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trashlie · 1 year ago

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ILY FP 235

It's been 2 weeks since this episode dropped, you'd think this would be an easy one to write about but I feel SO overwhelmed by all my feelings but AAAAHHHHHHHHHH I want this to be out of the way AAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH I want all my screaming to be in one place so HERE WE GO!!!!!!!

WHAT AN EPISODE I LOVE THIS EPISODE AAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH THERE IS SO MUCH GOOD IN HERE AND I FEEL LIKE I'M JUST GETTING EVERYTHING I WANT HANDED TO ME ON A SILVER PLATTER like quimchee PLS this feast you keep serving up is SO DECADANT!!!!!!

I wanted Girl Talk SO badly and OH MY GOD quimchee DELIVERED!!!!!! There's something SO satisfying about this talk, for what it reveals but also what it sets up. Shinae and Maya had a number of reasons to never be close to each other before, and now they have the opportunity to start over for REAL, and what a way to do it! Something I've always loved about Shinae is that she is not an "I'm not like other girls" character. She isn't dismissive of things that are feminine just because they're girly in nature - if anything, she's just never had the time/money/space/influence in her life to dig into them. Her best friend is a guy and she was never comfortable enough with Maya and Rika to explore these things. Starting over provides her that chance, the opportunity to take a chance on the things that scare her and I am SO excited for that, to see how it plays out!

Maya and Shinae's friendship is INCREDIBLY important to me, and Maya, the one who has so famously shipped Shinae with anyone in effort to get rid of her and not have to compete for her brother's attention, being the one to make her aware of her feelings is SO. FUNNY! TO ME!!!!!!

There's also something so incredibly funny about the fact that, yes, Shinae IS acting "out of character" because, for the first time in her life, she's behaving her age. She's being a moody teenager, complete with the sass and saying terrible (if not true) things (I audibly GASPED when she told Simhan he wasn't really around to raise her!). Of course no one else knows how to deal with this; Simhan has never had to deal with a moody teenager because Shinae has spent her entire life trying not to take up space, stuffing her feelings down, trying not to be a burden, trying to be good and not make waves, so now that she is doing the opposite, he's at a loss! Minhyuk, too, is at a similar loss, because this is nothing like the Shinae he knows! But Maya! Maya, a teenage girl herself who has doesn't repress her negative feelings as much? She knows. Oh she KNOWS.

There's something about that family meal that feels... bittersweet. I love the panel from the stair-view where Lil Buddy is sleeping and we can look down and see everyone gathering at the table to eat together - a proper family meal that Shinae never has, to announce big news. But the big news feels so foreboding with what we've seen, and the choice of words. Simhan admits shame at having failed three times now to get over his alcohol addiction and asserts that this will be the last attempt - because he intends it to be, because he has people who have his back, because he's trying to get help for real this time. Knowing what we do about Yui, though.... I can't help but be worried about the word use! And the previous imagery of the hanging chain over him at his neck? UGH, GOD.

We know Yui has overheard Simhan's plans to attend AA, and I really, REALLY hope Shinae does go with him to the first meeting, in case Yui is already showing up. I think the main fandom fear is that Yui would slip in and try to seduce him, try to get him to go back to drinking, maybe even go as far as to stage something to frame him for sexual assault, or you know, far worse, kill him. I... really don't want to go that route and I HOPE we aren't. It's bad enough Shinae has already lost her mom. I DON'T want her to lose her dad, as well. There's similar imagery/foreshadowing regarding Rand and a heart attack and despite what a bad father Rand's been, I don't want Nol to lose HIS father, either! Shinae has already struggled, and honestly this feels SO hopeful and having it dangled in front of us like this almost feels cruel, the what could have been, if Yui didn't get in the way. What I'm really hoping instead happens is, if Shinae DOES catch sight of Yui at the meeting, maybe she'd put 2 and 2 together and realize that Yui is trying to get Simhan in her clutches in order to corner Shinae, and instead of giving Yui the satisfaction and allowing her to harm someone important to her, Shinae might make an offer to "trade" herself.

As readers we already know Shinae is going to end up taking Yui's offer. Yui gets what Yui wants and she knows exactly how to do it, how to exploit peoples' weaknesses and corner them until they have nowhere left to run. She's already done this to Shinae! She doesn't have to do it again. So I think this is the best way for Shinae to end up taking up Yui's offer. Rand has already told her it's inevitable, she can do nothing to get out. And if it means people she cares about will be put in harms way, then she'll do the very thing she doesn't want to in order to save them.

I just... I don't want Simhan to die. I WANT Shinae to have her blended family unit. I know she's ultimately going to have to take Yui's offer and while this isn't ENTIRELY on her own terms, it's enough so that she can still feel in control, that she's making a choice, instead of being driven to it and losing everything she has left.

Something that comes up a lot with other readers is how Nol would feel if Shinae took Yui's offer, knowing how he feels about Alyssa doing it, but I think this current arc is about Nol starting to open up and talk to his friends, so that if Shinae DOES take this offer up this way, they can talk about it and he would understand how it's different than Alyssa's naive idolization of Yui, and how she was willing to do whatever Yui asked. Nol knows how Shinae feels about Yui, and more importantly, he knows how she hurts people and why Shinae would put herself in that position if it means saving her father.

I just UGGGHGHHHHHH I have FEELINGS about this, because for so long Shinae wanted her father and mother to get back together and when she grew old enough to know it was never going to happen she was just left to STRUGGLE. To feel like a burden at every turn! Adults made her feel like trash! People treated her like trash! They didn't have money and her father was spending what little they did on his addiction and she couldn't even guarantee when her next meal would be! The idea of her having a brother and a sister, a family unit who work together, who can get through things because they're not alone? ;~;

That Shinae, who is so emotionally overwhelmed already, started crying because of how happy it made her. PLEASE Simhan CAN'T die we can't go through that!!!!! It would be TOO cruel!!!! ;______;

But man, this episode was just a ROLLER COASTER of emotions! Shinae is just GOING through it. It's like she's fast tracking her way through puberty complete with every mood swing you would ever need. That she goes from happy tears about to eat to seeing Nol on tv watching Alyssa and acts like THAT?! SCREAMS

And on some level, it's almost funny - because Shinae has just learned that the relationship is fake, that Alyssa means nothing to Nol, that he resents her and her Yui idolatry. And yet

And yet

The JEALOUSY. The INSECURITY. It's not just that Nol is watching Alyssa - it's that he's looking at her like that, because we KNOW Shinae is very attracted to that aspect of him. She likes his "darker" side, she likes Nol. Now, again, as readers we know Nol isn't making that face because he feels anything about Alyssa. Frankly that's just... kinda his face being surrounded by all those people lmao but the way SHINAE sees it?

It's not limited to only that, either. Minhyuk there saying all those things about Alyssa - that she's got talent, the looks, she's famous now, what's she doing with someone like him. While it's not at all what Minhyuk means, it's like blow after blow, because it's true. Alyssa is a hot idol, anyone would kill to be her or be with her. She's famous. She has that body, she has those looks. What would someone with a girlfriend like that see in someone like Shinae? At the same time, too, Minhyuk is pointing out Nol's bad reputation, and how it would make those associated with him look.

But mostly, yes, it's the insecurity. It's seeing Nol and Alyssa at this Hirahara party in a world to which Shinae does not belong, because she is not part of this elite, uppercrust, socialite world. She is reminded viscerally that Nol has a girlfriend - a gorgeous, talented, famous girlfriend - and what he told her about his feelings towards Alyssa are long out of sight. Insecurity is such a gnawing beast, gnashing its teeth at her, pointing out every flaw, every aspect where she probably thinks she falls short.

Ngl, even if it sounds bad lmao I really like seeing this part of Shinae, because it's just one of those aspects of pining and yearning that I LOVE - mentally comparing yourself to someone with who you think you can't possibly measure up. Comparing yourself to someone you think outshines you. Even though the conscience thought isn't there in her head - how can he possibly look at me when he has that instead - it still fills her stomach like bile doesn't it? It's like she's walked face first into a glass door and doesn't realize WHAT the door represents, WHAT it means yet.

