They used floo powder to get to the Burrow, Hermione had arrived before
them. Arabella went to say hello to Mr. and Mrs. Weasley before they
headed over to the stadium, leaving Harry Ron and Hermione alone.
"Can you believe it Harry! Can you really believe it! We're going to get to meet the entire English side. It's brilliant! My dad couldn't even get tickets, how do you suppose Arabella got them?" Ron said this all very fast, obviously bursting with excitement.
"Happy birthday Harry," said Hermione with an amused grin on her face.
Ron stopped gushing abruptly. "Oh yeah, Happy Birthday, sorry Harry."
Harry laughed, he had missed his friends.
***
Dumbledore was in his office sitting very still. It was fifteen minutes past the time of the appointment, and worry was stretched over every line of his ancient face. Finally the door to his office opened and Severus walked in. He seemed to be in a hurry, and did not even bother to apologize for being late.
"It's all going to plan headmaster. There was a small problem, but I was able to smooth it over. It is exactly as we have discussed."
"Very well then." But Dumbledore knew there was more, he would never have come here just to tell him that. "What else is there Severus?"
"There's going to be another attack." Snape said it with no emotion in his voice. Dumbledore could see his eyes go dead. "It will be at the quidditch stadium today, and it will be on Harry." He paused raising his head to look directly into the headmaster's eyes. "Voldemort is counting on me to do it."
***
As there was some time before the practice started Arabella took Harry, Ron and Hermione to Diagon Alley for lunch. Arabella watched them contently as they talked about what they had done this summer, and how excited they were for the practice. Harry and Ron laughed when Hermione tried to join in the quidditch conversation, she constantly boggled up terms and asked stupid questions. How could the girl be so smart at school, and yet so ignorant about quidditch?
It wasn't till they got up from lunch that Arabella noticed a man wrapped in robes with a hood covering his face sitting in a dark corner booth by himself. Her heart froze. She sent the kids off for an ice cream cone before she slunk over to the booth in the corner.
"Sirius, I know that's you, what the HELL are you doing here?"
Sirius lifted his head slightly so that she could see his face.
"Do you think I'd let my godson walk around unprotected." An unconvincing smile on his face.
"But Sirius, I'm with him and unless." Her breath caught as she realized "you know something."
Sirius lowered his head again and whispered very fast, and very quietly "I shouldn't even warn you, but I want you to know, to be prepared for trouble. Please."
He didn't have to finish the sentence, she knew he was worried.
"Why don't we stay home then, I'll tell the kids. something. we'll all go home and."
Sirius shook his head.
"You have to go."
There was desperate finality in his tone. Arabella didn't need him to explain why, if they didn't go today Voldemort would know that Dumbledore had a spy. She also knew it was killing Sirius to let his godson walk straight into danger. She felt horror creep into her face as she realized what might happen. Sirius grabbed her hand in a mixture of reassurance and desperation.
"Bella dear, there's nothing you can do besides stay by Harry. Dumbledore has a plan, I'll be there, but I can't be by Harry's side, please, you've got to promise me you won't leave him."
Arabella got herself under control.
"Sirius, I will not leave his side for an instant."
***
Harry had never been so excited. The stadium loomed high into the sky as they approached it and the light breeze carried the familiar scent of freshly cut grass. A perfect summer day for quidditch, mildly warm and sunny, only a few fluffy white clouds rolling lazily through the sky.
He and Ron had on matching grins they could not get rid of, even Hermione looked excited. When they arrived at the entrance to the stadium they were met by a very tall, very large wizard. He smiled at Arabella.
"Haven't seen you in a while."
"I've been busy." She answered returning his smile "but I missed you horribly Frank."
"Who have you got with you?" he asked looking at the threesome. His eyes stopped on Harry and his eyebrows rose a bit. "Crickey! You're Harry Potter."
Arabella stepped in to save Harry.
"This is Harry, Ron and Hermione. They are here to celebrate Harry's birthday. Guys, this is Frank."
She handed Frank the tickets, which stirred him out of his trance.
"Right," he grinned, "well, I hope you guys are ready, it should be quite a treat!"
They walked out onto the pitch, Harry was in heaven. A few of the players were zooming above warming up before practice while the others grouped together in the middle of the field talking. One spotted their group and came running out to meet them. She was a very petit woman, with golden blond hair and amazingly green eyes.
"Bella dear! How are you" She gave Arabella a big hug before turning to Harry. "You must be Harry, happy birthday."
"Thanks." Harry mumbled blushing slightly under her gaze.
"Harry, Ron, Hermione, this is Penelope, my cousin."
"Pleased to meet you." said Hermione trying to make up for Harry and Ron who were both starring at Penelope with glazed over eyes.
"Well, you are in for a treat today! We've got a lovely practiced planned, working on perfecting some of our new moves. Really, you should be some of the first to see them! Looks like we're starting, enjoy you all!"
