Coup de Foudre [Fred Weasley] [4]

⚡️ Chapter 6 ⚡️

At last, they got the fire lit up – though it took at least another hour before it was even hot enough to cook anything upon. However, there was plenty to watch while they waited. Their tent seemed to be pitched right alongside a kind of thoroughfare to the field, and the Ministry members kept hurrying up and down it, greeting Mr. Weasley rather cordially as they passed.

On the other hand, Mr. Weasley kept a running commentary – mainly for Harry and Hermione's benefit – as his own four children and Vega knew too much about the Ministry to be greatly interested. Still, at least, Vega was listening to the conversation as there wasn't much otherwise.

"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 – member of the Accidental Magic Reversal Squad, you know... And that's Bode and Croaker... they're Unspeakables..."

"They're what?" Hermione asked while Vega was too busy thinking about what she would be recognised with once she had left Hogwarts for some career.

"From the Department of Mysteries," Mr. Weasley said. "Top secret, no idea what they get up to..."

Soon, the fire was ready and Vega showed them exactly how they could start cooking eggs and sausages when they were suddenly joined by Bill, Charlie and Percy – all of whom came strolling out of the woods right toward them to join them around the fire.

"Just Apparated, Dad," Percy called out loudly. "Ah, excellent, lunch!"

They were halfway through their plates of eggs and sausages when Mr. Weasley suddenly jumped to his feet, waving and grinning at a man who was striding toward them. Vega, who had just briefly caught Fred's eyes, looked away and over to see what had caught Mr. Weasley's attention instead.

"Aha!" Mr. Weasley exclaimed. "The man of the moment! Ludo!"

Ludo Bagman was wearing long Quidditch robes in thick horizontal stripes of bright yellow and black. An enormous picture of a wasp was splashed across his chest. He had the look of a powerfully built man gone slightly to seed; the robes were stretched tightly across a large belly he surely had not had in the days when he had played Quidditch for England. His nose was squashed, but his round blue eyes, short blond hair, and rosy complexion made him look like a very overgrown schoolboy.

"Ahoy there!" Bagman called happily. He was walking as though he had springs attached to the balls of his feet and was plainly in a state of wild excitement.

"Oh, dear," Vega muttered to herself – she was decidedly not much of a fan of this person.

"Arthur, old man," Bagman puffed as he reached the campfire. "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, a group of haggard-looking Ministry wizards rushed past, pointing at the distant evidence of some sort of a magical fire that was sending violet sparks twenty feet into the air.

Percy hurried forward with his hand outstretched. Apparently, his disapproval of the way Ludo Bagman ran his department did not prevent him from wanting to make a good impression.

Vega only looked at these Ministry fools in wonder, and decided she wouldn't be like them.

"Ah – yes," Mr. Weasley said, grinning. "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, Hermione Granger, Harry Potter and Vega Lestrange,"