And GOD THE DELIGHTFUL GIRL TALK FINALLY ARRIVES!!!!!!

Just a couple notes: there are two different manga series in Maya's room, one called Relax! HE'S JUST A FRIEND, and the other IT ALL STARTS WITH REVENGE. Listen. LISTEN TO ME. You see what I'm seeing, right? You see what's cooking? ALFKKJAKFKAJFKAFJK SCREAMING!!!! Such POINTED names! And not only that, but the content of the spicy manga that Shinae saw? Believe me, that WILL be coming back. The smut is too pointed to NOT show up in Shinae's dreams lmao. That's not his knee SCREAMS

The funniest thing to me is that Maya gets SO MUCH MORE than she bargained for with Shinae. She just wants her to tell her what's going on but here's Shinae, just obtuse as hell, almost willfully belligerently obtuse, and she just keeps going on without GETTING IT.

Once again, I'm always in awe of how quimchee chooses to write this story, and the reveals, because they always go in directions I would have thought about. Girl Talk (for us) essentially beginning with Maya reminding her that she did, in fact, take issue with the fact that Shinae and Minhyuk were always together, and that it's a thing she's still working on, that something like those feelings doesn't just magically go away, even if she's ready to start over and be friends anew.

Maya telling Shinae, point blank, that it sounds like Nol likes her and is being mean so she doesn't find out? LOVE IT. Shinae popping out looking a little deranged to say "no he has a girlfriend" LOVE IT. LMAO Absolutely LOVE that panel.

Shinae has this really funny black and white view of relationships despite, again, Nol told her Alyssa means nothing, that relationship isn't real! He has a girlfriend only in that it's a title, and nothing more. Not that, you know, feelings work like that. Rand had a wife who likely meant nothing to him and he still fell in love with someone else. Feelings are complicated and if they were easier to control, would Nol have fallen for the same girl his best friend did? Would he have fallen for someone if he has a girlfriend?

Feelings are not that tidy, and neither are Shiae's.

(An aside, Maya's "Teehee! I love this part!" is SO meta. She speaks for us. She IS us!)

Maya is the only person who has really seen Shinae through all of this. She knew who Shinae was pre-Alyssa, who she was as a result of Alyssa, and she's been watching all the changes made since Nol entered her life. Simhan is always busy working and when he's not, he's blacked out from drinking. Minhyuk is a year ahead of them, so he wasn't there for Shinae's last year of middle school and has been in the U.S. this whole time. Maya alone has watched Shinae go from that bright, boisterous middle schooler to someone who "lets things go" and pretends nothing bothers her, pretend she doesn't care what people are saying or doing, pretend she's unaffected. Maya has watched her change not only opening up, but caring about things. And especially caring about these boys.

And that's what's important here. Shinae is so vexed, so bothered, SO UPSET that she cannot let it go. And she feels more strongly this way about one of them over the other.

My favorite part of this episode is when they're talking about their friends - how Maya describes Rika and it's so clear why they're best friends, how they get along and how they click, the ways they compliment each other. But I really loved Maya saying what makes her and Shinae friends. As much as it's true they weren't getting along before, it's not that Maya never cared. She DID - that's why it hurt so much! She wouldn't have tackled Kousuke if she DIDN'T care. But just seeing them have that discussion between each other? SOBBING Shinae admitting that she's afraid of all those girly things, not that she looks down on them, and how they pull her out of her shell. ;A;

All this time, Shinae has been trying to compare Nol to Minhyuk, because he is THE most important person in her life, her BEST friend. It's all she knows, and if Nol is just as important to her as Minhyuk, they must be comparable. But we know she's been trying to stuff him into a box he doesn't fit, because he ISN'T Minhyuk. He's not platonic, not simply friends. There's more.

It's EASY for her to talk about what she likes about Minhyuk because that's their relationship. It's easy, it's effortless, they clicked from the get go and he became very much like a brother to her (sidebar: I LOVE that frame of her with her head in his lap IT'S SO CUTE I LOOOOVE IT).

Likewise, Dieter is easy to talk about, too. Notably, the things she likes about him are the things she gets out of their relationship - he's comforting, he's secure. She literally says he's like a teddy bear. Something that doesn't get talked about a lot is that when it comes to Shinae and Dieter's relationship, she is take take take. She doesn't mean to, and it's partly because Dieter doesn't draw that boundary. He lets her take take take. But the needs Dieter fills as a friend all entail comforting her. She states that it's almost like Dieter understands her feelings better than she does because it's true. He knows the things she hasn't figured out and he sits there and lets her lean on him despite how much it hurts him. He's helping her and taking care of her but who is taking care of him? ;______;

And while Shinae thinks that she has nothing nice to say about Nol, because she's so focused on how bad he's making her feel, she can't help it....

ALL THE SCENES! FROM HER POINT OF VIEW! AS THEY BECOME FRIENDS! AS HE INSERTS HIMSELF INTO HER LIFE! AS HE GOES FROM A YELLOW CAUTION AS SHE WARMS UP TO HIM AS THE BACKGROUND TURNS RED. THE FORMAL AND HIS SHEEPISH EXPRESSION WHILE DOING HER MAKE UP, SUCH A CRITICAL MOMENT FOR THEM.

I WANT TO HOWL FOREVER ABOUT HOW FOUNDATIONAL THE KIM FORMAL WAS and how we've known it and it was always there but to see it confirmed and reinforced like that, that this was the night, the MOMENT those feelings began to shift, began to blur, how there was now something more to the friendship, that she was affected by him. That night was absolutely CRUCIAL and had it not ended the way it did, she would still have felt the way she did. It still lead to that honest heart to heart. And we know it was similar for Nol, that this was a night in which they tethered themselves to each other, the times he put his needs above anything else - even the ire of his father - and the times he reached to her, the way he felt seen in a place where normally he felt so invisible.

GOD the confirmation is just soooooo !!!!!!!!!!!! INSANE!!!!!!

AND THE BACKGROUND COLORS?! THAT GRADUAL CHANGE FROM CAUTION TO FEELINGS? To the bleak black where everything changed, where HE donned the blindfold but it blinded her, too. All of these feelings, so confused, so turbulent and uncertain.

He lifts her blindfold and we see her chest but it's just her lungs - her heart is there.

And she's SO FERAL! She feels SO STRONGLY! About Minhyuk or Maya or Dieter, she can talk about what she likes, what she feels, but when it's Nol it's just turbulence, it's just the STRONGEST emotions, it's RAGE, it's FERAL ENERGY.

"If you won't let me have you...."

AND EVERYONE WAS DEAD IN THE CHAT ALKFJAKFKAJFKJAFKJJAF LKAJFKAFKAF ALFJAKFJKAFJ LJAFKJAKF ALFKJAKFJ

LIKE SHE REALLY SAID THAT! WITH HER OWN MOUTH! OF HER OWN VOLITION. "IF YOU WON'T LET ME HAVE YOU"

SHE WANTS HIM SO BAD and she wants him to herself and she wants to see the parts of him that he hides she wants to see the things he doesn't want to share and she wants it ALL and she is SO feral about it!!!!!!!

The way she is BLUSHING and frustrated and if she can't have him, he can't have any of her things (as if that was ever a question)

But there's one thing he's taken that she can't get back. HEHEHEHEHEHE.

I LOVE the emphasis on Maya's expression at this part, how she's just SHOCKED, her eyes wide her brows high because WHO IS THIS IS THIS REALLY SHINAE? Because she KNOWS she KNOWS what Shinae doesn't want to know and it's SO CLEAR.

She's so defensive! It's RIGHT THERE in front of her face and she keeps turning a blind eye, refusing, because NO of couRSE NOT hwo could she LIKE him he has a girlfriend what kind of person is she to like someone who has a girlfriend to like someone who is so important to her to like someone to whom she's SO DRAWN. She accuses Maya of projecting because what can she really know, she only knows smutty manga - but it's funny because that's the thing isn't it? Maya at least has experienced that secondhand. Shinae is feeling things she can't even IDENTIFY, so much WANT.

