Chapter Two: The Quidditch World Championship
Harry and Sirius were standing at the living room, all their stuff in their pockets, magically packed and shrunken.
"Ready, pup?" Sirius asked.
Harry nodded.
His godfather took an empty bottle of butter-beer from the table.
'Portus' he cast
The bottle glowed with dim blue light.
"Touch it"
Harry complied.
"Igel" Sirius stated and they both disappeared in bright flash.
After a considerably long session of mad swirling in magical whirlwind they both fell on their behinds, harshly colliding with earth.
Their faces greened noticeably – now they knew that they had at least one thing in common.
"You know what, pup?" Sirius asked.
"What?" Harry questioned.
"Dumbledore is very famous for ridiculously many things he have done, but what is really important – he can kick almost anybody's ass in a blink of an eye."
"I know, Padfoot." Potter interrupted Sirius, looking a little bit annoyed by his godfather's statement of obvious.
"I know that you know, Harry, but let me finish. What is really spectacular about him is that sometimes instead of moving by feet in fight, he apparates around constantly, making it nearly impossible to hit him. This is very hard to do – you must have a hell lot of concentration to not splinch yourself." Sirius told to The-Boy-Who-Lived.
Harry smiled, seeing who appeared silently right behind his godfather. Albus put his hand on Sirius' shoulder, saying
"Indeed, my boy, it is hard, though I think Harry will be able to concentrate enough to achieve the same very soon – he is very determined to become a great wizard."
Sirius spin around.
"Albus! It's nice to see you again. We have just portkeyed here. How is the fair?" He asked.
"If I must describe it in a single word I would say - delightful, Sirius. Bertie Bott's showed their new product line and allowed to try it for free – these new beans are so yummy! So, shall we proceed further?" Dumbledore said.
Sirius chuckled.
"Albus, you may be more than century old, but you turn into child in close proximity of the sweets." he said, shaking his head.
The old wizard didn't reply, but his blue eyes twinkled behind the glasses of his half-moon spectacles. He gestured for Harry and Sirius to follow him.
The camp consisted hundreds of tents – all of them were different in size, colour and capacity. But what really excited Harry was the fair around the camp. Magical companies knew there would be thousands of people so their many representatives were everywhere showing what they got. It was a blur of hundreds of lights, loud and moving around.
He, his mentor and godfather decided to look around the place after Sirius and Harry would place their tent. They went through all the jovial chaos around them and stopped near a majestic pitch-black tent with myriads of stars charmed on its fabric illuminating measuredly. The large silver seal of Chief Warlock was embroidered on its entrance. Apparently by the look of the tent and its as luxurious counterparts around, the spot was for Heads of the Magical Ministry and special guests.
"Lay out your tent there, next to mine, Sirius." Dumbledore said, pointing to the quite large empty spot between his and minister's tents.
Sirius and Harry unpacked everything and returned all their stuff to original size. Then they spread out their tent and placed everything inside.
"Harry, my boy, may you please go hang out with your friends – I need to speak with Sirius a little. I've seen Weasleys just about fifty yards this way." Albus said, showing direction.
"Alright, Albus. I'll return in the evening." Harry replied and went the way his mentor showed him.
Just as Dumbledore said, about fifty yards to the north-west from their spot, an old worn large red tent stood, one of his best friends standing right by it.
"Potter, I thought I would have a rest from you at least for the Summer, you know." the redhead complained jocosely. Ron Weasley had grown up to about six feet five inches in three years, towering above Boy-Who-Lived. His height made Harry wonder how tall his friend would be in the adulthood.
"Awww... little Ronniekins can't have a break from 'Harry Time' even during the Summer." Harry teased, embracing Ron in a manly hug.
"Have you seen Draco?" Weasley asked.
"No, I thought you have." Harry replied, pointing at Ron.
"Nah, we can search for the blond ponce later. Let's go, we've been waiting for you, mate. You know what?"
Harry looked at his friend questioningly.
