novelcrest Chapter 430 Hermione noticed Luna blushing.
Chapter 430 Hermione noticed Luna blushing.
Chapter 430 Hermione noticed Luna blushing.
Early the next morning, hurried footsteps and Molly Weasley's shouts echoed through the Burrow.
"Hurry up! If we don't hurry, we'll miss the door key time!" Molly shouted from the bottom of the stairs, frantically stuffing sandwiches into the basket.
Harry sat up abruptly from his sleepy bed, and the noise downstairs immediately made him realize what day it was. He quickly dressed and nearly bumped into Ron when he opened the door.
"Harry! You're finally up! Hurry up, we're going to be late!" Ron's hair was a mess, and he was clutching a sock in his hand, looking like he had just gone through a chaotic morning.
"Late?" Harry asked as he ran down the stairs with Ron. "Why does the Portkey have such a fixed time?"
"Of course!" Hermione was already sitting at the table, hurriedly drinking a glass of pumpkin juice. "The Portkeys activate at specific times set by the Ministry of Magic. If you miss it, you can only wait for the next activation—if there is a next time."
Harry sat down at the table and had just picked up a piece of toast when Molly called from the kitchen, "Eat faster! The Hogwarts professors might tolerate your lateness, but the Portkeys won't wait for you!"
Ginny was already munching on an apple while tying her robe; she was more composed than Ron.
"Where's the key?" Harry asked, stuffing a piece of toast into his mouth.
“On the hillside next to the Burrow,” George replied, quickly spreading jam on the table, “an old boot. The Ministry of Magic kept it there as a meeting point for our area. But—” he exchanged a sly look with Fred, “Dad said it looks like it was dug out of a junkyard.”
“We all use the same boot here,” Fred added, “so hopefully it doesn’t smell too bad.”
Harry quickly changed his clothes and picked up his wizard's robes and his small bag.
Hermione was already waiting neatly downstairs, holding a book about Quidditch in her hand, flipping through it while muttering to herself, "I really hope we don't miss the entrance. According to the book, the World Cup venue's security measures are one of the most complex of all magical events."
Downstairs, Arthur Weasley was wearing a strange wool hat and stuffing his family's belongings into an old backpack that looked completely devoid of any magic.
"Alright, is everyone here?" He looked up, counted the people, and said, "The key to the door is on the hillside to the east. We need to hurry!"
"The hillside to the east?" Harry asked, puzzled.
“That’s right,” Arthur Weasley explained as he enthusiastically led the way out the door. “For large magical events like this, the Portkey is usually hidden in a place that Muggles wouldn’t easily notice. This time, the Portkey looks like an old boot, placed under that big tree at the end of the field.”
Before they left, Molly busied herself stuffing a basket of sandwiches into everyone's hands, saying, "You'd better bring something to eat. Who knows how chaotic things will get when we get there? Don't end up starving."
"Thank you, Mom!" Ron mumbled, his mouth already stuffed with a cookie he'd just grabbed from the kitchen.
"Where's Bill, Charlie, and Percy?" George sneezed, suddenly remembering something.
"They'll probably apparite there," Molly said, checking the food in the basket without turning around. "I knocked on their door this morning, and they said they'd be leaving later."
"So, they're still sleeping in?" Fred scoffed, his tone full of dissatisfaction. "Why can't we Apparate too?"
"Because you're not old enough, and you haven't passed the test!" Mrs. Weasley retorted without looking up. "Besides, I don't trust either of you to do a good job."
"Apparition requires a test?" Harry asked curiously.
“Yes,” Arthur nodded, carefully slipping the ticket into his back pocket. “Apparition isn’t easy. If you mess it up, it’ll be a big problem.”
"What kind of trouble is it?" Harry pressed.
"I heard that two people tried it on their own without passing the test, and they both split apart," Mr. Weasley said calmly as he added a large spoonful of syrup to his porridge.
"Split into two?" Harry asked in surprise.
“Yes,” Arthur continued, completely oblivious to Harry’s horror, “they left half their bodies behind. Naturally, they were pinned there, unable to move either side. In the end, the Reversal Incidents team had to handle it—and I tell you, it was a huge amount of paperwork, especially when Muggles see those—well, mutilated bodies.”
Harry couldn't help but imagine the sight of two legs and an eyeball abandoned on the Privet Drive sidewalk, and a chill ran down his spine.
"Are they alright?" he asked cautiously.
