Chapter 49 Get Back Where You Belong
Harry was going to join the Auror's Team in a few days. He would play Seeker. But he thought it would be impossible for him to play the matches.
"Are you going to play at two matches?" Dara asked.
"No. We can't play. We must capture the suspects. They must have hidden the cursed broomsticks somewhere. Before they ..." Harry stopped.
"What's the matter?" Dara asked him anxiously.
"Focus on trapping the players. It's not too late to kill him after we accomplish the first task."
Lestrange's words came back into his mind. He made sure that Lestrange was going to trap Harry and kill him in the opening game. If Sato drank Polyjuice Potion to be in disguise as Harry, he would be able to capture Lestragne and his followers.
As soon as he sent his silvery Stag Patronus to Robards, he urged Dara to leave. "Let's go to the Stadium. The trainees and George will be there, soon."
Just then, a silvery fox, Dawlish's Patronus carried sad news. He spoke, "Kingsley got information about Cecil and Floyd. We sent trainees and fellow Aurors to search for their dead bodies. According to a reliable source of information, they buried them in the courtyard of Azkaban."
Harry was lost for words thinking over how Megan, a younger trainee would feel to know her father was found dead. Harry and Dara disapparated there.
Terry Boot and Michael Corner stared at the two frozen dead bodies in the courtyard of Azkaban. It was so piercingly cold that they could see their breath in the air. Even now after Dementors were reduced, whoever visited there felt a chill go through the whole body. The ground was always frozen soil all through the year. They found the other unidentified victims who must have been murdered by the Death Eaters there, too. It was harrowing to see Megan sobbing by her father. Though her family was informed that James Floyd was murdered by the Death Eaters, they had been having a ray of hope that he could survive. Sturgis Podmore directed the trainees to carry them into the Auror's flying van. The grey magical automobile accommodated the dead bodies and the four Aurors inside and flew back to London.
The two dead bodies were carried to the dungeon of Auror Headquarters. The autopsy revealed that they had died of the Killing Curse after Dementor's kiss. Kingsley ordered the officials of DMLE to repel the rest of Dementors from Azkaban.
Kingsley sank into a chair of the office and glanced at Harry. "Floyd's funeral will be held after the opening games. We decided to keep this under our hats till then. It is not wise to declare we found Floyd and let them know that we are going to get their cards soon. Harry, Auror's team will play pretending that we don't know about the conspiracy."
"So we have to play the game."
"Yes. Practice at Cadwallader's, Harry. Robards will prepare to catch them red-handed."
Eurig Cadwallader lived nearby Rhuddlan castle in Wales. He had hoops for mini game in the yard hidden from Muggle view. Mr and Mrs Cadwallader, and his son, whose large strong muscular frame was noticed from a distance easily, welcomed Harry and Ron warmly at the gate of the authentic white Welsh cottage. His parents were very excited, two celebrities visited their cottage. Mrs Cadwallader baked Welsh muffins for them, and they ate the strong cheese flavored ones with relish.
"I'm not sure this suits your taste, but my wife's muffin is the best in Wales," Mr Cadwallader said helping his wife to set tea on the table in the cozy drawing room where flowery carpet covered the floor.
The cool wind sometimes came in from the window half open.
"It's very yummy, sir," said Ron, sipped tea.
Mrs Cadwallader smiled at Ron and she sat down next to Mr Cadwallader, asked, "How was like when you went on journey to beat Dark Lord?"
"It was very hard, we were always near starvation, you know. Hermione did good job for us but you'd be a better cook if you had come with us," Ron threw bouquet so that she didn't ask anymore, Harry felt admiration for the way his best mate dodged her inquiring about their past mission, Mrs Cadwallader beamed at them with content.
Harry glanced at the hoops outside, asked, "You often practice outside?"
"Yeah," Eurig said shortly, sat down across the rose wooden table, "You can play later, Harry," he stared at him, which gave Harry an impression that Eurig had something more to say to him.
"I remember your play, Eurig. Your stable movement was stunning," said Harry staring back at him, "Why did you enter the Auror? I reckon you got lots of offer from professional Quidditch teams."
Eurig smiled but started to refute quietly, "I'll ask you the same question, Harry. I never forget outstanding play in your Hogwarts days. Especially I couldn't forget your catching a golden egg from the violent dragon at the triwizard tournament, which gave us intoxication. We knew the dragon you confronted was the wildest one. That demonstration proved your flying ability was unbeatable. I'd like to know why you chose the Auror not Quidditch. I wanted to make sure of that with my eyes, besides I have wanted to play with you since they published they would organize the Auror's team."
