That night, Fred and George laid in bed talking quietly, while Aisling slept soundly next door in the tent she shared with Ginny and Hermione.
"Seamus just bloody kissed her!" Fred stated, still shocked by what had happened as they were leaving the stadium.
"Yeah, he did, mate." George agreed, shaking his head lightly at the memory.
He could practically feel the irritation rolling of himself and Fred in waves. Once the girls left to go to sleep, they went straight to the bed that they were made to share. They noticed the looks that their brothers and Harry shared, but no one knew what happened. They all just figured that they had an argument with Aisling.
"Yeah, well- I mean, he can't just do that!" Fred answered angerily, annoyed with the whole situation. He didn't know why it was messing with him like this. He had seen Aisling get kissed before, by a bloody Slytherin no less...but this was different.
"He kind of just did..." George replied cautiously as Fred glared at him. "I'm just telling you, Fred!"
"I know, I know...It's just- her grandmum wants them together and so does he- obviously." Fred pointed out, "So what if they...went together?"
"Then they go together, Freddie." George told his twin with a sigh. He didn't like it anymore than his brother, but in these moments he could keep his head about it, while Fred seemed to have trouble doing so. "But think, mate. How many guys has Aisling dated since we've known her?"
"I don't know. A lot... Is this supposed to be making me feel better?" Fred asked sarcastically.
"Yes, now shut your gob." George deadpanned before continuing, "Now, where are all of those blokes?"
"I don't know...Gone. Dumped?" Fred replied, not getting where this was headed.
"Exactly. Now, where are we- in terms of our relationship with Ash?" George prodded his brother, basically laying stepping stones to the answer at this point.
"Well, I mean, we're her best mates. Always with her during school and for the most of summer..." He trailed off, a small smile gracing his lips. "Oh.." He added quietly.
"There we go, Forge." George said with a light laugh, leaning over to ruffle his twin's hair. Fred ducked away from his hand, threatening to push him out of the bed before rolling over.
"I need sleep." He yawned widely and George rolled his eyes.
"Good thinking, Freddie."
Aisling woke to the sounds of screaming.
Immediately, she was on her feet, wand drawn as she muttered a spell to cast a light around the tent. She scanned the area for intruders before rushing to pull on her jeans. She then crossed the tent to quickly wake the other two girls, taking their hands in hers before pulling them along to the entrance of the tent. She peeked through the flap and felt her body stiffen at the sight. It was only a moment's hesitation though. Soon enough, she had lead the girls to the neighboring tent and shoved them inside. She paused at the entry, staring down the line of tents at the sight of a large mob that was growing bigger by the second. A mob that currently had four figures suspended in the air above them. Her instincts told her to run to their aide, but she knew her duty. She ducked inside the tent just as Mr. Weasley began to instruct the younger of them.
"We're going to help the Ministry!" He said, gesturing towards himself and the eldest boys. "You lot- get into the woods, and stick together. I'll come and fetch you when we've sorted this out."
Mr. Weasley turned to look at Aisling, asking her with his eyes what was she going to do. She knew that the Ministry needed her as backup and she wasn't sure where Asafia was...given that she was with the Malfoys. She hoped that they didn't try to involve her in what they did. Her sister truly did like Draco.
She glanced at Fred and George who had stopped to wait for her, Ginny's hand grasped in Fred's. "C'mon." Fred said and started towards the woods with the others following along. Aisling made a sudden decision. She turned towards Harry and nodded her head at his back, causing his jacket to glow lightly for a moment then fade, she then turned to Mr. Weasley.
"Temporary tracker." She explained. "A favorite of my Aunt Venus. I'll catch up with him later, but first I need Asafia."
The remaining Weasleys nodded in understanding before rushing off to do what was needed.
Aisling stood still for a moment before turning around with a light smile. "I knew you would find me."
Lo' and behold, Asafia faded out from the darkness. "Of course." She replied, smirking.
Aisling held out her hand and Asafia immediately took it. She felt the power surge through her body as Asafia's shook with light tremors of her own. After a moment, the tremors faded but the power remained. Aisling glanced at her sister and saw the silver glow fading from her brown eyes just as she assumed it was doing from her blue ones. The sisters released their grip on one another and headed off around the main set of tents, deciding all at once to sweep the perimeter of the group and pick off any stragglers, as well as, discourage those who were wanting to join the ever growing mob.
