Chapter 343 The Chaotic Quidditch World Cup
Fudge stood at the very front of the box, bathed in the spotlight. He pressed his wand to his throat and used a Sonorus Charm to amplify his voice to an immense volume.
"Good evening! As Minister for Magic, I am deeply honored to welcome each and every one of you to the 422nd Quidditch World Cup Final. Let the games begin!"
One hundred thousand spectators erupted in thunderous cheers and applause. Tens of thousands of flags waved simultaneously, countless red and green balloons soared into the sky, and all the billboards were wiped clean, replaced by a scoreboard displaying Bulgaria: 0, Ireland: 0.
At this moment, Ludo Bagman, the Head of the Department of Magical Games and Sports, stood at the front, acting as the announcer, introducing the two teams to the live audience.
"Next, please allow me to introduce the mascots of the Bulgarian National Team… the Veela."
As he finished speaking, a vibrant red formation appeared on the right. Amidst loud cheers, one hundred Veela glided onto the pitch.
Veela are shapeshifting female spirits who maintain a human appearance and possess innate allure. They are incredibly beautiful.
So, the moment they stepped onto the pitch, the atmosphere instantly ignited.
Music began to play, and they started to dance. Their graceful movements exhilarated most of the men present, making them want to dance along.
Harry and Ron unconsciously left their seats, walking forward with captivated gazes.
"You two certainly didn't disappoint me," Adrian said, looking at her two calm and composed younger brothers, nodding in satisfaction.
"Who are you looking down on?" Leon pouted. "I've seen Merpeople who are more beautiful. Compared to them, Veela are just… whatever."
"I admit they're quite beautiful, but I'm pretty confident in my self-control," Aaron said dismissively. "Though, to be fair, this is absolutely the best cheerleading squad."
As the music stopped, the Veela ceased dancing and slowly retreated to one side of the pitch.
Those who had been entranced gradually regained their senses and were pulled back to their seats by their companions.
Many Wizards supporting the Ireland team threw their flags to the ground; in that moment, they were more willing to support the Bulgaria team.
"Now… please raise your wands to the sky… and welcome the mascots of the Ireland National Team."
Whoosh!
A green and gold sphere flew into the pitch. After circling once, it split in two, each striking a set of goalposts.
Brilliant fireworks formed an arch between the two sets of goalposts, and the two spheres connected in the middle of the arch to form a shamrock pattern.
The shamrock spiraled upwards, showering golden rain across the sky, and countless gold coins fell onto the spectators' heads.
"Irish Leprechauns," Leon said with a laugh, looking at the Leprechauns carrying golden and green lanterns in the sky. "Quite creative. Compared to dancing, these tangible things are more popular.
It's a pity these gold coins are fake, but the money-grubbers here don't seem to have noticed."
Ron, who was bending down to pick up gold coins, froze in place upon hearing this.
His mind was blank, and he was so embarrassed he wanted to crawl into a hole.
The giant shamrock pattern quickly vanished, and the Irish Leprechauns also landed opposite the Veela, ready to watch the match.
Next, Ludo Bagman introduced the players of the Bulgariateam one by one.
Beaters, Chasers, and Keepers, all wearing vibrant red robes, flew onto the pitch one after another. Their speed was incredible, and each person's broom was the fastest firebolt.
When the final Seeker, Viktor Krum, made his entrance, supporters of the Bulgaria team spontaneously shouted his name, and even supporters of the Ireland team unhesitatingly joined in.
If there were celebrities in the Magical World, Krum, the Wizarding World's acknowledged best Seeker, would absolutely be top-tier—the kind of person who gets asked for autographs on the street. Lockhart and his ilk couldn't even compare to him.
"Aaron, I heard you were a Seeker at Hogwarts for a year. Do you have the confidence to go up against him?" Leon asked with interest.
"Don't be ridiculous," Aaron rolled his eyes irritably. "He does this for a living."
"Then how long do you think you could last if you went up against him?"
"Until the Ireland team wins," Aaron said confidently. While he naturally wasn't sure he could catch the Golden Snitchfaster, holding Krum back wouldn't be a problem for him.
"Now, welcome the Ireland Quidditch National Team!" Bagman loudly called out the names of the seven players. Seeker Lynch was introduced last, but the cheers and applause he received were somewhat less than Krum's.
The Ireland team wore green uniforms, and their broomsticks were all firebolts, making them evenly matched in terms of speed.
Immediately following, the referee, Hassan Mostafa, entered. He was a short, lean Wizard with a bald head but a particularly thick beard, and his identity was the President of the International Quidditch Federation.
He walked to the center of the pitch, kicked open a wooden box, and the red quaffle, black bludgers, and Golden Snitchflew out one after another.
