Harry Potter and the Golden Labyrinth
Book Seven Fanfic
Disclaimer – Anything that you recognise belongs to J K Rowling.
A/N: Harry is about to come of age; I had to have some sort of celebration. Read on to discover where they travel to on their day out. I'm sorry that I took so long to update, but I am swamped under with coursework and homework at the moment.
Chapter 5 - BirthdayWhen Harry awoke the next morning there was a strange ringing in his ears. He rolled away from the sunlight pushing against his eyelids, eyes still closed, and rubbed his ears to try and get rid of the noise. When this didn't work he resigned himself to it and pulled the duvet over his head, enjoying being able to jut lie in bed.
After a couple of minutes the ringing faded and silence followed. Realising Ron wasn't snoring; Harry wondered how late he had actually slept. He opened his eyes slowly, then pulled down the covers and peered around the room.
As his head emerge, cheers erupted all around him. Confetti, accompanied by loud bangs and flashed of light, shot over Harry's head. Balloons of many colours were floating around the room, and a large banner over the door proclaimed in colour-changing letters:
Happy 17th Birthday, Harry!
Best of all, the room was full of all the people Harry liked the most. The twins were standing next to the bed, still shooting confetti out of their wands and laughing loudly; Ginny, Ron and Hermione were leaning off the bed, grinning and cheering and wishing him a happy birthday; Tonks was sitting on the chair by the desk and Remus was standing behind her. The door opened and Fleur swept in, swooped down and planted a kiss on his cheek
Mrs Weasley followed her with a tray full of food balance in her arms. After propping Harry up on pillows and checking that he was comfortable, Molly presented him with the tray full of bacon, eggs, toast and fresh orange juice.
'Harry coming-of-age Harry.' She said, kissing him on the head.
Ron and Hermione sat on the mattress by his feet as Harry looked around at everyone. He felt surprisingly sentimental to see them all there, cheering and laughing just to wish him a happy birthday. He looked at his two best friends, watching him and smiling broadly. Harry wished he could say something that would show how much this meant to him, but he couldn't find the words. Instead he offered them toast.
'Mornin' D'you sleep well?' Ron said around a mouthful of toast.
'Mh-hm.' Harry said, tucking into his bacon.
'Once you've eaten you need to get dressed into normal clothes. We're going somewhere with Ginny, Remus and Tonks today.' Hermione said excitedly.
Harry swallowed his mouthful. 'Where?' He asked curiously.
'We couldn't tell you that Harry!' Hermione exclaimed, and no amount of asking could get the answer from her.
When Harry walked into the kitchen everyone immediately fell silent. Remus covered it up quickly by asking how Harry had slept, but it seemed that they had been talking about him. Harry felt suspicious, especially as no one had given him any presents. Not that he expected presents after a life-tie with the Dursley's, but Ron and Hermione had always given him something before. Still, he decided not to say anything.
'Right.' Said Remus, getting their attention. Harry noticed with surprise that he didn't look at all like he normally did. For a start he was wearing muggle shorts and a stripy t-shirt, but his hair was also darker and his face shape seemed different to what it had been earlier. Glancing at Tonks, Harry
saw that she had disguised herself to look several years older, with shoulder length brown hair. She was in jeans and a t-shirt, with sunglasses perched on top of her head. Standing next to Remus they looked like and muggle couple going out for a day in summer.
'Where we're going today, we will need to look different to normal. To change our appearances we are going to use a temporary transfiguration spell, as it is easier and less likely to go wring or even get stuck. After six hours our appearances will turn to normal.'
He quickly gave them the details of the spell. Ginny started commanding Tonks as to how to change her looks, while Harry, Ron and Hermione sorted themselves with occasional help from Remus.
Ginny chose to have blond hair tied back in a ponytail and brown eyes. Tonks shrunk her by a couple of inches and changed her basic face shape, although she still looked her normal age.
Hermione straightened, shortened and thinned her normally busy hair, turning it shiny black. She darkened her pale skin slightly, then proceeded in making herself smaller and more delicate then usual. Harry barely recognised her slightly pointed face until she smiled her usual cheeky smile.
Ron lengthened his hair and turned it dark blond, with lighter blond highlights. He made himself slightly taller, and transfigured his limbs so that he looked less gangly. Finally he removed his freckles and changed his face shape slightly. The blond hair suited him; and with the added height he looked a couple of years older.
Harry, delighting in the chance to spend a day not being recognised, shortened himself. He rounded his face slightly to make himself look a few years younger and hid his scar. Then he shortened his black hair, spiked it up and turned it electric blue. Finally he transfigured his glasses to look like sunglasses and tinted the lenses. Looking in the mirror he couldn't believe how little he looked like himself.
