The match hadn't started yet, and a giant flow mirror was set up in the stadium, showing highlights from the qualifiers and semi-finals after a few ads.
From time to time, enthusiastic cheers erupted from the stands as people clapped and cheered for their favorite players.
While Harry and the others were discussing the athletes' performances, an argument was taking place at the back of the top-tier box aisle.
"Master Barty, Master Barty, what are you doing?"
A house-elf with brown eyes pulled at the wizard's robes in front of him, urgently saying, "The master has been looking for you, why won't you go home?"
"Go home?" Barty Crouch Jr said resentfully, "Go back for what? To let him imprison me for life? Or to be sent to Azkaban again?"
"Don't, don't say that, the master wouldn't do that to you." The house-elf tugged and said, "Come back with Winky, Master Barty! The master loves you, he's your father!"
"I don't need a father like him! Get away, Winky!" Barty Jr said angrily, "Don't interfere with what I'm doing!"
He kicked the elf away and was about to leave. He had only taken two steps when his waist suddenly tightened as if a rope was tied around it.
"Winky!" Barty Jr shouted furiously as he turned back.
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, Master Barty." Winky cried, "Master Barty is a bad boy, Winky can't let you leave just like that! Winky must take Master Barty home! Otherwise, the master will be in trouble!"
The house-elf sobbed, tears streaming down its cheeks, its frail body swaying as if about to collapse.
But it stubbornly extended a hand, firmly binding Barty Crouch Jr., making it impossible for him to leave, and even Barty's magic wand flew into her hand.
Barty Jr roared, struggled, growled like a beast, but he couldn't escape Winky's control and was dragged downstairs by the elf.
The huge roar in the stadium completely drowned out his voice, and no one noticed the struggling figure.
"Wait, wait, Winky!"
After being forced down two flights of stairs, Barty Jr finally stopped trying to break free. He tried to calm himself down and compromised, "Fine, I get it, I'll go back with you! Stop pulling!"
Finally, Barty Jr had no choice but to yell.
Winky turned around, looking at Barty Jr, both moved and suspicious, "Really? Does Master Barty really want to go home?"
"I can go back with you, but on one condition... no, one request." Barty Jr took a deep breath, "Let me watch this game, okay?"
Winky bit her lip, looking at him pitifully, hesitating.
"You know, Winky, if I go back, I'll definitely be imprisoned by my father for life... So just this once! Let me finish watching the World Cup final!"
Barty Jr lowered his head and said, "You know how much I love Quidditch... If my mother were still here, she would never let me live like this. She would give me everything I desire!"
Winky wavered, thinking for a while, "Then... after watching the game, you'll go home with Winky?"
"Alright, I promise you." Barty Jr said softly, "But how can I go? I don't have a ticket... and I can't show up in front of others."
Winky quickly came up with a solution, "There's an Invisibility Cloak left in the master's tent, and there's a seat reserved for the master in the top-tier box..."
"But he might not have time to come over, you can take me there to watch the game." Barty Jr continued.
"Okay... alright." Winky bit her finger, suppressing her unease and treating it as an order from her young master.
Barty Jr looked at Winky, a slight smile on his lips, "Thank you, Winky. I know you're the one who cares about me the most at home."
Winky used the Summoning Charm to fetch the Invisibility Cloak from the tent, then, gathering her courage, she took Barty Jr, now under the cloak, and pushed open the door to the top-tier box.
The scene outside came into view, so startled that Winky covered her eyes. Barty felt a sudden release, and the invisible rope disappeared.
The next moment, Winky snapped back to reality and used the elf magic to bind Barty Jr again. But this time, Barty Jr did not rush to seek freedom but quickly scanned the box, then frowned tightly.
There were quite a few people in the box: the Minister of the Ministry of Magic, Fudge, some officials, the Malfoy family, and several red-haired Weasleys.
Barty Jr's eyes were full of murderous intent, and most of the people in this box gave him the urge to use the Killing Curse.
But no, these were not his targets.
Lucius Malfoy suddenly felt a chill behind his neck, turned his head, and saw the house-elf that had just come in through the door.
"What, even this kind of thing has a ticket?" Malfoy said with displeasure.
"My name is Winky, sir." Winky said timidly, covering one eye with her hand, "My master is Mr. Barty Crouch, the master... the master sent me to the top-tier box to reserve a seat for him."
Draco Malfoy also turned to look at the ugly little elf, remembering Dobby who had run away from home, he clicked his tongue in displeasure and arrogantly asked, "Why are you covering your eyes?"
"Winky is afraid of heights..." Winky said fearfully as she found an empty seat in the back row and shrank into it.
For some reason, there were five or six empty seats in this box, so Barty Jr sat down next to Winky as well.
He looked ahead and saw two officials whispering to each other, one of whom casually placed his binoculars next to the seat, so Barty Jr reached out, stealthily took the binoculars, and hid them under the Invisibility Cloak.
Winky kept her eyes covered due to her fear of heights and didn't notice the theft.
Barty Jr held up the binoculars, adjusted the focus, and scanned the other boxes.
He had used Legilimency on the ticket inspector at the entrance to find out Harry Potter was in the top-tier box, but the foolish inspector hadn't paid attention to their box number, so Barty Jr had to patiently search for it himself.
Suddenly, Ludo Bagman rushed into the box and asked, "Minister, can we start?"
"You can start whenever you say, Ludo," Fudge replied.
Bagman pointed his magic wand at his throat and said, "Sonorus!"
Immediately, a thunderous voice echoed throughout the stadium—
"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome... Please allow me to introduce the mascot of the Bulgarian National Team!"
The Bulgarians' supporters let out loud cheers, and Arthur Weasley leaned forward from his seat, exclaiming, "Veela!"