Hello welcome to the first chapter of a series I'm hoping to do on Harry's work as an auror. This is detective fiction so do expect violence, weird humour and a touch of confusion, but as long as you keep your arms and legs inside the story at all times I'm sure it will be at least worth a dis-honourable mention. Enjoy and a big thanks to my Girlfriend Muffliato for betaing/supporting my delirium
Disclaimer: JK owns harry potter and sixteen quills I've sent her over the years, which she is most proud of the boy wizard or her quill collection only merlin knows.
Harry Potter a Tale of Deduction: Brooms do Break
Chapter 1
"Bread and Circus"-Juvenal
"Well that's not meant to be there?" said Harry amused to his assembled family of wizards.
"Oh don't worry Harry I'm sure it's just some Qudditch player's idea of a joke" replied his wife beaming.
"Well don't let Albus near it".
Tied to a post near the entrance to the camp was a kappa, head emptier then a Celestina Warbeck concert of its power giving water, which had been dressed in rosettes and was clutching a flag in either hand. It was dancing on spot in a manner that reminded Harry fondly of Felix felcius it owner Harry presumed beamed at them from a few feet off.
It was an odd introduction to the Qudditch world cup but then what other introduction could there be for the Potters. This was their first Qudditch world cup as a family, them having missed the last one with Lilly's birth and the one before that due to Ginny getting injured during a Qudditch match and Harry was determined that this was where his children would fall in love with game as Ginny and himself had. So far judging from there squeals and hoots it was working.
Albus had begun poking the Kappa with his toy broom; the creature had started to moonwalk.
"Come along now we've got to set up the tent, Harry do you still have the tickets?" said Ginny snatching up Albus.
"I'll stick them to my forehead with a permanent sticking charm if you don't stop asking me that" said Harry double checking his robe pocket. Things had gone missing from that pocket before.
The family walked past the kappa as it performed its third worm dance and headed off towards there designated camp sight.
The field they were in was of browning grass this being summer in the Ukraine which is so unimaginably hot as to render fire whiskey a cool refreshing beverage. A few dead looking trees stood forlornly around the fields but as far as anyone could see they were alone for miles, just miles and miles of fields that would never be ploughed due to the apparently random soil erosion in this region. Harry had before venturing forth on this vacation fostered images of furry hats and Durmstrang brand icebergs(Drumstrang was low on cash) coming from this part of the world so to find wizards wearing bikini robes was quite startling and not just for the usual reasons, is this how Madame Malkin could afford such nice premises?
Beyond the kappa and its grinning guard were the usual assortment of wizarding tents, thousands of them all in various states of grandeur and seemingly random design. If Dr Seuss had abandoned his medical career for tent manufacture the tents in the lot would have looked like his end product, had he been drunk and mad at his boss.
"We can't help showing off" echoed Ginny when they pasted the first tent, a bright purple contraption covered in cream stars which had its own waterslide and miniature quidpot pitch.
The children loved it of course, Lilly Luna charged off towards a bright scarlet tent in front of which two men duelled with brooms, Harry in close seeker trained pursuit and Albus had climbed the ornamental hedges of the next tent, angering the Turkish wizard who had been asleep on the other side, enjoying the sun when the heir of the boy who lived crashed straight into his gut.
"Please kids stay near to us, it's a big site you might get lost" pleaded Ginny but her pleas were hard to hear over the sudden up surge in noise from a few yards across the site.
An elderly wizard with a crooked nose and a shabby beard who was tending to a small camp fire looked up at the noise.
"Oh no that's the Greek's third encore this hour, I swear if I hear those bloody pan pipes one more time". They hurried from the noise disgruntled wizard.
The song was an eclectic mix of bagpipes, pan pipes, lutes and what Harry guessed was a steam powered accordion. Its tune was harsh and dipped at odd places and it didn't improve when the thirty or so Greek wizards opened there mouths and either begun to sing or invent new incantations for the most unforgivable curses.
"Well let's hope they play better then they sing" joked a passing witch.
The Final of the Qudditch Cup was to take place that night and it was looking to be an excellent match. Harry had followed the details closely from his auror office and had sighed as England were knocked out by Fiji in the third round and had practically wept when Wales had lost to a snitch grab in the Semi's. Well through luck, skill or as Ron had instead in typical sportsman like way cheating the two finalists were Greece and Luxembourg. Both had fielded excellent teams with most commentators including Ginny being in agreement that both brought their own flair to the sport with Luxembourg having a fine seeker and a defence better than a blast ended scrouts back side and Greece being more explosive in their attacks then an Erumpet with a particularly bad head cold. Who would win was completely up in the air, literally and so Qudditch fans gathered for a tense game and the inevitable food poisoning that followed eating qudditch stadium cooking.