Remus looked around at them with an appreciative smile. 'Very good; I couldn't recognise you all if I hadn't watched you change. Now, you all have to choose names to use today. I am Chris and this is my wife,' here he indicated Tonks, who winked, 'Liz.'
'I'll be Lydia.' Said Ginny immediately.
'Simon.' Said Harry after a pause.
'I'm Amy.' Hermione decided.
They all turned to looked at Ron. 'Err…I'll be…erm…Boris?'
Remus laughed 'Ok. Lydia and Simon Brett are our children. Boris Bourne is my brother's son and Amy Littlehouse is Lydia's friend. Got that?' They all nodded, fixing their full names and each other's names in their minds. 'I just want you all to take a moment to work out a few basic facts for yourself, in case anyone talks to you. Just things like your age, birthday and so on.'
After a couple of minutes they headed out of the house 'Ok, who is old enough to Apparate legally?'
Only Ron was, which presented a few difficulties. Ginny actually couldn't Apparate, so she took Remus' arm so that he could take her with him. Harry took one of Tonks' arms and Hermione took the other. This way they could actually Apparate alone, but it would appear that they had done side-along Apparation. Ron was handed an Apparation licence by Remus, who explained that it was actually a legal one that Arthur had acquired at the ministry.
'On three.' Said Remus. Ginny tightened her hands nervously on his arm. 'One, two, three.'
Harry stepped forwards and turned, feeling Tonks and Hermione doing the same beside him. He got the horrible feeling of being squeezed through a tiny rubber tube before he landed with a stagger.
Looking around, Harry's first impression was of trees. They appeared to have Apparated into a clearing in the middle of the woods. There was no one in sight except a very bored looking twenty-year-old man. He glanced at Ron's, Tonks' and Remus' licences, before waving them on.
'Where are we Dad?' Harry asked, running up beside Remus.
'Wait and see Simon.' Remus replied with a smile.
Harry dropped back to walk next to Ron. Looking up at his friend he felt even smaller then usual, which he was. 'Where are we going Ro-Boris?'
Ron looked down at Harry. 'I dunno, shortie.'
'Shortie?'
'Well you are short.'
'I am younger then you.'
'How old are you?'
'You should know; you are my cousin.'
'I have better things to do then learn the ages of all my random relations.'
'Well I'm fourteen. And you are...?'
'Twenty. Legally old enough to drink all the fire-whisky I can afford.'
'But not physically able to.' Harry quipped, before darting off to talk to Hermione and Ginny.
About five minutes later, they started heading up a slope. Harry was walking beside Ron again as they broke out of the tree cover. Ahead of them, on the top of the hill, was a quidditch stadium.
Harry's face lit up instantly as he recognised it. He turned to face Ron, who was watching him with a grin. Harry opened and closed his mouth a couple of times, unsuccessfully trying to reprimand his friend and thank him at the same time.
'Shut it guppy. We'd better hurry or we'll be late.' Ron replied with a wink.
'Who's playing?' Harry managed to find his voice at last, hurrying towards the stadium.
'The Chudley Cannons Vs the Winbourne Wasps.'
'I don't have anything orange.'
'Don't worry, there'll be vendors there.'
The group approached the entrance and Remus gave in his tickets. As they climbed up to one of the high boxes in the stadium Harry looked around. About half of the seats were filled; Cannon supporters turning one side orange and supporters for the Wasps were a stripy black and yellow mass on the other side. When they sat down Hermione took the three pairs of omunoculars they had bought at the World Cup from her pocket and handed Harry and Ron theirs. Ron pulled out his Chudley Cannon's hat.
The group were chatting excitedly, joining in with the noise from the stadium. It was similar to the stadium they had at Hogwarts, as the Wasps weren't that big a team. More people were arriving, although the stadium was unlikely to fill, as this was only a friendly between the two teams. A vendor walked past them and Harry bought a Cannon's flag and an orange rosette for himself.
Fairly soon it was time for the match to start. The commentator stood up a few boxes above them and called out over the noise of the crowd. The board that had been showing adverts for various things and wiped itself clean, displaying the words:
Winbourne Wasps: 0 Chudley Cannons: 0
'Welcome, Ladies and Gentlemen, to this friendly between the Winbourne Wasps and the Chudley Cannons!'
Harry cheered along with the rest of the crowd, letting himself relax into the feelings of the match and enjoy himself for once.
'Without further ado, let me introduce to you the Winbourne Wasps; Longley, Stiller, Hurst, Bailey, Bennet, Lewis and Brown!'
Seven players in yellow and black striped robes flew onto the pitch on firebolt's. Harry peered through his omunoculars at the back of their robes where their names were embroidered in black.
'And for the Chudley Cannons; Dyer, Piper, Rees, Lloyd, Martin, Evans and Warren.'
