Harry Potter and the Prince of Slytherin

Chapter 9: The Quidditch World Cup (pt 2)

13 August 1994
The Department of International Magical Cooperation
Office of International Portkey Arrivals & Departures
9:59 a.m.

Bartemius Crouch, Director of the DIMC, checked his pocket watch and then glowered even more than usual. This was astonishing to Percy Weasley, who'd worked for the man all summer and had thought Crouch already glowered as much as any human being possibly could. In addition to his long-suffering intern, Director Crouch (he'd had the "Sr." struck from his official stationery years before after the incarceration of his Death Eater son) was flanked by a number of other Ministry personnel: Chief Auror Amelia Bones and DMLE Director Corban Yaxley, along with every Hit Wizard and Auror not already on-site at the Quidditch World Cup. Chief Warlock Dumbledore was on hand as well, though Percy suspected his presence was meant to keep the British wizards from doing something stupid rather than to deter the "diplomatic envoy" from doing ... well, whatever it was everyone else was afraid that the legendary Dark Lord McAvity was going to do.

Privately, Percy thought the show of force was ridiculous overkill. Whatever McAvity had done back in the 1960s to warrant banishment from Wizarding Britain, he was presently the Director of the Australian Department of Magical-Muggle Relations and the fourth highest figure in the Australian wizarding government. More importantly, he had complete diplomatic immunity, which made the British Ministry's show of force even more farcical. Unless McAvity fired off an Unforgiveable immediately after his Portkey arrival, none of the assembled law enforcement officials would be able to touch him.

"Or them, as the case may be," Percy thought to himself as the wizard's Portkey finally delivered him to the scene ... along with his sizeable entourage. Apparently, like Dumbledore, the Australian delegation had been (justifiably) worried about the Ministry doing something stupid. Suddenly appearing within the Portkey staging area were more than twenty people all holding onto what looked to be fifty feet of garden hose to which the Portkey Charm had been affixed. The arrivals were arranged in somewhat concentrically, with Alexander McAvity in the very center, ten or so other diplomatic personnel clumped around him, and a dozen Australian Aurors in the outside. Oh, and what appeared to be an odd-looking canine with a yellow "Team Australia" bandana wrapped around its neck. The visiting Aurors had their wands drawn but not yet pointed at anyone.

Percy, whose wand was not drawn, had a brief frisson of panic as he wondered who would be best to duck behind for cover if the curses started flying. "Probably Dumbledore," he thought. Thankfully, violence did not erupt, and the visiting Aurors relaxed and put their wands away.

"Expecting trouble, McAvity?" Crouch growled angrily.

"Not at all ... Crouch," said the infamous Muggleborn. "But it's my first time in Britain in decades. And considering how excitable your Ministry gets whenever my name is mentioned, well, my security detail insisted on extra caution."

He looked past Crouch to the score of British Aurors and Hit Wizards behind him. "As I'm sure you understand."

Then, his attention was drawn to Dumbledore who stood just behind Crouch and was resplendent in his mauve and yellow robes. McAvity grinned broadly.

"And it's wonderful to see you again, Supreme Mugwump. How long has it been?"

"Just shy of two years, Alexander," Dumbledore answered amiably. "And I have asked you repeatedly to call me Albus when the ICW is not in session."

McAvity laughed. "Do forgive me, sir, but I just don't think I have it in me to be so familiar with you. Shall we compromise? I'll just call you Headmaster."

With that, McAvity opened up his coat to reveal that in addition to his "Team Australia" Quidditch jersey, he was also wearing a somewhat worn Ravenclaw scarf that Percy thought must have been from the older man's school days. The blue and bronze clashed wildly with Australia's yellow and green color scheme. Percy fought to keep a smile off his face, as he wasn't about to share his amusement at "the Muggleborn Dark Lord" while standing so close to his irascible boss.