I CAN'T believe she actually BIT MAYA LMAOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

NOL WAS THIS CLOSE TO BITING SHINAE AND HAD TO KICK HER OUT OF HIS ROOM BECAUSE HE COULD NOT BE ALONE WITH HER, HE ABSOLUTELY COULDN'T AND HE COULDN'T TELL HER WHY

AND SHINAE DOES THE SAME EXACT THING.

SHE BITES HER AND KICKS HER OUT OF THE ROOM.

GOD. LMAOOOOOOOOOOOOOO she's so funny wth ;_______;

It's so funny how Nol and Shinae respond to their feelings the same way lmao like, they each try to deny it, it can't be true, there's no way "I don't have time for this", kicking people out of rooms, fully feral (though I daresay Nol is holding himelf together better, but only barely) but here she is BITING her friend, kicking her out of her room, blushing at the realization that what Maya said is TRUE.

Also uhhh can't help but notice that she's finally able to go to sleep after she thinks she'll be going to see Nol. Knowing that Dieter will come by, she's finally able to pass out.

GIRL.

/GIRL/

Something else that is funny to me is that Minhyuk describes Shinae as "ornery" as if she was just being frisky or something LMAO going around fighting everyone and BITING MAYA LMAO.

And frankly, it's for the best that Dieter goes to see Nol alone. Firstly, Minhyuk describing how Shinae was acting just further solidifies what he saw, what he knows, why she's behaving that way. Can he really be alone with her right now, trying to be a dependable friend when all it does is hurts her? But also, it's for the best, because Nol and Dieter need to talk, and it's not just about Shinae, though that's part of it. Nol keeps pushing everyone away, including Shinae, and we all, including Dieter, know Nol is only going to continue doing so for his sake, and like, let's be real. That's not what Dieter wants. He doesn't want pity. He doesn't want people denying what they want. He doesn't need to be treated like a baby, and I hope he stands up for himself that way, and stands up for Shinae, and more importantly, I hope he calls out Nol on the kind of friend he's been.

Dieter is the one who knows the least about anything. He was there playing mediator without even knowing how Nol showed back up, Nol who blocked them and told them to stop contacting him, Nol who he was resigned to accepting had left.

Nol owes Dieter a LOT of explanations and I, for one, am SO EXCITED.

GOD what a good episode, it was honestly a MASTERPIECE and I never get over reading it lmao Shinae's so vulnerable blushing expression upon realizing that Maya is RIGHT? Oh I LOVE it. I love my feral cat Shinae I LOVE THEM.

#I Love Yoo #ILY Brainrot #ILY FP #ILY Spoilers #WAAAAAHHHH I BARELY MADE IT #i have just enough time to relax and go make dinner and be ready for tonight's ep LMAO #Shinae Yoo #Maya Park #Minhyuk Park #Alyssa Cho #Nolan Oliver T. Lochlainn #Simhan Yoo #Stalkyoo #Aegi #I LOVE THIS EPISODE SO MUCH SO MUCH SO MUUUUUCCCHHHHHHHHHHHHH #it gave me EVERYTHING i wanted!#including feral energy to match my own alfjafkkajfkjafjkaf LMAO

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braveclementine · 9 months ago

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Chapter 4

Warnings: None. However, future chapters will contain sexual content so readers that are under the age of 18 may have to skip those chapters (However they are very few so those under the age of 18 can still read a majority of this book. However please keep note of the warnings).

Copyright: I do not own any Wizarding World characters that J.K. Rowling wrote. I do however own Elizabeth Kane (main character) and Trang Nyguen (best friend). There should be no use of these two names without my permission. I also do not condone any copying of this.

💙💙💙💙

𝕸𝖗𝖘. 𝖂𝖊𝖆𝖘𝖑𝖊𝖞 𝖜𝖆𝖘 𝖎𝖓 a good mood when we went downstairs. She was cooking on the stove and informed us that we would be eating outside due to such a large amount of people in the house. Ron and Harry grabbed cutlery and Trang stayed by Mrs. Weasley's side, handing her pans when she needed them. I grabbed cups so that we could fill them with drink and headed out after the others.

Crookshanks was pelting after a gnome which was laughing. It dove into a boot and laughed wildly as Crookshanks put a paw in there, trying to get it out. I smiled.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the house, Charlie and Bill were making two tables smash into each other in a sort of battle. Fred and George were cheering, Ginny was laughing, and Hermione seemed to be split in her emotions between amusement and anxiety.

Bill's table caught Charlie's with a huge bang and knocked one of its legs off. There was a clatter from overhead and everyone looked up to see Percy looking down from the second floor.

"WILL YOU KEEP IT DOWN?!" He bellowed.

"Sorry Perce." Bill said, his long locks sweeping behind him as he lifted his head again. "How're the cauldron bottoms coming on?"

"Very badly." Percy said peevishly, slamming the window shut, making the windows rattle. Everyone laughed again as Bill and Charlie lowered the tables back to Earth. Bill reattached the table leg and then made tablecloths appear from nowhere.

Trang and I set the table in record time and soon Mrs. Weasley had all of the dishes of her cooking on the tables. I put some of the food onto my plate, sitting between Bill and Trang. Hermione, Harry, and Ron were sitting across from me. Both Fred and Charlie kept shooting glances down at Bill as he chatted with me.

I picked at my food, listening, rather than talking, while eating. I was mostly listening to Mr. Weasley and Percy's conversation.

"I've told Mr. Crouch that I'll have it ready by Tuesday." Percy said- meaning his cauldron report. "that's a bit sooner than he expected it, but I like to keep on top of things. I think he'll be grateful I've done it in good time, I mean, it's extremely busy in our department just now, what with all the arrangements for the World Cup. We're just not getting the support we need from the Department of Magical Games and Sports. Ludo Bagman-"

"I like Ludo." Mr. Weasley interrupted mildly. "He was the one who got us such good tickets for the Cup. I did him a bit of a favor: His brother, Otto, got into a spot of trouble- a lawnmower with unnatural powers- I smoothed the whole thing over."

"Oh Bagman's likable enough of course." Percy said in a dismissive manner. "but how he ever got to be head of Department. . . when I compare him to Mr. Crouch! I can't see Mr. Crouch losing a member of our department and not trying to find out what's happened to them. You realize Bertha Jorkins has been missing for over a month now? Went on holiday to Albania and never came back?"

My mouth went dry. I stopped eating.

"Yes, I was asking Ludo about that." Mr. Weasley said with a frown. I shifted uncomfortably in my seat but continued to listen in, "He says Bertha's gotten lost plenty of times before now- though I must say, if it was someone in my department, I'd be worried. . ."

"Oh Bertha's hopeless, all right. I hear she's been shunted from department to department for years, much more trouble than she's worth. . . but all the same, Bagman ought to be trying to find her. Mr. Crouch has been taking a personal interest, she worked in our department at one time, you know, and I think Mr. Crouch was quite fond of her- but Bagman just keeps laughing and saying she probably misread the map and ended up in Australia instead of Albania. However-" Percy stopped talking to take a sip of wine, "- we've got quite enough on our plates at the Department of International Magical Cooperation without trying to find members of other departments too. As you know, we've got another big event to organize right after the World Cup. You know the one I'm talking about, Father. The top-secret one." Percy said in a slightly raised voice.

I glanced over at the others to see Ron roll his eyes and say, "He's been trying to get us to ask what that event is ever since he started work. Probably an exhibition of thick-bottomed cauldrons."

Harry and Hermione laughed but I just gave him a strained smile. No one knew about Bertha? That hadn't occurred to me. Did I say something? But it was a dream, not a vision. . . so. . . even though I knew it happened and Dad believed me. . . would it be evidence? But Dad was always inclined to believe whatever I said, regardless if others believed me. . .but I'd been sure enough of the dream to fake my own death, hadn't I?