The Chudley Cannons flew out in their orange robes, waving to the crowd.
'I haven't seen the Cannons play for years.' Said Ron, watching Warren through is omunoculars. 'Warren is fairly new; he only joined at the start of this year. He's supposed to be good though.'
The players flew into their positions facing each other. The referee kicked open the crate of balls, flew up between the teams and blew his whistle.
'And they're off!' Cried the commentator as the keepers flew back to their rings and the chasers raced for the quaffel. 'It's Longley for the Wasps with the quaffel. The Winbourne chasers flying up in close formation. Martin hits a bludger at Longley, he drops the quaffel, Hurst catches and it's still the Wasps in position.'
The three chasers re-formed and flew quickly towards the goal. Hurst faked at the left hoop, throwing instead to Stiller who took a shot at the right hoop.
'An excellent save by Evans. He wasn't fooled by that one. And it's Dyer in possession. Passes to Rees. Rees narrowly dodges a bludger hit in his direction by Bennet. Wasps in possession again.'
The Wasps were playing a quick attack, and Evans had several more opportunities to demonstrate his skill at keeping. Ten minutes into the game it was still nil all.
'Piper in possession, flying fast towards the hoops. Bailey hits a bludger at Piper; he throws to Rees, who passes to Dyer. Dyer shoots at the hoop, Lewis dives, misses and DYER SCORES!'
The three chasers flew into the air and clapped hands while their supporters cheered loudly. Harry cheered along with Ron, waving his flag and grinning. This was much better then staying at the Burrow. The Wasps were now once again in possession.
'It's Longley with the quaffel, flying low to the ground. Passes up to Hurst, doubles back to Longley. Ooh, that looked painful!'
Lloyd had whacked a bludger at Hurst when he received the quaffel, and it had hit the player on the arm.
'Play paused as medi-wizards hurry on to heal Hurst's broken arm.'
The Cannons had flown together quickly and seemed to be having a heated discussion. The captain, Evans, was gesturing frantically as he was trying to make a point to his chasers. Seeing a couple of the Wasps fly closer to try and hear he gestured his team away and flew back towards the hoops.
Hurst remounted his broom to loud cheers from the Wasps and took off as play was resumed.
'And it's straight to the Cannons with the quaffel. They look determined as they fly in close formation towards the hoops.'
Harry was watching the game intensely through his omunoculars, willing the players on. Piper had the quaffel, and was flying slightly in front of the other two. He suddenly pulled up, making the approaching Wasp player swerve up, but dropped the quaffel to Dyer. Dyer dodged around Hurst and passed the quaffel quickly to Rees. Rees flew up, dodged the keeper and shot the quaffel through the middle hoop.
'REES SCORES!' The commentator yelled over the roars of the crowd. 'Twenty – zero to the Chudley Cannons.'
'The Cannon's chasers work well together, don't they!' Harry yelled at Ron as he clapped loudly.
'Yeah.' Ron agreed, sweeping back his blond hair. 'They're really good.'
'And it's Piper with the quaffel. Passes to Rees, back to Piper.'
Piper faked to Rees and the chucked the quaffel at Dyer. Dyer flew ahead towards the hoops, drawing the Wasp chasers forwards. Then he dropped to Rees, who back-passed to Piper.
'Piper shoots. Lewis dives, misses and PIPER SCORES!'
Harry cheered loudly, ignoring the 'boo's rising from the other side of the stands. Piper was approaching the goal again not long later when Bennet whacked a bludger at him. The bludger caught Piper in the back of the head, knocking him off his broom. Longley caught the quaffel as it fell out of his hands and flew fast towards the other end. Piper fell off his broom and dropped the 50 feet to the ground, landing with a sickening thud. Dyer and Rees swooped down towards him straight away, although they were too late to catch him. Martin swung his bat and hit a bludger straight at Bennet, whacking him on the leg with a horrible crunch. The referee flew at the four beaters quickly, only just intervening in time to stop a full-scale fight.
At last the referee remembered to blow his whistle and the game was stopped. Longley had scored seven goals while everyone's attention had been elsewhere. The Chudley Cannons had all landed and were standing around Piper worriedly. The crowd in the stands were all craning forwards, trying to see what was happening. The Cannon supporters were all shouting loudly in complaint. The Wasps didn't seem to care, but were hovering in the air and talking. Gibbs was circling the stadium, watching for the snitch.
'Oh my God, is he going to be alright?' Asked Ginny, leaning forwards in her seat, trying to see what was happening to Piper.
'That was quite some whack, and it's a long way too fall…' Said Hermione doubtfully.
'He'll be alright Lydia.' Said Remus comfortingly. It took them all a minute to realise that he was talking to Ginny. 'Those medi-wizards know what they're doing.'