"Ginny misses you a lot!"
The object of aforementioned girl's passion blushed, pushing his friend... or trying to, because the friend wasn't affected at all.
Harry and Ron entered the tent. Potter was immediately grabbed into a bone-crushing hug by Molly.
"Harry, how nice it is that you came here! Sit, eat with us, dear – I've just cooked chicken soup and baked patties with potatoes." Weasley matriarch said, gesturing towards the table which was occupied by the whole family of redheads.
All of them stood and greeted Harry. The young man had never seen two elder sons – Bill and Charlie. The former was a curse-breaker of Gringotts, the latter was a dragon handler and worked in Romania. Bill was taller than Charlie, but the second eldest Weasly was much wider in shoulders and muscular – his work seemed to help him a lot to build such a body, apparently.
They all sat back, Harry taking a place next to Ron, and started eating. The soup was as delicious as any other food cooked by Molly. Once he finished it, he took a patty, stuffing halve of it in his mouth. Yep, he was hungry like a wolf.
"Oi, Ronnie, where is you blonde girlfriend?" Fred or George asked, Harry wasn't sure who was who.
The already tallest Weasley blushed, poorly trying to make it look as if he didn't hear the twin's question. His trying just made the entire last generation of Weasleys laugh. Their parents, though, were pleasantly surprised.
"Son, why haven't you ever told me that you have girlfriend?" Arthur asked.
"Yes, Ronald, why? I surely want to see her! Is she somewhere in this camp too?" Molly continued her husband's train of thoughts.
"Mr and Mrs Weasley, it's nice to meet you. Now I know where my pumpkin took his nice looks and sharp mind from." a dreamy voice said, making everyone turn to the source of it.
There, just by the entrance, Luna Lovegood was standing, radiating her already blossoming angelic beauty. In dull lighting of the tent's inside, she looked surreal, not from this world, her delicate porcelain skin and fair blond hair literally glowed, making all the men part of the table gape at her. Her unlawfully short bright yellow sarafan that exposed her long slender legs didn't help to suppress their reaction at all.
Bill and Charlie patted Ron's back admiringly, making him know that they were proud for their 'little' brother.
"Nice, bro" Charlie said.
"Yeah, for a moment I thought that she was a veela!" Bill continued.
Molly Weasley gave them two a stare that promised pain if they didn't shut their mouths right this instant. She then looked at the blonde girl, smiling kindly.
"Hello, dear. How's your father Xenophilius? I wonder why my son never told me about you." She said, staring accusingly at her youngest son. Then, suddenly remembering, she continued. "Ohh. Sorry, I'm so rude! What a terrible hostess I am! Come, sit at the table!"
Luna nodded her head and complied, sitting on the right from Ron and intertwining their fingers gently.
"He is well and engaged in creative activities as usual, Mrs Weasley." the girl replied.
Molly put a bowl filled to the edges with soup next to her.
"Thank you" Luna said, neatly gathering soup into her spoon.
She put the piece of flatware in her mouth and slowly took it out with her full lips closed around, all the time looking at Ron. The poor guy was redder then ripe tomato. Ginny's mouth corners twitched, while Arthur and Molly were oblivious about Luna's teases. Though, their elder sons and Harry, weren't, bursting in laugher.
After having a nice lunch, Harry and the two doves went inside.
"Sorry for leaving you alone, Harry, but I have something important to tell to my peanut." Luna said, grabbing reluctant Ron and going away.
Potter once again exploded in laugher. When he finally calmed down, shaking his head at his friends antics, Harry walked slowly towards the fair. He quickly cast a Disillusionment Charm on him to not be caught by the youngest Weasley.
The young man chose the right moment – the same moment he became invisible, Ginny went outside too, looking around. She stared right at the spot where Harry stood, making him freak out as he always did near her alone. Her crimson eyes, which matched colour of her luxurious hair, darkened a bit, and she crossed hands on her chest.