At that moment a cloud covered up the sun, and Harry gave an involuntary shiver.
"You didn't tell me your cousin was the seeker!" Ron spat out as soon as he had picked up his jaw from the ground.
Arabella just laughed at him and shuffled them to the visitors seats. Harry's bad feeling past as he watched the team take flight. They whizzed around the field at half speeds first, going over drills in slow motion, and then speeding them up.
"They put together a strong side this year" Ron said obviously as entranced as Harry was. "The keeper, Carlyle is probably the best in the world! And of course Penelope is a first rate seeker."
Hermione rolled her eyes as Ron blushed again.
Harry made mental notes during the practice. He couldn't wait to try some of the moves with the Gryffindor team. Ron wasn't kidding about Carlyle, he was great. At one point the captain of the team, Wordsworth, had to tell him to let up so that the chasers had a chance. Penelope was great too. Harry didn't realize how great a flier she was until she went into a dive straight down, only too pull out at the last minute. The whole team as well as the small group of visitors were all covering their eyes or clutching their hearts in fear, but Penelope just laughed and waved the snitch at them.
All too soon the team was landing, tired after a long practice. Penelope motioned for them to come over and meet everyone. As they started walking over Harry noticed Arabella seemed tense. Her eyes were wandering all over and her hand was in her robes, presumably on her wand. Harry didn't say anything to her, but he also became more alert. Ron looked like he was in heaven. Penelope introduced him to the beaters (Wordsworth and Blake) the three chasers (Byron, Moore and Browning) and then to Carlyle. When he good willingly shook Ron's hand Ron forgot to let go and Hermione had to nudge him before Ron realized what he was doing.
They talked for a while with the team. Harry got some great tips from them when Penelope suggested that he try one of the moves. He agreed gladly and took the broom Wordsworth gave him. Not wanting him to be left out Carlyle let Ron take his broom, but Hermione politely declined the use of the one Browning offered her. Soon Penelope, Harry and Ron were all up in the air. It felt so good to fly again.
Penelope had barely started showing him the move when Harry's scar started to burn. Blinding pain shot through his head, and he headed towards where he thought the ground should be. He heard Ron calling to him, but it sounded like he was far away. Through some miracle Harry got to the ground. Arabella was at his side in an instant, Ron, Hermione and Penelope were right behind her.
All of a sudden the pain stopped, and a chilly silence hung in the air. Harry looked up, but he knew what he would see even before he did. Lord Voldemort.
"Can you believe it Harry! Can you really believe it! We're going to get to meet the entire English side. It's brilliant! My dad couldn't even get tickets, how do you suppose Arabella got them?" Ron said this all very fast, obviously bursting with excitement.
"Happy birthday Harry," said Hermione with an amused grin on her face.
Ron stopped gushing abruptly. "Oh yeah, Happy Birthday, sorry Harry."
Harry laughed, he had missed his friends.
***
Dumbledore was in his office sitting very still. It was fifteen minutes past the time of the appointment, and worry was stretched over every line of his ancient face. Finally the door to his office opened and Severus walked in. He seemed to be in a hurry, and did not even bother to apologize for being late.
"It's all going to plan headmaster. There was a small problem, but I was able to smooth it over. It is exactly as we have discussed."
"Very well then." But Dumbledore knew there was more, he would never have come here just to tell him that. "What else is there Severus?"
"There's going to be another attack." Snape said it with no emotion in his voice. Dumbledore could see his eyes go dead. "It will be at the quidditch stadium today, and it will be on Harry." He paused raising his head to look directly into the headmaster's eyes. "Voldemort is counting on me to do it."
***
As there was some time before the practice started Arabella took Harry, Ron and Hermione to Diagon Alley for lunch. Arabella watched them contently as they talked about what they had done this summer, and how excited they were for the practice. Harry and Ron laughed when Hermione tried to join in the quidditch conversation, she constantly boggled up terms and asked stupid questions. How could the girl be so smart at school, and yet so ignorant about quidditch?
It wasn't till they got up from lunch that Arabella noticed a man wrapped in robes with a hood covering his face sitting in a dark corner booth by himself. Her heart froze. She sent the kids off for an ice cream cone before she slunk over to the booth in the corner.
"Sirius, I know that's you, what the HELL are you doing here?"
Sirius lifted his head slightly so that she could see his face.
"Do you think I'd let my godson walk around unprotected." An unconvincing smile on his face.
"But Sirius, I'm with him and unless." Her breath caught as she realized "you know something."
Sirius lowered his head again and whispered very fast, and very quietly "I shouldn't even warn you, but I want you to know, to be prepared for trouble. Please."
He didn't have to finish the sentence, she knew he was worried.
"Why don't we stay home then, I'll tell the kids. something. we'll all go home and."