Harry had to admit there were some perks to being famous. The paparazzi were a hassle, if he had to remove Rita Skitta's protégé from one more drain pipe he would consider retring to Romania, and the attention could be a bit much but it had secured them a good camp site. Harry had been against the idea of using his fame, and boyish good looks, to get them a prime piece of tent retail but Ginny desperate for an easy family holiday had twisted his arm.
The site was only one hundred feet or so from the stadium and so when Harry arrived at the spot five minutes or so after James he momentarily thought the sun had gone out, though he cared not to think of the last time darkness had suddenly descended on him. But looking up he saw why shadow engulfed his property. The stadium was enormous and it sat like gods own bird bath glowering down on the tiny campers bellow. Half of it seemed to be made of the sort of wrought iron steam punkers doodle in their notebooks thick beams crossing like a butterfly web(there you go Ron) whilst the remainder was wooden beams rising straight. Iron and wood brought together in patterns only wands could work, so high the spectators would technically be astronauts.
"It must hold hundreds of thousands" he gasped as Ginny arrived Lilly struggling in her arms.
"It's certainly impressive I wonder what it will do for wind resistance." She searched her person briefly for a notebook, one hand hunting the other still restraining the struggling child.
Harry sighed and begun unpacking the tent.
The tent was state of the art, forty years ago. Harry had been given the tent as a present by Fleur and having lent his newer tent to Seamus Finnegan only to have it blown up, surprise, in what Seamus insisted was an innocent cooking come ice hockey accident he had been forced to take this musty old thing much to James's upset.
"It smells like great uncle Vernon" he protested when Harry had aired it out for the first time.
Well that's what cleaning charms were for.
Harry levitated the peak of the tent upwards and after securing it lifted the flap so that his kids could charge in as eagerly as he had done at his first magical tent. They walked in slowly.
"You kids are too used to magic" he laughed.
"Nope just watch a lot of Dr Who" said Lilly disappearing into the tent.
The smell was, well it, was but the layout seemed reasonable enough, three beds, one bath and what looked like a teleporter come Jacuzzi that he had been assured by Fleur was for cooking.
"If you want to make the perfect andouillette you will need this" she assured him when showing him round the tent a month before.
"I'm sure well be using it loads" he said to her grinning.
"As a laundry basket" he added to Ginny when Fleur was out of goblin ear shot.
The yellowing canvas of the tent barley kept out the bright sun and Harry soon had the children back outside though not after settling the room imperialism by explaining to his little land claimants that the parents had already decided who was sleeping where.
"But I want the big room" demanded Albus.
"Albus we won't be here long now come on we've got to get some water"
The idea of actually fetching their own water silenced any room diplomacy.
Harry and Ginny lead the brood from the tent.
"Dad we can summon water, we do it all the time" protested James. He mimed firing jets of water, or any liquid, out of a stick.
"Yes but this is a practical and besides this is what your grandfather made Uncle Ron and I do".
"Yes cause who knows what skills you would have missed if you hadn't fetched the water". Sarcasmed James.
"You'd be surprised for example I learned you kids should never wear kilts or ponchos and Lilly only you are allowed to wear dresses".
"Why?" chorused the children.
"Kids this is a case of just go with it" said Ginny as Harry suppressed a shudder as he remembered a healthy breeze.
A Greek supporter fired sparks over their heads providing a brief distraction. They fell like tiny diamonds dancing briefly in the bright light before disappearing. The kids jamp at them as they fell, trying to catch the sparks on there tounages.
"Though Harry in full seriousness I think the tent has taps" pointed out his wife but he feigned deafness and plodded on across the field.
Harry was about to give up his attempt at a life lesson when he heard a familiar sound that chilled his bones like pumpkin juice.
"Oh my Merlin its Harry Potter, quick get my quill!"
Harry sighed and was about to turn to face his inevitable fan when something crashed into his back like a knight bus.
A brief second of confusion and then Harry saw red.
"Ron!" he shouted hugging his best friend.
"It's been to long" laughed Ron.
"We saw each other last week" laughed Ginny.
"Ginny, age has wizened you!" he said hugging his little sister.
