do enjoy yourself, won't you...while you can
After a couple hours getting ready, putting our spirit gear on, and painting our faces, we walked over to the stadium. We made our way up the bleachers, and after quite a few flights of stairs, Ron huffed, out of breath, "Blimey, Dad! How far up are we?"
"Well, put it this way," Lucius Malfoy answered from below us. "If it rains...you'll be the first to know." Draco sauntered up beside him in an all-black suit. I glared down at them as their posture and expressions screamed snobby.
"Father and I are in the Minister's box," Draco gloated, "by personal invitation of Cornelius Fudge himself."
"Don't boast, Draco," Lucius scolded, hitting him in the chest with his cane. "There's no need with these people." These people. I could've jumped over the railing and punched him in the face. Harry rolled his eyes and went to turn away, but Malfoy stopped him with his cane.
"Do enjoy yourself, won't you?" Lucius said. "While you can." He smiled unconvincingly before taking off.
"What the bloody hell was that all about?" Ron asked.
"Just the Malfoys being the Malfoys," I muttered, turning and following everyone up the stairs. The stadium was packed with people and was even bigger than I could've imagined. The lights were bright, everyone was cheering, flags were waving, and the environment was so cheery and thrilling. It was already more excitement than I'd had all summer.
"I told you these seats would be worth waiting for!" Arthur said as we stood atop the highest section possible.
The Irish team flew in, leaving white and green smoke and fireworks in their wake and earning, even more, screams from everyone. Fred and George began calling out the names of players.
"Here come the Bulgarians!" George shouted as players in red came flying in.
"Who's that?" Ginny yelled, watching a player balance in a handstand on top of his broom.
"That, sis, is the best seeker in the world!" George replied. 'Krum' chants began echoing throughout the bleachers.
"Ron, it's your boyfriend!" Harry joked, nudging him in the side. Ron rolled his eyes before turning away from him and toward me.
"Good evening!" Fudge announced over the speaker. "As Minister for Magic, it gives me great pleasure to welcome each and every one of you to the final of the 422nd Quidditch World Cup! Let the match begin!"
After the most thrilling game of Quidditch Harry and I had ever seen, we all celebrated inside the tent afterward. We were happy the Irish had won and Krum had caught the snitch. We played music and danced as Fred and George teased Ron about being in love with Krum.
"Looks like the Irish have got their pride on," Fred commented as screams echoed outside.
"Stop! Stop it!" Arthur scolded, stepping between Ron and George fighting with pillows. "It's not the Irish. We've gotta get out of here. Now!"
We exited the tent to find chaos all around us. People running and screaming, loads of tents were on fire and more spells could be heard being cast.
"Get out, it's the Death Eaters!" some man shouted.
"Get back to the Portkey, everybody, and stick together!" Arthur commanded. "Go!"
Ron immediately grabbed my hand and started running as I struggled to keep up with him. He'd gotten taller again and his legs longer. We stopped as a group of people in pointy hats and masks came through chanting with lit torches. There was fire everywhere and people were getting thrown around as everyone tried to push through and run away.
Ron and I's hands somehow slipped apart and Ron screamed loudly, desperately trying to get to me, but he was blocked by dozens of people. I took off running in a new direction, knowing I had to get out of here regardless. It didn't help that my sense of direction was shit though. I just ran in the direction everyone else was, away from the Death Eaters, hoping for the best. I fell quite a few times, only once was directly into a fire though.
I was panting heavily out of breath, desperately searching for anyone. If I got lost, I had no way of finding anyone. I began panicking, but kept running, trying not to cry. Eventually, I made it to where Ron and Hermione were waiting, the two of them easy to spot as fewer and fewer people were around.
"Harper!" Ron shouted, running to me and picking me up. I instinctively wrapped my legs around his waist and held on to him. He placed his hands around my back, holding me tightly, and I buried my head into the crook between his shoulder and neck, gripping around his neck.
"Thank Merlin, Ron," I whispered, trying to control my breathing as I held on to him for dear life.
"You're alright. You're safe now," Ron whispered back, stroking one hand through my hair. After a minute, he set me down, and I began looking around.
"Where's Harry?" I ask, my search becoming more desperate.
"Not here yet," Ron replied.
"We need to look for him," I told him, taking a step.
"We will, once the fires die down, and it's safe," Ron said, wrapping his arm around me and pulling me into him. I melted into his side, wrapping my arms around his torso as I leaned my head on his shoulder.
"Come on," Hermione said after most of the fires died down, walking down the hill. Ron and I followed as we called out Harry's name trying to find him. There wasn't much left. Just hours ago the place was alive with cheers and people milling about, laughing and grinning. Now, there were only the burnt remains of the tents and scorched belongings scattered around. Not a person was in sight, which was very concerning.
"Harry!" I called out again, stepping over some ashes. If Harry wasn't here, I had no idea where he'd be. Hopefully somewhere safe. But if it really was Death Eaters, maybe they even killed or kidnapped Harry. I shuddered at the thought, trying to convince myself that Harry had to be around here somewhere. He's smart, maybe he went to hide.
"Harry! Where are you?" Hermione called out desperately.
"Harry!" I shouted, spotting him standing by a tent, breathing heavily. The three of us ran up to him, relieved to know he was okay.
"Been looking for you for ages!" Ron told him, patting his shoulder.
"We thought we lost you," I added.
"What is that?" Harry said, pointing at the sky. I looked up into the sky to see a giant green skull with a snake coming out of its mouth, moving and hissing in the sky.
I look over at Ron for an answer and he swallowed thickly. "Ah!" Harry said, holding his scar.
"Stupefy!" voices shout, and the four of us quickly duck out of the way as spells come at us from every angle. They continue firing spells as Harry and Ron wrap their arms around Hermione and me, holding us together.
"Stop! That's my son!" Arthur shouted all of the sudden, causing the wizards to stop casting spells. Arthur ran up to us quickly. "Ron, Harry, Harper, Hermione, are you alright?" he asks.
"We came back for Harry," Ron explained.
"Which one of you conjured it?" Crouch shouted, his wand aiming at us. Many other wizards approached with their wands still aimed at us.
"Crouch, you can't possi—" Arthur started.
"Do not lie!" Crouch interrupted frantically waving his wand between all of us. "You've been discovered at the scene of the crime." His wand pointed in my face and I gulped.
"Crime?" I nervously asked.
"Barty, they're just kids," Arthur defended us.
"What crime?" Harry asked.
"It's the Dark Mark," Hermione whispered to us. "It's his mark." Harry and I exchanged a nervous glance and looked back at the sky.
"Voldemort?" I questioned. "Those people tonight, in those masks, they're his too, aren't they? His followers?"
"Yeah," Arthur nodded. "Death Eaters."
"Follow me," Crouch said.
"Um, there was a man...before," Harry stepped forward as they turned around. "Uh, there!" He pointed.
"All of you, this way!" Crouch commanded.
"A man?" Arthur asked. "Who?"
"I don't know," Harry replied. "I didn't see his face."
I began shivering as the temperature cooled, staring at the Dark Mark prominent in the sky.
"Why?" I said numbly, wrapping my arms around myself to keep warm. Ron looked over at me glumly before wrapping his arm around me and pulling me close to keep me warm. I leaned my head on his shoulder and wondered how the world could be so cruel.