I took a long sip of butterbeer while the game continued. As the Irish scored another goal, I stood up, booing the team for being as good as they were.

"Merlin, Jo. You're way too into this," Chai chastised me. "Or you're insanely drunk, at this point I can't really tell."

I pulled a half drank bottle of Firewhiskey out from under my chair, holding my index and thumb up to indicate a small amount, "Lil' bit drunk."

Chai snorted, pulling the bottle out of my hand, "You're a horrible drunk."

"I can't see. Can we get closer?" I asked, leaning over the seat in front of me. Chai grabbed my elbow and pulled me onto the main platform on our level. I stumbled over myself as we reached the base where another group had already gathered. "Wow! Look at Vik! He's going so fast."

"Can you manage to contain your excitement and clumsiness while I go get you some water and a snack?"

"I want to sit down," I held onto Chai's hand as I slid onto the ground, staring out at the games from between the bars of the platform.

Chai left for the snacks and I watched as Viktor Krum chase a golden ball across the Quidditch pitch.

"You realize that there are seats for you to sit in, right? You don't have to sit on the ground," a boy standing next to me said. I looked up. His long hair cascaded over his face, as he grinned at me. "You're drunk. Cute, but drunk. Come on, then, get off the ground."

He slid an arm around me, pulling me off the ground with more force than it looked like he'd have.

I looked at him, his hair, his eyes, and his freckles, "Weasley?" I looked past him at the rest of the redheaded group. "Weasleys, my mistake."

"Hogwarts student, then? Only a Hogwarts student would be able to recognize a Weasley, specifically while drunk."

"About to start my sixth year."

"Gryffindor?"

"Sadly."

Charlie Weasley raised a bushy eyebrow, "Sadly? Gryffindor is the best house if I do say so myself."

"Says the person who's entire family was born and raised with red and gold dangling from their diapers."

"You're very intellectual for a drunk."

I watched the game for a few seconds, "How's Romania?"

"How do you even know about that?"

I grinned, "I'm a Gryffindor. Surrounded by Weasleys. Classes with Weasleys. Classes taught by professors who raised the Weasleys."

"Jo! Drink this," Chai handed me a bottle of water but I didn't open it. Instead I just stared out into the pitch. Watched the Irish score another point and while everyone around me cheered for their team, I shook my head and stared at my feet.

"What happened when I was gone?" Chai asked me.

I looked at him, "Sobered up."

"That's not a thing."

I pulled a wand out of my combat boots, "Bippity, boppity, sobriety."

"You're underage. No magic out of school."

"We're at the Quidditch World Cup, Chai. Thousands of wizards using magic, no one's going to notice when I use a cleansing spell on myself."

He frowned, leaning against the bars of platform, "Still illegal."

I grinned, ruffling his hair.

"Squib at the Quidditch World Cup? How unusual."

"Surprising, father. Jordan Winters still ucompaning a Squib."

"I don't even think we deserve to be associated with that."

The hair on the back of my neck stood on end as I turned towards the four people walking behind us. Two girls with pin straight, long black hair with faces resembling that of my own walking alongside Lucius and Draco Malfoy.

"Oddly enough, you're still being trailed by two dogs, Malfoy."

Lucius cocked his head, white blond hair shifting against his black cloak, "As Viktor Krum is on the side of the Bulgarians, I do suppose you're here to support them?"

"Is there a problem with me supporting my friend?"

"Well, as the rest of Hogwarts is supporting the Irish and you don't seem to be making any friends there as it is, is it really in your best interest to be fraternizing with the enemy?" Draco sneered.

Harry Potter stepped away from his friends to glare as Draco spoke.

"Ah and hanging around Potter, the Blood-Traitors, and Mudbloods probably aren't doing you any favors either."

I reached for the wand in my boot but my Chai held my arm. I scowled, "We didn't ask you to comment on our blood status. We're all very much aware of where we stand in your eyes." I cracked my knuckles, "Now kindly back away from me before-"

"Jo, calm down," Chai whispered, grabbing at my shoulder and turning me towards the game. The Malfoy's chuckled as they left, my sisters following directly behind them.

Charlie Weasley turned to me, "Jordan Winters, huh? Therefore you're Jackson Bray's little friend?"

"I didn't say your siblings were the only reason I knew who you were."

