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horoughly overexcited when it came to using the mallet； they finally managed to erect a pair of shabby two…man tents。
All of them stood back to admire their handiwork。 Nobody looking at these tents would guess they belonged to wizards； Harry thought； but the trouble was that once Bill； Charlie； and Percy arrived； they would be a party of ten。 Hermione seemed to have spotted this problem too； she gave Harry a quizzical look as Mr。 Weasley dropped to his hands and knees and entered the first tent。
〃We'll be a bit cramped；〃 he called； 〃but I think we'll all squeeze in。 e and have a look。〃
Harry bent down； ducked under the tent flap； and felt his jaw drop。 He had walked into what looked like an old…fashioned； three room flat； plete with bathroom and kitchen。
Oddly enough； it was furnished in exactly the same sort of style as Mrs。 Figg's house：
There were crocheted covers on the mismatched chairs and a strong smell of cats。
〃Well； it's not for long；〃 said Mr。 Weasley； mopping his bald patch with a handkerchief and peering in at the four bunk beds that stood in the bedroom。 I borrowed this from Perkins at the office。 Doesn't camp much anymore； poor fellow； he's got lumbago。〃
He picked up the dusty kettle and peered inside it。 〃We'll need water。。。。
〃There's a tap marked on this map the Muggle gave us；〃 said Ron； who had followed Harry inside the tent and seemed pletely unimpressed by its extraordinary inner proportions。
〃It's on the other side of the field。〃
〃Well； why don't you； Harry； and Hermione go and get us some water then〃 … Mr。 Weasley handed over the kettle and a couple of saucepans … 〃and the rest of us will get some wood for a fire？〃
〃But we've got an oven；〃 said Ron。 〃Why can't we just …〃
〃Ron； anti…Muggle security！〃 said Mr。 Weasley； his face shining with anticipation。 〃When real Muggles camp； they cook on fires outdoors。 I've seen them at it！〃
After a quick tour of the girls' tent； which was slightly smaller than the boys'； though without the smell of cats； Harry； Ron； and Hermione set off across the campsite with the kettle and saucepans。
Now； with the sun newly risen and the mist lifting； they could see the city of tents that
stretched in every direction。 They made their way slowly through the rows； staring eagerly around。 It was only just dawning on Harry how many witches and wizards there must be in the world； he had never really thought much about those in other countries。
Their fellow campers were starting to wake up。 First to stir were the families with small children； Harry had never seen witches and wizards this young before。 A tiny boy no older than two was crouched outside a large pyramid…shaped tent； holding a wand and poking happily at a slug in the grass； which was swelling slowly to the size of a salami。
As they drew level with him； his mother came hurrying out of the tent。
〃How many times； Kevin？ You don't … touch … Daddy's … wand … yecchh！ 〃
She had trodden on the giant slug； which burst。 Her scolding carried after them on the still air； mingling with the little boy's yells … 〃You bust slug！ You bust slug！〃
A short way farther on； they saw two little witches； barely older than Kevin； who were riding toy broomsticks that rose only high enough for the girls' toes to skim the dewy grass。 A Ministry wizard had already spotted them； as he hurried past Harry； Ron； and Hermione he muttered distractedly； 〃In broad daylight！ Parents having a lie…in； I suppose …〃
Here and there adult wizards and witches were emerging from their tents and starting to cook breakfast。 Some； with furtive looks around them； conjured fires with their wands； others were striking matches with dubious looks on their faces； as though sure this couldn't work。 Three African wizards sat in serious conversation； all of them wearing long white robes and roasting what looked like a rabbit on a bright purple fire； while a group of middle…aged American witches sat gossiping happily beneath a spangled banner stretched between their tents that read： THE SALEM WITCHES' INSTITUTE。 Harry caught snatches of conversation in strange languages from the inside of tents they passed； and though he couldn't understand a word； the tone of every single voice was excited。
〃Er … is it my eyes； or has everything gone green？〃 said Ron。
It wasn't just Ron's eyes。 They had walked into a patch of tents that were all covered with a thick growth of shamrocks； so that it looked as though small； oddly shaped hillocks had sprouted out of the earth。 Grinning faces could be seen under those that had their flaps open。 Then； from behind them； they heard their names。
〃Harry！ Ron！ Hermione！〃
It was Seamus Finnigan； their fellow Gryffindor fourth year。 He was sitting in front of his own shamrock…covered tent； with a sandy…haired woman who had to be his mother； and his best friend； Dean Thomas； also of Gryffindor。
〃Like the decorations？〃 said Seamus； grinning。 〃The Ministry's not too happy。〃
〃Ah； why shouldn't we show our colors？〃 said Mrs。 Finnigan。 〃You should see what the Bulgarians have got dangling all over their tents。 You'll be supporting Ireland； of course？〃 she added； eyeing Harry； Ron； and Hermione beadily。 When they had assured her that they were indeed supporting Ireland； they set off again； though； as Ron said； 〃Like we'd say anything else surrounded by that lot。〃 I wonder what the Bulgarians have got dangling all over their tents？〃 said Hermione。
〃Let's go and have a look；〃 said Harry； pointing to a large patch of tents upfield； where the Bulgarian flag … white； green； and red … was fluttering in the breeze。
The tents here had not been bedecked with plant life； but each and every one of them had the same poster attached to it； a poster of a very surly face with heavy black eyebrows。
The picture was； of course； moving； but all it did was blink and scowl。
〃Krum；〃 said Ron quietly。
〃What？〃 said Hermione。
〃Krum！〃 said Ron。 〃Viktor Krum； the Bulgarian Seeker！〃
〃He looks really grumpy；〃 said Hermione； looking around at the many Krums blinking and scowling at them。
〃'Really grumpy？〃 Ron raised his eyes to the heavens。 〃Who cares what he looks like？
He's unbelievable。 He's really young too。 Only just eighteen or something。 He's a genius； you wait until tonight； you'll see。〃
There was already a small queue for the tap in the corner of the field。 Harry； Ron； and Hermione joined it； right behind a pair of men who were having a heated argument。 One of them was a very old wizard who was wearing a long flowery nightgown。 The other was clearly a Ministry wizard； he was holding out a pair of pinstriped trousers and almost crying with exasperation。
〃Just put them on； Archie； there's a good chap。 You can't walk around like that； the Muggle at the gate's already getting suspicious …
I bought this in a Muggle shop；〃 said the old wizard stubbornly。 〃Muggles wear them。〃
〃Muggle women wear them； Archie； not the men； they wear these；〃 said the Ministry wizard； and he brandished the pinstriped trousers。
〃I'm not putting them on；〃 said old Archie in indignation。 〃I like a healthy breeze 'round my