bacchusnovels Chapter 431 Setting up the Camp
Chapter 431 Setting up the Camp
Chapter 431 Setting up the Camp
Suddenly, Harry felt a familiar pulling sensation surge from his navel, his body was lifted off the ground, the wind howled in his ears, his limbs seemed to be pulled by an invisible force, and he felt as if he had been thrown into a vortex.
This wasn't the first time he'd used the Portkey—he'd used it once before when he went from the Shrieking Shack to the Ministry of Magic.
On another note, are all door keys shaped like boots?
Aside from the identical appearance, it's hard to imagine how many times one would have to experience this terrible feeling before getting used to it. (PS: Perhaps it's because countless times the surrounding scenery quickly becomes blurry, the sky and the earth disappear from sight, and the whole world is just a blank space.)
Suddenly, his foot landed heavily on the hard ground, causing his knee to buckle slightly.
arrive?
Upon looking around, the group found themselves in a desolate, open area.
The ground here was damp and muddy, a light mist hung in the air, and the surroundings were gloomy, with a cool breeze emanating from the distant swamp.
It gives one a sense of gloom and desolation.
Directly in front of them stood two wizards who were clearly exhausted.
Both men had gloomy expressions and weary eyes, looking as if they were already annoyed by the wizards who had come to welcome them to the Quidditch World Cup.
One of the wizards held a large gold watch in his hand, glancing down at it every now and then, looking somewhat impatient; the other held a thick roll of parchment and a quill pen, muttering something as he wrote something down on the parchment.
Both of them tried to disguise themselves as Muggles, but they were completely inept at the disguise.
The man with the gold watch was wearing a tweed suit jacket, but his lower body was covered by a pair of thigh-high rubber overshoes, which looked quite comical.
His companion was even more outrageous—he wore a Scottish Highland man's kilt with a South American-style fringed cloak, a bizarre combination that made him look like a character randomly pieced together from two completely different cultural backgrounds.
"Welcome to the Quidditch World Cup meeting point," the man with the gold watch said in a perfunctory tone, looking up.
His gaze swept indifferently over the group. "Names?"
"Arthur Weasley, Xenophilius Lovegood, with family and friends," Arthur quickly replied.
Another wizard bent down and quickly jotted something down on the parchment, the quill making a soft scratching sound as it touched the paper.
As he wrote, he looked up and glanced at Harry and his group with a disdainful look until his gaze fell on Sean.
He was stunned.
"Professor Phillips?"
"it's me."
The wizard holding the parchment seemed to have been interrupted from his usual indifferent demeanor, appearing somewhat flustered.
He quickly glanced down to check the list on the parchment, then unconsciously straightened his back, his tone instantly becoming polite: "Oh, Professor, it's an honor to meet you here! Are you here for the World Cup?"
"Yes, I came with my friends." Sean nodded to the Weasleys and Lovegoods beside him.
The wizard with the gold watch noticed the change in his colleague's attitude, looked up at Sean, and his furrowed brows relaxed slightly.
"Alright, alright, let's not waste any more time," he said. "The Weasleys, the Lovegoods, and... Professor Phillips and his group can continue on. It'll take about ten minutes to reach the camp along this path."
"Thank you." Arthur nodded in thanks, then quickly urged everyone to follow and continue along the path.
After walking for about fifteen minutes, they finally saw a small stone house appear in the mist, right next to the gate of the site, like a camp management post.
Behind the stone house, a vast meadow came into view, with hundreds and thousands of tents spread out, stretching into the distance along the gentle slope.
The distant horizon was cut off by a dark forest, shrouded in morning mist and twilight, making it look spectacular.
"We're parting ways here, Arthur." Diggory patted Arthur on the shoulder, smiling as he led Cedric and the group away. "See you at the venue later!"
"Okay, Amos, see you later!" Arthur waved goodbye and disappeared into the thick fog between the tents with Diggory and his son.
The group continued walking towards the gate. The fog gradually dissipated, and the outline of the gate became clear.
There stood a man, his hand on his forehead, gazing at the cluster of tents in front of him.
He was simply dressed, a Muggle, and looked to be in his forties. He looked tired, perhaps because he was dealing with this sudden "camp craze".
"I'll do it," Sean, a professor of Muggle Studies, volunteered.
He asked the man questions in a low voice and received a map of the camp.
After thanking him, Sean turned and led the group away with ease.
"That's amazing, Professor," Ron couldn't help but say. "You communicate with Muggles so naturally."
Sean smiled, shrugged, and said nothing.
Upon entering the camp, they found it to be far more lively than they had imagined.
A thin layer of morning mist covered the damp grass, making it a little slippery underfoot, but the scenery around the campsite made them oblivious to these inconveniences.
They strolled between two long rows of tents, soaking in the unique atmosphere of the site.
Most of the tents look ordinary, probably because their owners have put effort into making them as close to Muggle style as possible.
But upon closer inspection, those seemingly ordinary tents always have some strange little details that reveal the existence of the magical world—for example, one tent has a piece of slightly smoking meat on top, another tent has a string of jingling bells hanging from it, and some tents have weather vanes that keep spinning in the wind.
"These look like they were put into great detail," Ron remarked as he walked over the tents.
"Some of them aren't 'careful' enough," Hermione muttered to herself, looking at a tent that was clearly over-modified by magic, with colorful bubbles rising from the bacon.
However, not all wizards try to conceal their "style." Occasionally, they pass by tents that are clearly enchanted, each one displaying its owner's personality and wealth in an exaggerated manner.
In the center of the camp, they saw a tent that particularly caught their eye.
It was so luxurious it was almost absurd, decorated with large areas of striped silk like a small palace.
Several real peacocks were tied up at the entrance of the tent, strolling leisurely.
