Chapter 4: The Quditch World Cup
The First thing Harry noticed was that the field in front of the stadium was nothing like last year's. Last year they at least made an attempt at secrecy. This time, there were absolutely no measures to subdue the magic being shown. People were playing their own games of Quidditch, venders were apparating all over the place, there were even small groups people showing eachother novelty tricks and toys. Harry talked to the first vender he saw and bought fourteen miniature Fireblots and figurines of every player. As a bonus that came only after buting the complete set, the Wizard selling the items gave him a case containing a mini Quidditch Pitch, a small box containing tiny versions of Quidditch balls, and a complimentary referee.
"Harry, that's some nice stuff you have there." Came a familar voice from behind him.
"Proffesor Dumbledor!" Harry shoutd with glee as he saw the face of Hogwart's best headmaster.
"Yes, yes, I've come to this match to talk to you." His expression suddenly became very serious. "Harry, the letter that you recieved did not come from Viktor Krum, it came from Voldemort."
"What?" Harry was shocked.
"Luckily we found out his plans soon and ruined them completely before he could do anything."
"So did you catch him?"
"No, we had him cornered and he escaped with the help of his death eaters."
"Oh, no. Well, how have your plans gone?"
"Well, Hagrid and Madame Maxime have considerable success in coaxing the giants to join our side, altough there are still a few of them who would rather stay in the mountains. Fudge has himself seen evidence to the exsistence of Voldemort and has relenquished control of Azkaban from the Dementors. And as you have seen for yourself, I do have most of the old gang back together."
"Sounds like everything is in order, but if Voldemort sent the letter,then how are we to see the game?" Asked Sirius
"Don't worry about that boys, I have here, three box tickets for the game." Dumbledor replied.
"You're coming to?" Harry asked excitedly.
"Of course I am, you don't think I would leave you alone, do you?"
"Good point." Harry said, obviously over the obsession of not having to be protected.
So the went into the stadium, which had none of the grandure of the last one Harry had seen, and took their seats. But it wasn't even two minutes in when something horrible happened. Voldemort came into the top box where Dumbledor, Sirius, and Harry were. He was disguised at first, but when harry jumped up to see a race for the snitch, he reacted by immidiately throwing away his cloak.
"Avada Kedavra!" He shouted. But Dumbledor was to quick.
He hadn't even finished his spell when Dumbledor shouted "Retexo!" And a shot of white light came out of his wand to counter the green light of Voldemort's. Voldemort was caught off gaurd by the unkown counter-curse, and fled the box with a dozen death eaters. Even Sirius was surprised by what happened next.
Dumbledor was out the door of the box in a flash and before they knew it, he was back, with three death eaters in tow. Harry wondered how he had done it, until he realized the familiar funny hoping of the Death Eaters.
"You put the leg-locker curse on them?" Harry asked.
"Yes, Harry, the most effective spells are sometimes the simplest. Now, onto you three." His demeanor changed completely as he turned to his three prisoners.
"We won't say a word."The second second, and obviously bravest of them said. "I'll die before I sell out the master."
"I think, my talkative friend, that this will help loosen your lips." He pulled out a large bottle of Veritaserum.
The middle Death Eater closed his mouth immidiately.
"I see your going to make me do it the hard way." He held his wand a few inches away from the Death Eater's face "Apertum Oris!" His mouth snapped open and he was obviously fighting it, but to no avail. Dumbledor poured in a substantial amount of Veritaserum. He then waved his wand and the man had control of his mouth once more.
"I told you I won't say a word!" Harry was amazed someone could put up that much resistance to the serum.
"A little more help on the subject, Sirius?" Dumbledor asked.
"Well, I don't know what I can do. Wait, I remember now."
"On the count of three, then?" Dumbledor said
"Alright,One, two, Veritas Denarro!"
"One, two, Veritas Denarro!" They both shouted at the same time, and twin bolts of blue light hit the man in the chest.
"Now, perhaps you can help us." Dumbledor calmly said, with a fire in his eyes that made Harry very grateful that he was on the side of good.
"Yes I'll tell you anything." he said, completely defeated by the spell's power.
"Who are you?" He asked
"Lucius Malfoy." Harry was surprised and delighted at the sound of that.
"And who are you friends here?"
"Crabbe and Goyle."
"What were you doing here?"
"We came to kill Potter."
"Who is we?"
