To be fair, the day and world didn't exactly blow up, it was the next day that Ness started to regret saying today was awesome. After a long walk back home filled with the excited buzz of chatting and hot coco at the campfire, Ness, Harry and Ron had somehow fallen asleep in their tent despite the fact that all three of them had declared that they weren't tired.

And, at the time they weren't despite not completely understanding the game or what was going on Ness still felt like he was in the stadium surrounded by the cheering crowds and the roars of anger. Ron and Harry were actually chatting about the match going over and over again about the afternoon before they started talking about school.

Something Ness protested against talking about as he reminded them how much he had been running around like a headless chicken, "I'd rather not have some dangerous side quest to do, thank you very much." Ness huffed before he burrowed under his sleeping bag as Ron teased him for a bit.

Then, he heard shouting, lots and lots of shouting.

"Boys! Get up this is urgent!"

"Not as urgent as me sleeping off a fake sugar rush." Ness groaned, forcing his eyes to open as he grabbed his hat, then he felt a surge energy as his battle instincts kicked in. They were under attack.

"Move!" Ness ordered, roughly shaking his tent-mates awake before he shoved his shoes and coat on and scrambled outside. The loud victory cheers that had carried into the night were gone, replaced by frighten screams and whimpers as Ness spotted the cause of chaos.

A group of masked wizards clumped in a group were marching forward in a slow rhythm as they held up four squirming figures, figures who were being contorted and twisted around as if they were Barbie dolls in the hands of toddlers instead of grown men while the wizards laughed and jeered at them.

"What's going on?" Ron slurred as he and Harry tumbled out of the tent, "Trouble." Ness growled as a surge of anger appeared, he needed to help those poor people, he needed those masquerading idiots to stop ruining this peaceful event with their twisted ideas of fun he needed to-,

"Ness!" he jumped as Paula grabbed him her nightgown a wrinkled mess as her short hair was pulled into a high night bun, "Paula they-," Ness started to protest when the others appeared, the eldest Weasly boys with their wands and the girls looking frightened and confused.

"We're going to help the Ministry." Mr. Weasly said, "You lot, get to the woods! It'll be safe there!"

Ness opened his mouth to protest that he and Paula could help when her voice sliced through his thoughts "Keep. Your. Mouth. Shut." She ordered as they mutely nodded their heads and scrambled into the woods.

"This is sick and wrong." Hermione mumbled, her face a pasty white as she spotted the female figure being held up upside down, her ruffled bloomers showing as she desperately tried to cover herself.

"Filthy Cultists." Paula muttered, then she stifled a yelp as her anger exploded in a form of bright orange beams, "Fire Alpha." Ness realized as it hit a masked wizard in the center of the group and set him aflame. The jeer, hoots and cries of laughter quickly morphed into ones of horror and fear as someone screamed, "I'm on fire!" which was quickly followed by cries of, "Put em' out! Put him out!"

And, "Whose the bloody idiot who did that?!"

In the wizards hast to stop the spreading fire which was quickly latching onto their comrades, the magic keeping the figures afloat disappeared, causing them to drop a short distance before Ness panicked and mentally ordered, "Stop!"

Breathing a sigh of relief as they quickly stopped in mid-air, "Return home." Ness tried, picturing the figures entering a house one that filled them with safety and relief. The figures shuddered for a bit before a faint blue light enveloped them and disappeared.

"Impressive." Was all Paula could say as Ginny grabbed their arms and hissed, "Come on! Before they-,"

"Over there!" a burning wizard yelled, "There's someone over there!"

"Peanuts." Ness groaned as Paula pulled her frying pan out of her night bag and glowered at the wizards, keeping a close eye on them as they ran into the woods, tripping and stumbling over roots and rocks until they dove behind a giant oak tree.

"So…" Ginny panted, "Who did what?"

"Explain. Later." Ness replied, a small trickle of danger running down his neck as he armed himself with a sturdy branch, "Right now we need to find the others and hide before those sick jerks find us."

"Right, but where are they?" Ginny asked as she grabbed a branch and pressed herself against the tree, as if she was trying to become one with the tree to hide herself.

"Can't tell, it's too dark and I can't exactly pinpoint where everyone is." Paula panted.

"You can pinpoint people?" Ginny questioned.