Hermione appeared with the clan and hugged them both.
"Hello, Harry, Ginny are you guys set up?"
"Yeah were just over there near the stadium your campsite should be right next to are's, campsite seven"
Ron looked past Harry.
"Is yours the tent behind the musty old cabbage".
"You know that's are tent Ron" said Ginny as she picked up and hugged her niece.
"You're not turning hipster are you? Oh well I guess it's a before you were famous sort of deal" said Ron laughing.
Hermione dug an elbow in his ribs.
"Ronald lets go set up the tent, Harry Ginny well see you in a minute, and this lot are still to eat second breakfast"
"Well see you soon" said Ginny smiling.
Harry, Ginny and there younglings proceeded on.
Ron and Hermione had looked the picture of health with there smiling family. Harry having once visted the actual picture of health in the department of mysteries mede this connection with full confidence. He was so happy that his two best friends had started a Weasly family of there own, for one it made keeping in touch with them a lot easier.
Harry ducked suddenly as a Luxembourg wizard flew low over the camp on a new cleansweep.
The Luxemburg's most likely having seen and sadly heard the Greeks celebrations had increased their own though this was only slightly better.
Luxembourg had as its mascot the Graphorn an aggressive goat like beast with large horns famous for its misadventures with mountain trolls, in mimicry the proud Luxemburg's had taken to charging about the camp on miniature goats singing and trumpeting as they charged.
On occasion two of these Luxemburg's would meet each other and would be roughly forced to try to occupy the same physical space with the predictable results. Harry saw many red faced Luxemburgs exchanging apologizes and goat insurance forms as they righted there red and purple uniforms.
"Harry where's Lilly?" asked Ginny as she performed her usual Molly-esque sweep of her children.
Harry who had been looking at two wizards, who were carrying an enormous paper Mache troll which in one hand held what looked to be Greece's team captain, suddenly turned and noticed his daughter missing.
"Lilly!" he shouted half in surprise.
Both parents craned their necks hoping to spot her amongst the celebrating witches and wizards.
Suddenly a familiar giggle arrived at their ears, bringing some relief and because this was Lilly Potter some dread.
They turned and saw Lilly on top of a small goat charging between the rows of tents. The goat's owner raced after her imploring her in thick accented English to "slow down!"
Lilly bounced on the goats back a foot or so with every trot but her tight grip, the same grip that had helped her parents in there illustrious Qudditch careers, kept her goat borne.
She was laughing and bouncing on the frantic little animal and Harry felt almost bad stopping her obvious innocent fun. But the goat's owner was eager to ride again.
Harry sighed and with one quick wand movement levitated his daughter from the goats back. The goat stopped stunned that the weight had disappeared and looked up at the levitating girl. Goats are aware of magic but there still impressed when the charms aren't being cast on them.
"Come on Lilly no riding the nice man's goat" said Lilly as her child slowly floated down towards her.
"I'm so sorry about that" said Harry handing the goat's reigns back to the owner.
"Well I should guess..." He saw the scar.
"No problem Her Potter any time". The man then hopped back on his goat and rode back towards his country fellows.
"Every time" admitted Harry as Albus begun asking about Lunch.
It would be many hours before the match and Harry had been invited to meet some of the officials and players. Normally he would have refused, faked a case of spatter grout but James wanted to meet the Luxembourg seeker and get his hat signed so Harry relented.
The officials were gathered near the stadium entrance on a small platform as to spare there robes from any mud or their feet from any goats. There were five or six officials most looking happy and self-important, three or four photographers who Harry couldn't help but notice seemed to be sniffing the air in pack as if hoping to smell his approach and finally there was one wizard in bright red shoes rocking back and forth on his feet a smile plastered across his features. Something about his placement with the officials seemed odd to Harry.
He was only a few feet away from the platform when a wizard Harry recognised begun frantically waving in a most unofficial manner. Harry and his comrades smiled and waved back. On cue the reports turned like ballerinas and in unison raised there cameras which flashed smoke hinkiepunks into the air. A scoop Harry, Ginny, Ron and Hermione on one platform it was worth the stifling heat for photos like this. Witch weekly paid fifty galleons for a photo of Harry and his friends being 'normal'. Harry and his children ignored them and ascended the platform.
"Harry!" said the Canadian wizard who wore long mustard brown suit robes and a rather excellent hat which bore both Luxembourg and Greek ribbons.
"Hello Gerald" said Harry shaking the wizards hand warmly.