"Me, Crabbe, Goyle, The Master, and nine others."
"Who are the other nine?"
"I don't know, he doesn't let us know who else is in a group at any given time."
Harry caught a glimpse of something. The two paralyzed captives that had been left in the corner were trying to crawl away. He reacted quickly.
"Petrificus Totalus! Petrificus Totalus!" He shouted at the two men, who immidately locked up and fell to the floor.
"Nice work, Harry." said Sirius, who had been to absorbed in the interogation to notice anything else.
"Yes, thank you Harry." said Dumbledor, then he turned back to the subject of his inquiry. "Where is Voldemort hiding?"
"Why would he hide? He has nothing to fear."
"Fine, then, where is he staying?"
"Do you really think he would be stupid enough to stay in one place for more than a week?"
"Where is he staying now?"
"I din't know, he was suppose to find a new place today."
"Professor Dumbledor" Harry interupted
"Yes Harry?"
"May I ask a him a question?"
"Go ahead, Harry."
"How can Vodemort be killed?"
"Killed? He can't be killed, no one ca--"
"Then how can he be destroyed?" Harry broke in
"That's a different question altogether, now isn't it?" His expression changed to one of complete detestment. "Don't you think I've tryed to figure it out? He knows, but he won't tell anyone, not one single person. I've tryed to figure it out, I've tryed with all my being, but it's impossible if you don't have a knowlege of the old magice like he does."
"Why on Earth would you want to destroy your master?" Harry asked, more than a little confused
"Haven't you ever wandered why you are so much like Voldemort, when you should be complete opposites?"
"I can't say that I haven't."
"When Voldemort tried to kill you, and you survived, the spell rebounded on him, killing him and leaving only a weak spirit, but all his powers left him and found a new vessel, you. You are as powerful as Voldemort himself, only lacking the knowlege of the powers you posses. This is why Voldemort fears only two people. You and Dumbledor."
"So you think that if you destroy Voldemort, you would have all his powers?"
"Exactly."
"But I still don't understand why he fears me, I'm still vulnerable to the killing curse."
"You don't know, do you? Why do you think he spent all that time hunting down your parents? Why do you think you have such a special bond with Dumbledor over there? His Ancestor is the Great Slytherin, yours is Gryffindor. Gryffindor was the only person who could destroy Slytherin, therefor, Gryffindor's heir would be the only person who could destroy Slytherin's heir, provided they were full blood."
"So that means............my mom wasn't a muggle-born? And....."
"Say hello to grandpa Dumbledor."
"It's true, Harry." Dumbledor said. "My grandaughter was Lily Potter."
"Oh, man." Harry sat stunned for the rest of the day. He didn't move when the authorities came to take away their captives. He didn't move when an Irish Chaser went off course and flew right into the box. He didn't even move when they anounced that he had won a large sack of gold in their random seat pick. Finally, he talked. "Why didn't you tell me?"
"It was safer this way, trust me."
"So am I in danger now?"
"No, now that we understand so much of why Voldemort is after you, we can keep you better protected."
"Or you can keep us better protected." Sirius chimed in.
"Now, Sirius, don't talk like that." But there something in his voice that made Harry think that would someday be the case.
"Okay, let's think of happier things, like what you're going to do with your winnings."
Harry then looked in the seat next to him and realized how much gold he had actually won.
"This is enough to buy the whole team new brooms." was the first thing to come out of his mouth.
"That's a very selfless thought, Harry." Sirius said, with a hint of pride in his voice.
"Harry!" Came a familiar voice from the door.
"Mrs. Weasley?"
She ran in and hugged him in that worried, protective mother way that always embarased him.
"Hello, Harry." Came the calm voice of Mr. Weasley.
"What are you doing here?" Sirius asked.
"The whole ministry was alerted when the gatekeeper saw Voldemort leaving, and even though my department has nothing to do with handling him, She convinced me to come to see if Harry was okay." He said, motioning towards Mrs. Weasley. In the back of Harry's mind, there was a celebration of the fact that Mr. Wealey wasn't afraid to say Voldemort anymore.
"Well, Arthur, you can never be to careful."
"Well, Molly, he's been fine every time you've woried about him."
"Well, what about the time he entered that dreadful chamber below the school? He was nearly poisoned to death!"
"Yes, I will admit that a few times have been alright, but by the time you get to him, he's always just fine."