"Trying to trick me, Harry? Hmph. Go, if you don't want to see me now, you just had to tell me." she said, huffed and went back inside.
Harry breathed with ease and dispelled the disillusionment. He continued going to his destination, already hearing the bedlam even from still quite long distance.
Our hero passed by all kinds of trades – brooms, alchemical ingredients, souvenirs, sweets, drinks and clothes.. He even saw one guy trying to sell snakes!
Somebody patted his shoulder, making Harry turn around. Draco Malfoy stood right in front of him, smiling and extending his right hand.
Harry shook it firmly.
"Finally, I found you, Harry. How's the fair so far?" Draco asked.
"Quite good. Where are your parents?"
"Father is speaking with Minister and Mother has to stay with him to nod her head when it's appropriate, you know. Ron?"
"Luna is all over him right now in some dark corner of the forest, probably" Harry answered, smiling.
Draco snickered.
"I should have guessed as much... Father seems to know something about the next year that I don't and it irritates me!" he complained.
"Oh, I'm sure he plays unspeakable because of the Tri-Wizard Tournament – it was started anew." Harry said.
Draco's eyes lit at once.
"Really? Do you think we can try our candidacies for championship?"
"I don't know, Draco. Although I for sure would like to represent Hogwarts!" Harry answered.
Draco friendly pushed Potter on the shoulder.
"Leave some fame for your friends! You already have enough!" he shouted quizzically.
"You should have asked before I made up my mind, Draco, – I will become the Hogwarts' champion." Harry said.
His eyes were burning with flames of determination. Draco saw it clearly, knowing for sure now that his friend wasn't joking, and held his hands up.
"Ok, ok, Pottie – you are the champion, me and Ron are you two most loyal sidekicks. Don't cry, though, when the press will rip you to shreds. And don't you ever dare to ask me to do something perverted! Honestly I don't want to be the champion – too much attention, and I'm the future Lord Malfoy, so I would need this thousand galleon prize only to stuff it in Weasly's ass." Draco said seriously.
"By the way, you are unhealthily obsessedwith accumulating power and fame, Harry. Nah, you don't need my notations. Let's go find some trouble." he finished his little tirade.
They put their hands around each others shoulders friendly and started walking around the fair, looking for nothing in particular.
Next day morning Harry, Albus and Sirius went to the stadium, after preparing themselves and having a breakfast. There was a huge line starting from the stadium's entrance and ending.. Harry didn't want to know where it ended.
Dumbledore approached the checker, who was a nothing special man with balding hair and dull blue eyes. Sirius and Harry simply followed Albus.
"Tickets?" the checker asked in a bored way, sitting at his table and not even looking up.
"Hello, Gerod, it's nice to see you again. Three seats at, top box with the minister, the upper lounge, please." Dumbledore said politely.
Gerod looked up in surprise and saw Albus Dumbledore himself standing in front of him, in his sublime Chief Warlock robe.
"O-o-of c-course, s-s-sir. Just ent-ter the h-hallway and g-go to th-the left – there are st-tairs g-g-going up t-towards the Minister's l-lounge." the man stuttered.
"Thank you, Gerod. And don't you worry – you've done everything right." the old wizard said, twinkle once again apparent in his blue eyes.
They entered the very important people's lounge and were met by no one less than minister Cornelius Fudge with Lucius Malfoy at his side. The moment Harry saw the man, he understood that this guy was, as Harry's mentor liked to call this sort of men, a 'true politician', although it made the young man wonder about Albus' enmity toward them – the old man was one himself! Cornelius' green bowler-like hat really annoyed Harry too. Still he kept his appearance, firmly shaking minister's hand and having a small talk with him.
After the exchange of pleasantries ended, they all sat to their respective places – Fudge at the centre, Dumbledore at his right, Lucius at left. Harry sat with Draco at the table to the right from central. Sirius decided to catch up with his cousin Narcissa, so they sat at the left one.