Gerald Stobart was the Deputy Head of the international wizards Qudditch committee and was partially in charge of running this year's world cup. A genial man with a ruddy face and short brown hair he had practically leapt at Harry. Hermione and Ron shared a look.
"How are you? Long trip? and this must be Albus, Lilly and James oh I've heard so much about you from your mother".
Lilly often consulted Stobart on rule changes and insider whispers from the association. Stobart enjoyed the attention of the famous chaser turned reporter so much he tended to give her info.
"I'm fine Gerald, yes these are the kids, and how are the arrangements going?"
"Delightful I mean the Greeks could be a little bit quieter but well we got lucky with this field no muggles for miles and the weather it's like a permanent cheering charm". Gerald looked at the sky with a pride that could have suggested he'd booked the sun's appearance himself.
Suddenly the grinning wizard Harry had spotted earlier rushed forward and grabbed Harrys hand.
"Harry Potter, you're actually all there, with your hair and everything, by the way do your glasses actually work".
The wizard plucked them off Harry's face and put them on his own.
"Excellent eye sight like a sparrow, typical of her a character with sporting prowess and poor eye sight, genius really".
The glasses were passed back to Harry.
"Oh aren't you all here, Ginny, Hermione, the one I didn't like and the children, good choice with the ferret".
Harry blinked. The wizard was darting about him as if in orbit poking him in places and occasionally muttering "that's very odd".
"Harry this is James McCrimmon, he's kindly volunteered to be are unbiased commentator after the last witch was found to of been half Greek strange how we missed it really, he has excellent credentials but" Gerald's voice dropped to a whisper, "he's a bit different you know".
Harry looked at the wizard whose tie was reclining over one shoulder and who was now pointing something at his scar.
"Oh to be here with the boy who taught a generation to read, but you don't know that nor do you?"
His grin was infectious. Gerald clearly uneasy stepped forward.
"Well Harry these are some of the wizards and witches who have made organising this tournament so easy".
Harry saw the wizards and witches drop there self-restraint and rush to greet him.
McCrimmon fell back a bit, but his grin had grown if possible even wider.
There was portly man in stripped robes of turquoise who introduced himself as the Luxembroug minster for Magical sports. A rake thin witch who was introduced by Stobbart as the European rule coordinator for the Qudditch committee.
"Honeslty its not a diffacult job" she exaplained occasionally readjusting her hat to keep the sun from her face. "Most of my times spent keeping up with the Scots rules changes, theve been lobbying to have dragons replace the beaters I mean honestly!"
Then there was an olive skinned wizard who wore a robe suit far too thick for the weather and who seemed to be struggling with the heat.
"Andreous Anastas, Greek minster for international magical cooperation a delight to meet you Mr Potter".
After shaking Harry's hand he shook each of the adults and then the children's hands in turn something which caused Lilly to giggle uncontrollably.
"This" said Gerald "is Banaver Konstavelous first Greek member of the International Wizengamot".
The white haired wizard regarded Harry with the air of a sphinx. Shaking his hand firmly he said "Mr Potter I thank you on behalf of my country for all your fine works".
Harry blushed a little.
"Thank you sir, congratulations on your appointment".
The wizard laughed. "It was about time, fifteen years we have lobbied to get a Greek on the Wizengamot, fifteen, if you ask me we should have been given a higher spot for all the effort we went through".
Harry shrugged. He didn't do politics especially not international politics it was a mucky bog that was best left to ravenclaws and slytheirns. As if a practiser of legilamency Gerald swiftly swooped in.
"Now Banaver lets not talk politics at an event such as this, if anything you should be complaining about the odds they've given the Greek seeker". Harry Ginny and Hermione forced a laugh.
Finally Gerald introduced a tall man who extended a strong right arm to Harry as Oligoth Poltavo the Ukrainian Minster for Magic. He had a stern pointed face and his mouth seemed locked in its scowl till doomsday until he spoke at which moment Harry could have sworn a completely new man had arrived to greet him.
"Mr Potter a delight to meet you and this must be your wonderful wife, are you still writing for the prophet?"
"Yes minster do you read my column?"
"When I have time, sadly between trolls and the world cup have had little time to enjoy your remarks on the Pride of Portee" he chuckled his curly king Charles locks bouncing as he laughed.
"I'm just so glad it has been such a success, this is the first time we've been able to host it since the collapse..."
"Of communism!" interrupted Hermione, for once muggle knowledge was relevant well muggle knowledge that wasn't physics based.