"It's nothing," Arthur said casually, "but they were fined a lot of money. I bet they won't dare to act rashly again. So, remember, never take Apparition lightly."
"But Bill, Charlie, and Percy all do, right?" Harry asked.
"Charlie took the test twice before he passed," Fred interjected with a smug grin. "Remember how he messed up his first test? He manifested in a small shop five miles from his target, landing right on a poor old lady's head."
"Yes, but he succeeded on his second try," George added.
Suddenly, Molly looked up and called out to George, "George!"
George jolted, turned around, and pretended nothing had happened: "What's wrong?"
"What's in your pocket?" Mrs. Weasley demanded sharply, her gaze fixed on him like X-rays.
"It's nothing!" George replied, feigning innocence.
"No lying!" Mrs. Weasley immediately drew her wand and chanted, "Fly!"
Several colorful little trinkets popped out of George's pocket. He reached out to grab them, but missed. They flew straight into Mrs. Weasley's hand.
"Those are fat tongue toffee!" Mrs. Weasley shouted angrily, waving the candy in her hand. "Didn't I tell you to destroy all this stuff?!" She added, "Empty your pockets, you two, hurry up!"
Fred and George were very reluctant, but under their mother's pressure, they had no choice but to take out the toffee from various places—the lining of their jackets, the cuffs of their jeans, and even a few hidden in their shoes.
"It took us six months to develop these!" Fred said, looking at the candies being tossed aside with dissatisfaction.
"No wonder you did so badly on your O.W.Ls exams after spending half a year on this nonsense!" Mrs. Weasley shrieked.
Finally, as the group left the humble abode, the atmosphere became somewhat awkward.
Mrs. Weasley kissed Arthur on the cheek with a stern face, while Fred and George, carrying their canvas bags, walked out without saying a word to their mother.
"Behave yourselves!" Mrs. Weasley shouted at their retreating figures, but the Lee brothers didn't turn around.
In the darkness, they walked through the dark courtyard and headed towards the hillside at the end of the fields.
The cold air made Harry instinctively pull his cloak tighter around himself, and a faint gray-green hue peeked through the distant horizon.
Harry kept picturing the spectacular scene of thousands of wizards rushing to the Quidditch World Cup in his mind; he could almost hear the cheers echoing in the distance.
The anticipation and the cold air made his heart race. He quickly caught up with Arthur Weasley and asked, "Sir, once we get there, how do we find our places?"
"Don't worry, Harry," Arthur said with a smile, "everything will be arranged perfectly. You'll be amazed."
They trudged through the damp grass, following the dark path toward the village.
All around was quiet, with only the soft rustling of footsteps on the mud and the occasional call of a night bird.
The sky began to change from deep black to pale blue, and the faint light of dawn illuminated the shadows of distant trees, while the air was filled with the chill of early morning.
Harry's hands and feet were frozen, but he still held tightly to his cloak, unwilling to fall behind the group.
Arthur kept taking out his pocket watch to check the time, while the others silently quickened their pace in the cold wind.
As they began to climb Weasel Mountain, the ground became even wetter and more difficult to traverse.
Occasionally, a rabbit hole hidden in the grass can trip someone up, or they can slip on the wet blades of grass.
Harry felt like he was dragging two heavy stones with every step. His legs grew heavier and heavier, his breathing became more and more rapid, and his chest felt hot and painful. Just when he thought he was about to give up, the ground beneath his feet finally became flat.
"Yo—" Arthur took off his glasses, wiped the lenses with his clothes, and said breathlessly, "Not bad, just the right time—" Ten minutes left!"
Hermione was the last to reach the summit, clutching her cloak tightly with one hand as she tried to regulate her breathing.
Ginny stood to the side with her arms crossed, her nose red from the cold, but her eyes were full of excitement.
"Now, all we need to do is find the door key," Arthur said, putting on his glasses and squinting as he began to search the ground carefully. "It shouldn't be very conspicuous, let's find it quickly."
The group dispersed and searched the grassy area on the mountaintop.
Harry carefully walked around some stones, staring at his feet, but just a few minutes later, a sound broke the silence of the night.
"Here it is, Arthur! Come quick! We've found it!"
On the other side of the mountaintop, under a starlit night sky, two tall figures stood among the shadows of the trees, waving to them.
"Amos!" Arthur immediately laughed and strode towards the man. "Great! Everyone, follow me."