With a whistle, the match officially began.
These players were all world-class. Their speed was astounding, and their balance and coordination were extraordinary.
Red and green figures flashed past the spectators' eyes, and Bagman's commentary gradually couldn't keep up with their movements; he would barely utter a name before the player vanished from sight.
One could watch in slow motion with an Omnioculars, but the downside of doing so was missing more exciting moments.
The Ireland team scored first and maintained their lead throughout. Fans wearing green cheered and shouted.
The match gradually intensified, and both teams' mascots also began to participate.
The Leprechauns formed a shamrock pattern, and the Veelabegan to dance, encouraging the Bulgaria team.
Krum feigned spotting the Golden Snitch, luring Lynch to mimic his movements. In the last instant of their rapid dive, he smoothly ascended, while Lynch made intimate contact with the ground.
"Time out!" Bagman said huffily, instructing a doctor to check Lynch's injuries.
The spectators discussed animatedly, those with Omnioculars eagerly watched replays, while Krum used the time Lynch was being treated to search for the Golden Snitch.
The doctors at international events were far more professional; in less than ten minutes, Lynch was back on his feet and returned to the pitch.
Hassan blew his whistle, and the match resumed.
The Ireland team's fighting spirit soared even higher. In just over ten minutes, their score surpassed the Bulgaria team's by a hundred points.
At this point, the match began to get dangerous, as fouls were not entirely disallowed in the Quidditch World Cup, but their methods of fouling could not escape the notice of the audience in the arena.
Hassan Mostafa was initially fair, allowing the Ireland team to take penalty shots.
But when the Bulgaria team fouled again, the spectators didn't see the referee until a pitch doctor rushed into the arena and slapped him, jolting him out of the Veela's dance.
"Good hit!" Adrian laughed. "Such an unreliable referee shouldn't have been here from the start."
"The allure skill is still very useful, isn't it!" Aaronwhispered, realizing the power of allure from these hundred Veela. Sometimes, it might work wonders.
"What did you say?" Adrian glared at Aaron. "Don't tell me you're going to learn that kind of magic."
"Uh…" Aaron felt a bit guilty. "Is it not allowed?"
"It is. I can't stop you from learning what you want, but learning that kind of magic is just a waste of time.
Allure magic doesn't work on people stronger than you, nor on those with strong willpower. At most, it can only affect ordinary people."
"Sister, I'm not like you all," Aaron said with an awkward laugh. "Perhaps it's ordinary people I might need to deal with."
Adrian paused, then thought of the Gaius family's mission and said no more.
"Suit yourself then! But don't get too serious about it."
"Don't worry, I know my limits," Aaron laughed. As long as he had enough magic points, he could master this magic in minutes.
The Veela were ordered to stop dancing; Referee Hassan believed it would affect the match. The Veela seemed a bit displeased, but they had to respect the referee's authority.
After this brief interlude, the match entered a heated phase.
The Chasers from both sides, holding the quaffle, began to collide with each other, and the Beaters became even more frantic, swinging their bats at people whenever they had a chance.
During the process, the Ireland team suffered many disadvantages, and shouts of fouls rose and fell across the pitch. Hassan once again allowed the Ireland team to take a penalty shot.
With their national team holding a significant advantage, the Leprechauns cheered excitedly, even getting carried away and provoking the Veela.
Seeing the giant middle finger the Leprechauns displayed, the Veela immediately abandoned any pretense of composure.
They stopped dancing, their heads transformed into sharp bird heads, and scaled wings sprouted from their shoulders, shooting out gouts of red flame to attack the Leprechauns.
"See, children," Mr. Weasley said meaningfully, "you can never just go for looks."
"Exactly," Leon agreed, nodding, then added, "If you're going for looks, go for authentic looks."
Arthur Weasley: …That's… hard to argue with.
"The battle between these two mascots is even more intense than the Quidditch match above," Aaron remarked, smacking his lips. "This could turn into an all-out brawl."
"It won't. The Ministry of Magic will handle it," Hermionesaid.
Aaron and Leon exchanged a smile. When the Ministry of Magic was reliable, it was more reliable than anyone, but when it was unreliable, it was more unreliable than anyone.
There were over a hundred thousand Wizard spectators present. Even if the Ministry of Magic wanted to use force, they had to consider the optics, which meant they could only appeal to reason and emotion, making their efforts largely ineffective.
The pitch gradually became chaotic. The match continued amidst the screams of the Veela, the explosive sounds of wands, and the roars and cheers of the fans.
The referee's voice was no longer important, as Hassan was stuck between the two mascots and couldn't move. Bagmancould barely manage to commentate and host, but until a winner was decided, this situation would only escalate.