𝗺𝗮𝗿𝗼𝗼𝗻𝗲𝗿'𝘀 𝗿𝗼𝗰𝗸, aleksander krum

˗ˋ 07

"How do you know?"

The boy just pointed back down into the stadium and Evie followed, eyes landing on the kerfuffle, there were mediwizards hovering around .

"He's got it - Krum's got it - it's all over!" Harry shouted over the din. Krum, his red robes shining with blood from his nose, was rising gently into the air, his fist held high, a glint of gold in his hand. 

The Top Box erupted into cheers and celebrations, from both the Irish and the Bulgarian supporters. Oblansk shouting something over in the boy's direction. It was very easy to figure out what had happened; Krum figured out that they would never catch up to Ireland in the points from the Quaffle and ended it in a rather elegant fashion.

The scoreboard was flashing 'BULGARIA: 160, IRELAND: 170' across the crowd, who didn't seem to have realised what had happened. Then, slowly, as though a great jumbo jet were revving up, the rumbling from the Ireland supporters grew louder and louder and erupted into screams of delight. 

"Ireland wins!" Bagman's voice shouted above them all. Like the Irish, he seemed to be taken aback by the sudden end of the match. "Krum gets the Snitch, but Ireland wins - good lord, I don't think any of us were expecting that!"

"Vell, ve fought bravely." Both Evie, the boy and Harry turned around in their seats to see Oblansk clapping slowly amongst the rest of the celebrations.

You can speak English!" Fudge exclaimed, sounding outraged. "And you've been letting me mime everything all day!"

"Vell, it vos very funny," Oblansk replied as if it was simpler than breathing, shrugging.

"And as the Irish team performs a lap of honor, flanked by their mascots, the Quidditch World Cup itself is brought into the Top Box!" Bagman roared and the group lead by Mr Weasley glanced around, confused for just a moment. Evie's eyes were suddenly dazzled by a blinding white light and she squeezed her eyes closed, as the Top Box was magically illuminated so that everyone in the stands could see the inside. 

Squinting towards the entrance, they saw two panting wizards carrying a vast golden cup into the box, which they handed to Cornelius Fudge, who was still looking very disgruntled that he'd been using sign language all day for nothing.

"Let's have a really loud hand for the gallant losers - Bulgaria!" Bagman shouted. And up the stairs into the box came the seven defeated Bulgarian players, much to the shock of the group within it. The crowd below was applauding appreciatively; Evie could see thousands and thousands of Omniocular lenses flashing and winking in their direction.

One by one, the Bulgarians filed between the rows of seats in the box, and Bagman called out the name of each as they shook hands with their own minister and then with Fudge. Krum, who was last in line, looked a real mess. Two black eyes were blooming spectacularly on his bloody face. He was still holding the Snitch and when Krum's name was announced, the whole stadium gave him a resounding, earsplitting roar. 

But Evie watched as he pushed through the crowd and through the rows of seats, and she instictively stepped back, closer to Harry and Ron, watching with wide eyes as Krum threw his arms around the boy who she was sat next to the entirety of the match.

"Merlin's balls." Ron looked starstruck at the sight of the Bulgarian Seeker - he was so close that he could reach out and touch him. It was then that realisation struck and slowly, he turned to Evie. "Bloody hell - that's Aleksander Krum - you've been sat next to his brother the entire time!"

Evie's eyes widened, meeting Aleksander's as he rested his chin on his brother's shoulder, smeared blood on his cheek. He smiled at her, nodding slightly at Ron, as if acknowledging his air of mystery had gone.

But there was no time for her to be so shocked by it all; her attention was soon taken up by the Irish team making their way up to the box. Aidan Lynch was being supported by Moran and Connolly; the second crash seemed to have dazed him and his eyes looked strangely unfocused

But he grinned happily as Troy and Quigley lifted the Cup into the air and the crowd below thundered its approval. Their hands were numb with clapping at everything going on in front of them, which they were viewing - to the shock of them all - with their own eyes and not the lenses of their Omnioculars.

At last, when the Irish team had left the box to perform another lap of honor on their brooms (Aidan Lynch on the back of Connolly's, clutching hard around his waist and still grinning in a bemused sort of way), Bagman pointed his wand at his throat and muttered, "Quietus."

They'll be talking about this one for years," Bagman said hoarsely, "a really unexpected twist, that... shame it couldn't have lasted longer.... Ah yes.... yes, I owe you... how much?"

Fred and George were leaning over the back of their seats with their hands outstretched, but Evie wasn't to keep her attention on the twins. Instead, it moved to the boy she had been sat next to, meeting his eyes once more.

And to her surprise, he winked.

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