The others followed, and Harry saw clearly that it was a middle-aged wizard with a red face and a short brown beard.
He stood there, holding up an old, muddy, moldy boot.
"Let me introduce you all," Arthur said, a warm smile on his face. "This is Amos Diggory, he works in the Department of Magical Creatures Control at the Ministry of Magic. This is his son, Cedric—I think you all know him, right?"
Harry's gaze fell on the boy next to Amos.
Cedric Diggory was about seventeen years old, tall, handsome, and possessed a natural gentlemanly demeanor.
At Hogwarts, he was the captain and Seeker of the Hufflepuff Quidditch team.
"Hi everyone," Cedric said in a friendly manner, his gaze sweeping over them.
Harry, Hermione, and Ginny all politely replied with "Hi," but Fred and George simply nodded, their response less friendly.
Harry could guess the reason—the twins still harbored resentment over Cedric's team's victory over Gryffindor in Quidditch last year.
"You've come a long way, haven't you, Arthur?" Amos Diggory asked with a warm smile.
"It's alright," Arthur replied. "We live in the village at the foot of the mountain. What about you?"
"You got up at two o'clock, right, Ced?" Amos nudged his son with his elbow, a smile on his face. "To be honest,
I really hope he passes the Apparition test soon. But... there's nothing to complain about, it's the Quidditch World Cup, a major event you absolutely can't miss! Although—" he paused, letting out an exaggerated sigh, "buying the tickets did cost a lot of Galleons. But, it's all sorted out now, not too difficult."
He looked at Harry and the others in a friendly manner, his gaze suddenly brightening when it landed on Harry.
"My God!" Amos's eyes widened in surprise. "Harry Potter?!"
"Yes, that's right," Harry replied, his tone somewhat hesitant.
Harry was used to the shocked expressions on people's faces when they first saw him, and he was used to their eyes being immediately drawn to the lightning bolt-shaped scar on his forehead, but it always made him feel uncomfortable.
“Of course, Ced mentioned you,” Amos said enthusiastically. “He talked about last year’s competition—I told him it’s something he can tell his grandchildren about when he’s old—how amazing! He actually beat Harry Potter!”
Harry didn't know how to respond, so he just lowered his head and remained silent. Fred and George's expressions grew even more unpleasant, while Cedric looked very uncomfortable.
"Dad," Cedric muttered, "I told you Harry fell off the broom, it was an accident."
"Yes, but you didn't fall, did you?" Amos said proudly, patting his son on the shoulder. "Our Seids are always so humble! But a win is a win, right, Harry? It's obvious who's better—one falling off the broom and the other staying firmly on it."
"Time's almost up," Arthur quickly interrupted Amos, taking out his pocket watch and glancing at it. "Amos, do you know who we're waiting for?"
"The Fordsey family didn't get tickets, but there should be... the Lovegood family," Diggory said after a moment's thought.
Just then, several hurried footsteps came from afar, accompanied by a light tinkling of bells, as if someone was hanging some decorations on a bag.
Everyone turned around and saw three people walking briskly along the path.
At the front was a middle-aged wizard, tall and thin, with messy hair, wearing a brightly colored robe covered with strange patterns.
He had a kind smile on his face, held a cane in his hand, and walked briskly, seemingly in a very good mood.
Without a doubt, the middle-aged wizard was Xenophilius Lovegood, the editor of The Quibbler.
Behind him, a girl dressed somewhat strangely was trudging along the muddy path, a conspicuous necklace around her neck that looked like it was made of soft-shelled crab claws and strange beads, and she was adjusting her slightly slipping blue wizard's hat as she walked.
That was Luna Rodtengood. As usual, she seemed a little detached, her gaze wandering aimlessly, as if searching for something in the sky.
Beside Luna was a young, handsome man whose appearance immediately attracted everyone's attention.
He wore a fitted dark gray robe with delicate silver thread patterns inlaid on the collar and cuffs, understated yet tasteful. His tall figure and smooth lines made him appear exceptionally upright, as if he possessed an innate charm.
"Professor Phillips!" Hermione exclaimed in surprise. "Professor Phillips!" Harry and Ron also called out his name in unison. Clearly, neither of them expected to see Sean here.
Sean's smile deepened, and he nodded gently, his voice warm: "Good morning, it's a pleasure to see you all here."
"Professor, are you here for the World Cup too?" Hermione asked, her voice brimming with barely suppressed excitement.