"She has telepathy power." Ness explained, "That's how we meet, she called out for help and I heard her, along with Jeff and Poo."

"And I have the freaking cultists to thank for finding quickly learning that particular skill." Paula grumbled.

"Look on the bright side! Ness chirped, "At least we're safe." And then as if to jinx Ness's statement, his battle senses went off, alerting him to three masked wizards who were sneaking up from behind, he glanced at Paula who nodded and pulled out her frying pan ignoring the questioning look they received from Ginny as they stood up and faced the three.

"Now!" Ness ordered as he jumped forward and swung his branch as if he was hitting a home-run, "Wizard/cultist A down!" a message yelled as he spun and used the left over momentum from the first swing to strike the second wizard who was in the process of yelling, Crucio!" but was knocked down before he could finish the spell as Ness connected and sent him stumbling, losing 200 hit points as he fell onto the ground in a slight daze.

He glanced at Paula who had slammed her frying pan into the third enemy's shins and jumped back, probably preparing to use a PSI attack.

"Fine! Just keep an eye on your guy!" Paula yelled, already predicting Ness's question as she performed Freeze Alpha, causing her wizard to stiffen as icy blue waves of powdered snow engulfed him, "What's this?!" he demanded as he brought up his wand to try and attack back.

He barely got the words out as Ness jumped from his opponent and used Flash Beta. Causing both wizards to collapse to the ground and twitch uncontrollable.

A message yelling "Battle won!" appeared as he and Paula whacked the wizards over their heads with their weapons to ensure that they were properly knocked out.

"It's safe Ginny." Ness called as Ginny peered around the tree in surprise, "No wonder PSI users were banned." She whispered, "You took them down just like that!"

"We're banned?" Paula asked looking confused.

"In the wizarding world." Ness clarified as he gave the wizards a wary glance, hoping they didn't have any defense charms or something to alert their friends, "And apparently, for good reason."

Ginny nodded in agreement and looked around, "We should find Harry and the others." She gave the masked wizards a wary look and added, "Before anyone else finds us."

"I doubt that we're going to be left alone just like that." Ness grumbled, eyeing his now bent branch and hefting it over his shoulder as they started to trek through the dark woods. Careful to keep Ginny in-between them since she didn't have her wand with her which made her a vulnerable target.

They were slowly making their way to a faint green blob of light which Paula sensed to be Hermione's when they overheard someone sneered. "I considered the fact that you weren't up their showing off you knickers a miracle Granger, especially with your status."

"Ahoy!" Ness yelled as he recognized that somewhat nasty voice, causing the green light to jump as they sprinted forward, "You guys okay?" as the approached, Ness could make out Harry, Ron, Hermione and Malfoy looking at them in surprise, probably because their clothes were lightly covered in dirt.

"Ness? Why are you-," Harry started to ask when Ginny tackled her older brother in a hug, "For once I'm glad to see that annoyed scowl." She huffed as she quickly pulled away and gave Malfoy a half annoyed yet forcibly worried look, "Is everyone okay?"

"Why wouldn't we be?" Hermione asked.

"Oh, it's nothing much, just got attacked by three masked weridos, no biggie." Ness said with a small little shrug, "We beat the tar out of them and started looking for you guys."

Ron paled slightly as Malfoy sneered, "See what I told you?" and earned a brash, "Shut it Malfoy!" from Ron who looked ready to punch him, only to be pulled back by Harry and Hermione who were muttering, "It's not worth it."

Paula and Ness exchanged looks while Ginny stiffened and glanced at Hermione with a worried look.

"What are they so worried about?"

Paula asked as Ness recalled Malfoy saying something about status—Oh… Right, wizards had that Pureblood, Muggleborn blood line going on, and the cult—wizards. They were wizards, did go after those Muggles first, and then caught up to Ness and Paula probably guessing they were either muggleborns or bold preteens who were fond of the muggles to start the fire in an attempt to save them.

Which meant that he, Paula and Hermione had glowing targets on their backs.

"Thanks for the warning Malfoy!" Ness chirped, "I hadn't even thought that those freaks would be going after muggles, I thought they were just terrorists." Malfoy sent him a blank look as Ness turned to his friends, "Come on, let's go try and find somewhere safe to hide."

Ron blinked at him in disbelief while Paula looked with Malfoy with a worried frown, "Can you handle yourself okay?" Paula asked, "Status or not there's no telling what could happen if a stray spell flies your way."