"Well, let's just ask Harry. Harry, do you think I'm overprotective of you?"
"Not at all, Mrs. Weasley." He gave a secretive nod to Mr. Weasley that made him laugh.
"What's so funny, Arthur?"
"Nothing, nothing."
An official-looking wizard came into the box
"Well, he's not out in the camps." He said to Dumbledor
"Then he won't be anywhere. I guess he's not coming back for his Death Eaters."
"It's just as well, I guess. No need to tell the people in the people out there, it would just cause a panic." A second wizard said.
"I guess there's nothing left here for us to do." Said the first wizard.
"Let's get going, Bones."
"Goodbye, Albus."
"Goodbye, Greg." Dumbledor said
They turned and walked quickly out of the box.
"Um, Professor Dumbledor?"
"Yes, Harry?"
"Do you think that, since the summer is almost over, that-"
"Yes, Harry, you can stay with the Weasley's. That is, if you don't mind, Arthur."
"Of course not. Harry's always welcome at the Burrow."
So after the game, which the Weasley's got stay and watch (even though Harry, Sirius, and Mr. Weasley spent more time playing with the miniature quiditch game than watching the real one), they headed off.
"Goodbye, Harry."
"Goodbye, Sirius. See you after the summer, Professor Dumbledor."
"So. Mr. Weasley, how did you get here?"
"We bought a new SUV, it fits us better than any other car we could have had."
Harry felt a pang of guilt for the car he had lost in the forbiden forest at Hogwarts. But their new car was much better. It could fit all of the Weasleys, even if Bill, Charlie, and Harry were all riding with them. Harry had to laugh to himself when he saw Mr. Weasley fingering a small button on the back of the steering wheel. But Harry wasn't the only one who noticed.
"No, Arthur!"
"But, Molly, just this once."
"No, Arthur, I told you, you can only use it when we go over the ocean."
"Okay, Okay. I won't use it until we cross the ocean."
Harry had to ask. "Does it have invisibility?"
"Of course it does. And this is improved. That last one was a little shaky, and it couldn't do well at high altitudes, but this one is pressurised and stablized for maximum efficiency."
"Oh, Arthur, you're so cute when you get all excited over your inventions."
"Well, thank you, dear."
The First thing Harry noticed was that the field in front of the stadium was nothing like last year's. Last year they at least made an attempt at secrecy. This time, there were absolutely no measures to subdue the magic being shown. People were playing their own games of Quidditch, venders were apparating all over the place, there were even small groups people showing eachother novelty tricks and toys. Harry talked to the first vender he saw and bought fourteen miniature Fireblots and figurines of every player. As a bonus that came only after buting the complete set, the Wizard selling the items gave him a case containing a mini Quidditch Pitch, a small box containing tiny versions of Quidditch balls, and a complimentary referee.
"Harry, that's some nice stuff you have there." Came a familar voice from behind him.
"Proffesor Dumbledor!" Harry shoutd with glee as he saw the face of Hogwart's best headmaster.
"Yes, yes, I've come to this match to talk to you." His expression suddenly became very serious. "Harry, the letter that you recieved did not come from Viktor Krum, it came from Voldemort."
"What?" Harry was shocked.
"Luckily we found out his plans soon and ruined them completely before he could do anything."
"So did you catch him?"
"No, we had him cornered and he escaped with the help of his death eaters."
"Oh, no. Well, how have your plans gone?"
"Well, Hagrid and Madame Maxime have considerable success in coaxing the giants to join our side, altough there are still a few of them who would rather stay in the mountains. Fudge has himself seen evidence to the exsistence of Voldemort and has relenquished control of Azkaban from the Dementors. And as you have seen for yourself, I do have most of the old gang back together."
"Sounds like everything is in order, but if Voldemort sent the letter,then how are we to see the game?" Asked Sirius
"Don't worry about that boys, I have here, three box tickets for the game." Dumbledor replied.
"You're coming to?" Harry asked excitedly.
"Of course I am, you don't think I would leave you alone, do you?"
"Good point." Harry said, obviously over the obsession of not having to be protected.
So the went into the stadium, which had none of the grandure of the last one Harry had seen, and took their seats. But it wasn't even two minutes in when something horrible happened. Voldemort came into the top box where Dumbledor, Sirius, and Harry were. He was disguised at first, but when harry jumped up to see a race for the snitch, he reacted by immidiately throwing away his cloak.
