Harry Potter and the HQL - Chapter - 5

The next morning after the Ireland vs. Brazil match, the camp was filled with the sounds of weary but happy wizards packing up their tents and preparing to head home. The Stars Club gathered their belongings and tidied up their campsite, still buzzing with excitement from the previous night’s celebrations.

After saying goodbye to their fellow club members, Harry, Sirius, and Remus made their way back to Highgarden. As they crossed the lush grounds, Sirius couldn’t help but grin.

“You know, that was the most fun I’ve had in years,” he admitted, stretching his arms behind his head. “Those Irish lads sure know how to party.”

Harry chuckled. “Yeah, they really do. I’m just glad the younger ones got to meet the players. They’ll be talking about it for ages.”

When they finally reached Highgarden, they found the rest of the Stars Club had already returned, and most of the first-years were still chatting excitedly about the match. Fred and George were demonstrating some of the moves they saw during the game, and Luna was sketching a picture of Aidan McLoughlin catching the Snitch.

But as the week passed, Highgarden gradually became quieter. The Weasleys had left for Egypt on a family trip, Hermione was in France visiting her grandparents, and Neville was busy helping his grandmother with their greenhouse. They had all promised to return soon to catch more matches with Harry, but for now, it was just Harry, Sirius, and Remus.

One evening, as they sat on the veranda overlooking the gardens, Sirius glanced at Harry over his mug of hot cocoa.

“Looks like it’s just us for a while, kiddo,” he said.

Harry shrugged. “I don’t mind. We hardly ever get time to just hang out like this.”

Sirius’s face softened. “You’re right. I suppose I’ve been too caught up in… well, everything. Sometimes I forget that we’re family. We should make the most of it.”

Remus, who was reading a book by the fire, looked up with a smile. “You two deserve some godfather-godson time. I’ll just be here as the responsible adult supervising your mischief.”

Sirius grinned. “Oh, Moony, you know you’re just as bad as I am when it comes to breaking the rules.”

Harry laughed, feeling a warm glow in his chest. This was what he’d always wanted—a chance to just be with family without the pressure of school or danger looming over them.

With the next few Quidditch matches approaching, Harry decided to make the most of his season tickets. Since his friends were away, he planned to attend the matches with just Sirius and Remus.

The next morning, as they prepared to leave, Sirius couldn’t contain his excitement. “You know, I was always too busy getting into trouble at school to actually appreciate Quidditch properly. This is going to be brilliant!”

Remus gave him a knowing look. “And by ‘trouble,’ you mean turning Snape’s hair green during the Gryffindor-Ravenclaw game?”

Sirius feigned innocence. “It was an artistic choice.”

Harry grinned. “You two are worse than Fred and George.”

With a flick of his wand, Harry summoned his traveling cloak. “Ready?”

Sirius nodded. “Born ready.”

They arrived at the World Cup stadium just as the sun dipped below the horizon, casting long shadows over the sprawling campsite. The stadium itself was a glow of lights and anticipation, and the crowds were already chanting as they took their seats.

This time, Harry’s section was closer to the pitch, giving them a front-row view of the action. As the players flew out, dressed in England’s white and red and Japan’s deep blue with silver accents, the air buzzed with excitement.

“This is going to be intense,” Harry whispered.

As the match kicked off, Sirius leaned in. “Keep an eye on the Japanese Seeker—she’s known for her feint tactics. Brilliant flyer.”

The game was a blur of movement, with England’s Chasers forming aggressive triangle formations while Japan countered with fluid, agile maneuvers. The Japanese Beaters were exceptionally skilled, and Harry watched in fascination as they deflected Bludgers with perfectly timed hits.

England managed to score the first few goals, but Japan quickly adapted, weaving in and out like dancers in the sky. When the Snitch finally appeared, the Japanese Seeker executed a sharp dive that left the English Seeker grasping at thin air.

As Japan caught the Snitch, the stadium erupted with mixed cheers and groans. Harry couldn’t help but admire the skill involved, already thinking about how those precise movements could be mimicked with better broom stability.

After the match, they wandered the campsite, where vendors were still selling food and match memorabilia. Sirius bought a wind-up enchanted model of the Japanese Seeker for Harry, claiming it was “a symbol of how not to fall for feints.”