Aisling heard the man right before she saw him and dropped low to the ground as a blast of red light shot over her head. "Not a good idea, mate." She called, sending out a spell of her own to hit him square in the chest, freezing him on the spot. Any Ministry official that came across him in the morning would know who he tried to attack.
She caught up with Asafia who had just knocked out an attacker of her own, and they both continued forth. They brought down a few more random witches and wizards on the way who decided that two young witches were easy pickings.
"Where's Harry?" Asafia asked her sister breathlessly as she kicked a guy who was approaching the mob with a smile onto the ground.
"Where's Draco?" Aisling shot back, causing her sister to laugh.
"Touché" She replied.
A sudden burst of bright green light brought the twins' attention to the sky.
"Shit."
"Damn."
They both turned on the spot and Aisling found herself in the middle of a clearing, just in front of Ron, Hermione, and Harry. She heard popping noises on all sides of them and threw herself at the trio, pushing them down under the cover of her body as the spells shot just above their heads.
"Stop!" yelled a familiar voice. "STOP! That's my son!"
Aisling stood, turning on the spot with her wand raised at the wizards around them. She didn't have to see the look of apprehension on the officials faces to know that her eyes were glowing silver.
"Ron- Harry- Hermione." Mr. Weasley stepped forward, being the only one brave enough to do so. "Aisling- Are you all right?" He asked them all.
"Out of the way, Arthur." A cold voice said and Aisling whirled to face the newcomer, her wand pointed directly at him as she held her body in a defensive stance.
"Stand down, Guardian." The man, that Aisling now recognized as Barty Crouch, said calmly, but Aisling saw the caution in his eyes. No one wanted to get in between a Guardian and their charge.
Aisling held her position for just a moment longer before lowering her wand and stepping aside. Mr. Crouch stormed past her and up to the trio, his face taut with rage.
"Which one of you did it?" He snapped. "Which of you conjured the Dark Mark?"
"We didn't do that!" Harry defended, motioning to the giant skull still in the air. Aisling caught a glimmer of ferocity in the younger boy's eyes and had to admit, she was proud to have the assignment she did.
"We didn't do anything!" Ron said indignantly. "What did you want to attack us for?" He asked his father with a hint of mistrust in his tone.
"Do not lie, sir!" Crouch shouted, pointing his wand directly at Ron's face. Aisling shifted a bit in her spot and the wizard lowered his wand slightly. "You have been discovered at the scene of the crime!"
"Barty..." Whispered a witch in a long wool dressing gown, "They couldn't have. They're just kids. They would have never been able to-"
"Where did the mark come from, you three?" Mr. Weasley questioned and shot a glance towards Aisling.
Aisling simply shrugged. "I came here as soon as I saw it, I was just moments before you lot." She said, then added in a harsher tone. "Luckily for all of you, or you would've taken their heads off without a second look."
"Over there." Hermione butted in shakily, pointing over to a place in the woods. "There was someone behind the trees...they shouted a spell- an incantation-"
"Oh, stood over there, did they?" Mr. Crouch cut the girl off, turning on Hermione now. "Said an incantation, did they? You seem very well informed about how that Mark is summoned, Missy-"
Aisling rolled her eyes and everyone else surrounding the clearing glanced at one another before redirecting their wands to the place where Hermione had pointed.
"It's too late, they would have disapparated by now." The same witch from before piped up once more.
"I don't think so." A voice came from the crowd and Amos Diggory stepped forward, approaching all in the center of the clearing. Aisling adjusted her wand slightly in her grip, her eyes watching every little movement, taking in every small sound from the area around her. She listened as the smaller witch switched her weight from one foot to another and spotted a balding wizard from the crowd look around the space, as if bored with the whole ordeal.
"Our stunners went right through those trees..." Amos explained, heading in that direction. "There's a good chance that we got them." Aisling followed along behind Mr. Diggory, shadowing him silently as calls of, "Be careful, Amos!" sounded from the clearing behind them. They pushed away the branches and faded into the darkness.
Aisling lit her wand and they walked silently for just a moment until a body was visible on the ground.
Aisling raised her wand and approached the figure with Mr. Diggory as he yelled back, "Yes! We got them! There's someone here! Unconscious- It's...but- Blimey.." He trailed off upon recognizing the figure.
Blimey indeed.
Sprawled out on the ground in front of them was a small creature with large eyes and even larger ears that happened to be wearing a tea cloth. Both of them recognized this small creature, it was Winky, Mr. Crouch's personal house elf. They heard voices back from the clearing and Mr. Diggory looked at Aisling with worried eyes before heaving the elf into his arms.