“Yes, Hermione.” Sean nodded to Arthur as he answered Hermione’s question. “The Quidditch World Cup is a rare event, not just a sporting competition, but also part of wizarding culture. Besides—” his tone was slightly joking, “I’ve heard this year’s competition is very exciting, and I don’t want to miss it.”
"Phillips, I never expected to see you here." Arthur strode forward, a surprised smile on his face, and shook hands with Sean.
"I happened to be talking to Mr. Lovegood about my new novel these past few days and stayed at his house. He suggested we come over. I think it's a good idea—after all, watching a game with friends is much more fun than coming alone," Sean replied.
At this moment, Luna lowered her head slightly, a faint blush appearing on her fair face. She gently fiddled with the necklace around her neck, pretending not to hear.
Hermione, who had been keeping a close eye on Sean and the people around him, noticed this detail and couldn't help but raise an eyebrow, wondering why Luna had such a special impression of Sean.
"Watching the game with friends is definitely more fun." Arthur nodded, agreeing wholeheartedly with Sean's answer. "Xenophilius is a really interesting person; he always comes up with some unique ideas."
As Yelse and Sean continued their pleasantries, Amos Diggory chimed in.
He strode towards Sean, his face filled with curiosity and anticipation: "Professor Phillips! I've heard so much about you!"
I finally met you in person today! But I'm more curious about something else—you must know my son, Cedric, right? At Hogwarts,
He's the Quidditch captain of Hufflepuff.
George and Fred, standing to the side, wore expressions that said, "I knew it."
Sean's gaze shifted to Cedric, who stood to the side, a genuine appreciation in his eyes: "Of course I know him. Cedric is an outstanding student and a very promising Seeker. I've seen him deliver several brilliant performances in Quidditch matches."
His calmness and focus are very rare qualities.
Upon hearing this price increase, Cedric blushed slightly, feeling quite embarrassed.
He politely replied, "Thank you, Professor. Your class was really interesting, and I really enjoyed your analysis of Muggle society."
Amos beamed with joy upon hearing his son's praise, excitedly patting Cedric on the shoulder: "Did you hear that, Cedric? Even Professor Phillips said that about you! This is something you can brag about to your own children later!"
Upon hearing this, Fred and George rolled their eyes in unison, a gesture that prompted Searle to secretly tug at their prince and give them a warning look.
"Dad..." Cedric said in a low voice, feeling somewhat embarrassed by his father's boastful tone.
Sean sensed the slightly awkward atmosphere and subtly changed the subject: "Mr. Amos, Cedric is indeed very talented, and I believe he will achieve even greater things in the future. Speaking of which, which team do you favor in today's match?"
"Ireland!" Amos replied immediately, his voice brimming with confidence. "Their chasers are an unbeatable team, while Bulgaria only has one player, Krum. This matchup will definitely be a victory for Ireland!"
"However, Krum is indeed a genius seeker." Sean smiled slightly, his voice thoughtful. "The outcome of this game might be more suspenseful than we think."
“Yes, I think so too.” Hermione couldn’t help but interject. “Although the Irish team is stronger overall, Krum’s skills can indeed turn the tide in crucial moments.”
During the summer vacation, through the few letters she exchanged with Sean, she also learned about Sean's trip to Durmstrang for training.
Although she did not understand Sean's behavior of "aiding the enemy" at Durmstrang.
But Professor Phillips must have had his reasons for doing this.
Hermione thought to herself.
Since Krum is Shane's tutor, the outcome of this Quidditch match seems to be predetermined.
She had always held a blind faith in Sean.
Ron, who was unaware of the situation, seemed about to retort, but was interrupted by a shrill shout: "Alright, alright! It's almost time. Everyone gather around the door key, don't delay any longer!"
The crowd stirred, and everyone reached for the moldy old boot.
Sean stood abruptly beside Luna and Hermione, his stone light sweeping across the room before finally settling on Senther: "Senther, the Portkey arrangement this time was very clever. I heard the Ministry of Magic put a lot of thought into ensuring Muggles wouldn't notice these details."
“Yes,” Senther nodded, urging everyone to hold on tighter to their boots, “These are no easy tasks, but the Ministry of Magic’s Reversal of Accidents team is indeed very reliable.”
As everyone placed their hands on the door keys, Jianse raised her hand to check her watch and loudly counted down: "3-2-1!"