The minster eyed her warily, seemingly calculating her sanity.
"No the collapse of the chocolate stadium in 1970, apparently building chocolate structure in summer was bad idea along with hiring architect who advertises in some magazine called "the squrribler".
Ron snorted and then performed a wondrous piece of transfiguration by turning it into a cough.
"No one was hurt thank Rowling but the Qudditch associations haven't been keen to let us host it since".
Harry tried to look sympathetic.
"Anyway Mr Potter" continued Gerald "My colleagues and I were wondering if you'd like a tour of the stadium grounds later"?
"That would be very kind, but I was lead to believe we'd be meeting some of the players here?"
He had noticed James eager eyes which seemed to be trying to spot the hopefully invisible team members.
"Of course you'll meet them" said Gerald worried he'd offend a famous friend "the Luxembourg team is just in the changing rooms now I can introduce at once".
Harry protested but Gerald put an arm behind his back and urged him forward in the name of hospitality.
"I'll come too shall I" said McCrimmon following.
The team had been delighted to meet Harry and his companions even if some did look sick with nerves this close to the big game. These were familiar nerves especially to Ron who had gone the same colour as the Luxembourg beaters the morning before his first game.
The changing room was coated in the team's colours and half way through the conversation a small goat wandered through.
The Luxembourg seeker, Durt Von Sibban, had been one of James favourite players since his days playing for the Bigonville Bombers. He had done wonders with the sloth grip roll in his early days and now stood out as a skilled seeker, almost as good as Harry had been in his fifth year.
He signed James hat with a flourish and it would later join other such Qudditch novelties as Victor Krum's signed broom, a birthday present, and a signed photo of the Holyhead Harpies on the shelf above James bed.
James wore the hat proudly as they set up deck chairs outside their tent enjoying the cool evening as night begun to turn the sky an inky blue.
Ginny was about to serve sausages when Ron came over to the tent Hugo and Rose a few feet ahead. Rose had gotten her broom signed by Luxemburg's chasers and was showing it for the fifth time to her cousins.
"Harry Gerald stopped by and told us to meet him at the stadium for the tour, you coming?"
Harry eyed his empty plate.
"Harry you go but the others will need some proper food or they'll demand junk in the stadium".
She kissed him on the cheek.
Harry got up and went with his red topped friend.
Rona and Harry along with Ron's children marched through the camp the brief distance to the stadium entrance.
It seemed the closer they got to the match the wilder the celebrations got.
"Bloody hell you'd think they'd both won" laughed Ron as a firework flew a feet over head and exploded in a Catherine wheel.
The excitement was as contagious as Dragon Pox and Harry had to admit he was looking forward to seeing some quality Qudditch. The demands of work and home meant he hadn't seen a game in a while.
The stadiums entrance was a large arch cut in the iron and Gerald stood with the Ukrainian Minster and yet another reporter waiting on the group.
Some eager fans tried to get in but a few feet from the entrance a small barricade had been erected watched over by two security wizards.
One asked to check Harry's wand before Gerald appeared behind him.
"Don't you know this is Harry freakin Potter" he scowled as he ushered them through.
The stadium impressive from the outside was no less impressive from here new angle. A pitch green despite the brown grass outside, hoops so well polished you could see your distorted features in them and rows upon rows of seats.
Gerald beamed and the minster crossed his arms both content in there handy work.
They were about to set off round the pitch when suddenly Harry spotted a wizard in the commentators box.
The box jutted out a few yards from the rest of the stands and so the wizard stood out clear in the encouraging night.
Harry peered up to see if he could recognise the figure.
"That's odd" remarked Gerald. "There's no one meant to be in the stadium apart from us".
Suddenly there was a flash from the box as if a firework from the celebrations outside had decided upon a career as commentator and then suddenly it begun.
Harry saw as if in slow motion the wizard fall through the air his robes being pulled back and upwards as the body begun to rotate in its descent. Like some injured hawk it seemed as if the body was trying to stay airborne, a cloak flapped like a crocked wing. The white of the beard stood out stark against the mess of light blue robes in spite of the distance like a pearly eye in a painted face. The body was tumbling now and was close despite the immense height from which it had fallen to hitting the ground. Harry along with the other wizards had reached for and was pointing his wand all intent on using the same charm that had once saved Harry. As one with the wizard only thirty or so feet from the ground they cast and the body stopped as if on a safety chord and dangled before slowly descending onto the grass.