Hermione Granger and the Goblet Of Fire (Completed)

Chapter 6 - The Game

Hermione, Harry and the Weasley's joined the large croud heading down the path. People were laughing and singing in all different languages, and Hermione could stop grinning

They left the forest and saw a huge stadium, large enough to fit Buckingham palace in twice
"Seats a hundred thousand" said Mr. Weasley "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"

They joined the group of people grouping around one of the entrances
"Prime seats!" cried the Ministry witch as they got to the front "Top Box! Straight upstairs, Arthur, and as high as you can go"
There were too many flights of stairs to count, but eventually they reached the top, where there were several rows of purple and gold seats. Hermione, Harry and the Weasley's filed into the front row and gazed at the incredible sight in front of them

Thousands of people were filing into their seats, which were raised high above the ground. The three scoring hoops glowed gold in the stadium lights. Directly opposite them, at Hermione eye level, was a ginormous blackboard. Words were appearing on it, as if an invisible hand was writing on it in huge cursive:
The Bluebottle: A Broom for All the Family - safe, reliable, and with Built-in Anti-Burglar Buzzer... Mrs. Skower's All-Purpose Magical Mess Remover: No Pain, No Stain!... Gladrags Wizardwear - London, Paris, Hogsmeade...

Hermione watched the scene below them eagerly until Harry's voice made her turn
"Dobby?"
"Did sir just call me Dobby?" came a squeaky and clearly female voice, but Hermione turned around anyway. Dobby was a house elf who had (sort of) helped them out in their second year. He had been property of the Malfoy family, but Harry had freed him at the end of the year. Hermione had never seen a house elf before. The elf sitting directly behind them was about the same height of a child, and an oddly proportioned head, with large, bat like ears sticking out either side. She had ginormous brown eyes and a very round, somewhat squashed nose. She was hiding most of her face in her hands

"Sorry" Harry she "I just thought you were someone I knew"
"But I knows Dobby too, sir!" said the elf eagerly "My name is Winky, sir - and you, sir-" Her eyes widened "You is surely Harry Potter!"
"Yeah, I am" said Harry, looking embarrassed
"But Dobby talks of you all the time, sir!" Winky whispered
"How is he?" asked Harry "How's freedom suiting him?"
"Ah, sir" Winky sighed "ah sir, meaning no disrespect, sir, but I is not sure you did Dobby a favor, sir, when you is setting him free"
"Why?" said Harry "What's wrong with him?"
"Freedom is going to Dobby's head, sir" said Winky "Ideas above his station, sir. Can't get another position, sir"
"Why not?" said Harry
"He is wanting paying for his work, sir" Winky whispered, as if admitting something terrible

"Paying?" said Harry "Well - why shouldn't he be paid?"
Winky looked horrified
"House-elves is not paid, sir!" she cried "No, no, no. I says to Dobby, I says, go find yourself a nice family and settle down, Dobby. He is getting up to all sorts of high jinks, sir, what is unbecoming to a house-elf. You goes racketing around like this, Dobby, I says, and next thing I hear you's up in front of the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures, like some common goblin"
"Well, it's about time he had a bit of fun" said Harry
"House-elves is not supposed to have fun, Harry Potter" said Winky matter-of-factly "House-elves does what they is told. I is not liking heights at all, Harry Potter but my master sends me to the Top Box and I comes, sir"
"Why's he sent you up here, if he knows you don't like heights?" said Harry, voicing Hermione's concern
"Master - master wants me to save him a seat, Harry Potter. He is very busy" said Winky slowly "Winky is wishing she is back in master's tent, Harry Potter, but Winky does what she is told. Winky is a good house-elf"
She hid her head in her hands again