Harry and Ron were fuming at the Wasps. 'That was illegal!' Ron complained. 'You can't just smash someone's head in!'
'Piper did have the quaffel.' Harry said unwillingly.
'I can't believe that bastard went and scored seven goals while Piper was falling to the ground. Didn't he care that his team members were almost fighting?'
'Piper's never going to be able to play after that.' Harry said, looking down at the pitch where Evans was now talking urgently to his team. 'How do you think they'll do without him?'
Ron shook his head worriedly. The prospects were not good.
Piper was carried off the pitch on a stretcher and the all Cannons remounted their brooms except Evans, who was talking heatedly with the referee. Longley, captain for the Wasps, flew down too and joined in the discussing. The referee was trying to get them to take off, but they had started arguing. He blew his whistle twice, and the captains unwillingly took to the air.
'And it looks as if two penalties have been awarded to each team for the fight and arguing. It's Dyer to take the first for the Chudley Cannons.'
Dyer faked to the right and scored and easy goal in the left hoop. The keeper cursed and prepared himself for the next ball. This time Dyer threw the quaffel the first time, but the keeper flew the wrong way, expecting a fake. The Cannons cheered as Dyer scored the two goals. Longley took his team's penalties. Evans saved the first one with his quick reflexes, and the second one was badly aimed. The game resumed with the score 70-50 to the Wasps.
Play now grew dirtier, with the beaters whacking the bludgers forcefully at the other team and the chasers desperately trying to keep possession of the quaffel. Dyer and Rees were struggling without Piper, and soon lost the quaffel to the Wasps. Only ten minutes later the Wasps had scored three more goals.
'Warren really needs to get the snitch soon.' Harry said, peering up at the seeker anxiously. He was flying around, scanning everywhere for sight to the little golden ball.
Just then, Dyer grabbed the quaffel as Hurst dropped it. He turned around and sped towards the other end of the pitch. Longley was approaching, and he looked around to pass to Rees. Rees, however, had just been knocked off course by a well-aimed bludger. At that moment Warren swooped down to just above Dyer's head and called for the quaffel.
'And Dyer passes it to Warren!' The commentator exclaimed. 'The Cannon's seeker is now helping his team mates to score. Warren dodges Longley, passes back to Dyer who passes straight to Rees. Rees swerves around Stiller, shoots and HE SCORES! 100-60 to the Wasps.'
As soon as the goal was scored Warren swooped upwards again, checking where Brown was and searching for the snitch.
'Now that's something you don't see every day.' Remus commentated, clapping loudly. 'Seeker becoming chaser, I didn't even know they could. Doesn't look like the Wasps are happy about it.'
Indeed, Longley had flown to the referee and was now complaining fiercely about the actions of the seeker, backed by Hurst and Stiller. The referee was shaking his head and gesturing them away, but they would not be placated. He raised his hand and gave a short blast on his whistle.
'And a penalty has been given against the Wasps for arguing with the referee. Seeker helping the chasers is a legal move, if not advisable.'
'I hope Warren knows what he is doing.' Harry commented as Rees prepared to take the penalty. 'He could miss the snitch while messing about with the quaffel.'
Ron was about to agree when further talk became impossible with the cheers as Rees scored the penalty.
'100-70 to the Wasps.'
Longley, face dark with annoyance, grabbed the quaffel and shot off towards the other end. Martin shot a bludger at him, but Longley dodged it and passed to Stiller. Stiller dropped beneath Lloyd who only narrowly missed him with his beaters bat. Stiller passed back to Longley who flew fast towards Evans and the hoops.
At that moment Warren dropped into an almost vertical dive. His hair was blown back as the wind rushed against him. Brown realised too late what was happening and pulled himself around into a dive. Harry scanned the ground furiously for the snitch and saw it, practically directly below Warren, close to the ground. Warren reached out his hand, leaned forwards and made a wild grab at the same time as wrenching his broom out of the dive. The violence of the movement threw him completely off his broom, and he fell the few feet to the ground.
The whole stadium fell silent as everyone peered at the bundle of robes on the floor, trying to see if he had the snitch. With a weak movement a hand emerged from the orange bungle and waved in the air. Peering through his omunoculars, Harry could see the wings of the golden snitch clutched in the fist.
A/N: To any fellow quidditch fans; there you have the first full-length match I have ever written. It was really hard to write, and I would like to know how easy/hard it was to follow what was going on please.
Thank you to all reviewers, you make writing this story so much easier if you comment.
Pippinwitch: Thank you for the review. Here is his birthday, or most of it anyway. More birthday celebrations coming up in the next chapter. I hope you liked the Quidditch match. Oh, and how do you spell omunoculars?
The Potter Girl: Thank you for your review. I'm really pleased you like my story. It's great to get reviews from people you don't know as well as from friends. Thank you :)