plays made that evening.

"Newt!" Charlie exclaimed as he caught sight of the younger boy moving inside. "Come join us, my friend. Can I offer you a glass?" he asked, tilting the bottle towards Newt, but the boy politely declined.

"Not for me, no thanks." he assured Charlie.

"Just as well," Charlie said, topping off his own glass before handing the bottle back to Bill. "So," the second eldest Weasley continued. "a little owl tells me that you're quite interested in dragons, is that right?"

"It is," Newt confirmed. Dragons had been his dream ever since he'd taken a trip to a dragon sanctuary in Brazil with his grandfather when he was six years old.