He chuckled, "That explained the attitude, the lack of rule following, and the hatred for the Malfoys. Let me guess, you also plan on dropping next year and moving to Romania to play with the world's most lovable pets."

"If you mean werewolves, then yes."

Chai elbowed me, forcing me to keep my eyes on the game, "You're still drunk."

"Only a little."

For the rest of the game Chai and I were silent. Disappointment filled my chest when I glared at the final score. Viktor had caught the snitch, but the Irish still won. I slipped out of the stadium with Chai following close behind.

I grabbed another Firewhiskey before retreating to our tent on the opposite side of the camp. Unlike most of the other tents that the wizards had set up, ours was actually the same size inside as it was out. It was only Chai and I so I couldn't specifically complain. He was gay and I was emotionally unavailable.

Chai retreated into the tent and I sat outside with a Firewhiskey in my hand. As the Bulgarian fans sulked their way to their tents, the boos came out and people were getting overly intoxicated quickly. Leave it to the Durmstrang boys to let their rage translate into drunkenly hitting on their classmates.

I stood as I saw a group of Viktor's friends coming towards me, calling out my name. Drunken laughs fell from their lips as they stumbled towards me, holding onto each other to keep from falling. Although I was drunk, they were wasted and that's not a recipe for a successful night.

"Jordan!" I looked to Charlie Weasley as him and two of his brothers ran towards me. "Our father wanted to know if you and your friend wanted to come to our tent for dinner."

I raised an eyebrow, "Why?"

One of the brothers perked up. I knew them both all-to-well. Fred and George Weasley, the pranksters and absolute meneses of my year. They'd practically pranked everyone in the school. Well, except for me. You generally have to recognize someone's existence to stink bomb them.

"He heard your name mentioned when Malfoy was talking. Professor Lupin's god daughter, eh? They're good friends, our father and Remus. Dad wants to get to know you," Fred explained.

I swallowed, "Not a fan of explaining my personal life to people I don't know. Sorry."

"Then let's get to know each other," George said, quietly.

I forced a smile, nodding towards the three, "I'll get Chai."

"Jo, no. Bad idea. I forbird this. You're plastered and I can't control any of the shit that comes out of your mouth."

"I'm fine. I'll be fine. I'll walk in a straight line and keep my secrets locked inside the vault."

We left the tent, following the redheads through the crowds of Bulgarians. Many of them called my name or whistled, and I could do nothing but cringe and withdraw into myself just a little more.

Charlie glanced at me, "Viktor Krum and all them, you know them?"

"Krum's family took me in for a summer a couple of years ago," I stammered. "His friends aren't entirely too fond of me though." I looked towards Chai and then at my watch. "In, let's say, 58 seconds, I'd suggest running."

"I've got my money on 38, Jo."

"What do you-"

The hands of a scrawny Bulgarian boy pulled me close to him. The smell of rum on his lips was almost as vile as the state of his yellowed and damaged teeth, "Pretty. Very pretty. I always thought Viktor vas kidding vhen he said you vere good in-"

My fist had hit his jaw before anyone got the pleasure of hearing the rest of his slur. I looked towards the others, "Right on time. I'll pay you later, Chai."

The Weasley's still hadn't quite wrapped their heads around what I meant. Well, not before a group of angry hormone pumped Bulgaians were stumbling towards us with wands out and fists raised,

Chai groaned, "Yes, she means it when she says run, now go!"

Chai and I slid past them, darting into the field of tents and people in front of us. "What the hell did you do to piss all of them off so much? You and Viktor are practically brother and sister!" Chai ranted, out of breath. We came to a stop as were reached a patch of shamrocks and drunken Irish celebration.

He turned around, looking for the Weasleys. He began to say something to me, reaching for my arm as a force twice my size slammed into my back, knocking me into the grass.

"Charlie I'm going to kick your- oh oh sorry…"

One of the twins stood, reaching a hand out to me to help me stand. His ears were bright as he apologized profusely, "Charlie jinxed me, couldn't stop running. Sorry, uh- oh merlin this is awkward." His ears glowed brighter as he stumbled for my name.

I snorted, pulling grass chunks out of my hair, "Name's Jordie. And don't worry about it, George."

Charlie pulled to the front of the group, chuckling at his brother's awkwardness, "Tents over here."

Chai grinned, forcing me to follow the group as I struggled to pull a chunk of dirt from my hair, "How can you tell those two apart."

