Olive remembered Cedric telling her that they had good seats. She just didn't expect how good those seats were. They were at the very top of the stadium, in the Top Box with the Minister of Magic himself. It was a bit of a climb, but the view was absolutely stunning. Ollie was sat between Cedric and Ginny, having a perfect view of the Quidditch pitch.
"You didn't tell me we'd be all the way up here." Olive whispered the Cedric, her eyes fixed on the scene below. Everyone was taking their seats, and from what the announcer had said, the teams were almost ready to come out.
"I didn't know until today either." Cedric looked like he wanted to cry with happiness. This was his Quidditch dream, besides probably playing in the World Cup himself.
"This is all very exciting, isn't it?" Ginny said to Olive, "We've been looking forward to this all summer. Ron wouldn't shut up about Victor Krum."
"Victor Krum?" Ollie didn't know much about Quidditch. She was only rooting for Ireland because that was the team Missy and Sirius told her to cheer for.
"Seeker for Bulgaria." Cedric explained, "He's my age, basically, and he's that good."
"Wow." Olive mused, "Really?"
"He's one of the best seekers in the world." Ron called a few seats down, "He's an artist!"
"Is someone in love?" George pinched his brother's cheeks, "Aw, Ronald, good for you!"
"Piss off, George!"
"Oi, behave yourselves up here." Mr. Weasley shot them all a look, "Remember where we are, kids."
Everyone remembered that the Minister of Magic and some of his close employees would be joining them. A House Elf sat in a seat close to where Cornelius Fudge would be sitting, claiming that the seat was for her master.
"Sorry."
Olive turned back to Cedric, "Who's sitting there?"
"Dunno." Her cousin eyed the seat with curiosity, "Whoever is there is going to be late. Game's about to start."
"Even with the Minister not here yet?"
"Oh, he's here alright."
Olive turned to see who was behind her, and immediately wanted to roll her eyes. Draco Malfoy was following his parents to their seats, his usual sneer plastered on his face.
"Arrived with my family and I." The blond gloated, "We had dinner before the match. Of course, a rather fancy place. No one that any of you would know."
The Ravenclaw could tell Draco was only boasting about their night because Harry and his friends were there. Plus, for some reason, he really disliked the Weasleys. Olive, however, just kind of ignored him most of the time. To everyone else, the fights between Draco and Harry were kind of repetitive and honestly exhausting to watch.
"Good for you, Draco." Olive found herself saying, "But the match is about to start, and I'm sure your mum's already got your seat warmed for you. We'd all be appreciative if you boasted over there at least."
What in the hell.
Cedric nudged Olive, but she maintained eye contact with he blond until he left, ears red, taking a seat next to Narcissa Malfoy. As soon as everyone had taken their seats, Olive's face turned red, her eyes wide.
"Did I just say that?" She asked, her voice an octave higher than it usually was, "To a Malfoy?"
Ginny smirked, nodding her head with such excitement her red hair fell in her face, "Yes, yes you did."
"Oh god...." Olive shook her head, "Who else heard that?"
"How many people are in the Top Box?" Cedric chuckled. When Olive's cobalt eyes grew wider, he shook his head, "No, just us, probably."
"Why did I say that? I'm such an idiot." Olive face-palmed herself, looking down at her lap with a frustrated sigh, "It just spewed out of my mouth."
"Hey, you said you felt bolder." Cedric whispered to her, "I guess that means saying weirdly awesome things to pricks like Malfoy."
"It was brilliant." Ginny added, "He's just plain stupid coming in here and bragging about that in front of the Minister."
Olive smiled to herself, "I guess you're right."
The lights in the Top Box dimmed, and Cornelius Fudge took his seat. Draco turned around two rows in front of them, sending Olive a quick glare before turning back to watch the game as the teams' mascots lined up.
"Welcome to this year's Quidditch World Cup!"
"That was a really... weird match." Olive mused, plopping down on her bunk in the Diggory's tent. It was later in the evening, the interior of the tent lit up with floating lanterns and candles.
"Never happened before... at least not that I could remember." Cedric shrugged, "Bulgaria catching the snitch but Ireland winning... wow."