"Excuse me," I muttered and I got up from the table, heading back into the house, preoccupied. The others wouldn't be in for another thirty minutes or so. Maybe I could go to Diagon Alley and get my books or something. I went up to Ginny's room and dug in my trunk for the Hogwarts letter. I hadn't opened it. I'd forgotten in my rush to get here.

I opened it up.

I only needed one new book which was The Standard Book of Spells, Grade 4 by Miranda Goshawk. That was convenient. There were also dress robes but I wanted to get those myself.

I turned to go back downstairs and saw Harry there. I nearly jumped in fright. "Are you alright?" He asked. "You looked upset at dinner."

I hesitated and then said, "You had a dream over the summer, right? About Wormtail and Voldemort and an old man, right?"

Harry looked surprised, "Yeah, how'd you know? Oh, wait, never mind. Of course you know."

"I had the same exact one." I said, chewing on my bottom lip in dismay. "And Voldemort mentioned Bertha Jorkins. . . how he killed her and when Percy and Mr. Weasley were saying no one knew where she was, I realized no one else knew. Perhaps not even you because you might not remember every detail."

Harry shook his head, "No. I don't remember a lot of it. I know they were talking about killing me. I know there was an old man. . . I think they mentioned you a bit and that's it. I didn't remember anything about Bertha Jorkins, not even now when you brought up that Voldemort and Wormtail talked about her"

I nodded my head. "They also mentioned about waiting until the Quidditch Cup is over."

We started walking down the stairs in silence until we got to the kitchen. The others were still outside. "Tell Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, if they ask that is, that I went to Diagon Alley, okay?"

"Sure." Harry said, looking troubled.

A moment later I was hurrying into Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions, stepping inside, and looking around. "Hello Miss Kane." She said. "Are you here for dress robes?"

"Yes please." I said. "I was looking for deep blue or purple. I don't need custom dress robes."

She nodded and bustled off into the back of the shop and came out with a variety of different dresses and put them on the rack, "Choose a couple, try them on. We're still open for twenty-five minutes."

I nodded and looked through them, surveying them, grabbed a few, and went back in the room so I could try them on. The one I decided on was a purple dress. It was a longer one and I was glad I had heels and had grown over the summer. It fit my slender frame too. It looked lovely too and I put on my other clothes and bought the dress.

"This one is a lovely dress." Madam Malkin said as she checked me out. "Have fun at Hogwarts this year dear."

"Thank you, have a nice year." I said as I headed out of the shop and made my way back to the Leaky Cauldron and then went back home. No one was in the kitchen, but not everyone was outside anymore.

I headed upstairs and hung the dress up on Ginny's wardrobe. The other three girls came in at that moment.

"Oh," Trang said. "That's a pretty dress Elizabeth."

"Thanks Trang." I said.

"We should get to sleep." Hermione said in a worried voice, "We got to get up really early for the Quidditch Cup."

I grinned at Trang, "Excited?"

She nodded, "Extremely excited."

Ginny laid down in her bed and the rest of us slept on camp beds. I fell asleep quickly, dreaming of a ball where I was dancing with Fred and then Lee then Cedric then Oliver (even though he had graduated) and then Snape who turned into Voldemort and I woke up with a start.

I looked at the clock. It was 4:45. I rolled out of bed and tiptoed around the other girls as I got dressed. I dressed in jean shorts and a white blouse. It would be cold this morning but it was only a few days into August and still very warm. I put on white sneakers. I pulled my hair up into a ponytail and then snuck out the door, carrying my peppermint box.

I went down the stairs. Mrs. Weasley was already up, making breakfast and Mr. Weasley was sitting at the table yawning. He stood up and showed off his golfing shirt and blue jeans held up with a leather belt, "Does this look like I'm a Muggle?"

I nodded, yawning myself, "Yes."

Mrs. Weasley eyed my outfit and said, "Well Muggle girls do have good fashion I suppose."

I took some of the boiling water and poured it into 6 cups and put the peppermint tea bags into each of them and then used the excess in Trangs and mine tea cups.

Mrs. Weasley bustled off to wake up the boys. Mr. Weasley was organizing a sheaf of large parchment tickets.

Mrs. Weasley came back down and started stirring the pot on the stove. I yawned and then drank some of my tea which woke me up immediately with the sharpness of the drink.

Fred, George, Harry, and Ron all came downstairs, looking bleary eyed. Mr. Weasley showed his clothes to Harry and said, "What d'you think? We're supposed to go incognito- do I look like a Muggle, Harry?"

"Yes." Harry said with a smile, "Very good."

"Where's Bill and Charlie and Per-Per-Percy?" George asked with a yawn. I slid four of the cups over to them.

"That'll help wake you up." I said with a mischievous smile. I knew how sharp the taste was.

Ron picked up a cup and doused it in a swallow- I hadn't given them much- and his face turned bright red as he choked and sputtered. "What the bloody hell was that?" He asked, his face returning to normal color.

"Are you awake?" I asked, grinning.

"Well, yeah!" Ron said, still red faced and still sputtering.

Harry, Fred, and George picked their cups up. Fred smell his. "It smells like peppermint." He said and took a smaller sip than Ron. "Oh!" Fred said, his face flushing too. "That does wake you up."

Harry and George tried theirs next. George's eyes started to water and he put the cup down, but Harry just smiled, taking a seat next to me. "So what was that?" Harry asked me. Mrs. Weasley set bowls of porridge down in front of us.

"Peppermint tea." I said, dumping a large amount of brown sugar into my bowl and stirring. "Peppermint is a stimulant. It can also be used to cure different ailments like menstrual pains and nausea and muscle and nerve pain."

Everyone stared at me except Mrs. Weasley.

"What?" I asked frowning, setting aside the brown sugar and now putting a sprinkle of cinnamon on my porridge. "We learned about that in Herbology."

George shook his head in amazement. "Well at least we're all awake now."

"Oh, and to answer your question." I continued, now pouring milk into the bowl slowly so that I put the right amount, "Bill, Charlie, and Percy get to apparate so they get to stay in bed."

"Why can't we apparate too?" Fred asked grumpily.

"Because you're not of age and you haven't passed the test." Mrs. Weasley answered. Then she bustled out of the kitchen to get the girls up.

"You have to pass a test to Apparate?" Harry asked.

"Oh yes. The Department of Magical Transportation had to fine a couple of people the other day for Apparating without a license. It's not easy, Apparition, and when it's not done properly it can lead to nasty complications. This pair I'm talking about went and splinched themselves."

I flinched with the others.

"Er- Splinched?" Harry asked nervously.

"They left half of themselves behind. So, of course," Mr. Weasley said, putting treacle on his porridge, "they were stuck. Couldn't move either way. Had to wait for the Accidental Magic Reversal Squad to sort them out. Meant a fair old bit of paperwork. I can tell you, what with the Muggles who spotted the body parts they'd left behind. . ."

"Were they okay?" Harry asked, startled.

"Oh yes." Mr. Weasley said. "But they got a heavy fine, and I don't think they'll be trying it again in a hurry. You don't mess around with Apparition. There are plenty of adult wizards who don't bother with it. Prefer brooms- slower, but safer."

"To bad we can't use magic carpets anymore." I said dreamily before spooning another spoonful of lovely sugary porridge into my mouth.

"Indeed." Mr. Weasley said.

"But Bill and Charlie and Percy can all do it?" Harry asked, interested.

"Charlie had to take the test twice. . . He failed the first time, Apparated five miles south of where he meant to, right on top of some poor old dear doing her shopping, remember?" Fred asked with a huge smile.

"Yes, well, he passed the second time." Mrs. Weasley said as the rest of us laughed.

Hermione, Ginny, and Trang were all coming down the hallway looking sleepy. Trang pointed to the last steaming mug of Peppermint tea, "Is that for me?"

I nodded.

Trang picked it up and doused half of it in one go. The others, especially George and Ron who'd had bad reactions, watched in interest. "That's lovely." Trang said with brighter eyes. "Is there anymore?"