"Don't worry, Mr. Diggory." Aisling comforted the man. They both knew what he was about to have to accuse someone of...and that accusation would most likely not result in a calm discussion. "I've got your back."
Amos gave her a small smile of thanks before pushing through the woods and back to the clearing. They were immediately met with gasps of disbelief.
Aisling watched Mr. Crouch carefully as he stood frozen, staring down at the elf that Amos had sat on the ground of the clearing. Rage was apparent on his face, along with disbelief and...was that a hint of fear? Aisling tilted her head, narrowing her eyes at the man just as he began to speak.
"This- cannot be- No!" He said jerkily. "Winky-"
They emerged from the woods a long while later and were immediately met with crowds of anxious witches and wizards. At the sight of Mr. Weasley, a bunch of them moved quickly forward and Aisling had to suppress the urge to pull her wand on them. She was just too on edge! Unfortunately, the trio next to her were already suspicious of how Mr. Crouch and the rest of the people back in the clearing had treated her and she didn't want to give them any reason to wonder more.
"Arthur- it's not- Him? Is it?"
"Of course it's not Him." Mr. Weasley stated briskly, moving the four of then along. "We don't know who it was; looks like they disapparated. Now, excuse me, please. I want to go to bed."
They pushed through the crowd and back into the campsite. It was silent now. All festivities had ended and even the Irish didn't want to attempt to lighten the deathly dark mood that had fallen.
They reached the tents and Charlie's head appeared out of one of the flaps. "Dad-" He called, "What happened? Fred, George, and Ginny got back okay, but the others-"
He trailed off when he caught sight of the four tagging along behind Arthur. "Damn, Ash. You look worse than Bill."
At those words, Aisling took a moment to assess herself. She looked down and caught sight of blood on the white tank top she had worn to bed. Her sweat pants were tore in several places and the blood, Aisling realized, was coming from a gaping gash in her side.
"Damnit, it must of been one of your lot's bloody curses." She sighed, looking at Mr. Weasley who met her eyes with a sympathetic look.
Fred and George had immediately appeared through the entrance of the tent when they heard Charlie's words. The paused when they saw the state Aisling was in, then rushed to her, each pressing a kiss to her forehead before helping her limp inside. She was sat down in a chair and soon Ginny was hovering over her, not-too-gently cleaning her side. She clenched her teeth against the pain and met Bill's eyes from across the room.
She gave him a roguish smile then looked at the twins who were hovering around her like mother hens. "Honestly, you two. I'm not dying." She told them, causing them both to flinch slightly. Aisling sighed softly and reached out, offering George, the twin closest to her, her hand. He took it, lacing his fingers through hers and squeezing lightly.
"You were supposed to follow us, Ash." Fred scolded her and Aisling laughed, causing a bit of pain to shoot through her side.
"Yeah, well I had shit to do, Freddie. I'm of age and they needed all the help they could get." She replied, gesturing at the beat up boys around the table.
Fred groaned with frustration but accepted her answer, not in the mood to argue with her.
Now that everyone was gathered and taken care of Mr. Weasley began to explain what had happened, omitting the bits about Aisling's involvement, though by the looks the three eldest boys were giving her, they knew something had went down. Aisling was simply thankful that none of the three that were there had seen her eyes.
Finally, the story was told and discussed and Mr. Weasley took control of his family once more. "Alright, your mother will have heard about this and will be out of her mind with worry, so we'll get a few more hours sleep then catch a portkey out in the morning." He decided and everyone nodded in agreement.
"I think I'm just going to pass out right here, yeah?" Aisling said, leaning back against the chair and closing her eyes, sitting to keep the pressure off of her wound. She was suddenly picked up from her place by gentle hands that were being careful to avoid her injury. She opened her eyes and were met with Fred's green ones.
"If you sleep there you will just whine about it all of tomorrow." Fred said simply, looking away from Aisling, but not being able to suppress the light blush that came to his cheeks from the look she was giving him. Couldn't he just do something nice, no questions asked?
"Alright." Aisling agreed tiredly as he sat her down on a soft bed. She pulled the blankets up to her chin and cuddled against the mattress, not even considering who gave the bed up.
Fred turned to his brother and shrugged lightly. "Let's get some sleep, Georgie." He suggested. The brother's piled some pillows and blankets together and made a small pallet. They both collapsed onto it, hand in hand, and fell straight to sleep.