Olive laid down flat on her back, hands fiddling with the hem of her t-shirt. She stared up at the bunk above her, amused. She never really watched Quidditch like that before. She always viewed it as an unexciting, violent game, taken up by snobbish jocks... no offense to her cousin.
"I liked it." She nodded with certainty, "I honestly wish all matches were played like that." Olive shot Cedric a smirk.
"None of us Hogwarts blokes can play like that." Cedric chuckled, shaking his head, "Not yet at least."
Olive imagined Cedric playing for a professional team, like Ireland or something. He was just as good as some of the players out there. She believed he just needed a string of luck.
The Ravenclaw sat up, twirling the end of a dark curl. Her brows were knit together quizzically, "You'll get there."
Her cousin shot her a look, almost confused by her deep in thought, matter of fact look. Cedric was, as any Hufflepuff is, humble. He never boasted about his skills, or believed he had anything extraordinary to bring to the table, despite his amazing talent.
"Maybe."
"You'll have to teach me someday." Ollie decided, "I've never ridden on a broom before."
That caused the Hufflepuff to sit bolt upright, an elated smile plastered on his face. Cedric had been asking to teach Ollie for years, but she was never up for it. She had always been too afraid.
"We can start at school. I'm captain, so I know the schedule. It'll be great! There are extra brooms in the tents that'll hold up nicely. I have access to the quaffles and bludgers-"
"Ced-"
"Do you know your timetable yet? I suppose all sixth years will have potions later on the same day-"
"Cedric!" Olive threw a pillow at her excited cousin, "Don't get too excited. I said someday. Not the first day of bloody classes."
Cedric stopped himself, but still held that excited look on his face.
"You're never gonna stop are you?" Ollie asked.
"Big mistake asking me." Cedric waggled his eyebrows at her, folding his arms across his chest, "Every free day you have I'm going to bug you about-"
Olive held up a hand, her face suddenly twisted with worry. She had heard something outside, further away, but it wasn't exactly a great noise.
"Ollie?" Cedric cocked his head to the side, "What-"
"Shh!" The Ravenclaw shot Cedric a look as she got up, socked feet padding across the floor towards the opening of the tent. She listened carefully, over the blaring traditional Irish music and happy cheering.
There were explosions, small ones, happening in the distance. And footsteps. Marching and running or in between. All headed towards their side of camp. Olive turned to Cedric, her eyes wide with fear. She didn't know what to make of these noises, or if there were even something to be worried about at all.
Then Amos Diggory came in a hurry, nearly running over Ollie in the entrance way of the enchanted tent.
"Get your shoes on." He said frantically, "Head to the woods. They're coming!"
"Who is?" Cedric stood up, having kept his shoes on this whole time, "Dad, what's happening?"
"Death Eaters have stormed the camp." Amos explained, "Go to the woods. That's where the Aurors have said to take everyone. It'll be safe there."
Olive's hands were shaking as she tied her shoelaces, her stomach dropping. Death Eaters? She thought all that was done and over with. That's what everyone was telling her. Missy. Sirius. Remus. Even the Professors whom she trusted.
"Let me help." Cedric said, rolling up his sleeves, "I'm of age, Dad. I can help."
"Absolutely not." Amos said, "I won't have that. Stay with Olive."
"Dad-"
"I-I'll be okay, Uncle Amos." Ollie said, nodding her head to both him and Cedric, "The Weasleys are just a few tents down. I'll go find them-"
"Arthur has enough children to keep track of." Amos sent another look towards his son, "Please, Ced?"
Cedric squared his shoulders, his eyes studying his father for a moment. Olive could tell he wanted to prove himself. To do something good. That was Cedric after all, a good person. He cared for everyone, even strangers.
"Okay." He nodded, "To the woods."
Olive sent him a grateful look, and then nodded to Amos. Only grabbing her wand, she followed Cedric quickly out of the tent, stepping out into the chilly night.
"Which way?" Olive called to Cedric, grabbing his arm as they both stood to take in the overwhelming scene. The joyful cheering and celebrations had turned into screaming and running. Everyone was running every which way, and in the distance Olive could see hooded figures marching towards them, people floating above them in a trance.