I tossed my peppermint box at her and she got up to make herself another cup of tea. I sipped mine casually.

"Why do we have to get up so early?" Ginny asked, rubbing her eyes.

"We've got a bit of a walk." Mr. Weasley said.

I kicked George and he looked up at me. I shook my head and put my hand under the table, tapping his knee. He handed me the Toffees' and I put them in my pocket. George nudged Fred and Fred passed me his too. Everyone else missed the reaction between us.

I obviously didn't have all of them, but hopefully Mrs. Weasley wouldn't notice. I zipped my bag closed so the Toffee's couldn't escape if she did want them.

"Walk?" Harry was asking in another startled voice, "What, are we walking to the World Cup?" Trang's mouth dropped too as though she thought this might be possible and I laughed, starting to eat my porridge again.

"Silly Harry, of course not." I said with a grin. "But with so many wizards coming in from all sorts of countries, we have to travel incognito. Even Muggles notice large congregations of people going in the same direction and often have the urge to check out what's going on, whether they knew about the event or not."

"George!" Mrs. Weasley shouted suddenly and everyone except me jumped. I rolled my eyes instead.

"What?" George asked, confused.

"What is that in your pocket?" Mrs. Weasley continued. I shifted my body below the table and saw that there was a bulge in his pocket. I sighed.

"Nothing!" George said, putting a hand over his pocket.

"Don't you lie to me!" Mrs. Weasley said, pointing her wand at George's pocket and saying, "Accio."

Trang watched in interest (She loved seeing magic in action) and I watched to see how the spell was conducted. Multiple objects came out of George's pocket and into her hand. Toffees. She kept pointing her wand at them and saying "Accio! Accio!"

Even I had to admit that they had come up with some pretty neat hiding places but I'd wished they'd given me more of their toffees. I checked my bag and saw that I had about twelve or so in it.

"We spent six months developing those!" Fred said angrily as she threw the toffees away.

"Oh a fine way to spend six months!" She shrieked in anger. "No wonder you didn't get more O.W.L.s"

We departed the Burrow very soon after. I stayed back for a millisecond and said to Mrs. Weasley, "Can you use some of the gold in my vault for Ron's robes? Get them new, like Harry's?" Then, I dashed off before she could say yes or no.

Trang, Fred, George, and I were all walking ahead of the others. Mrs. Weasley was still talking to Mr. Weasley and she called after us, "behave yourselves!" Fred and George glowered.

"I still have twelve." I said brightly. "Six for each of you."

"Not much." George said grumpily.

"You could have given me more." I said sharply, though sympathetically, not wanting to be blamed for their stupidity.

"How are we getting to the cup?" Trang asked.

"Portkey." I answered.

"What's that?" Trang asked.

"It's er- a magical device that transports people from one place to another. But they have certain times they take off and usually can only be used once." I said. "They are usually disguised as things that Muggles don't pick up. You have to be touching it to be transported, so don't let go of it when we get there."

"Grand." Trang said, sounding extremely nervous that she might get left behind.

We had to climb Stoatshead Hill was a long climb and before long, I had a painful stitch in my side. My legs were getting sore too but I continued on at a steady pace. Harry, Hermione, Ron, Ginny, and Mr. Weasley had caught up to the four of us by this time though I pulled ahead of the others with my impatience to get to the cup.

I ran up the last steps and saw two figures off in the distance. I went on ahead until I found Mr. Diggory and his son Cedric.

"Elizabeth!" Cedric said in glad surprise, "What are you doing here?"

"I was staying with the Weasleys." I said, blushing just slightly. "They're coming on a bit slow, but they'll be here in a few seconds."

Cedric and I hugged and he introduced me to his father who was a boisterous and round-faced man. He was holding a muddy boot in one hand.

"Over here, Arthur! Over here, son, we've got it!" Mr. Diggory called out and I turned to see the Weasleys, Hermione, Trang, and Harry make their way over to us.

"Amos!" Mr. Weasley said, smiling and they shook hands. To the rest of us he said, "This is Amos Diggory, everyone. He works for the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures. And I think you know his son, Cedric?"

"Hi." Cedric said, looking around at everyone, laying his eyes on Trang. I felt a strange twinge of jealousy, and then pushed it away.

Everyone said hi back except for Fred and George who only nodded. George had never forgiven Cedric for beating Gryffindor in the first Quidditch match and Fred had other reasons for disliking Cedric. What those reasons were had never been fully disclosed to me, though I had my suspicions.

"Long walk, Arthur?" Cedric's father asked.

"Not too bad. We live just on the other side of the village there. You?" Mr. Weasley asked while checking his watch.

"Had to get up at two, didn't we, Ced? I tell you, I'll be glad when he's got his Apparition test. Still. . . not complaining. . . Quidditch World Cup, wouldn't miss it for a sackful of Galleons- and the tickets cost about that. Mind you, looks like I got off easy. . ." Amos said, looking at all the others he assumed Mr. Weasley bought tickets for. "All these yours, Arthur?"

"Oh no, only the redheads. This is Hermione, friend of Ron's, Trang, friend of Elizabeth's, that's Elizabeth right there though I assume you've already met- and Harry, another friend-"

"Merlin's beard! Harry? Harry Potter?" Amos Diggory said with widening eyes.

I started to giggle and turned away. Trang watched in a bit of confusion.

"Er- yeah." Harry said uncomfortably.

"Ced's talked about you, of course. Told us all about playing against you last year. . . I said to him, I said- Ced, that'll be something to tell your grandchildren, that will. . . you beat Harry Potter!" Mr. Diggory said tactlessly.

Trang's mouth fell open and Fred and George were both scowling again. Cedric looked extremely embarrassed and muttered, "Harry fell of his broom, Dad. I told you. . . it was an accident. . ."

"Yes, but you didn't fall off, did you?" Mr. Diggory roared and slapped Cedric hard on the back, "Always modest, our Ced, always the gentleman. . . but the best man won, I'm sure Harry'd say the same, wouldn't you, eh? One falls off his broom, one stays on, you don't need to be a genius to tell which one's the better flier?"

I wondered if Trang was going to be able to pick her mouth up off the floor as she looked from Mr. Diggory, to Harry, to me and back again.

"Yes." I said coolly for I too had fallen off my broom that match and had taken insult to his words. "Well I'd like to see anyone stay on their broom when a dementor makes them pass out because their parents were murd-"

"Must be nearly time!" Mr. Weasley interrupted loudly, checking his watch again. Fred and George were openly grinning now. "Do you know whether we're waiting for any more, Amos?"

Trang pulled me aside as Mr. Diggory answered him and asked me quietly, "Do people usually insult others in front of them in the Magical world?"

I shook my head. "Mr. Diggory just likes to brag about his son and speaks before he thinks, that's all."

There was a lot of difficulty trying to stand around the boot and touch it. There were about eleven of us and because we all had bulky backpacks, there was less space than there may have been. Trang's finger was barely staying on and I pushed her forward so that she had two fingers on the boot.

We stood there as Mr. Weasley counted down, "Three. . . two. . ." I checked to make sure Trang's finger was still on the boot. ". . .one. . ."

My feet left the ground and I saw Trang's mouth open in a silent scream. Our shoulders were banging together and there was a howl of wind and swirling colors. My finger was stuck to the boot, pulling me forward and with my other hand, I grabbed Trang's arm that was holding the boot, as she was trying to pull it off.

"No!" I shouted, but my voice was lost in the howling wind. She got the message anyways.

Then my feet slammed into the ground and I stuck my ground while Trang stumbled and fell on her face. Everyone fell onto their faces except Mr. Weasley, Mr. Diggory, and Cedric. I had never stuck my ground before and I found why most people fell on their faces- it was exhausting finding the energy to keep standing. Part of me wanted to fall over anyways.

"Seven past five from Stoatshead Hill." A voice said.

