The Redhead and the Irish

Chapter 18

-AFTER DINNER-

"Can we buy souvenirs?" Ron asked. "Oh! Can we, dad? Please, please, please?" I begged, giving him my puppy-dog eyes. "You have an obsession with Quidditch, Rowie." Charlie said, ruffling my hair. "Yeah, ever since you could walk, you've been playing. When you were four, you even stole Charlie's broom." Bill added, smiling at me. "That might be true, but I'll always love magical creatures a bit more than Quidditch." I replied, grinning like an idiot. "Yeah? Prove it." Fred challenged me. I ran to my bunk and rummaged through my bag. Eventually, I found the notebook I had been looking for.

"There's your proof. It's like 'Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them', but better." I explained, smirking proudly as Charlie took the tattered notebook from my hands. "How did you get all this information?" he asked in surprise. "Well, the centaurs at Hogwarts told me a lot about themselves and other creatures and I observed some creatures that live in the Forbidden Forest." I told him as he flipped through the pages.

"I swear to Merlin, if you show this to my boss, you'll get a job in no time." Charlie reassured me, handing me the notebook. "Really?" I asked with big eyes. "Yeah, I mean, no one has even thought about using blue oleander to daze dragons." he exclaimed. "Yeah... I got a pretty bad burn when I tried it out the first time. Dragons don't really like it when you give them meat covered in flowers." I mumbled, sheepishly rubbing my neck. "That's where you got that burn?" dad asked in surprise. "Sorry." I muttered. "It's a lot easier than stupefying dragons with five men." Charlie told me. "Back to the original question, yes, we can go and buy some souvenirs." dad grumbled, shooing all of us out of the tent.

"Come on, sis. You're with us." Fred and George said in unison, linking arms with me. "O-kay?" I questioned, looking at dad. "Make sure to be back here in half an hour. Deal?" "Deal." the twins replied. They dragged me off somewhere and handed me a binder. "What's this?" I asked, looking at the object. "Those, little sis, are the new ideas for Weasleys Wizards Wheezes." George announced. "And we need you to find the spells for them." Fred added. "Why do I still help you again?" I groaned, looking through the ideas and designs. "Because we promised you co-ownership of the store once you get out of Hogwarts?" Fred questioned with a grin. "I hate you two so much." I muttered under my breath. "No, you don't." George said in a sing-song voice. "Can I please just buy some souvenirs?" I asked them, gesturing to all the stands surrounding us. The twins smirked and looked back at me. "Will you help us with the shop?" Fred asked. "Yes, I will help you two with Weasleys Wizard Wheezes." I stated. "Let's go and shop then, doll." George said in a terrible American accent.

I ended up with a scarf with the Irish flag on it and a flag which sang the Irish anthem when you waved it. Fred and George bought Ireland hats and I painted green and white stripes on their faces. "Sinne Fianna Fáil, atá faoi gheall ag Éirinn..." my flag began to sing the anthem again as I hummed along. "Honestly, that flag is already annoying me." George complained. "Try and sing along then. It's not as easy as you think it is." I smirked, knowing he couldn't do it. He tried, but failed miserably, leaving me and Fred laughing. "You try, then." George grumbled. I smirked and shook the flag again. The flag began to sing the anthem in Gaelic while I sang along in English.

"Soldiers are we,

whose lives are pledged to Ireland,

Some have come

from a land beyond the wave,

Sworn to be free,

no more our ancient sireland,

Shall shelter the despot or the slave.

Tonight we man the "bearna baoil",

In Erin's cause, come woe or weal,

'Mid cannon's roar and rifles' peal,

We'll chant a soldier's song"

I finished singing just as the rest of the family came back. "Guess you're supporting Ireland?" Harry joked. "Guess you're supporting Bulgaria? Along with my betraying twin." I glared at Ron while tying the flag around my waist like a skirt. "I am." Harry said, pointing at his hat. "Shall we go and find our seats, then?" dad offered. "Sounds like a plan to me." Bill replied, ushering all of us towards the Quidditch stadium.

The stadium was packed with people from all over the world. People were trying to sell merchandise last minute, such as programs and face paint. We made our way up, the stairs never seeming to end. "Blimey, dad. How far up are we?" Ron panted as I followed him up another flight of stairs. We all took a break to peak over the railing. "Well, put it this way." Lucius Malfoy sneered from a floor below us. "If it rains, you'll be the first to know." Draco followed close behind his father. He was wearing a way to fancy suit. Like , honestly, where does he think he's going? The Wizengamot annual dinner party?

"Father and I are in the minister's box..." Draco started. We began to walk towards the next flight of stairs, but the Malfoys followed us. "...by personal invitation of Cornelius Fudge himself." Draco sneered, looking at me in particular. I scrunched up my nose in disgust as I walked towards Charlie. "Don't boast, Draco." Lucius said, poking Draco in the ribs with his walking cane. "There's no need with these people." he finished, looking at us in disapproval. Harry began to usher all of us to the next stairs, when Lucius took hold of his jacket with the cane. "Do enjoy yourself, won't you? While you can." he sneered, forcing a smile. He let go of Harry and we walked to the next stairs.

"Come on up. Take your seats. I told you these seats would be worth waiting for." dad exclaimed as I ducked underneath a huge light. We were in the very top row in the stadium, looking over everything. We were only just standing when the Irish team flew over. "It's the Irish! There's Troy!" Fred shouted. "And Mullet!" George added. "And Moran!" Fred exclaimed once again. "And Lynch!" I yelled, pointing at the blonde seeker. I cheered loudly as my flag kept singing the national anthem. A huge leprechaun appeared in the sky. It was dancing as the crowd chanted 'Ireland'. The team took formation on their side of the field.

"Here come the Bulgarians!" George shouted, pointing at the red robes. "Yeah!" Fred cheered. The Bulgarian team flew right through the leprechaun, making it explode into red sparks. They flew into the Irish team, making them loose formation. One of the players separated himself from the team and began to do tricks on his broom. "Who's that?" Ginny asked us. "That, sis, is the best seeker in the world!" George exclaimed. "He's still in school, isn't he?" I asked Bill. "Yeah, the bloke's only seventeen." he replied, cheering. The crowd chanted Krum's name as a huge moving picture of him appeared on the walls of the stadium.

"Good evening!" Minister of Magic, Cornelius Fudge, exclaimed. "As Minister for Magic, it gives me great pleasure to welcome each and every one of you to the final of the 422nd Quidditch World Cup. Let the match...begin!" And with that, he threw the snitch into the field, making the game start.