About two years have passed since I stepped into the Wizarding world. All the time I spent in the Asylum before coming here seems so distant now. Glancing out the window I can see the wide expanse of countryside before me like every morning in the Summer Break when I am not at Hogwarts.

Every morning I see freedom spread before me. That one thing I was deprived of so badly in my early years is so close in my grasp that at times it almost feels like a dream.

Two years have passed yet I still fear of waking up in the white room where I was held captive for most of my life. Two years and I still fear that I am just dreaming and all this would end soon as I wake up.

If that is the case, I don't ever want to wake up.

Thinking of freedom and long captivity, I was reminded of Sirius. Last year he managed to escape as Harry and Hermione used the time turner to alter fate and spare two innocent lives.

Sirius and Buckbeak.

Both accused of a crime they didn't even commit.

I was shaken out of my thoughts as the door to my bedroom flew open. "Dad bought the tickets!" Ginny stood there much out of breath and panting from excitement, "and Mum's calling you downstairs."

Oh of course. I'm late than usual. Quickly getting out of bed I changed into a much casual dress but threw on the knitted Weasley jumper because the weather was slightly breezy today.

When I came downstairs, breakfast was being laid out and an excited buzz had taken over the whole house it seemed.

All the Quidditch excitement had made us forget about our upcoming OWL results temporarily. And while I know the results are going to come soon enough and explode on us like a bomb, still I'm glad for the current distraction.

Fred and George told me that we would be leaving today for the site of the World Cup. We were to live in a camp over there and all of us were going except Mum.

The breakfast was finished in a much quicker time than usual and soon enough we were whisked off to our rooms to pack our rucksacks with all necessary equipment we would be needing for the stay.

Hermione had arrived to the Burrow a day earlier and all of us would be using a portkey except Bill, Charlie and Perce who will be using apparition.

This year Percy secured a job in the Ministry Of Magic and since then he's been treating us like miniature humans who know nothing of the world.

While I do think it's great that he got the job he wanted, his continuous bossiness has begun to get on my nerves.

Even now he was telling anyone who would listen about the top secret event he was assigned to by the Ministry which will take place after the Quidditch World Cup.

We were spared the trouble of listening to Percy ranting about his high and mighty job when Dad came an hour later and told us to get going.

***

The portkey we had to use was stationed at Stoatshead Hill. According to Dad, nearly two hundred portkeys had been placed around Britain to transport thousands of wizards to the site of the World Cup.

We had just reached the hill and Dad was looking for the portkey when another family climbed up as well.

Ah the Diggorys, I realized soon as I saw Cedric trudging up beside them.

Seeing the newcomers spread identical scowls on the twin's faces. Oh probably because Hufflepuff had beaten us in a Quidditch match last year and Cedric was the captain. Other than that I don't think there must be any reason for the sudden disapproval.

But then we had won the Quidditch Cup, right? So what all the fuss was about, I had no idea.

Our Dads met with each other and seeing Amos Diggory praising Ced for everything in front of us low-key reminded me of Perce's boasting.

The only difference was that Mister Diggory was boasting how his son was just the best while poor dear Percy boasts about how he himself is the best.

Cedric seemed mighty embarrassed at how his father was reacting to everything Dad said and I hid a smile observing the purely apologetic look on his face.

We all gathered around the portkey which was a manky old boot and on Dad's signal, grabbed it altogether and just like the Floo Network works, we were sped off whirring and spinning endlessly.

Just like the first time I had used a portkey while coming to the Burrow.

When I opened my eyes we were standing on what looked like an enormous forest clearing with camps erected here and there.

Dad told us that it was the campsite where we would be staying for the rest of the few days in which the World Cup was to take place.

He instructed us to set up the camp and after a while of struggling with trying to hold the tent down, we finally succeeded in erecting it.

The tent was magically enlarged to fit all of us in and even had a few basic furniture and small kitchenette for cooking purpose.

And that's what I call as one of the great privileges of being a wizard.

"Now all of you listen very carefully," Dad spoke, guess he has to do all the lecturing now that Mum's not with us at the moment, "if you cause even the slightest of mischief, I'll be taking you all back. Even if we miss the final. Especially you three." He turned his gaze on Fred, George and me of course.

"No worries Dad, we'll be on our best behavior," the twin's piped up, "nothing can make us miss the chance of seeing Ireland in all its glory winning the Cup this season."

It wasn't long before a man in lurid robes and slicked black hair entered our tent. He had a very jovial face as he shook Dad's hand and both of them started a conversation.

"Who is this person?" I asked the twins.

"That's Ludovic Bagman. He's commentator for this season," George told me, "he's the one who got us our tickets."

Fred however had started up a conversation with Bagman himself, "say, Mister Bagman, who do you think will win the World Cup?"

"Bulgaria without an ounce of doubt," Bagman replied shifting his attention to both of them, "with a Seeker as excellent as Krum any other team hardly stands a chance."

Ludo Bagman looked rather confident but guess he doesn't know my brothers that well yet.

"How about we make a bet on the winning team?" George too joined in on the situation by giving the aforementioned suggestion.

"A bet? Of course not," Dad rebuked them but then who can stop the Weasley twins from doing anything mischievous ever?

Both of them had a spark in their eyes, "we bet that Ireland would win the Cup."

"Impossible, boys," Bagman was mighty surprised at that, "haven't you seen Krum on the pitch?"

"Of course we have. What we are implementing is that Krum will catch the snitch but Ireland will win the Cup."

"Unbelievable."

For once I do agree with Bagman. As far as I have seen Quidditch matches, the catching of the Snitch is what marks the victory.

But then of course, I have very little experience as of now. What the twins are suggesting could be possible if Ireland's chasers score more than 200 points so as to make points that are not achievable by Bulgaria even if they catch the snitch.

"Are you in, Mister Bagman, or not?"

He looked a little perturbed, "ah well... What are we betting for?"

"If we lose you get our entire life savings, if you lose you owe us a thousand galleons."

Entire life savings? I reckon the twins are being a little too overconfident.

"Thousand galleons!"

"Are you not confident that Bulgaria would win?" George asked sweetly.

"Yes..."

"Then what's the harm in there for you?" Fred spoke.

Egged on by the twins, he agreed. And judging by the twin's ecstatic faces I had a hunch that he was going to lose.

After he was gone I placed forward the question that was bugging me, "what do you need a thousand galleons for?"

Their reply was immediate, "to start our own joke shop of course. With a thousand galleons we could buy any shop on Diagon Alley or Hogsmeade, you name it. And there will still be enough left for expanding our merchandise."

***