Stay - Mattheo Riddle

Chapter 112

Amos Diggory peered good-naturedly around at the three Weasley boys, Kirra, Harry, Hermione, and Ginny. "All these yours, Arthur?"

"Oh no, only the redheads," said Mr. Weasley, pointing out his children. "This is Hermione, friend of Ron's — and Harry, another friend — the Kirra - the twins best friend - "

"Merlin's beard," said Amos Diggory, his eyes widening. "Harry? Kirra? Kirra and Harry Potter?"

"Er — yeah," said Harry and Kirra. The potter twins were used to people looking curiously at them when they met them, used to the way their eyes moved at once to the lightning scar on their foreheads, but it always made them feel uncomfortable.

"Kirra... Ced's talked about you, of course," said Amos Diggory. "Told us all about playing with you, says you're the best bloody seeker he's ever seen... ANd you harry, he told us 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!"

Harry and Kirra couldn't think of any reply to this, so they remained silent. Fred and George were both scowling again. Cedric looked slightly embarrassed. "Harry fell off his broom, Dad," he muttered. "I told you . . . it was an accident. . . ."

"Yes, but you didn't fall off, did you?" roared Amos genially, slapping his son on his back. "Always modest, our Ced, always the gentleman . . . but the best man won, I'm sure Kirra and 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!"

Kirra opened her mouth to defend her brother but Harry sent her a look and shook his head, clearly embarrassed so she shut her mouth and didn't say anything

"Must be nearly time," said Mr. Weasley quickly, pulling out his watch again. "Do you know whether we're waiting for any more, Amos?"

"No, the Lovegoods have been there for a week already and the Fawcetts couldn't get tickets," said Mr. Diggory. "There aren't any more of us in this area, are there?"

"Not that I know of," said Mr. Weasley. "Yes, it's a minute off. . . . We'd better get ready. . . ." He looked around at Harry and Hermione, already knowing that Kirra would know how to use a protkey, as he was one of the few who knew about her past lives.

"You just need to touch the Portkey, that's all, a finger will do —" With difficulty, owing to their bulky backpacks, the twn of them crowded around the old boot held out by Amos Diggory. They all stood there, in a tight circle, as a chill breeze swept over the hilltop. Nobody spoke. It suddenly occurred to Kirray how odd this would look if a Muggle were to walk up here now . . . ten people, two of them grown men, clutching this manky old boot in the semi darkness, waiting. . . ."

Three . . ." muttered Mr. Weasley, one eye still on his watch,"two . . . one . . ." 

It happened immediately: Kirra felt as though a hook just behind her navel had been suddenly jerked irresistibly forward. Her feet left the ground; she could feel Fred and George on either side of her, their shoulders banging into hers; they were all speeding forward in a howl of wind and swirling color; her forefinger was stuck to the boot as though it was pulling her magnetically onward and then — 

Her feet slammed into the ground; Fred staggered into her then George into him, and they fell over; the Portkey hit the ground near her head with a heavy thud. Kirra looked up. Mr. Weasley, Mr. Diggory, and Cedric were still standing, though looking very windswept; everybody else was on the ground.

"Seven past five from Stoatshead Hill," said a voice.  Kirra disentangled herself from Fred and George and got to her feet. They had arrived on what appeared to be a deserted stretch of misty moor. In front of them was a pair of tired and grumpy-looking wizards, one of whom was holding a large gold watch, the other a thick roll of parchment and a quill.