"Go!" Amos pushed them in the general direction before running with the other Ministry members towards the Death Eaters.
"Ollie, come on."
The two teens hurried in the direction of the woods, people running and screaming all around them. It was hard to take two steps without bumping into anyone.
"There are the Weasleys." Cedric pointed to the right of them.
Olive looked, and sure enough there was a small group of redheads. Harry and Hermione were huddled with Ron, and soon the group split up. Mr. Weasley, Bill, and Charlie went in the same direction as Amos Diggory. The rest of the group was headed for the woods, the same as Ollie and Cedric.
They started to head towards them, but in the blink of an eye they were swept into the crowd, and Ollie couldn't see where they'd gone.
More explosions. Some tents were catching fire. The scene was so frantic, more crowds of people were running around. There was barely room to take running steps. Olive and Cedric were being jolted around, bumping into tents, people, house elves, etc.
Olive looked around, her breathing sharp and quick. Her grip on Cedric's arm tightened, not wanting to lose him in this crowd. It was getting increasingly difficult to tell which was the woods were, or which way anything was. All of her senses were becoming completely overwhelmed. She couldn't hear anything Cedric said to her. Just the screaming, the marching, the charms and curses being cast behind them. The hooded figures were drawing closer.
"Ollie, what's wrong?" Cedric put a hand on her shoulder. Olive's head shot up, her eyes darting around her. It was hard to focus on one noise. Everything was so much louder to her than before.
"It's too-"
Just then, a group of four panicked teens tore through Olive and Cedric, knocking them apart from each other. Ollie fell to the ground, and Cedric, stumbling, was carried away by the flow of the crowd.
People just kept coming. Olive was thrown around the ground, people knocking into her. She was stepped on, knocked over, even used as a hurtle. No matter how hard Ollie tried to get back up, she couldn't. Every time she fell hard into the ground again.
The hooded figures were closing in. Olive was so close she could see the masks beneath their hoods. She could hear the Aurors shouting, the Death Eaters chanting.
If she didn't get up and move soon, she'd be in a lot more trouble than some cuts and bruises.
Thinking fast, Ollie did the only thing she could do. She morphed.
It was easier to weave around people, or between their legs, rather. Black paws padded silently on the ground, running faster than she was before. It was easier to cover more ground, and the marching and chanting of the hooded figures was growing quieter the further she moved away from them.
Then Ollie remembered. Cedric.
What if he was still back there? What if he was knocked down too? Those hooded figures were back there, and Olive didn't think they'd care if a teenager got in their way. However, she was terrified to go back there, even if there was a slim chance anything bad would happen to her.
Hesitant, Ollie ducked under a folding chair, peeking her head just so she could see what was going on.
The Aurors trying to surround the Death Eaters, shouting orders at each other. They apparated around, trying to confuse the people in the masks. They were trying to get to something.
Then Olive noticed what the Death Eaters had floating above their heads. She wanted to scream.
People. She couldn't tell if they were alive or dead, but they were bound and floating stiffly above the heads of the Death Eaters. There were also things like furniture, brooms, pets. They were still chanting, the charm moving their prisoners and look around.
The girl ran, her heart beating out of her chest. She didn't care that she was running out in the open, in cat form, probably in a place where the Death Eaters could see her, and couldn't even tell if they saw her among the crowd of people. She didn't care that she morphed back into her regular self. Ollie just ran, because that was one of the scariest sights she had ever seen.
The crowd of people was still chaotic, yet closer to the woods. People were still screaming and shoving, calling out the names of friends and family they had lost in the crowd. Ollie was freezing, shivering in her t-shirt and jeans, which were grass stained. The knees in her jeans were ripped from when she had been trampled, both her knees bruised and scraped up.
Olive slowed down, turning her head to see how far away she'd gotten from the Death Eaters. They were a good hundred yards away, maybe more, but Ollie still didn't feel safe. She felt as if someone was breathing down her neck, her chest heavy.
As she turned back around to continue her way towards the woods, a hand grabbed onto her wrist.