In Chapter 8, IT’S THE QUIDDITCH WORLD CUP! Let’s go!
The main thing to know: this stadium is huge! It can seat 100,000 people and Harry says that it looks like “ten cathedrals would fit comfortably inside it.” Which confused me at first – wouldn’t Quidditch pitches have to be a similar, regulation size? I know that’s the case with other sports – football fields, soccer fields, baseball fields, etc. Are all Quidditch fields this large? It doesn’t sound like it.
In any case, the Weasleys are in some of the best seats in the whole place. As Harry goes to sit down, he sees a familiar face. Dobby? Dobby the House Elf? No, not exactly.
“Sorry,” Harry told the elf, “I just thought you were someone I knew.”
“But I knows Dobby too, sir!” squeaked the elf. She was shielding her face, as though blinded by light, though the Top Box was not brightly lit. “My name is Winky, sir — and you, sir –” Her dark brown eyes widened to the size of side plates as they rested upon Harry’s scar. “You is surely Harry Potter!”
Harry Potter: known to house elves everywhere.
Winky has some opinions though. She is highly critical of Dobby, who really thinks highly of himself now, so much so that he’s asking to be paid for his work (*gasp*). Winky is saving seats for her Master, even though she is really afraid of the heights. Tons of important people are sitting in the Top Box with the Weasleys, including . . . the Malfoys. Who are just as obnoxious as ever. They are special guests of the Minister due to their generous donation to the wizard hospital.
But enough of those jerks. We get to see a presentation by the two teams’ countries! Up first: Bulgaria. They brought veela, creatures who look like amazingly beautiful women but who cast a spell on menfolk.
The veela had started to dance, and Harry’s mind had gone completely and blissfully blank. All that mattered in the world was that he kept watching the veela, because if they stopped dancing, terrible things would happen . . .
So they’re sort of like sirens, but on land. And the crowd loves them. Doesn’t want them to leave, until the Irish have their say.
Next moment, what seemed to be a great green-and-gold comet came zooming into the stadium. It did one circuit of the stadium, then split into two smaller comets, each hurtling toward the goalposts. A rainbow arced suddenly across the field, connecting the two balls of light. The crowd ooohed and aaaahed, as though at a fireworks display. Now the rainbow faded and the balls of light reunited and merged; they had formed a great shimmering shamrock, which rose up into the sky and began to soar over the stands. Something like golden rain seemed to be falling from it —
Yeah, in case you couldn’t guess, the Irish brought leprechauns with them who are showering the crowd with gold. A good way to win fans, that.
The teams are announced and the players come out, including the famous Krum. I’m not going to go over the actual game play, but it is a brutal match, full of lots of injuries. Ireland wins, but Krum catches the Snitch to end it. Harry thinks that Krum knew that Ireland’s Chasers were too good and that Krum “wanted to end it on his terms.”
Which also brings us to this funny tidbit:
“Vell, ve fought bravely,” said a gloomy voice behind Harry. He looked around; it was the Bulgarian Minister of Magic.
“You can speak English!” said Fudge, sounding outraged. “And you’ve been letting me mime everything all day!”
“Vell, it vos very funny,” said the Bulgarian minister, shrugging.
Hahahahahahaha. I love when Fudge gets treated like a fool. I really don’t like him.
They bring the players to the Top Box, first Bulgaria, and then Ireland. Everyone is excited and happy, especially the Weasley twins. They are ready to earn some money because remember who bet all their savings that this would be the outcome of the match? That’s right! I see some more Ton Tongue Toffees in the future!
See you next time for Chapter 9!
Categories: Chapter-A-Long
Life With No Plot 
I loved it