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Chapter 280: The Interesting Camp
🕑 Added 2025-01-28 08:33:14 +0000 UTCAt the Three Broomsticks, Ino was leisurely drinking grass juice by the bar.
Meanwhile, far away at the Leaky Cauldron in Diagon Alley, it was a true cacophony of human voices.
As the gateway to Diagon Alley, the Leaky Cauldron was a place where one could see a variety of scenes at this moment: different skin colors, different races, different clothing styles...
It seemed as if wizards from all over the world had flocked there.
And this was just a small part of it.
That's how things were—some people were willing to come to England early for a trip, while others chose to use a Portkey at the last moment.
But no matter the choice, one undeniable fact remained: wizards' love for Quidditch.
...
As time passed and August began, the weather became increasingly hot, sometimes even accompanied by strong convection storms.
Brief torrential rains lasting less than a quarter of an hour did not cool the weather but instead created an extreme stuffy humidity.
Of course, this was all referring to densely populated places like London or Diagon Alley.
In the village of St. Catchpole, under the high-hanging moonlight, a cool evening breeze wandered through the pristine wilderness, with knee-high green grass swaying in the breeze like undulating waves.
In this leisurely and pleasant wilderness, a crooked house stood out.
Its irregular windows glowed warmly, seemingly responding to the twinkling stars in the sky.
The Burrow, home of the Weasleys.
"Unbelievable! The Bulgarian team actually made it to the finals," Arthur exclaimed again, although he himself had lost count of how many times he'd brought up the topic.
"Dear, instead of chatting, why don't you go to the Ministry to help out? Percy hasn't been home for three days!" Mrs. Weasley looked worriedly at the clock in the Burrow, where the hand remained firmly pointed at 'work'.
"It's fine. Percy is with old Barty; I'm very assured! Besides, during the World Cup, their department is at the forefront."
Arthur didn't take his wife's concern seriously at all, understanding the young man's dedication to his career.
"Maybe you're right, but he... sigh!" Mrs. Weasley didn't continue, her sigh seemingly containing all her feelings.
She wanted her children to be on the right path and become outstanding, but she also didn't want them to work too hard.
Even though it was nighttime, she didn't even know if Percy had eaten dinner on time.
...
Diagon Alley.
In a closed shop.
Percy held a crystal-clear wine glass, surrounded by many well-dressed young wizards.
It was obvious that a small party was being held here.
"Since everything is arranged, I'll leave. Enjoy yourselves!" Draco put down his glass and slowly stood up in the crowd.
"Oh, don't be a killjoy! My dear Mr. Malfoy!" Marcus teased, causing everyone around to smile wryly.
"I'm not being a killjoy; I just need to go home!" Draco's eyes sparkled, and his platinum blonde hair reflected a unique luster under the light.
"I've handed in my responsibilities: the shop, the venue, and the initial funding. The rest is up to you!"
His calm tone and steady demeanor made many think of the old Malfoy. However, the old Malfoy here wasn't Lucius but Lucius's father, a helmsman many admired.
At the same time, a slightly hoarse female voice rose from the crowd:
"In that case, I can leave too. In a few days, you'll see the changes in Knockturn Alley."
The speaker was Mina Burke, a former Slytherin prefect who had graduated two years ago.
When it came to illicit traders, people thought of Borgin; when it came to wands, they thought of Ollivander. But when Knockturn Alley was mentioned, Burke was always a key figure.
"You guys are really..." Marcus was a bit speechless. Talking business and leaving right after was quite peculiar.
Percy felt the same, though not because of their departure, but because he felt some things were unfair.
Although both were Sacred Twenty-Eight families, the Weasleys truly had nothing.
But it didn't matter. Percy was more confident than ever that the Weasley family would change, especially with George and Fred working on the post-production improvement of the Movie Mirror.
If the Movie Mirror was likened to an ocean-going ship, George and Fred were undoubtedly significant figures on board.
As for Percy, he was the representative of his two younger brothers and the Weasley family, responsible for socializing and networking. After all, some things needed to be fought for.
Thinking of this, Percy raised his glass again, a formal smile rising on his face.
...
Time is always fair.
Because it does not slow down its pace for any external factors.
In a week's time, thanks to the Ministry of Magic's relentless efforts, the entire venue that could accommodate 100,000 people had been built.
Although the match was still a few days away, many wizards had already chosen to camp near the venue.
For this situation, from Fudge down to the Ministry interns, everyone supported it with both hands.
Finally, they could gather together, saving them the daily worry about wizards causing a commotion and creating a sensation in the Muggle world.
Therefore, outside the Quidditch stadium, the Ministry had set up a large-scale Muggle-Repelling Charm. The magical coverage was surprisingly large, ensuring that no Muggle would be seen within dozens of miles.
On the vast plains.
Thousands of tents were set up, with an endless sea of colors and bustling crowds in sight.
Although most of the tents were unchanging, like a rose garden blooming with hyacinths, some tents were quite distinctive.
Privately added chimneys, windmills, sleighs, and even miniature fountains on tent tops... the unique decorations were endless.
Ino stood amidst the bustling camp, feeling a sense of familiarity with the scene reminiscent of a medieval market.
Especially the vendors with their carts, just like the candy trolley on the Hogwarts Express, only more numerous and with a wider variety of goods.
Pies, chocolates, souvenirs, telescopes, Irish shamrock badges, miniature Quidditch dolls...
In short, each trolley was a magical blind box, as you never knew where the vendor came from or what they had in stock.
In just a few minutes, Ino saw several unique vendors, such as a burly white man with a cart full of vodka, and a black girl with her cart adorned with various bone accessories...
The large camp was filled with vivid and interesting scenes.
But what surprised him the most was that many people were Movie Viewing Mirrors to film, which was unexpected.
