Hannah's 4th Year

Hannah's Fourth Year

Part 1:The Quidditch Cup

August 2, 1994

Dear Diary,

Well, new book for me. I was actually hoping the old one would last until school started, but no such luck, it ran out of pages my first night in David's house. Maybe it was because there were so many incidents with Alfred and Vivian, and they were so funny, I felt I had to describe them in full detail. But I hope she doesn't ignore him forever, because I think he's a bit sad. I hope I never get into a situation like that.
It was definitely a good idea to bring a book to England with me. I don't think I could do that advanced a piece of transfiguration even if I was allowed to. My Transfiguration homework's given me a bit of a headache. But it's given Ernie an even worse headache. We respect Professor McGonagall, but I think he secretly resents her.
Tommorrow I'm going with Ernie and David to pick up Justin, and we're going straight to the Quidditch World Cup from there, though it doesn't start until the 10th. Our tickets require we get there early. That means a week of camping out. David says it's going to be fun, but I don't know. A week in a tent with three guys, two of which have their hormones running like wild, isn't my idea of fun.
At least I'll finally get to meet Justin's parents. I still have to meet Ernie and David's, but they insist it's better I don't. I guess they're right, since they did disown their sons for being in Hufflepuff, but I am curious. In a horrified way. What kind of parents would do that to their sons?
Gotta go, time for dinner.

Sincerely,
Hannah

August 3, 1994

Dear Diary,

I am writing this while squeezed against the car window with Justin trying to peer over my shoulder. Stop it, Justin!!! He's grumpy because he proved shorter then me by about a centimeter and thus had to sit in the middle. Still, I'm glad to see him again.
Ernie's on his other side and David's in the front seat, trying to give the Muggle driver directions. We're going to arrive there in the dead of night likely, but we have to be there by midnight. I feel sorry for the driver, he's really confused, but at least he'll get us there.
Justin's parents proved just a tad snobbish, especially to me. I always knew he was richer then either me or Ernie(now that Ernie's living permanently with David)but to quote Kermit the Frog, I've never been inside a real ritzy English house before. I wish we could have stayed longer, but we had to run to catch the train.
I really have to go to the bathroom.

Sincerely,
Hannah

August 4, 1994

Dear Diary,

This was a better day then yesterday. It was indeed quite late when we claimed our camping space from another confused Muggle. They're trying to keep them from being suspicious by all sorts of preparations, but according to one Obliviator hanging around, it's all been mostly for naught, and they're just holding everything down with memory charms. We had to pay the Muggle too, and we would have been dead if it weren't for Justin. I don't know anything about British pounds beyound using them to buy passes for the London Underground.
We were all too tired to set up the tent, so we crashed in the tent of a friend of David's. His tent was only set up for one, so five people crowded into it didn't leave any of us that comfortable, me least of all. The minute we were up, we pitched the tent. It's this big orange thing, and it's very roomy inside. My favorite part is the private alcove reserved for me!
David spent most of the day trying to make a fire Muggle-style before just using his wand. We ate our real meals with a stove in the tent, but we decided to roast frankfurters outside. Mine got a little burnt, but they actually taste nice burnt. Tommorrow I'm going to burn one delibrately.

Sincerely,
Hannah

August 5, 1994

Dear Diary,

Today Ernie, Justin, and I went wandering. When it comes to posing as Muggles we're doing much better then some. I've seen some very spectacular tents and people who do not know how to dress. None of them American. All the Americans remembered what they learned in elementary school. Late in the morning we ran into Susan and her mother. They were amoung the first to come here because they can't afford very good tickets. Susan's mother's really excited because she hasn't seen a Quidditch game since she left Hogwarts, but Susan's actually bored. She never was that interested in Quidditch. Ernie says everyone has to be awed by Quidditch played at the caliber we're going to see it played, and he's seen it before, and I can't wait, but after a week I guess Susan's not impressed.
And also, she doesn't have three boys in the tent with her. They made noise very far into the night when I was trying to sleep.

Sincerely,
Hannah

August 6, 1994

Dear Diary,

Today we went into the Irish section of the camping grounds. It was green all over, and lots and lots of shamrocks everywhere. They were so thick on the tents we couldn't tell the real color of several of them. Wonder how they explain that to the Muggles. We found Seamus and Dean in there. Then I made the mistake of saying I was unsure of whom I was going to support. I promptly got more information about the Irish players then I dreamed there was to know, and an explanation on exactly why I should support Ireland to my dying day, and all three of us left with hats with dancing shamrocks on them and green rosettes.
We also ran into some Americans who actually didn't know how to pose as Muggles, and Ernie and Justin teased me about it for the rest of the day. They were being ridiculous. Just because one or two people slipped up doesn't mean I can be teased by two boys from a country that has a big problem when it comes to Muggle-posing.
Yes, I'm feeling very patriotic right now. So were those silly Irish.
I want to visit the Bulgarian tents tommorrow.