Sirius shook his head.
"You have to go."
There was desperate finality in his tone. Arabella didn't need him to explain why, if they didn't go today Voldemort would know that Dumbledore had a spy. She also knew it was killing Sirius to let his godson walk straight into danger. She felt horror creep into her face as she realized what might happen. Sirius grabbed her hand in a mixture of reassurance and desperation.
"Bella dear, there's nothing you can do besides stay by Harry. Dumbledore has a plan, I'll be there, but I can't be by Harry's side, please, you've got to promise me you won't leave him."
Arabella got herself under control.
"Sirius, I will not leave his side for an instant."
***
Harry had never been so excited. The stadium loomed high into the sky as they approached it and the light breeze carried the familiar scent of freshly cut grass. A perfect summer day for quidditch, mildly warm and sunny, only a few fluffy white clouds rolling lazily through the sky.
He and Ron had on matching grins they could not get rid of, even Hermione looked excited. When they arrived at the entrance to the stadium they were met by a very tall, very large wizard. He smiled at Arabella.
"Haven't seen you in a while."
"I've been busy." She answered returning his smile "but I missed you horribly Frank."
"Who have you got with you?" he asked looking at the threesome. His eyes stopped on Harry and his eyebrows rose a bit. "Crickey! You're Harry Potter."
Arabella stepped in to save Harry.
"This is Harry, Ron and Hermione. They are here to celebrate Harry's birthday. Guys, this is Frank."
She handed Frank the tickets, which stirred him out of his trance.
"Right," he grinned, "well, I hope you guys are ready, it should be quite a treat!"
They walked out onto the pitch, Harry was in heaven. A few of the players were zooming above warming up before practice while the others grouped together in the middle of the field talking. One spotted their group and came running out to meet them. She was a very petit woman, with golden blond hair and amazingly green eyes.
"Bella dear! How are you" She gave Arabella a big hug before turning to Harry. "You must be Harry, happy birthday."
"Thanks." Harry mumbled blushing slightly under her gaze.
"Harry, Ron, Hermione, this is Penelope, my cousin."
"Pleased to meet you." said Hermione trying to make up for Harry and Ron who were both starring at Penelope with glazed over eyes.
"Well, you are in for a treat today! We've got a lovely practiced planned, working on perfecting some of our new moves. Really, you should be some of the first to see them! Looks like we're starting, enjoy you all!"
At that moment a cloud covered up the sun, and Harry gave an involuntary shiver.
"You didn't tell me your cousin was the seeker!" Ron spat out as soon as he had picked up his jaw from the ground.
Arabella just laughed at him and shuffled them to the visitors seats. Harry's bad feeling past as he watched the team take flight. They whizzed around the field at half speeds first, going over drills in slow motion, and then speeding them up.
"They put together a strong side this year" Ron said obviously as entranced as Harry was. "The keeper, Carlyle is probably the best in the world! And of course Penelope is a first rate seeker."
Hermione rolled her eyes as Ron blushed again.
Harry made mental notes during the practice. He couldn't wait to try some of the moves with the Gryffindor team. Ron wasn't kidding about Carlyle, he was great. At one point the captain of the team, Wordsworth, had to tell him to let up so that the chasers had a chance. Penelope was great too. Harry didn't realize how great a flier she was until she went into a dive straight down, only too pull out at the last minute. The whole team as well as the small group of visitors were all covering their eyes or clutching their hearts in fear, but Penelope just laughed and waved the snitch at them.
All too soon the team was landing, tired after a long practice. Penelope motioned for them to come over and meet everyone. As they started walking over Harry noticed Arabella seemed tense. Her eyes were wandering all over and her hand was in her robes, presumably on her wand. Harry didn't say anything to her, but he also became more alert. Ron looked like he was in heaven. Penelope introduced him to the beaters (Wordsworth and Blake) the three chasers (Byron, Moore and Browning) and then to Carlyle. When he good willingly shook Ron's hand Ron forgot to let go and Hermione had to nudge him before Ron realized what he was doing.
They talked for a while with the team. Harry got some great tips from them when Penelope suggested that he try one of the moves. He agreed gladly and took the broom Wordsworth gave him. Not wanting him to be left out Carlyle let Ron take his broom, but Hermione politely declined the use of the one Browning offered her. Soon Penelope, Harry and Ron were all up in the air. It felt so good to fly again.
Penelope had barely started showing him the move when Harry's scar started to burn. Blinding pain shot through his head, and he headed towards where he thought the ground should be. He heard Ron calling to him, but it sounded like he was far away. Through some miracle Harry got to the ground. Arabella was at his side in an instant, Ron, Hermione and Penelope were right behind her.
All of a sudden the pain stopped, and a chilly silence hung in the air. Harry looked up, but he knew what he would see even before he did. Lord Voldemort.