"George is taller and has a cupids bow and Fred has a smaller face and scar along his eyebrow."

Chai's grinned again, "Spend a lot of time staring at their lips, eh?"

"I've had a lot of time to sit and observe them. We've been in all of the same classes for the past five years. I can stare and watch and observe all I want and no one would ever notice me. You'd have to be a person of interest for a Weasley twin to pay any attention to you."

Entering the Weasley tent held a lot more anxiety than I had bargained for. It was huge and fancy and filled with people I didn't know or care to ever know.

Arthur Weasley greeted me at the entrance, "Jordan Winters, pleasure to meet you. I'm Arthur."

"Call me Jordie. And that's Chai. He's my friend."

Arthus lead us over to the series of couches, "So, Chai, if I heard right, you are a Squib."

Chai's jaw clenched at the word, "Yes."

"So do you know a lot about Muggle things? Like dishwashes?"

"Dishwashers?" Chai's eyebrows furrowed in udder confusion as he attempted to explain the concept of a machine that cleans plates.

"Dad's really into the Muggle things," Fred said sitting next to me. "Mum isn't a big fan of his hobby, but it keeps him happy."

"I thought your father asked us over here to talk about my godfather."

"That's what he said," George retorted, sitting in the armchair across from us. "We all kind of figured that wasn't the case though. He normally asks Harry and Hermione about the Muggle things because they were both Muggle raised, but a fresh opinion never hurt anyone."

Hermione and Ginny finished cooking dinner soon enough and we had light chatter as we ate. Arthur continued to interrogate Chai over different kitchen appliances, particularly the blender.

I stayed to myself for a majority of the time there. Occasionally Charlie would ask me something about Jackson or the twins would talk to me about my roommates at school.

"They don't even know my name," I explained. "Honestly, I don't think I've ever actually spoken to them either. But then again, I could also say that about the rest of the population at Hogwarts as well."

"I never really noticed that there were three Winters. I just knew about Jade and Jett and how lovely it is to prank them relentlessly," Fred said.

George nodded, swallowing a spoonful of food, "Guess we both kind of just assumed you were one of them."

I grimaced, "That's possibly the most insulting thing anyone's ever said to me."

Harry, Ron, Ginny, and Hermione went to bed as it got dark and Arthur left the tent with Percy and Bill to go and speak to other ministry members. Charlie left to take a shower and then write to Jackson back in Romania.

"Do you know anything about the new DADA teacher? I know that Professor Lupin resigned so they've got to find someone to replace him," Fred asked.

I shrugged, "Could be anyone."

The twins started to talk about the pranks they were planning to pull on the new teacher. I could only listen for a little while, before the alcohol forced me into slumping over on the couch and falling into a dizzy kind of sleep.

I awoke to an aching feeling in the pit of my stomach. Fred was asleep on the floor in front of me and George was curled into a ball on the armchair. There was a loud crack in the air outside and both of the twins jerked awake.

"What was that?" Fred asked.

I searched the darkened tent, "Where's Chai?"

George stood, heading towards the door, "Left after you fell asleep. Back at your tent, I suppose."

Arthur, Percy, and Bill came running through the doors, "Get up! Get everyone up! We've got to get out of here."

"What's going on?"

The boys emerged fully dressed and Hermione and Ginny pulled jackets over their nightdresses.

"Into the woods, all of you! We're going to help the Ministry!"

Percy, Bill, and Charlie ran back outside, but I was still lost in my thoughts. I hadn't the slightest clue what was happening until Fred grabbed Ginny and George pushed me outside.

I saw it then. The hooded men holding the caretakers of the land above their heads. But that's not what put me on edge.

"Chai!" I screamed, watching him flail around in the air.

"They'll get him down! Let's go!" George yelled over the noise.

I pulled myself out of his grip and ran towards the group, "Chai!"

That night blurred in my eyes. Watching my best friend being treated like a puppet. Watching innocent people getting attacked. Feeling like my organs were being ripped out of my body and everything turning into white noise and blacked out skies.

All of these spun in my head until I woke up with Albus Dumbledore standing over me.

~/~

Dad won't tell us what happened after we got into the woods. He won't tell us what happened with Jordie and Chai and he hasn't gotten around to mentioning why a bunch of people in hoods would attack the Muggles.

-George Weasley