Chapter 176
The pace of the match had become furious, and so had its brutality.
The Bulgarian Beaters were hammering Bludgers with terrifying force, aiming to break the Irish Chasers' rhythm and scatter their formation. Twice they succeeded then Ivanov broke through the defense, faced the Irish Keeper Ryan one-on-one, and scored!
A thunderous roar erupted from the Bulgarian side of the stands, red and black flags whipping through the air. Play resumed almost instantly, and within seconds, the Bulgarians were again in possession. Ludo Bagman's voice bellowed across the stadium:
"Dimitrov to Levski to Ivanov and !"
A hundred thousand spectators gasped as both Seekers, Krum and Lynch, dove straight toward the ground, plunging as if from the heavens themselves. Harry tracked their dizzying fall through his Omnioculars, spotting a faint golden glimmer near the turf.
"They're going to crash!" Hermione cried.
She was half-right.
At the very last moment, Viktor Krum pulled up sharply, soaring skyward again while Lynch didn't. He hit the ground with a sickening thud that echoed even above the roar of the crowd. Irish supporters shrieked in dismay.
Mr. Weasley muttered calmly, "Fool… Krum was faking him out."
Bagman's voice boomed again:
"Timeout! Medical wizards rushing in to check on Lynch!"
Charlie leaned over to Ginny, reassuring her, "He'll be fine. Just winded. Krum did that on purpose clever move."
Harry rewound the play through his Omnioculars and watched it again. He saw Krum's eyes cold, sharp, utterly focused just before he pulled away from the ground. Lynch had been completely fooled.
Harry realized Krum hadn't seen the Snitch at all. The dive was a feint, pure deception and it was the first time Harry had seen flying of such precision.
Krum seemed to flow through the air, not riding his broom so much as becoming part of it. Every motion was effortless, like gravity itself had no claim on him. Harry let the Omnioculars return to normal speed and kept watching Krum circle the dazed Lynch, who was now sipping a potion from the medical team.
Moments later, the match ended.
Ireland won.
Green and gold filled the sky as fireworks and enchanted shamrocks exploded over the field. The Bulgarians cheered Krum despite the loss, while the Irish fans danced and sang in wild triumph.
Back at the campsite, exhaustion hit the Weasley family hard. Ginny was the first to fall asleep, spilling her hot chocolate onto the grass. Mr. Weasley, stifling a yawn, said with a sleepy chuckle, "Ah… I'm just glad I'm on holiday. I can't imagine having to go tell the Irish to stop singing right now."
Harry, Ron, Albert, and the others changed into their nightclothes and crawled into their beds. Ginny and Hermione went to the next tent, while the boys settled in, the faint sounds of laughter and singing still drifting from the distant camps.
Harry lay on his cot above Ron's, while Albert rested near George's. Both stared up at the tent's fabric ceiling.
Harry's mind replayed Krum's brilliant flying again and again. He longed to get back on his broom and try those feints himself to feel that rush of air, that freedom. He imagined the crowd of a hundred thousand chanting his name, his own jersey glinting under the stadium lights, and Bagman's voice thundering:
"Presenting… Potter!"
He wasn't sure if he had fallen asleep or drifted into a dream, but suddenly Albert's voice ripped through the tent like a thunderclap.
"Wake up, Harry!! Ron!! Hermione Mr. Weasley get up, now!"
Harry shot upright, disoriented.
"What is it, Albert?"
Mr. Weasley, still half-asleep, blinked groggily.
"Whe what's going on, Albert?"
Albert didn't answer at first but they could all hear it now. The sounds outside had changed. The singing had stopped. Instead came screams running feet panic.
Mr. Weasley swung his legs out of bed, alarmed, just as Albert shouted, his voice filled with urgency and dread:
"Death Eaters! They're
attacking the camp! Hurry everyone out, now!*"
To be contined ....