"Avada Kedavra!" He shouted. But Dumbledor was to quick.
He hadn't even finished his spell when Dumbledor shouted "Retexo!" And a shot of white light came out of his wand to counter the green light of Voldemort's. Voldemort was caught off gaurd by the unkown counter-curse, and fled the box with a dozen death eaters. Even Sirius was surprised by what happened next.
Dumbledor was out the door of the box in a flash and before they knew it, he was back, with three death eaters in tow. Harry wondered how he had done it, until he realized the familiar funny hoping of the Death Eaters.
"You put the leg-locker curse on them?" Harry asked.
"Yes, Harry, the most effective spells are sometimes the simplest. Now, onto you three." His demeanor changed completely as he turned to his three prisoners.
"We won't say a word."The second second, and obviously bravest of them said. "I'll die before I sell out the master."
"I think, my talkative friend, that this will help loosen your lips." He pulled out a large bottle of Veritaserum.
The middle Death Eater closed his mouth immidiately.
"I see your going to make me do it the hard way." He held his wand a few inches away from the Death Eater's face "Apertum Oris!" His mouth snapped open and he was obviously fighting it, but to no avail. Dumbledor poured in a substantial amount of Veritaserum. He then waved his wand and the man had control of his mouth once more.
"I told you I won't say a word!" Harry was amazed someone could put up that much resistance to the serum.
"A little more help on the subject, Sirius?" Dumbledor asked.
"Well, I don't know what I can do. Wait, I remember now."
"On the count of three, then?" Dumbledor said
"Alright,One, two, Veritas Denarro!"
"One, two, Veritas Denarro!" They both shouted at the same time, and twin bolts of blue light hit the man in the chest.
"Now, perhaps you can help us." Dumbledor calmly said, with a fire in his eyes that made Harry very grateful that he was on the side of good.
"Yes I'll tell you anything." he said, completely defeated by the spell's power.
"Who are you?" He asked
"Lucius Malfoy." Harry was surprised and delighted at the sound of that.
"And who are you friends here?"
"Crabbe and Goyle."
"What were you doing here?"
"We came to kill Potter."
"Who is we?"
"Me, Crabbe, Goyle, The Master, and nine others."
"Who are the other nine?"
"I don't know, he doesn't let us know who else is in a group at any given time."
Harry caught a glimpse of something. The two paralyzed captives that had been left in the corner were trying to crawl away. He reacted quickly.
"Petrificus Totalus! Petrificus Totalus!" He shouted at the two men, who immidately locked up and fell to the floor.
"Nice work, Harry." said Sirius, who had been to absorbed in the interogation to notice anything else.
"Yes, thank you Harry." said Dumbledor, then he turned back to the subject of his inquiry. "Where is Voldemort hiding?"
"Why would he hide? He has nothing to fear."
"Fine, then, where is he staying?"
"Do you really think he would be stupid enough to stay in one place for more than a week?"
"Where is he staying now?"
"I din't know, he was suppose to find a new place today."
"Professor Dumbledor" Harry interupted
"Yes Harry?"
"May I ask a him a question?"
"Go ahead, Harry."
"How can Vodemort be killed?"
"Killed? He can't be killed, no one ca--"
"Then how can he be destroyed?" Harry broke in
"That's a different question altogether, now isn't it?" His expression changed to one of complete detestment. "Don't you think I've tryed to figure it out? He knows, but he won't tell anyone, not one single person. I've tryed to figure it out, I've tryed with all my being, but it's impossible if you don't have a knowlege of the old magice like he does."
"Why on Earth would you want to destroy your master?" Harry asked, more than a little confused
"Haven't you ever wandered why you are so much like Voldemort, when you should be complete opposites?"
"I can't say that I haven't."
"When Voldemort tried to kill you, and you survived, the spell rebounded on him, killing him and leaving only a weak spirit, but all his powers left him and found a new vessel, you. You are as powerful as Voldemort himself, only lacking the knowlege of the powers you posses. This is why Voldemort fears only two people. You and Dumbledor."
"So you think that if you destroy Voldemort, you would have all his powers?"
"Exactly."
"But I still don't understand why he fears me, I'm still vulnerable to the killing curse."