I looked to see two Wizards dressed inexpertly as Muggles. Trang started having a fit of giggles and hid behind me so they wouldn't see her. One wizard was wearing a tweed suit with thigh- length galoshes and the other was wearing a kilt and poncho.

I started to laugh just like Trang and turned around so that they would see us laughing.

"Morning Basil." Mr. Weasley said.

"Hello there, Arthur. Not on duty, eh? It's all right for some. . . We've been here all night, You'd better get out of the way, we've got a big party coming in from the Black Forest at five-fifteen. Hang on, I'll find your campsite. . . Weasley. . . Weasley. . . About a quarter of a mile's walk over there, first field you come to. Site manager's called Mr. Roberts. Diggory. . . second field. . . ask for Mr. Payne."

"Thanks, Basil." Mr. Weasley said and we followed him away. We were walking through a deserted moor, and there was such a thick mist, it was hard to see anything. Trang and I walked with linked arms. I really did not want to lose her here.

We said good-bye to the Diggory's at the turn and they walked off. We approached the cottage door.

There was a man there, Mr. Roberts, standing on the doorstep and looking out at all the tents. When he heard our footsteps, he turned his head to look at us.

"Morning!" Mr. Weasley said brightly. He loved Muggles and was always excited with every interaction he got with them.

"Morning." Mr. Roberts said a bit less cheerfully.

"Would you be Mr. Roberts?" Mr. Weasley asked carefully.

"Aye, I would. And who're you?"

"Weasley- two tents, booked a couple of days ago?"

"Aye. You've got a space up by the wood there. Just the one night?"

"That's it." Mr. Weasley said.

"You'll be paying now, then?" Mr. Roberts said.

"Ah- right- certainly." Mr. Weasley said uncomfortably and beckoned to Trang to follow him. I went with her. "Help me, Trang." He said, pulling out a wad of Muggle bills.

"How much is it?" Trang asked and Mr. Weasley gave her the amount. She took the bills, counted them out and then gave him the money to pay with and put the rest in his pocket.

"You Foreign?" Mr. Roberts asked as the three of us returned and Mr. Weasley gave a start.

"Foreign?" Mr. Weasley repeated, confused.

"You're not the first one who's had trouble with money." Mr. Roberts said, looking Mr. Weasley over. "I had two try and pay me with great gold coins the size of hubcaps ten minutes ago."

"Did you really?" Mr. Weasley asked nervously.

Mr. Roberts looked for change to give Mr. Weasley. "Never been this crowded. Hundreds of pre-bookings. People usually just turn up. . ." He looked back out at the tents and I shifted on my feet nervously.

"Is that right?" Mr. Weasley asked, holding his hand out for the change but Mr. Roberts didn't give it to him.

"Aye. People from all over. Loads of foreigners. And not just foreigners. Weirdos, you know? There's a bloke walking 'round in a kilt and poncho." He scrutinized us again, looking at Trang and I in nearly identical outfits except she was wearing a red blouse.

"Shouldn't he?" Mr. Weasley said anxiously.

"It's like some sort of. . . I dunno. . . like some sort of rally, they all seem to now each other. Like a big party."

A wizard in plus-fours apparated next to him and pointing his wand he said sharply, "Obliviate!"

Trang shrieked and grabbed my arm. Instantly, Mr. Robert's eyes slid out of focus and a dreamy expression crept over his face.

"A map of the campsite for you and your change." Mr. Roberts said in a softer voice to Mr. Weasley.

"Thanks very much." Mr. Weasley said, taking both of the items.

The wizard in plus-fours accompanied us toward the gate. He looked exhausted with dark circles under his eyes and his chin was turning blue from cold. "Been having a lot of trouble with him. Needs a memory Charm ten times a day to keep him happy. And Ludo Bagman's not helping. Trotting around talking about Bludgers and Quaffles at the top of his voice, not a worry about anti-Muggle security. Blimey, I'll be glad when this is over. See you later, Arthur." He Disapparated without another word.

Trang was still clutching my arm. "Is Mr. Roberts going to be okay?" she asked me in undertone.

"Of course." I said. "It doesn't hurt them, it simply removes the particular components of the magical abnormalities from their minds, that's all."

"But why did he have to forget?" Trang asked in a concerned voice.

"Muggles aren't supposed to know about our world. The only way Muggles find out about the magical world is in two ways. A) they have a magical child who's invited to a magical school or b) they marry someone from the magical world. Other than that, they aren't supposed to know." I said.

"Will they erase my mind if they find out that I'm a Muggle?" Trang asked, shivering.

"No." I said fiercely. "Don't worry about that. I have multiple tricks up my sleeve. And there is no reason for anyone to know that you aren't magical anyways. We don't just go around asking random people if they're muggles or not. You're with us, Trang. No one's going to notice unless you shout it through the magical microphone."

Trang didn't seem to relax any. I put an arm around her as we continued to walk. The sun had come out, making the clouds dissipate and we could see the tents now and thoughts of having her memory change were put out of Trang's mind.

The tents were so magical it was stupid that we even had Muggles at the front gates. I couldn't blame Mr. Roberts for being suspicious.

Trang looked around, her mouth dropped for what was probably a fifth time already and it wasn't even nine in the morning yet. There were tents with multiple floors, front gardens, back gardens, pools, and a large tent that obviously housed an Indian family. It looked like the palace from Aladdin and had peacocks tethered to the front of the tent.

"Always the same, we can't resist showing off when we get together. Ah, here we are, look, this is us." Mr. Weasley said with a smile.

There was a small plot of land with a sign in front of it that read WEEZLY. I giggled.

"Couldn't have a better spot! The field is just on the other side of the wood there, we're as close as we could be." Mr. Weasley said, dropping his backpack. "Right, no magic allowed, strictly speaking, not when we're out in these numbers on Muggle land. We'll be putting these tents up by hand! Shouldn't be too difficult. . . Muggles do it all the time. . . Here, Harry, where do you reckon we should start?"

Harry stared dully at the tents. He'd never been camping in his life. Trang moved forward and started instructing us all what to do. I gave her an encouraging smile. Mr. Weasley was a bit of a hindrance, especially when he got to use the mallet. Trang was laughing the entire time and looking very happy. I think she enjoyed being able to help.

We all looked back to see how the tents looked. I certainly thought they looked like Muggle tents. But Trang was frowning now. "How are we all going to fit?"

Mr. Weasley laughed kindly and said, "Go on ahead Trang."

Trang went into the tent and gasped. Harry and I quickly followed after her. Harry's jaw dropped so that Trang and him looked identical in awe.

There were three rooms- a sitting room, kitchen, two bedrooms, and a bathroom. The chairs were mismatched and the covers were crocheted. There was a strong smell of cats which I didn't mind, but it was a bit overwhelming.

"Well, it's not for long." Mr. Weasley said, mopping his bald patch with his handkerchief. It was hot in here. "I borrowed this from Perkins at the office. Doesn't camp much anymore, poor fellow, he's got lumbago." He picked up a kettle and said, "We'll need water. . ."

I quickly spoke, "Ron, Hermione, Harry, Trang, and I will go get water. The rest of you are going to look for firewood." The others stared at me and I shrugged, "That's what I saw when we got here anyways." I left out the fact that I hadn't actually seen Trang or I going with Harry, Ron, and Hermione.

So, everyone else shrugged, accepting my word, and the five of us headed out of the tent. We quickly looked in the girls tent and Trang, Hermione, and I put our bags down. I made a mental note to give Fred and George their toffees.

The girls' tent was smaller- kitchen, bathroom, bedroom, and sitting room but the rooms were smaller. It was a good thing we didn't have more girls because there were only four beds. However, our tent was slightly cooler and there was no cat smell.

We set off across the campsite with pans and the kettle to fill them with water. The other campers were starting to wake up as well. The first to wake were the families with small children of course. For some reason, little kids weren't fans of sleep.

Trang, Harry, and I looked fascinated at a little boy no older than two, maybe three, who had a wand in his hand, poking a slug.

"Urgh." Trang complained as the slug grew to the size of a large salami. "That's disgusting."