That comment caused Malfoy to lean back in surprise turn the blank look into one of disgust, "I'm a pureblood." He grounded out, "And I, am perfectly safe from those wizards."

"If you say so." Ness said, flashing him a grin, "But if you get into a tight spot, grab a branch and treat it like a baseball bat." He waved his broke branch in the air to prove his point, "You can't cast spells if your doubled over in pain after all!"

Malfoy pressed against the tree trunk in disgust and sent them angry glares as they started to walk away. He seemed like he wanted to say something but was at a loss for words.

When they were out of ear shot and further away from the sudden explosions Paula wrung her frying pan and glanced behind them, "I do hope his parents are raising him right." Earning a startled look from Harry and Ron, "You're joking." Ron deadpanned as Harry added, "Malfoy's a top-class jerk!"

"Well, he much tamer than I jerk I knew." Ness muttered as he remembered Porky, who had so nicely used him as a body shield and sacrifice until he back-stabbed him completely by joining the enemy team.

"Besides, he isn't a complete jerk, he had the decency to warn us in his own little way." Paula pointed out.

"By berating Hermione!?" Ron spluttered.

"He could have kept quiet," Paula softly argued, "Or, alerted the cultists, after all, those explosions seemed quite close to us but instead he chose to taunt you."

"Which, for a Slytherin seems to be their way to show affection." Ness joked, recalling all the times Selvis had mocked or jeered at Ness but actually had something slightly helpful underneath all those cruel words.

"Slytherin?" Paula questioned.

"House system." Harry clarified, "Hermione, Ron, Ginny, Ness and I are all in the Gryffindor house."

"The best house in the entire school." Ron boasted while Harry continued, "Malfoy's in the Slytherin house, which is known for having dark wizards and witches. Voldemort was a Slytherin."

"Who, is a very, very bad dead person." Ness said.

"Doesn't Penn's Woods Academy have a house system?" Hermione asked.

"No, why should we?" Paula replied with a small frown, "It sounds like a waste of time and needs to be abolished."

"When did you become so fancy?" Ness asked, "I've never heard you 'abolish' anything before."

"Ness, my father was on the council for Twoson, I've learned." Paula deadpanned as another explosion went off, "Now can we please pick up the pace before those cultists show up?"

"What cultists?" Ron asked.

"The ones who are ruining Paula's mood." Ness replied, before he mouthed don't ask and changed topic, "So, who are we meeting up with first while we look for safety?" he asked.

"The twins." Ron explained, "They should be this way." As Hermione nodded in agreement and raised her glowing wand a little higher to brighten the path, Ron did the same with his own wand after he muttered "Lumios" under his breath. Prompting Harry to do the same only to freeze as he realized something.

"I lost my wand!" Harry gasped, furiously searched his coat jacket pockets as he looked around on the forest ground in disbelief.

"You sure?" Ness questioned, "Since Paula and I left ours at the campground. You might have just forgotten to pick it up in all the chaos."

Everyone gave him a horrified look which he quickly waved away, "Relax, I can't use that thing to save my life, I'm probably better off not having it."

"He has a point." Ginny said who didn't look as horrified, "He blew up the Transfiguration classroom when he tried to turn a mouse into a button."

"How?"

"I told you I'm not a-," Ness started to say when they reached a clearing full of red tents, probably belonging to Bulgaria fans. Outside a red tent were to girls who were arguing, their expressions frightened but their gestures angry as they tried to form a plan of action.

When they spotted the group one of the girls approached them, speaking rapid French before she spotted the looks of confusion on there face she gasped slightly and whispered something to her friend that sounded like "'Ogwarts." Before they headed south.

"Who were they?" Ginny questioned as they quickly moved on, "They were from Beaxbatons Academy of Magic, I read about them in An Appraisal of Magical Education in Europe." Hermione answered, "They're probably searching for a teacher."

"Hope they find their teacher okay." Ness said as he heard the explosions grow faint, "They were heading for the war zone."

"They'll be fine." Harry said, although he too sounded a bit worried, "For now let's focus on moving forward and finding help."

"Agreed." Paula said, ending all conversation as they walked down the faded path and reentered the forest, along the way they bumped into a frantic Winky who was trying to flee but couldn't as something supposedly held her back.