Back at their tent, they spent the evening talking about broom improvements. Remus suggested incorporating stabilizing spells like those used in balancing charms.

Harry jotted down notes, his mind buzzing with ideas. “I’ll need to experiment with different woods and runes to get the balance just right.”

A few days later, they returned to see France take on Bulgaria. This match was pure power against finesse—Bulgaria’s heavy-hitting Beaters against France’s speed-oriented Chasers. The game was rough, and the Bludgers seemed to have a mind of their own, ricocheting off goalposts and sending players into spirals.

“I wonder if it’s a new Bludger enchantment,” Remus pondered aloud. “Seems like they’re moving faster than usual.”

“Either that or the French Beaters are just reckless,” Sirius replied.

By the end of the match, Bulgaria had edged out a victory, but it was hard-earned. The French Chasers had put up a relentless fight, scoring more than any other team against Bulgaria so far.

The final match of the week saw Spain clashing with Norway in a game full of clever tactical maneuvers and sudden breaks. Spain’s Seeker used zigzag patterns to confuse the opponent, while Norway relied on strong defensive tactics. In the end, Norway’s Keeper was the hero, blocking shot after shot to secure the win.

That evening, after returning to Highgarden, Sirius threw an arm around Harry’s shoulder. “I’m really glad we’re doing this, you know,” he said, his voice unusually soft. “I spent too long wishing I could just have a normal life with family. This… this is the closest I’ve ever gotten to it.”

Harry looked at him, smiling. “Me too. Sometimes I forget that I don’t always have to be fighting or preparing for the worst. It’s just… good to live.”

Remus approached with a cup of tea, handing one to Sirius. “Enjoy these moments, Harry. They don’t come around often enough. You’ve earned them.”

As they watched the sunset from the veranda, Harry felt content—a rare and beautiful feeling. For once, it wasn’t about being the Boy Who Lived or the genius broomstick maker. It was just family—something he’d always wanted.

And he knew that when his friends returned, they would pick up right where they left off—laughing, creating, and making memories.


Highgarden had been calm and quiet for a few days after the Quidditch matches. Harry, Sirius, and Remus enjoyed their peaceful time together, sharing meals in the grand dining hall and occasionally training in the dueling arena. But it didn’t take long for that quiet to be replaced by the vibrant energy of the Stars Club once again.

The first to return were Tracey Davis and Daphne Greengrass. They arrived one evening through the Floo Network, stepping out into the grand hall with travel-worn cloaks and bright eyes.

“Harry!” Tracey called, shaking ash from her hair. “You’ll never guess where we’ve been!”

Harry approached, smiling warmly. “America, right? You went to see the magical circus?”

Daphne, usually the more composed of the two, couldn’t help but grin. “It was spectacular. We sent letters, but it’s nothing compared to actually being there.”

Tracey nodded, practically bouncing on her toes. “They had fire-breathing hippogriffs, wizards juggling enchanted swords, and a troupe of acrobatic nifflers that danced in sync with floating silver orbs. It was—”

“Amazing,” Daphne finished, rolling her eyes but clearly just as excited. “And they had performers from all over the world. We even saw a group from Brazil who used charmed feathers to float above the ring. It was like nothing I’ve ever seen.”

Harry grinned. “That sounds incredible. You’ll have to tell everyone during the next meeting. You took notes, right?”

Tracey scoffed. “You know Daphne. She wrote a whole journal about it. We’ll definitely be including it in the next issue.”


The next to arrive were the Hermoine. She appeared with a burst of emerald flames, dragging a suitcase that seemed to be filled to the brim.

“Hermione!” Harry greeted, giving her a quick hug. “How was France?”

She sighed, clearly glad to be back. “Wonderful. We stayed in a little wizarding village on the Loire River. There was this tiny bookshop where I found a few rare potion tomes. But I missed everyone. Did you watch any more matches?”

Harry nodded. “Three more. I took notes for you. And Sirius has been giving me all kinds of Quidditch trivia.”

Hermione smiled knowingly. “I’m sure he has. Did he try to explain the ‘Bludger Reversal Feint’ again?”

“Multiple times.”