I giggled, but privately agreed. His mother came out of the tent. "How many times, Kevin? You don't- touch- Daddy's- wand- yeecch!" She squealed as she stepped on the slug, making it explode.

"You bust slug! You bust slug!" The boy started to cry as the mother continued to scold him. Farther ahead, two twin girls were flying on toy broomsticks, only high enough that there toes skimmed the grass.

"Wow." Trang whispered softly. "Imagine if we'd had those as kids, Elizabeth."

"I had one." I said. "pink. But I didn't ride it often because dad didn't want me in the forest by myself and he never had time to watch me cause he was working so hard."

A ministry wizard hurried past us after the little girls muttering, "In broad daylight! Parents having a lie-in, I suppose-"

Adult wizards were emerging from the tents and starting to cook breakfast. A majority of them looked around furtively and conjured fires from their wands. Others were striking matches as though they thought they wouldn't work and then were so surprised that a fire was lit that they dropped the matches.

Three African Wizards were in a serious conversation and standing around a purple fire cooking rabbit. Trang stared at the purple fire with pleasure. Purple was her favorite color.

Suddenly, we were surrounded by a large amount of green. "Er- is it my eyes, or has everything gone green?" Ron asked.

The tents were covered in shamrocks, paper and real ones, so that they looked like hills that had sprung up from the Earth. We walked through and then we heard from behind us, "Harry! Ron! Hermione! Elizabeth!"

We all turned. It was Seamus Finnigan, a Gryffindor. He was sitting in front of his tent which was also covered in shamrocks. Trang seemed to be on the verge of laughing. There was a woman sitting with him who must've been his mother and his best friend Dean Thomas who was Muggle-born.

Seamus had grown his sandy hair out so that it tucked under his ears. Dean on the other hand was close to bald.

We headed over. "Like the decorations?" Seamus asked with a broad grin. "The Ministry's not too happy."

"Ah, why shouldn't we show our colors?" His mother said with beady eyes. "You should see what the Bulgarians have got dangling all over their tents. You'll be supporting Ireland, of course?" She added. We all nodded.

"Hey Elizabeth!" Dean said, "D'you know who's going to win?"

"Sure I do." I said honestly, "But why should I spoil it for everyone?"

Dean laughed though Mrs. Finnigan looked annoyed. Maybe she'd put down a bet.

We left and Ron muttered, "Like we'd say anything else surrounded by that lot."

"I wonder what the Bulgarians have got dangling all over their tents?" Hermione asked.

"Let's go and have a look." Harry said, pointing.

We made our way to the Bulgaria tents. Each one had a poster of Viktor Krum on them. They were moving, blinking and scowling. Trang looked at them, a bit disappointed for some reason.

Ron muttered something and Hermione asked, "What?"

"Krum!" Ron said a bit louder, "Viktor Krum, the Bulgarian Seeker!"

"He looks really grumpy." Hermione said mildly and Trang started laughing.

"Really grumpy!" Ron said exasperated, "Who cares what he looks like? He's unbelievable. He's really young too. Only just eighteen or something. He's a genius, you wait until tonight, you'll see."

"Actually." I said. "He's seventeen."

Ron gaped at me.

I shrugged, "What? I know my Quidditch players."

There was a line for the water and we got behind two wizards. One of them was a very old wizard, probably in his eighties or so with a long white beard, nearly as long as Dumbledore's. He was wearing a flowery nightgown. Then there was a Ministry wizard who was nearly crying with exasperation. He was holding a pair of striped trousers.

"Just put them on, Archie, there's a good chap. You can't walk around like that, the Muggle at the gate's already getting suspicious-"

"I bought this in a Muggle shop." The old wizard said stubbornly as though Muggle shops only sold clothes that were made for both sexes. "Muggles wear them."

Trang was already quietly giggling, her fist in her mouth.

"Muggle women wear them, Archie, not the men, they wear these." The ministry wizard said, brandishing the trousers in the old man's face.

"I'm not putting them on." Archie said in indignation. "I like a healthy breeze 'round my privates, thanks."

I started giggling too and soon, Trang, Hermione, and I all had to hurry out of line so they didn't hear us laughing. We only got back in line when Archie and the other wizard collected their water and disappeared. Then, we collected our water and headed back.

We walked much slower because of the water we were carrying. We saw many students from Hogwarts though we didn't talk to most of them.

When I heard a familiar voice calling for Harry, I turned. It was Oliver Wood, past captain of Gryffindor Quidditch team. He said hello to Hermione, Ron, and I and when he laid eyes on Trang, his face turned bright red and he said, "H-hello, who are y-you?"

I turned away, smiling. Aww! Oliver had a crush.

Trang's face wasn't anywhere near as red since her dark skin was hiding her blush but she said, "Hi, I'm Trang, Elizabeth's friend."

They stared at each other awkwardly for another second and then Oliver recovered and dragged Harry over to meet his parents. Then he told us all that he had been signed to Puddlemere United reserve team.

"Oh Congratulations Oliver." I said, delighted. "I'm really happy for you."

"Thanks Liz." Oliver said, flashing me a smile.

We said good-bye and were about to continue on when Oliver called Trang back. The four of us watched as she walked over, holding a pan of water. They talked for a few seconds and then she came back, a small smile on her face.

"What'd he want?" Ron asked quickly.

"None of your business." Hermione and I said together.

"My full name so he could send me an owl." Trang said happily.

We were hailed by Ernie Macmillan next, a Hufflepuff student in my house. He was especially friendly with Harry and me.

Then there was Cho Chang and Harry slopped water down his front when he waved to her. She was a Chinese girl, very pretty with long black hair.

"My hair used to be like that." Trang said, shooting Cho another glance as we moved on. "And then I dyed the ends golden."

Indeed, her hair was black up at the top but had turned Ombre gold down near the bottom.

"Where are you from?" Hermione asked in interest.

"Well my parents are from Vietnam." Trang said. "But I'm British."

I laughed. It was a bit of a joke between the two of us though the others didn't understand.

"Have you ever been to Vietnam?" Hermione asked in interest. "to visit or anything?"

"Yes." Trang said, nodding, taking off her glasses and rubbing her eyes.

"I want to visit a lot of different countries." Hermione said wistfully.

"I just want to go to Australia." I said. "And Japan."

"You've been ages." George said when we finally got back to the tent.

"Met a few people." Ron said, setting his water pail down. I set the pan down, flexing my fingers. "You not got that fire started yet?"

"Dad's having fun with the matches." Fred said with a grin.

Splintered matches lay around his feet but he looked like he was having the time of his life. I giggled along with Trang.

"Oops!" he said when he lit one and then dropped it.

"Come here, Mr. Weasley." Trang said kindly, though grinning. She took the box from him, showing him how to do it properly and then let him do it himself.

The fire was lit, finally, though it took an hour for it to be hot enough that we could actually cook on it. Meanwhile, Trang and I were swapping Chocolate frog cards and eating them at the same time. Harry looked on in interest.

"Don't you have a collection?" I asked Harry as I traded a Dumbledore card for a Newt Scamander card. I already had twenty-five of him, but I also had sixty-three of Dumbledore and this way, it evened my cards out to twenty-six and sixty-two. I liked even numbers.

"Nah." Harry said. "I don't eat enough Chocolate frogs to keep up a collection. Not that my Uncle and Aunt wouldn't throw it out immediately anyways."

"Sad." I said bluntly, rearranging my cards in alphabetical order.

Ministry members ran back and forth trying to keep things under control and Mr. Weasley kept a running commentary of who was who and what they did. Trang kept looking up, interested. "That was Cuthbert Mockridge, Head of the Goblin Liaison Office. . . Here comes Gilbert Wimple; he's with the Committee on Experimental Charms; he's had those horns for a while now. . . Hello Arnie. . . Arnold Peasegood, he's an Obliviator- members of the Accidental Magical Reversal Squad, you know.. and that's Bode and Croaker. . . they're Unspeakables. . ."