Ness and Paula felt warning shivers dance up and down their spines as Winky whimpered, "People up in the sky they were! Needs to get away! Winky needs to get away!"

Ness was tempted to ask why she hadn't already ran off for the hills but stopped himself when he remembered how badly Winky had reacted when he offered her a book. He should probably just avoid speaking to House Elves in general, especially since Harry's answer behind Winky's odd behavior was her trying to escape but also punishing herself for defying her Master's orders.

Earning heated scowls from the girls as Ness glanced over his shoulder to send Winky a pitying look before she disappeared into the darkness with a quiet wail. They kept walking, ignoring a bonfire of drunken men boast about their accomplishments (One of who Harry knew after a brief pause to make sure he wasn't seeing things.) as goblins happily counted their winnings from the Qudditch games on distance tree stumps ignoring the rowdy conversations and hoots of laughter.

As they made their way to the heart of the forest before the found anyone helpful, although Ness wasn't entirely sure how 'anyone' now known as Ludo Bagman, was going to be helpful after they saw him cursed and apperate toward the campgrounds. Something he should have been doing instead of partying and wasting time with his friends who were walking away to find new sources of entertainment.

Now after what felt like hours of walking, they were stuck playing the waiting game as they watched the skies light up with magical flares and auras from powerful spells, the winds lightly playing with the trees and their bedheads as they waited in silence.

It wasn't too long before Hermione broke that silence with a question of, "Did… anyone else see that flash of blue light as we ran into the forest?"

"Yea… Wonder what that was." Ron mused as he nudged a rock with his shoe, "Hopefully it was something to save those Muggles." Harry said, warily glancing into the darkness.

"I think it was." Ginny said, stealing a glance at Ness and Paula who were sitting underneath an oak tree, their eyes scanning the darkness for any potential monsters while the others rested.

"You think so?" Hermione questioned, perking up a little at that brief glimpse of hope.

"Yea, I saw it too." Ness said, pretending to squint in recollection, "They were falling after that weird fire started then they stopped and vanished."

"I think a powerful wizard was nearby then," Harry said, secretly yet not so secretly sending Ness a look which Ginny and Paula caught as well, but pretended not to notice for Harry's sake.

"Lucky them." Ness said, "I just hope that said powerful wizard is helping the Ministry-," he froze as he heard a faint rustle, causing everyone to stand up with weapons out.

"It came from over there." Paula whispered as Hermione and Ron dimmed their wands. "Wait… it sounds like someone's casting something." Harry whispered as they quickly but quietly approached the source of the noise.

"Morsmordre." Someone commanded, casting a spell somewhere.

"What was that?" Harry questioned as a green fog rose up from the tree tops, forming a skull with a snake going through its mouth, "What a horrible image to display." Paula noted with a small frown, the she yelped as Ginny grabbed her arm whispering, "We need to leave."

"What? Why? It's just a random tattoo in the sky." Ness pointed out, frowning slightly when he noticed how pale Ron and Ginny looked, "That's You-know-who's mark!" Ron hissed, grabbing Harry's arm and dragging him away as he spat out, "Voldemort's mark!"

"Wait, I thought he was dead!" Ness exclaimed as he allowed himself to be lead away from the glowing green skull.

"Apparently his followers don't think so." Hermione pointed out as they darted between trees, trying to put as much distance between them and the skull before anyone accused them of casting the spell.

Their plan didn't work as Ness sensed a trickle of danger run up his spine one much more urgent than before and yelled, "Get down!" just as Harry pulled his arm free from Ron's grasp and yelled, "Duck!" as he dove for the ground.

Paula yelped as a combined yell of, "Stupify!" rang through the quiet woods and twenty red orbs of light flew overhead, slamming into trees before the fizzled out, "Oh, NOW the Ministry does something!" Hermione gasped as they sat up and peered into the darkness behind them to see a large group of wizards approaching them.

Their wands posed and ready to fire another volley when someone yelled, "Hold it! Those are my kids! Cease fire! Cease fire!" and Mr. Weasly pushed his way to the front of the group, breathing hard as he swiftly looked them over to check for any injuries before he sighed in slight relief and asked, "Is everyone okay?"

"Besides the heart attack, you gave us? Peachy." Ness joked as everyone else mutely nodded yes, a little surprised by the Ministry's actions.