Sincerely,
Hannah

August 7, 1994

Dear Diary,

Ernie and Justin were all for hearing the other side of the story, though they're both supporting Ireland, so today we went to the Bulgarian tents. At least the Irish tents had a sense of style! The Bulgarian tents just had lots of a pictures of their Seeker, Viktor Krum, draped over them. He's a very surly man. Well, boy, actually, he's only 18, though you'd never guess it by looking at the pictures. None of our classmates are Bulgarian but we did find a couple of friendly Bulgarian teenagers. I'm afraid I can't remember their names. We talked for awhile and then Ernie casually mentioned our lecturing at the hands of the Irish, and we got the goods on the Bulgarian team as well. Though while Seamus had outlined to me many many details on all seven players most of the Bulgarians' explanation rested on Krum, though the other players did get some references of their merit. On hearing the Irish had given us gifts all three of us were given scarlet rosettes, and I got a beautiful Bulgarian scarf. I'm wearing it all to the game.

Sincerely,
Hannah

August 8, 1994

Dear Diary,

We found many people today. We bumped into Kevin, who was looking for people too, and he led us over to Megan. After some talking she directed us to Morag and Isobel. They're big Bulgarian supporters, and I now know everything about that team too. We had lunch with him and his family, then went wandering again. We ran into Lavender, who told us we had to come back tommorrow to talk to Parvati when she and Padma arrive. Then we found Mandy and Sara Fawcett, and they challenged us to another of their Team Warlock matches, but we were smart enough to decline. All in all, it's best not to play card games against Ravenclaws. Or Slytherins.
Speaking of Slytherins, we ran into Blaise Zabini after we left them. She's rather nice for a Slytherin. Apparently Millicent Bulstrode's here too, but I for one have no interest in visiting her. And Pansy's arriving the day of the actual game, as she bragged to all her dormmates endlessly last year (before Blaise asked if she's got as good seats as her Malfoy boy. Turns out she hasn't!)
We were just turning back to head for our tent when Patty called me over. We did some catching up, and then she pointed out Bartemius Crouch (she called him "Barty") to me. Said I should go over and talk to him. But I'm way too shy. Besides, Ernie met him once and said he'd be irritated.
But I don't like that he'd be irritated! He's my step-grandfather and he's never even contacted my father, not even when I was born to ask is the child healthy and is she magic or is she a squib and he hopes not and is the mother in good health as well and is she attending Hogwarts as planned. I'm glad I'm not related to him by blood. Maybe it's that I'm shy, or maybe I just don't want to speak to him!
I could rant on, and talk about what happened to his son, but dinner's ready and I'm starved!

Sincerely,
Hannah

August 9, 1994

Dear Diary,

We met still more people today, including Parvati and Padma, but right now I'm too angry to remember them all.
Mr. Crouch put in an appearance near our tents today while we were eating breakfast, to lecture the owners of one the fancier tents. I hate to think what he's been saying to the Irish, or even the Bulgarians, even if all their Viktor Krums don't do more then blink. He walked right past our tents, and David prodded me into saying something. I'm afraid I ended up making a complete fool of myself and he didn't know who I was! Didn't grandmother ever mention she had a son still in America? I know her divorce from grandfather was rather messy but I also know she wrote to father, especially in the months after Crouch threw their son into Azkaban. She died after those months. I can understand why. I don't understand how anyone could marry him even.

Sincerely,
Hannah

August 10, 1994

Dear Diary,

Excuse me if this is a bit difficult to read but I don't have too long before it's time to go to the game. The salesmen arrived late in the afternoon with all sorts of things to buy, including the hats, scarves, and rosettes that I managed to procure for free. But there were other things, like omnioculars, and action figures. Ernie and David don't have money to spare but Justin got all four of us our own pairs of omnioculars. I returned the favor by buying a set of the Irish Chasers in a two-for-one deal and giving him the extra set. I bought mini-Firebolts for mine too, which might have been a mistake. They're flying round me right now, tossing a pebble to each other, lacking a mini-Quaffle, and driving me crazy because the green rosette keeps squeaking their names "Troy! Mullet! Moran!," and the red rosette won't be outdone, squeaking "Krum! Krum! Krum!" and I'm praying the lions in my scarf don't get involved. At least the shamrocks on my hat don't make any noise. And if I can get these three figures to stay on my shoulder I'm still taking it all to the game with me!