The peacock's feathers shimmered with a metallic luster in the morning light, attracting many passing wizards to stop and watch.
"Wow, this family must really love to show off," George exclaimed, his eyes wide.
"Either they are extremely passionate about peacocks," Fred added.
A short distance further on, they came across an even more peculiar tent—it was set up in the shape of a four-story building, complete with several small corner towers.
Warm light shone through the windows, and the interior space appeared much larger than it seemed from the outside.
"That's what I love about magic," Harry exclaimed. "It always makes everything look—beyond imagination."
"That's true." Sean smiled slightly.
Not far away, they saw a tent that was even more outrageous than the last.
In front of its gate is a meticulously manicured garden, filled with highly decorative bird baths, sun lip mascots, and fountains.
Birds hopped merrily around the water basin, while tiny, shimmering water droplets floated from the fountain, looking like diamonds dancing in the air.
"It's always like this," Arthur said with a smile, his tone tinged with a sense of familiarity and resignation. "When everyone gets together, they can't help but want to show off. Ah, we're here. Look, this is our territory."
The group walked to the end of the camp, near the edge of the woods.
The air here is fresher than in the center of the camp, carrying a hint of wood scent, and you can hear birdsong and the sound of the breeze rustling through the treetops in the distance.
Two small wooden signs were neatly placed on the ground, their locations marked in large handwritten letters:
"This is a nice spot," Sean nodded slightly, looking around. "Quiet and refreshing, and close to the woods; it looks perfect for camping."
"Yeah," Arthur said with a hint of pride, "It's a bit far from the main field, but it gives us our own space. Alright, kids, don't just stand there, help set up the tents! There's still a lot of preparation work to do before the match!"
The Weasleys immediately sprang into action, taking out tents and various props from their respective bags.
Arthur's excitement was palpable. He pulled a seemingly worn-out old-fashioned Muggle tent from his bag and proudly explained to Sean, "I borrowed this from a friend. It's very sturdy—Muggle things can be quite useful sometimes. I just added a little magical modification." After he finished speaking, he waved his wand at the tent, and the pile of fabric immediately came to life, unfolding itself and setting up the frame.
Meanwhile, Mr. Lovegood and Luna also began setting up their camp.
Their tents clearly have a unique personal style—bright colors and irregular patterns that stand out particularly in the morning light.
A long pole was stuck at the top of the tent, with a homemade flag fluttering on it. It was decorated with strange creatures and some words, which were obviously the iconic image of The Quibbler.
"Dad, isn't this flagpole too high?" Luna asked, tilting her head.
"No, my dear," Mr. Lovegood said with a serious expression, "that way, others will be able to see our camp at a glance, which might attract those who believe in the existence of the Ghost of the Reverse Wind to come and talk to us."
"The Ghost of the Reverse Wind?" Ron whispered to Harry. "Every time I hear the Lovegoods talking about something new and interesting, I feel like I've missed a few magic lessons."
Harry chuckled, about to reply, when Sean walked over and called the two men to help set up the tent—Arthur's tent-setting skills were truly appalling, he was practically a hindrance.
As everyone busied themselves, the Weasley family's camp gradually took shape.
Although the tent looked shabby, Arthur's "small" renovations made it surprisingly spacious, even including a separate bedroom and kitchen.
The tents belonging to the Lovegood family next door were even more diverse, with the entrances of the tents automatically playing soft music, making one feel as if they were in a foreign garden.
"Alright, kids." Arthur clapped his hands, looking at his masterpiece with satisfaction. "The tent is set up. Everyone can go in and take a look. Don't forget to check your beds—Harry, Hermione, your beds are ready!"
Harry followed Ron into the Weasleys' tent and found that it was indeed much larger inside than it appeared from the outside.
The simple yet cozy decor makes people feel very comfortable.
Hermione was examining the table in the corner, while Ginny had already run into the innermost room shouting, "I choose this!"
"Professor, aren't you going to look at Lovegood's tent?" Hermione asked Sean, peeking out of the tent.
"I think I know their style." Sean smiled and shook his head. "However, you can experience it more—you're bound to make some interesting discoveries."
"Alright," Arthur called to everyone again, "There's still time, everyone can tidy up a bit, but remember, be sure to meet at the entrance before the match, don't wander too far!"
Ron and Harry exchanged glances, seemingly eager to explore this strange camp.
Meanwhile, Xenophilius leaned closer to Arthur and praised, "You've chosen a wonderful place. I think I'll have a very pleasant time here."
"I wouldn't dare take credit for that," Arthur waved his hand, revealing a humble smile. "It's all thanks to the area allocated by the Department of Magic. But the most important thing is that everyone can comfortably experience the Quidditch World Cup." As he spoke, he looked into the distance, where he could vaguely hear the commotion coming from the center of the camp, the various celebratory activities that the wizards were preparing for this grand event.
As soon as Arthur finished speaking, the commotion coming from the center of the camp in the distance seemed to grow louder, mixed with laughter, music, and the occasional magical explosion.
Ron and Harry couldn't wait any longer. They quickly went back into the tent, checked their beds, and then dashed out.
"Come on, Harry!" Ron called out excitedly. "Let's check out the other tents! I heard some people bring something special—maybe we'll see their magical barbecue, or even flying teapots!"
"Wait for me!" Ginny ran out of the tent, hurriedly wrapping her cloak around her shoulders. "Don't forget, we still need to find the way to the entrance! I don't want to get lost before the competition starts."
"Don't worry, Ginny, we won't go far," Harry replied with a smile as he followed Ron toward the center of the camp. Sean stood there, watching their receding figures with a gentle smile on his face.
He turned to look at Xenophirus, who was standing leisurely in front of his tent, looking up at the sky through his binoculars.