Harry felt unfathomable emotion surge up within him. He was full of appreciation for his junior and said, "That's good to know. We can't wait for playing with you. "
Eurig smiled broadly and stood up, walked to the mantelpiece of a hearth on which the wooden rectangle box was, and Harry realized what it was. The Hufflepuff Chaser grabbed the box with his large hands, and he said,
"Let's play one-on-one. Ron, you play Keeper for two of us," said Eurig, who led them to the back yard.
Ron looked up at the three goal poles and said, "I'll make them in the orchard when I have my own children."
"Good idea, I'll bring my own children to the orchard,too. You mean, the Burrow?" Harry asked.
"Yeah." Ron grinned wide.
Harry remembered Ginny was practicing Quidditch with her team mates right now somewhere in Wales, asked Eurig, "Do you know where Holyhead Harpies is sited?"
"It is located near Dee valley at Llangollen. I'll take you there after this mini game," said Eurig, knelt down on the lawn, opened the wooden box, and he said, "Be careful, this snitch is going to…" but he couldn't finish his words, the golden snitch soared into the sky instantly.
Harry grinned, flung his leg over the Firebolt, kicked the ground hard, and he flew to the sky. Chasing the snitch, he felt summer breeze ruffle his hair, one-handed he reached to the walnut sized humming ball, caught it, the touch made him simply fulfilled. As he expected, Cadwallader showed his talent as a Chaser. His goal score at long distance was 65 points against Harry's 40. Then Harry took turns with Ron for a Keeper, and Cadwallader and Ron threw a Quaffle at a short distance. Harry was astonished at Cadwallader's accurate powerful shooting when he caught a Quaffle, on the contrary, Ron's shooting went wild sometimes, so he had to chase it over the hoops. After an hour one-on-one game, Eurig guided them to the camp site of Holyhead Harpies. About one hour's flight took them to the training field of the valley.
"They bewitched here strongly to hide the camp site from Muggles. The Guardians are famous for their severity. You know, they have ever hired only witches, wizards are strictly inspected, inquired their purpose, even their trainer. I have been offered to be one of them," said Eurig nodding towards the two large build wizards who were watching them in the security hut.
"Take your wand out. They'll inspect your wand," and he pulled out his.
The dark haired one glared at Harry, asked his name. Harry handed him his holly wand and told him his name, the Guardian stared at him, and the eyes seemed to search the famous bolt shaped scar on his forehead which was exposed completely after wild flight.
"Merlin's beard, are you really Harry Potter?" his voice was a high-pitched tone for his sturdy frame.
"Yes, I am."
Two big Gaudians grinned wide, asked Harry and Ron to shake hands, thanked them for their contribution to the Wizarding World, beating Voldemort, capturing the remaining Death Eeaters. Eurig waited for them patiently smiling near the entrance of the Quidditch Pitch.
"This way," he led them to the top seat of the stands.
"The main stadium is located in Holyhead, you know, Ron? We guarded there the other day. So this one is used for training reserved players, is always open to fans."
Harry observed general fans in the stadium. Local family fans had a seat sparsely, and some of them were holding triangle flag with a golden talon. He smiled at one of them who brought in lunch box and a rug. They were enjoying summer vacation.
Ron whispered, "I sometimes envy my sister, her temper and bravery. I have no confidence about my ability."
"Yeah, what you don't have is confidence," Harry agreed instantly.
"What?" Ron looked dissatisfied although he came up with the topic, "I forgot you're her boyfriend. No wonder you back my sister.
Harry tried to banter Ron but they distracted by cheers arouse from the stadium when the reserve players clad in deep green robes flew out in the air. Harry looked for the long red haired witch among them, soon found Ginny with her hair bound high at the back, bellowed, "Go for it, Ginny! Hold out till the end!"
Ginny glanced backwards, she noticed his figure below. She swerved to him, shouted, "Don't go away after the game, Harry. I'll show you around," and she went back to team mates.
They were all rookies. Ginny was the only red haired witch so he could recognize her in the air easily when the game started. He followed her through with his eyes during the game, every move she did. He felt certain that she was the best among Chasers. The others, the short dark haired girl, who was her opponent top scorer was not bad, but she tended to hesitate for a second every moment she threw a Quaffle to a goal hoop, contrariwise, Ginny could took a steady aim in the blink of an eye, shot for the goal, her hit rate was the top.