"You don't know, do you? Why do you think he spent all that time hunting down your parents? Why do you think you have such a special bond with Dumbledor over there? His Ancestor is the Great Slytherin, yours is Gryffindor. Gryffindor was the only person who could destroy Slytherin, therefor, Gryffindor's heir would be the only person who could destroy Slytherin's heir, provided they were full blood."
"So that means............my mom wasn't a muggle-born? And....."
"Say hello to grandpa Dumbledor."
"It's true, Harry." Dumbledor said. "My grandaughter was Lily Potter."
"Oh, man." Harry sat stunned for the rest of the day. He didn't move when the authorities came to take away their captives. He didn't move when an Irish Chaser went off course and flew right into the box. He didn't even move when they anounced that he had won a large sack of gold in their random seat pick. Finally, he talked. "Why didn't you tell me?"
"It was safer this way, trust me."
"So am I in danger now?"
"No, now that we understand so much of why Voldemort is after you, we can keep you better protected."
"Or you can keep us better protected." Sirius chimed in.
"Now, Sirius, don't talk like that." But there something in his voice that made Harry think that would someday be the case.
"Okay, let's think of happier things, like what you're going to do with your winnings."
Harry then looked in the seat next to him and realized how much gold he had actually won.
"This is enough to buy the whole team new brooms." was the first thing to come out of his mouth.
"That's a very selfless thought, Harry." Sirius said, with a hint of pride in his voice.
"Harry!" Came a familiar voice from the door.
"Mrs. Weasley?"
She ran in and hugged him in that worried, protective mother way that always embarased him.
"Hello, Harry." Came the calm voice of Mr. Weasley.
"What are you doing here?" Sirius asked.
"The whole ministry was alerted when the gatekeeper saw Voldemort leaving, and even though my department has nothing to do with handling him, She convinced me to come to see if Harry was okay." He said, motioning towards Mrs. Weasley. In the back of Harry's mind, there was a celebration of the fact that Mr. Wealey wasn't afraid to say Voldemort anymore.
"Well, Arthur, you can never be to careful."
"Well, Molly, he's been fine every time you've woried about him."
"Well, what about the time he entered that dreadful chamber below the school? He was nearly poisoned to death!"
"Yes, I will admit that a few times have been alright, but by the time you get to him, he's always just fine."
"Well, let's just ask Harry. Harry, do you think I'm overprotective of you?"
"Not at all, Mrs. Weasley." He gave a secretive nod to Mr. Weasley that made him laugh.
"What's so funny, Arthur?"
"Nothing, nothing."
An official-looking wizard came into the box
"Well, he's not out in the camps." He said to Dumbledor
"Then he won't be anywhere. I guess he's not coming back for his Death Eaters."
"It's just as well, I guess. No need to tell the people in the people out there, it would just cause a panic." A second wizard said.
"I guess there's nothing left here for us to do." Said the first wizard.
"Let's get going, Bones."
"Goodbye, Albus."
"Goodbye, Greg." Dumbledor said
They turned and walked quickly out of the box.
"Um, Professor Dumbledor?"
"Yes, Harry?"
"Do you think that, since the summer is almost over, that-"
"Yes, Harry, you can stay with the Weasley's. That is, if you don't mind, Arthur."
"Of course not. Harry's always welcome at the Burrow."
So after the game, which the Weasley's got stay and watch (even though Harry, Sirius, and Mr. Weasley spent more time playing with the miniature quiditch game than watching the real one), they headed off.
"Goodbye, Harry."
"Goodbye, Sirius. See you after the summer, Professor Dumbledor."
"So. Mr. Weasley, how did you get here?"
"We bought a new SUV, it fits us better than any other car we could have had."
Harry felt a pang of guilt for the car he had lost in the forbiden forest at Hogwarts. But their new car was much better. It could fit all of the Weasleys, even if Bill, Charlie, and Harry were all riding with them. Harry had to laugh to himself when he saw Mr. Weasley fingering a small button on the back of the steering wheel. But Harry wasn't the only one who noticed.
"No, Arthur!"
"But, Molly, just this once."
"No, Arthur, I told you, you can only use it when we go over the ocean."
"Okay, Okay. I won't use it until we cross the ocean."
Harry had to ask. "Does it have invisibility?"
"Of course it does. And this is improved. That last one was a little shaky, and it couldn't do well at high altitudes, but this one is pressurised and stablized for maximum efficiency."
"Oh, Arthur, you're so cute when you get all excited over your inventions."
"Well, thank you, dear."