The game started soon enough. The voice of commentator, accentuated by 'Sonorus', reverberated on the walls of huge quidditch stadium. Harry remembered that Sirius told him it could contain about a hundred thousands spectators at once!
"Welcome to the final game of Four Hundred and Twenty Second Quidditch World Cup!"
Tens of thousands of magical folk cheered deafeningly.
"Today I, Ludovic Bagman, am here to commentate this game!"
If the cheer by watchers of the game was deafening before it was literally thunderous now: thousands of flags were waved; screams, shouts and anthems were mixing into stunning Cacophony.
"First, I would like to introduce Bulgarian Team Mascots!"
Draco and Harry were having a small talk when a hundred of... of beautiful women dressed in.. hem.. some clothes, whose faces and bodies were worthy of a thousand rapturous epithets by poets, made two friends, and not only them by the way, enter into an entranced state (and literally drool) – these women weren't human for sure.
Harry suddenly realized how stupid he must be looking at that moment: it was like a great dam was chimed by a huge stream of thoughts in his mind.
"Beautiful, entrancing, skin glowing, platinum blond hair... Think, idiot, think! ...Veela!" Potter thought.
He smacked his forehead, understanding just how much of an idiot he seemed to be a few moments ago, if Draco's or, actually, all the men watchers' hungry expressions were telling some story. Potter saw how men tried to enter the pitch but were blocked by a magical barrier, though they were all very persistent, continuing their futile attempts.
Veela started their ardent dance, making all blood in Harry's body move to one certain part of it – he could be resistant to their charm and occlument, but he still was a young man who was seeing a hundred of voluptuous women.
When his blond friend tried to jump from the top box' balcony, Harry swiftly stunned him with a quick 'Stupefy'.
Once the veela finished dancing, Harry awoke Draco.
'Rennervate'
"Uh... Merlin, what happened, Harry?" he asked, standing up and shaking his head.
"You were charmed by veela, ponce, - you tried to jump from our lounge to give them a hug (and maybe not only that), and would succeed if I didn't stop you. Not only you, though." the green eyed wizard answered, smiling.
"Thank you, Harry – I really appreciate what you did."
Potter friendly clapped his hand on Draco's back. The blond was really thankful.
"That's what friends are for, blondie! OUCH!" He was poked royally by Malfoy.
The voice of commentator boomed again.
"And now, ladies and gentlemen, cheer for the IRISH NATIONAL TEAM MASCOTS!"
"HURRAY!" the great majority of watchers fulminated in cheers, making Harry's eardrums almost explode by the pressure they were under.
Although the cheer for Irish team mascots was thundering, their spectacular fireworks show and leprechauns didn't make Harry excited as much as dancing veela. No, it wasn't boring for him... alright, maybe, a little bit?
When people started madly muster leprechaun's gold from the floor, Harry and Draco laughed at people's stupidity – everyone who cared to actually study magical creatures a bit knew that little bastards' gold was fake and disappeared after a few hours.
While the young men were enjoying themselves, Lucius and Albus made bets. How they did it without Fudge being involved? He was stunned and after he would be obliviated from a memory that he was stunned.
"Forty thousand galleons on Bulgarians being victorious, Lord Dumbledore." said the former, writing a check on the aforementioned sum.
"My my, Lord Malfoy, you truly do like to make considerable stakes! Forty thousand galleons on Krum catching the snitch, but Irish still being victorious." Dumbledore conjured a fancy piece of parchment and wrote a check.
The men shook each other's hands, sealing the deal.
Both were sure in their rightness, but only one would be truly right after the game would end.
"Ladies and gentlemen, let all of us kindly welcome the Bulgarian National Quidditch Team!"
"Dmitrov! Ivanova! Zograf! Levski! Vulchanov! Volkov! AAAAAAND... KRUM!"
When the Bulgarian Team scarlet-clad players shot out from the entrance somewhere below, one by one, flying so fast that they blurred, all their supporters became ecstatic. Especially once the last player flew onto the pitch in a very fancy way.