"Out of the way, Arthur." A cold curt voice instructed as Mr. Crouch from earlier appeared beside him, his eyes cold and his face taunt with rage, "Who did it?" he ordered.

"Did what sir?" Hermione questioned.

"Don't play dumb with me." Mr. Crouch retorted, "Who. Summoned. The. Mark."

"We. Don't. Know." Ness replied, feeling it was only fair to return the man's anger. Even if Paula and Ginny pinched his arms and shot him dirty glares for his actions.

"We didn't do anything." Harry quietly protested, "We were just getting away from Lord Vold—You know who's mark."

"We wouldn't even know how to summon it." Hermione pointed out, earning a couple murmurs of, "She has a point…" from the other witches and wizards.

"Alright, then." Mr. Crouch said, sounding angrier and angrier as he kept talking, "Where did the mark come from?"

"Over their sir." Paula said, calming pointing to the tree, "We were resting in the clearing when we heard a noise, and when we went over to check it out we heard someone casting a spell."

"And then we ran." Ginny added.

"You all seem to know a lot about this." Mr. Crouch noted, his eyes narrowing.

"Because we were all there when magical fog tattoo showed up." Ness reminded him, "We're eye witnesses."

"They probably Disapperated by now." A wizard wearing a thick trench coat noted.

"Not unless one of our spells hit them." Someone else prompted, "Come on! We shot through the trees! We may have a chance!"

"Don't do anything foolish Amos." A witch wearing a woolen dress coat sighed, but no one stopped him as he rushed over to the tree the spell had been cast.

Instead a couple witches edged forward to inspect the group of slightly dirty teenagers and possible offer healing magic while Crouch shot them death glares which quickly vanished when Amos yelled, "Blimey! We did get someone!" causing the Ministry wizards and the students to rush over and see who exactly performed the spell.

"Who is it?" Crouch demanded as he pushed forward only to abruptly stopped as Amos picked up a terrified and stunned Winky, her eyes frantically looking around for searching as they gawked at the house elf in surprise.

"Winky? How did you get here?" Ness asked as Mr. Weasly plucked a wand from her hand, frowning slightly as he studied it. "Was she the only one there?" a witch questioned as Crouch moved to investigate the woods his complexion pale as Amos said, "Only one. Probably was the same person who performed the spell."

"Impossible! She doesn't have a wand!" Crouch protested the rage simmering into shock and cold disbelief.

"Actually…" Amos gestured at the wand in Mr. Weasly's hand using Lumos to properly show it off in the darkness.

"Probably stole it off of someone during the chaos." A wizard theorized as a witch clicked her tongue and muttered, "Can't be her, she wouldn't break clause three of the Code of Wand use. There must have been a wizard around here who dropped it."

"We did hear a person speaking, not an house elf. So that could have happened" Ness added, his friends nodding in agreement as Mr. Weasly carefully took to the wand and studied it before he looked at Crouch, waiting for his choice."

Crouch stiffened and pulled out his own wand muttering, "Might as well get some answers before we run around like headless chicken," and tapped Winky, muttering a spell under his breath as she fidgeted and flexed her fingers.

Once she was sure that she was free she jumped out of Amos's arms in a flustered manner and squeaked, "It wasn't Winky sir! I didn't do it!"

"Then why were you found with a wand in your hand?" Amos questioned his voice rising as Winky panicked, "And why were you over here in the first place?"

"Winky was running and—and!" the house elf trailed off and gave them pleading looks, begging to be helped as her case fell flat, "Where did you get the wand?" Amos demanded waving the wand in the air for extra emphasis, "Did you steal it?"

"N-no! Winky doesn't steal!" Winky protested, "Winky's a good house elf! Winky doesn't break the rules and-,"

"Hold on, that's my wand!" Harry realized, causing every adult and house elf to look at him in surprise, "I lost it in the chaos! Winky must have found it somehow."

"Well, that answers one question." A witch said as Mr. Weasly frowned slightly, "Harry, how long had your wand been missing?"

"No clue, I just realized it was gone a couple moments ago." Harry admitted earning a couple frowns as Winky pleaded, "Winky didn't steal the wand! And Winky didn't cast the spell! Winky's a good house elf! A good one sir!"