"They're what?" Trang and Harry asked at the same time in interest, both of them pushing their glasses up on their noses. Fred caught my eye and we looked away before we laughed.

"From the Department of Mysteries, top secret, no idea what they get up to. . ." Mr. Weasley said and Trang looked over her shoulder to get a good look at them.

Mr. Weasley let Trang and I cook sausages and eggs. Mostly because it was rumored that I was a good cook and Trang already knew how to cook over a fire from her many camping trips.

The sausages and eggs were done in record time just as Bill, Charlie, and Percy were strolling toward us, looking refreshed.

"Just Apparated Dad." Percy said in a loud voice and looked around to see if anyone had heard him, "Ah, excellent, lunch."

I giggled quietly as Trang served out food to everyone. The sausages were juicy and the eggs were light and fluffy.

Halfway through our lunch period, Mr. Weasley jumped up, waving a man over. "Aha! The man of the moment! Ludo!"

Ludo Bagman was wearing old Quidditch robes from when he used to play. They had thick horizontal stripes of bright yellow and black. An enormous wasp was stitched onto the front of the robes. He was powerfully built in the shoulders and legs but his stomach was bulging against the robes. His nose was squashed, most like broken by a bludger. His eyes however, were bright blue. With his short blond hair and rosy complexion- he looked a bit how I thought an American schoolboy might look.

"Ahoy there!" Bagman called happily. He was walking with springs in his steps. "Arthur, old man, What a day, eh? What a day! Could we have asked for more perfect weather? A cloudless night coming. . . and hardly a hiccough in the arrangements. . . Not much for me to do!"

Behind him, four ministry wizards were rushing toward a wizard's tent where a fire had gotten out of hand. It was bright blue and was throwing violet sparks twenty feet into the air. Trang laughed aloud and then quickly stiffled it.

Percy hurried forward at that moment with his hand outstretched. Apparently he wanted to make a good impression. I rolled my eyes. If I didn't like someone, I wasn't going to act like I did to get on their good side. I'd act just as I said.

"Ah- yes." Mr. Weasley said with a knowing smile. "this is my son Percy. He's just started at the Ministry- and this is Fred- no, George, sorry- that's Fred- Bill, Charlie, Ron- my daughter Ginny- and Ron's friends Elizabeth Kane, Hermione Granger, Trang Nyguen, and Harry Potter."

Ludo lifted his eyes to Harry's forehead, looking at the scar.

"Everyone, this is Ludo Bagman, you know who he is, it's thanks to him we've got such good tickets-"

"Fancy a flutter on the match, Arthur?" Ludo asked, waving his hand aside.

I quickly got up and went inside the tent. I didn't want to be asked who was going to win. Once the betting was over, I headed back out, sitting down next to Bill.

"Couldn't do me a brew, I suppose? I'm keeping an eye out for Barty Crouch. My Bulgarian opposite numbers' making difficulties, and I can't understand a word he's saying. Barry'll be able to sort it out. he speaks about a hundred and fifty languages."

Trang looked at me from across the fire, her mouth open. I nodded. She got up and came and sat next to me.

"Mr. Crouch? He speaks over two hundred! Mermish and Gobbledegook and Troll. . ." Percy said with admiration.

Trang giggled, "What are those languages?"

"Mermish is mermaid-" I started.

"There's mermaids!"

"Anyone can speak Troll." Fred said in a dismissive voice, "All you have to do is point and grunt." About half of us laughed.

"Any news of Bertha Jorkins yet, Ludo?" Mr. Weasley asked and I stopped laughing. Harry and I exchanged an uncomfortable look.

"Not a dicky bird. But she'll turn up. Poor old Bertha. . . memory like a leaky cauldron and no sense of direction. Lost, you take my word for it. She'll wander back into the office sometime in October, thinking it's still July."

"Yeah, yeah there's mermaids and centaurs and dragons and pixies and fairies and unicorns." I muttered under my breath trying to ignore the ongoing conversation. "Ghosts, poltergeists, house-elfs, vampires, a lot of different magical creatures."

"You don't think it might be time to send someone to look for her?" Mr. Weasley suggested.

"There's a lot of creatures that even Muggles don't know about like bowtruckles or fire crabs or acromantula." I continued hurriedly.

"What are Acromantula?" Trang asked in interest.

"Huge talking spides." I said.

Trang shuddered.

"Barty Crouch keeps saying that." Ludo said, taking a tea from Percy. "but we really can't spare anyone at the moment. Oh- talk of the devil! Barty!"

Barty Crouch apparated out of the air, wearing a stiff, impeccable suit and tie. Everything from his neatly combed hairdo to his polished shoes yelled professionalism and rule-follower. Fred actually wrinkled his nose while I thought Percy might bend over and kiss his shoes.

"Pull up a bit of grass, Barty." Ludo said, patting the ground next to him.

"No thank you, Ludo. I've been looking for you everywhere. The Bulgarians are insisting we add another twelve seats to the Top Box."

"Oh is that what they're after? I thought the chap was asking to borrow a pair of tweezers. Bit of a strong accent." Ludo said.

Trang and I laughed.

"Would you like a cup of tea?" Percy asked breathlessly, in a sort of half bow. Trang was giggling like mad.

"Oh. Yes- thank you, Weatherby." Mr. Crouch said in a bit of mild surprise, looking at Percy.

Tea spewed from my mouth as I snorted and I quickly covered my mouth. Fred and George both choked on their tea and Trang's giggles increased. Percy's ears turned red.

"Oh, and I've been wanting a word with you too, Arthur. Ali Bashir's on the warpath. He wants a word with you about your embargo on flying carpets." Barty Crouch said, staring down at Mr. Weasley as he still hadn't sat down.

"I sent him an owl about that just last week. If I've told him once I've told him a hundred times: Carpets are defined as a Muggle artifact by the Registry of Proscribe Charmable Objects, but will he listen?"

"Why are magical carpets banned?" Trang asked me in undertone.

"If a Wizard tried to sell it to a Muggle pawn shop for money- well Muggles don't think carpets fly now, do they?" I said.

"Ali thinks there's a niche in the market for a family vehicle." Mr. Crouch was saying, "I remember my grandfather had an Axminster that could seat twelve- but that was before carpets were banned, of course."

I rolled my eyes.

"Soo, been keeping busy, Barty?" Bagman asked stupidly.

"Fairly. Organizing Portkeys across five continents is no mean feat, Ludo." Mr. Crouch said in dry sarcasm.

"I expect you'll both be glad when this is over?" Mr. Weasley asked curiously.

Ludo Bagman managed to look shocked. "Glad! Don't know when I've had more fun... Still, it's not as though we haven't got anything to look forward to, eh, Barty? Eh? Plenty left to organize, eh?"

Mr. Crouch raised a disapproving eyebrow. "We agreed not to make the announcement until all the details-"

Ludo waved a hand. "Oh details! They've signed, haven't they? They've agreed haven't they? I bet you anything these kids'll know soon enough anyway. I mean, it's happening at Hogwarts-"

"Ludo, we need to meet the Bulgarians, you know." Mr. Crouch said interrupting whatever he was about to say. "Thank you for the tea, Wetherby." He pushed the tea back to Percy, untouched. Bagman got to his feet with a bit of difficulty, gold jingling in his pockets.

"See you all later! You'll be up in the top Box with me- I'm commentating!" He waved while Mr. Crouch simply gave us a curt nod and they both Disapparated.

"Wish Lee Jordan was commenting." I said mildly.

George laughed while Fred asked Mr. Weasley what was supposed to be happening at Hogwarts this year.

"You'll find out soon enough." Mr. Weasley said smiling.

"I won't." Trang said dejectedly.

"Don't worry, I'll write to you about it." I said.

"It's classified information, until such time as the Ministry decides to release it." Percy said in a stiff voice. "Mr. Crouch was quite right not to disclose it."

"Oh shut up, Weatherby." Fred said shortly.

I laughed again and then got up and went into the girls' tent to take a nap.

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