A few hours later, Neville arrived, brushing dirt off his hands as he stepped out of the fireplace. “Gran’s finally let me have some time off,” he said with a grin. “The greenhouse project’s done, and I can focus on the club again.”

Just after Neville’s arrival, the Weasleys came bursting through the door. Fred and George were leading the pack, followed by Ginny and Ron, all of them sporting sunburns and bright smiles.

“Egypt was mad!” George exclaimed. “There were cursed tombs, and Bill showed us how to disarm ancient trap runes.”

Ginny laughed. “Mum nearly had a fit when Fred tried to take a cursed scarab as a souvenir.”

“We could’ve sold it,” Fred muttered. “It was glowing and everything.”

Luna was the last to arrive, appearing in a swirl of silver smoke that came from one of her father’s experimental Floo powders. She looked as dreamy as ever, holding a small jar filled with shimmering, glittery dust.

“Back from Sweden,” she said serenely. “No sign of the Horned Snorlax, but I did collect some Starfly Dust from the mountains. It’s supposed to ward off headache-inducing nargles.”

Harry smiled at Luna’s eccentric report. “Welcome back, Luna. You’ll have to tell me more about that dust.”

With everyone back, Highgarden was bustling with energy once more. The halls echoed with laughter and conversation, the common room was constantly filled, and Rosly and Norky couldn’t have been happier. They flitted around, making sure everyone was well-fed and comfortable, their ears perking up whenever someone praised the food.

One evening, as the sun dipped below the hills, Harry gathered the core members of the Stars Club in the lounge. Hermione had her notes ready, and Fred and George had taken it upon themselves to hand out butterbeer.

“Alright, now that everyone’s back, we need to get started on our next project,” Harry began, glancing around at his friends. “Remember how we talked about inviting Muggle-born parents to Highgarden?”

Hermione nodded, her face serious. “A lot of Muggle parents only know about Diagon Alley, and even then, just for a few hours. They have no idea what the wizarding world is really like, and it can be overwhelming. If we show them more, it might help them understand what their kids are learning.”

Neville agreed. “Gran’s told me stories about how some Muggle-born families get scared or confused. If they see how safe and welcoming the magical world can be, it might change their perspective.”

“We’ll need to plan activities,” Luna chimed in. “Maybe a demonstration of common spells, a short Herbology workshop, and a mini Quidditch game?”

George added, “And a food-tasting table. We’ll make sure to include normal food alongside magical treats. Just in case someone’s put off by the jelly slugs.”

Hermione tapped her quill thoughtfully. “And we should prepare some written material—short guides about wizarding customs, common magical objects, and how Hogwarts works. We can create brochures with basic information.”

Ginny leaned back on the couch. “I can help with the Quidditch demo. We’ll keep it simple—nothing too fast or high, but enough to show what it’s about.”

Harry glanced around the room, pleased to see everyone so involved. “We’ll also need to set up some kind of transportation. Some of the parents might not be comfortable using Floo Powder.”

Hermione made a note. “We could arrange for Portkeys from a few safe locations—like near Diagon Alley. We’ll need Ministry permission, though.”

Sirius, who had been listening from the doorway, grinned. “I can pull a few strings. Might take some convincing, but I’m sure they’ll come around.”

By the time the meeting wrapped up, they had outlined the basic structure for the Muggle-born Parents’ Day at Highgarden. The group was buzzing with excitement and purpose, each person volunteering to handle a part of the event.

As they dispersed to start planning, Harry stayed behind with Sirius and Remus, leaning back in his chair with a satisfied smile.

“Think it’ll work?” Harry asked.

Sirius nodded confidently. “You’re giving them a chance to see their kids’ world. That’s more than most people would think of. It’ll be brilliant.”

Remus looked thoughtful. “And it’s more than just a gesture—it’s a way to build bridges between magical and non-magical communities. I’m proud of you, Harry. This could change a lot of minds.”

Harry shrugged, but he couldn’t hide his pride. “It just feels right. I don’t want anyone to feel like an outsider, especially not the kids who grew up like I did.”

As they looked out over the moonlit garden, Highgarden felt more alive than ever, not just because of the noise and excitement but because of the purpose filling the air.