"Well, there's one straightforward way to answer that question." Amos said, pointing his wand tip at Harry's he said, "Prior Incantato!" summoning another green tattoo skull for a brief moment before he canceled it saying, "Deletrius." And looked at Winky who was quivering like a leaf.

"Well elf?" Amos asked, "What do you have to say for yourself?" as Mr. Weasly glanced at Crouch who had gone from over the top angry, to livid to stone cold in a couple short moments, "Amos… Think about what you're saying, how could she possibly learn a spell like that?"

"Her jerk of a master could have showed her." Ness mentally grumbled, earning a sharp, "Shush! Before he accuses us again!" from Paula, although she looked sick to her stomach.

Amos opened his mouth when Crouch cut him off, boiling rage in his words as he evenly said, "Are you suggesting that I routinely teach my servants the Dark Mark, Diggery?"

"Logically, it makes sense." Ness thought as Amos paled slightly and shook his head no, "Of course not! I'm just trying to get some answers before the Daily Prophet twists the story!"

"Really? Since it sounds like you're accusing my servant, thereby accusing me of working with the Dark Lord."

"Now Crouch, we have to investigate every lead." The witch wearing the dress coat soothed, "And Winky was right on top of the crime scene." Crouch shot her a cold look as Mr. Weasly nodded in agreement, "Besides, the children said they heard a human voice casting the spell, not an elf's." he reminded them as he turned to Winky with a gentle smile, "Winky, how exactly did you find the wand?"

"I was running sir, trying to find Mr. Crouch when I tripped I did, when I got up to run again I heard a voice and found the wand in my hand' then a bunch of people came yelling and Winky hid sir." Winky exclaimed, looking panicked.

"Did you see anyone?"

"Not a soul." Winky whimpered, "Winky just heard them, a female's voice."

"A girl?" Mr. Weasly turned to the girls who quickly huffed in indignation, "We didn't do it." Paula stressed, "We were running away, besides! I left my wand at the tent."

"Same, I've been using a tree branch to defend myself with." Ginny said, gesturing toward the broken branch beside her, "Defend yourself from what?" Mr. Weasly asked with a worried frown.

"Cult-," Paula began to say when Ness cut her off, "Freaks in masks." And shot her a pointed look.

"You were attacked?" Amos exclaimed,

"Just us three." Ness explained, gesturing toward Paula and Ginny, "We were a bit slow in getting away and some wizards spotted us."

"Good lord! Are you three alright?" a witch wearing a nightcap asked.

"Fine, just a couple cuts and bruises." Ness said with a small shrug as Mr. Weasly glanced at Crouch, "Perhaps we should continue this conversation later, once everyone is accounted for."

Crouch frowned and opened his mouth to protest when Bagman appeared, looking flustered and out of breath, "I'm here! Where's the problem!" the older man wheezed looking around in an almost drunken panic as his comrades shot him angry looks of disbelief at how late he was.

"Permission to head to the tents?" Ness asked.

Crouch stiffly said "Granted." After a long moment of silence and turned to a witch wearing a maroon red dress, "Elizabeth, escort them back to the others."

"Yes sir," Elizabeth said nodding her head as she began to usher them back to the main section of the campgrounds. she seemed to be a mother since she had no problem treating them like baby ducklings and offering them words of comfort as the gravity of the situation weighed on their minds.

Lord Voldemort's sign had shown up at a worldwide public event, a clear message that could signal many things, like his return or a poser making his name be heard loud and clear.

"Here you go." Elizabeth said, guiding them to hastily made med tent and offering them warm cups of butterbeer. Something Paula wrinkled her nose at as she took a careful step out of her steaming mug and studied the injured wizards and witches laying on cots.

Ness didn't even blink as Paula quietly murmured, "What is wrong with those cultists…" and merely gave her hand a light squeeze, "It's okay, no one's too badly hurt."

"For now." Paula grimly reminded him, "No one was supposed to be hurt by the Happy-Happy Cultists, remember?"

"This time it's different." Ness assured her, "This time, we have the upper hand since we know what our powers do and don't do."

Paula slowly nodded in agreement then flushed a bright red as Ron looked up from his mug and asked, "Are you two dating?" earning twin looks of slight anger as they tried to avoid looking at each other and glared at their friends who softly laughed at their reaction.


One of these days... I will have an updating schedule. Hopefully before Summer starts up. T_T;