Chapter 74
Salesmen were Apparating every few feet, carrying trays and pus.h.i.+ng carts full of extraordinary merchandise. There were luminous rosettes – green for Ireland, red for Bulgaria – which were squealing the names of the players, pointed green hats bedecked with dancing shamrocks, Bulgarian scarves adorned with lions that really roared, flags from both countries that played their national anthems as they were waved; there were tiny models of Firebolts that really flew, and collectible figures of famous players, which strolled across the palm of your hand, preening themselves. "Omnioculars," said the saleswizard eagerly. "You can replay action... slow everything down... and they flash up a play-by-play breakdown if you need it. Bargain – ten Galleons each. " Their money bags considerably lighter, they went back to the tents. And then a deep, booming gong sounded somewhere beyond the woods, and at once, green and red lanterns blazed into life in the trees, lighting a path to the field.
"It's time!" said Dad, looking as excited as any of them. "Come on, let's go!" Clutching their purchases, they all hurried into the wood, following the lantern-lit trail. They could hear the sounds of thousands of people moving around them, shouts and laughter, s.n.a.t.c.hes of singing. The atmosphere of feverish excitement was highly infectious; Ryan couldn't stop grinning. They walked through the wood for twenty minutes, talking and joking loudly, until at last they emerged on the other side
"Ministry task force of five hundred have been working on it all year. Muggle Repelling Charms on every inch of it. Every time Muggles have got anywhere near here all year, they've suddenly remembered urgent appointments and had to dash away again... bless them," Dad added fondly, leading the way toward the nearest entrance, which was already surrounded by a swarm of shouting witches and wizards.
"Prime seats!" said the Ministry witch at the entrance when she checked their tickets. "Top Box! Straight upstairs, Amos, and as high as you can go. "
The stairs into the stadium were carpeted in rich purple. They clambered upward with the rest of the crowd, which slowly filtered away through doors into the stands to their left and right. at last they reached the top of the staircase and found themselves in a small box, set at the highest point of the stadium and situated exactly halfway between the golden goal posts. About twenty purple-and-gilt chairs stood in two rows here.
looking down upon a scene the likes of which They could never have imagined.
A hundred thousand witches and wizards were taking their places in the seats, which rose in levels around the long oval field. Everything was suffused with a mysterious golden light, which seemed to come from the stadium itself. The field looked smooth as velvet from their lofty position. At either end of the field stood three goal hoops, fifty feet high; right opposite them, almost at eye level, was a gigantic blackboard. Gold writing kept das.h.i.+ng across it as though an invisible giant's hand were scrawling upon the blackboard and then wiping it off again; watching it was flas.h.i.+ng advertis.e.m.e.nts across the field.
The Bluebottle: A Broom for All the Family – safe, reliable, and with Built-in Anti-Burgler Buzzer... Mrs. Shower's All Purpose Magical Mess Remover: No Pain, No Stain!... Gladrags Wizardwear – London, Paris, Hogsmeade... Raids Shadow Legends....
Ryan tore his eyes away from the sign and looked over his shoulder to see who else was sharing the box with them. So far it was empty, except for a tiny creature sitting in the second from last seat at the end of the row behind them. The creature, whose legs were so short they stuck out in front of it on the chair, was wearing a tea towel draped like a toga, and it had its face hidden in its hands. Yet those long, batlike ears were oddly familiar.... Winky then that must mean that crouch Jr is right there invisible and I can't do anything about it. he narrowed his eyes. he really wanted to just off the man but this year needed to go off without a hitch. after that it's free game and the gloves come off.
The tiny creature looked up and stretched its fingers, revealing enormous brown eyes and a nose the exact size and shape of a large tomato. Ron was sitting next to it and the Weasley were all here. Hermione, meanwhile, was skimming eagerly through her velvetcovered, ta.s.seled program.
"'A display from the team mascots will precede the match,"' she read aloud.
"Oh that's always worth watching," said Dad. "National teams bring creatures from their native land, you know, to put on a bit of a show. "The box filled gradually around them over the next half hour. Dad kept shaking hands with people who were obviously very important wizards. Percy jumped to his feet so often that he looked as though he were trying to sit on a hedgehog. When Cornelius Fudge, the Minister of Magic himself, arrived, Percy bowed so low that his gla.s.ses fell off and shattered. Highly embarra.s.sed, he repaired them with his wand and thereafter remained in his seat, throwing jealous looks at Harry, whom Cornelius Fudge had greeted like an old friend. They had met before, and Fudge shook Harry's hand in a fatherly fas.h.i.+on, asked how he was, and introduced him to the wizards on either side of him.