Sincerely,
Hannah

August 11, 1994

Dear Diary,

I'm very tired, but I can't sleep.
I may talk about the match later in this entry, but something horrible has happened. After it was over the four of us limped back to our tent and I fell asleep without even taking off my scarf and rosettes. I woke up to the sound of shouting and I had barely gotten out of my alcove when David pushed me out of the back of the tent and told me to run into the woods and not to look behind me. I obeyed, of course. I ran until I collapsed from exhaustion. David looked so frightened he made me panic and I didn't think. And when I stopped I realized I had gotten lost. Then I really was frightened. Not to mention I had no idea what had happened at the camp. For all I knew everyone there was dead and I was going to starve. I had my wand, so I lit it to it's brightest and tried to remember any tracking spells, figuring the use of magic in these circumstances was allowed.
Finally I remembered I had programmed into my wand the ability to track Ernie and Justin. By then I was desperate just to find someone so I did the spell and found Justin, who had also been pushed off into the woods by David. He had the same idea it seemed because we quickly ran into each other. Justin had actually looked back and he told us someone was levitating the Muggles who owned the campground. Appalling as that was I couldn't help but being relieved that it was nothing worse then that.
But then the two of us didn't know what to do. Ernie was out of range. Then, while we stood there, Lord Voldemort's symbol appeared in the sky. We decided to worry about what it was doing there later and go in the opposite direction from it. Ernie and David then came into the woods to look for us, and we found them, and they were able to lead us back to the camp.
I can't remember much about the match right now after all. Krum got the snitch, but Ireland won.

Sincerely,
Hannah

August 11, 1994

Dear Diary,

Feeling better now. We're on the train and Justin has invited me to stay with him and his parents for the rest of the summer since flying back to America is too expensive.
My scarf got a bit ripped during my flight into the forest but Justin says his mother will sew it. Thankfully none of the lions were affected. I just hope they don't frighten her.
I remember a bit more about the match. The three Irish Chasers were the best players on the pitch, with the possible exception of Krum. My three figures got very excited whenever they scored, which was quite often. That is of course why they won despite Krum getting the snitch. The Bulgarian Chasers just couldn't compete. They managed only one goal in the entire game.
I remember talking with Megan about the Chasers while waiting for our taxis. She's a Chaser and the game made her very happy. She's just started to wonder what the point of Chasers was in the first place. Then Lavender, who was also with us, reminded her the Gryffindor's win of the Cup last year wouldn't have been possible without the strength of its Chasers. Obviously anyone who thinks Chasers are unnessecary aren't looking that closely.
Thinking about the match makes me feel a lot better.
The only think I wonder is why Krum caught the snitch. Ireland only won by 10 points; I wouldn't have given up hope unless they were much further ahead then that. Odd boy.

Sincerely,
Hannah

August 13, 1994

Dear Diary,

As it turned out the lions couldn't keep quiet while the scarf was being sewn up. They gave Justin's mother quite a scare and now neither she nor his father will speak to me. I'm in the guest bedroom, a beautiful room where I'm afraid to touch anything. Eating's a terrible chore when I've got no idea what I'm eating or how to eat it. I wish I'd gone back to stay with Ernie and David!

Sincerely,
Hannah

August 14, 1994

Dear Diary,

Today I spent most of the day outside. Away from Justin's parents. Away from Justin too, but he's irritated because apparently I am an embarrasment. I wish this were a wizard neighborhood so I could follow my Irish Chasers around. They're in my suitcase and are staying there until I go to Hogwarts since I've got the feeling the parents wouldn't appreciate them. I had to settle for wandering around aimlessly, though not so aimlessly that I get lost. Then of course it started to rain, which I ignored until it started to pour, at which point I started looking for something to duck under and failed to find it. Which meant I had to return to the house soaking wet. Justin's parents were not amused, nor were they amused to hear we weren't allowed to use magic to clean me. They sent me to the shower which was really weird, since I was already wet.

Sincerely,
Hannah

August 15, 1994

Dear Diary,

After breakfast, Justin apologized to me for leaving me cold in his parents' house. He refused to let me escape outside in case there was a repeat of yesterday. I remember it took me a year to realize that it rains a lot in England. Instead, we spent most of the day pitting our Irish Chasers against each other. Unfortuneatly only three of them could be in the air at once, since his didn't have brooms, but we worked around that as well as we could. Justin's really fascinated by his because being Muggle-born he didn't growing up with action figures that actually moved. I was a bit worried about his parents coming in, but they didn't seem to notice anything. Justin said they've gotten used to weird things during the summer. Which doesn't explain why they got upset about me.
Justin's asked me for a bit of help with his homework since I finished mine before coming to England. But I'm afraid we didn't get around to working on that today. Tommorrow, maybe.

Sincerely,
Hannah