Harry wondered how this Krum guy could be just eighteen – he looked as if he was at least twenty five, for Merlin's sake!
"And now – the Irish National Quidditch Team!"
Harry started hating all the watchers.
It was too loud.
"Lord Malfoy, I must tell that I greatly enjoy making business with you." Dumbledore jovially told Lucius, whose face wore annoyed scowl.
Elder Malfoy gave the check to Albus and left, quickly taking Draco and Narcissa with him.
The Hogwarts headmaster subtly put the check in his inside pocket and left the stadium with Harry and Sirius.
Harry and his godfather were having a nice dinner, when screams of terror were heard by them. They took their wands fast and ran outside.
People were running from figures clad in black with skull shaped masks.
Harry blocked some reddish stray curse, conjuring concrete wall on its way.
"Who are those clowns, Sirius?" the young man asked, apparently bored.
"Death Eater scum, pup. Let's see now who can neutralize more!" the man exclaimed, taking out one of the idiots with a simple 'Expelliarmus'. He caught the fool's wand and broke it, switching swiftly to another target.
Harry had immobilized three Death Eaters already – using 'Incarcerous' followed by his now trademark red napkins stuffed in their mouths, when his mentor showed up.
Dumbledore bent on his knee, touching the earth with his wand's tip.
'Opprimo Conica!'
The earth cracked, glowing white, and an enormous conical shock-wave crushed ten Death Eaters who dared to attack the Supreme Mugwump. They were all thrown in the air as if they were some kind of skittles, and fell.. 'somewhere far' as Harry thought, watching what Albus did.
Then it was just a blur for everyone... In ten minutes all the Death Eaters around him were overpowered and incarcerated by magic metallic ropes nicely.
"It must hurt like hell" Harry thought, smiling at them evilly.
'Accio Death Eaters' Masks' the old wizard cast. All their masks shot in the air towards him. He burnt them all with a fire whip, making all of the black-clad figures shudder in fear.
The head of Department of Magical Law Enforcement showed up with Hit-Wizard and Auror divisions. She was a strict looking person, and an aura of power was radiating from her – not the one Dumbledore had around him, in his case it was almost tangible raw magic, she instead had an aura of Authority, hardness, and a gaze that almost dared anyone to try make a joke about her.
"Albus, where are the rest of them" she said laconically.
"Dear Amelia, under more positive circumstances I would say how it's nice to see you again, but we must deal with the Death Eaters here first..." Dumbledore started his monologue. The woman's right eye twitched in irritation, but she successfully suppressed her the feeling.
"Albus, I don't have time to listen to your ranting. I repeat the question - where are they now?"
The twinkle left old man's eyes at once then.
"They are chasing the people in the forest. I counted about thirty more of them. So, do you require my assistance?" he said seriously.
"No, Albus, it's what these people are here for." she replied, gesticulating towards her subordinates.
"I want twenty of you to stay at the camp and check for anyone who is hurt and Eaters that can still stalk here. The rest of you – scour the entire forest for injured people and You-Know-Who followers." Amelia commanded.
All the law enforcers complied.
Albus patted Harry's shoulder proudly.
"You fought well, my boy. Now Sirius, I must take Harry with me - he will be in safe place for the rest of the Summer Holidays." he said.
It was clearly apparent that Padfoot was unwilling to let Dumbledore take Harry somewhere, but his common sense told him that his godson really needed it.
"Alright, just take care of my godson or even your fancy magic wouldn't save your old miserable ass from my wrath, Dumbledore." Sirius threatened.
Albus put his hands up, calming the man.
"Of course, Sirius – Harry will be absolutely safe. Fawkes!"
The phoenix appeared on old wizard's shoulder.
"Take us you-know-where!" he asked his familiar, looking cunningly at Black and taking Harry's hand in his.
Mentor and his protégé instantly disappeared in a powerful blinding show of flames.