| HIDDEN IN SECRETS |

chapter forty-one

"Ah, you're here!" he greeted happily. "Trying to communicate with these guys is a chore. And these are your children? I don't remember you having three... "

"Daphne Greengrass, sir," Daphne said, shaking his hand. "It's an honour to be here."

"Ah, and do I spot Lucius behind you there?" said Fudge, and Silas moved away to get seats.

"Ah, Fudge," said Lucius, holding out his hand. "How are you? I don't think you've met my wife, Narcissa? Or our son, Draco?"

"How do you do, how do you do?" said Fudge, smiling and bowing to Narcissa. "And allow me to introduce you to Mr Oblansk – Obalonsk – Mr... well, he's the Bulgarian Minister of Magic, and he can't understand a word I'm saying anyway, so never mind— "

"I do know English," said the Bulgarian minister to Silas. "Though it's very amusing to see him miming words."

"What'd he say?" asked Fudge.

"He says it's an honour to meet us," Silas replied with a smile.

Fudge smiled saying, "Good man! Hmm, let's see who else – you both know Arthur Weasley, I daresay?"

They looked at each other coldly, though when Mr Weasley looked at Silas, he detected pitiful looks. Lucius' 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 wouldn't have fetched this much?"

Fudge, who wasn't listening, said, "Lucius has just given a very generous contribution to St Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries after Silas' wife died, Arthur. The two are here as my guests."

"How – how very kind of you," said Mr Weasley.

"Come on, dears," said Narcissa, pushing the children to their seats.

Potter gave a slight wave towards Verena, but she did not see – or pretended not to see. She took a seat beside Daphne and Draco sat beside her.

In the next moment, Ludo Bagman charged into the box.

"Everyone ready?" he asked excitedly. "Minister – ready to go?"

"Ready when you are, Ludo," said Fudge comfortably.

Ludo whipped out his wand, pointed it at his throat, and said "Sonorus!" and his voice boomed into every square inch of the packed stadium.

"Ladies and gentlemen... welcome! Welcome to the final of the four hundred and twenty-second Quidditch World Cup!" he announced and there were loud cheers. "And now, without further ado, allow me to introduce... the Bulgarian National Team Mascots!"

At once, a hundred Veela were walking gracefully out onto the field.

"Now we know why Damien's rooting for the Bulgarians," Daphne spoke with a smirk.

"Oh, piss off," Damien sneered, and he stared at the women on the field.

No one could deny they were beautiful. Even if jealous women denied it aloud, in their heads they knew they were beyond gorgeous.

Then, the Veela started to dance. Verena glanced at Draco who stared in awe, his lips parted – just like Damien's. And the Veela danced faster and faster. Verena and Daphne looked at each other, sharing the same expression, then quickly looked back at the field.

The music stopped and the Veela lined up on one side of the field. Angry yells filled the stadium, wanting more from the Veela.

"And now," roared Ludo Bagman's voice, "kindly put your wands in the air... for the Irish National Team Mascots!"