"Until when will they reserve my sister? She is second to none among the main team mates, I'm sure, I'll owl Gwenog," Ron grumbled.
"We should appreciate the professional management. What we can do is to support her each game, even it will be a small one," said Harry and smiled at the witches in the air.
"She will be called first, when her senior Chaser was injured by an opponent Beater," said Cadwallader next to him. "She's just brilliant, beautiful, I adore her for her every Chaser's move."
Harry felt uneasy against Eurig's earnest praise for Ginny. Eurig sensed Harry's mood and he said, "Pardon me, I had a crush on her, I wished I had been sorted to Gryffindor even though I knew you were going out with her."
Harry gave Cadwallader smile, feigned that he didn't care but inside his mind, jealous feeling whirled glancing at Euirg's robust frame, and he wondered, if Ginny started her career, how many times he would fuss over the possibility that she might prefer other wizard to him. He shifted his gaze from Euirg to the game to hide his ruffled feeling. Ginny was now passing a Quaffle to her team mate quickly dodging a Bludger which was nearly scraping her left shoulder. Then they heard the cheers arise in the seats, Harry soon noticed Ginny's team Seeker found the Golden Snitch. The ash brown plait haired witch stretched her right hand forwards, and the opposite team Seeker followed after steering her broomstick downwards in the air. Harry could guess her next move, and wondered she could do that, Wronski Feint.
"I doubt she will do that," muttered Ron next to him frowning.
As they predicted, she was not equal to Victor Krum nor Harry himself, she changed her direction upwards soon far from the ground, the opposite team Seeker, whose hair was long velvet black like Cho Chang, in a moody manner, she swerved far away. In five minutes, Harry caught a glimpse of the turning golden small winged ball near one of the goal hoops, stood up in the stand.
"Which seeker will catch the Snitch faster, do you think?" asked Ron, and he stood up.
"I hope the brown one will catch it." Harry answered.
Both Seekers seemed to notice the fluttering ball, too. The velvet black haired Seeker flew faster than Ginny's team mate. She held up her right hand high in the air, they heard shouts of joy from the crowd in the stand. Ginny's team won but the opposite team Seeker could catch the Golden Snitch.
"I've been missing your Seeker's move, Harry," said Cadwallader.
"I've not been playing since I left Hogwarts. You overestimate me. I need to practice."
"They'll be glad to welcome us as training fellows, Harry," said Eurig nodding towards the witches clad in deep green Quidditch robes who were descending to the ground.
He ran downstairs to the ground where the reserve players were chatting, beckoned Harry and Ron to him. Most of Harpies fans were leaving the stand except a few supporters who pressed around their favorite players for her autograph. Ginny was writing her autograph on the surface of a deep green cap for a girl with a freckled face.
"The way you shot a Quaffle was fantastic. I want to be like you in the future," the girl spoke fast flushing her face.
"Do you play Quidditch at school?"
"Yeah, I will. I will go to Hogwarts from September."
"Good for you," she handed the cap to the girl, noticed Harry, and she gave him a big smile and asked, "How did I strike you?" she looked more beautiful, the way she flipped her ponytail charmed Harry. That was new to him. "This is my answer," he took a step closer, pulled her up to him, and he planted a kiss on her lips.
Ron groaned, said, "Oi, I didn't expect this. Give me your Invisibility Cloak, Harry. They are gaping at you. Soon they'll find who you are."
"It's too late, they found you," said Eurig grinning.
Harry let her go, for her team mates encircled them. He heard ash brown haired Seeker's shout,
"Merlin's pants, he is Harry Potter."
He felt embarrassed realizing the intense stares of Harpies reserve players were focused on him.
It was Ginny who helped him out. She urged the black haired Seeker to pass a golden walnut-sized ball to her, and she said, "Show off, Harry. I want to see your Seeker's move after a long time," she held out the Golden Snitch to him.
He took it, pressed it in his hand, suddenly the past moment flashed in his mind, the last time he pressed the golden metal to his lips, he had to end his life. But this time, he thought, he would start his new life from then. He looked up, saw her appealing smile. Merlin, she understood his feeling, his love for Quidditch. Her look told how she respected his flying ability. He tossed the golden metal ball in the air, saw its wings flutter high up to the sky. He pulled out his Firebolt, flung his leg over it, and he kicked the ground hard.
Cadwallader shouted below, "You don't have to blame yourself. You don't have to shoulder their life debts. Do what Cedric wanted to do! Get back to where you belong, Harry!"
Once he rode on the wind, he became a falcon. He forgot all Auror's tasks and focused his attention on the fluttering golden wings in front of him. It hadn't vanished yet. He followed it diving and rising with the ascending current. Sometimes he heard excited cries from below. After twenty minutes aerial show, he caught the snitch before it would disappear. When he landed on the ground welcomed by cheers and applause, he noticed a bushy jet-black haired wizard approach him. He was carrying two broomsticks.
Ginny noticed him and introduced him to Harry. "Harry, he is Kaito Fukuyama. He brought us the sample and Gwenog adopted Hayabusa for Holyhead Harpies."
Kaito put down his products on the ground carefully and they shook hands. He looked at Harry with admiration and spoke with a strained voice, "I'm privileged with the honor of seeing you, Mr. Potter. You are a legendary hero in the world."
"Oh…do you know me?" Harry was surprised. He had no idea his name was known in the Far East.
Kaito nodded modestly and continued, "If you don't mind, I'd like to suggest using my product. I'm eager to know what you think compared with your …" he cast his gaze at Harry's Firebolt.
"My Firebolt? I can tell you now. I've already tried your product. I think Hayabusa is super. Seating is very comfy, stability is high level and…" Harry remembered what Malfoy said about Hayabusa after tryouts the other day, "…I heard from my colleague that its speed surpasses Firebolt." And he was stunned by his notion and looked around the stadium. His thought went back to the cherry twig containing carbon fiber. Lestrange and the monk must be waiting for the chance to set a trap. He noticed flows of money.
"Mr. Potter?" Kaito looked nervous.
After confirming no dubious figure there, Harry asked, "Have you already participated in the fair?"
Scratching bushy jet-black hair, Kaito answered, "Yes, I have. I enjoyed the fair very much. It was so stimulating. The application form was a little tricky though."
"How tricky?"
"I have to fill in the item, clients."
"So you wrote the name, Holyhead Harpies as well?"
"Yes, how did you…oh, I guess your girlfriend has already told you." Kaito smiled, "They'll use my products from the opening game."
"Well, I have much interest in your materials, carbon fiber."
Kaito's face got brightened by Harry's words. "Yes, I invented to mix them into the traditional materials. Nobody hasn't done yet."
"It was nice talking with you. Enjoy your stay." Harry greeted politely and urged Ron and Eurig to leave. He had to contact his boss about his guesses immediately.
They were leaving the pitch, when Ginny came jogging after Harry. She asked, "Aren't you available for dinner tonight?"
Ron patted him on the shoulders, saying "We'll wait at the gate, mate," and he went with Eurig.
Ginny's red ponytail bobbed every time she greeted her team mates who passed by. Harry suppressed his urge to embrace her and said, "I'll make up for this after the games, alright? We have urgent business."
"Is it connected with our team?" She asked gingerly.
Harry was amazed by her sharp sense and nodded. "Please let me know whenever you sense any suspicious things via your two-way mirror."
The Quidditch stadium at Holyhead was wrapped in a tense air. Aurors combed through all the spaces there. All Quidditch gears of professional players was examined to check if there was a difference or not. They investigated Quidditch balls, too. Harry greeted Justin who was engaged in inspecting the Quaffle and went to the spot where Robards and Williamson were talking.
Harry asked his boss, "Sir, did someone inspect the broomsticks of the players?"
Robards turned around and answered, "Not yet. We did on them of Pudlemere United, but the broomsticks the Holyhead Harpies will use, haven't arrived here yet."
"The cherry twig I found in the Vanishing Cabinet at St. Govan's Chapel…" Harry spoke in his low voice.
Robards nodded, "It must be cursed. I'm sure your guesses are right. Lestrange must have gotten money from one specific company. Mr. Murray will demonstrate at the opening ceremony of the first game."
The news hit Harry like a bolt from the blue. "What will he demonstrate?"
"He will demonstrate that Victor Krum model is equivalent to Firebolt. The Bulgarian officers are invited to the opening game."
Harry got startled. "He will be attacked or the rosewood broomstick will be cursed."
"I know. The broomstick is placed under the close inspection now."
A/N: Thank you for following this story. Please leave your comments below.
