As things became busier, I was having a harder time with everything. It wasn't as bad as things were before, but I had a headache and my jaw was aching constantly. I'd had a full glass of blood as soon as the symptoms started up and had my pockets full of blood pops and a few extra vials. It was soon time to go get in our seats for the match and Lupin stood by me hesitantly as we walked through the crowds.

"You're certain you'll be fine?"

"Leave the kid be, Remus," Sirius sighed, jittery and excited for the match. "He said he was fine and we can always Apparate him away if it gets to be too much."

"We'll be in a crowded stadium though."

Sirius smirked then, waving his tickets. "I got us Box Seats. Only people up there will be those Ministry bastards and a few others. Won't be the best company, but at least it won't be crowded and we get a good view."

Lupin sighed, pulling Sirius's hood down lower over his face. "Just… try to remember that people still aren't used to you being innocent."

Sirius scoffed. "Please. I've got supporters, you know. Soon as word of my innocence went out they started demanding compensation from the Ministry." His grin came back. "How do you think I got these tickets? The Ministry wants to show there are no hard feelings. Morons."

I watched this exchange in mild amusement as Lupin sighed again in exasperation. I rather enjoyed their friendship and their mild bickering was a good distraction from the crowds around us. We reached the entrance then and started up the stairs to the very top, with those who were around us splitting off and soon leaving just the three of us making our way up. We stepped into the small box, seated perfectly between the two goal posts, and Sirius was the first to catch sight of those already seated.

"Harry!"

Harry whipped around along with the other Weasley's as Sirius threw back his hood and bounded over. Harry was scooped off his feet in a hug before Sirius set the grinning boy down and got a good look at him.

"Hope that letter I gave you worked well. How was your summer?"

Harry smiled. "Good, or… well, it'd be better with you, but the letter really helped. Thanks," he replied, growing more sheepish every second.

Hermione and the twins waved me over and I joined them in the seating with Lupin, as the man went to chat with one of Ron's older brothers.

"Did you grow taller again?" George questioned, measuring from his head to mine in surprise.

"A bit, I think," I replied, not one to really keep track as I unwrapped a blood pop.

"You like those things?" Fred questioned, eyeing the candy as I shrugged and popped it in my mouth. "George and I tried one once. They're a bit… like sucking on a Knut, you know? Coppery."

I hummed idly at that description before catching Hermione's concerned expression. "Something wrong?"

She flinched, glancing at one of the only other occupants—a small house elf—before looking back. "I was just… A-Are you going to be okay?"

I nodded easily. "Yes."

She sighed, reminding me of how Lupin was a moment ago.

"I have taken all necessary precautions," I explained, earning raised brows from the twins, who were rather confused by our vague conversation. "Lupin will take me back if it bothers me, but…" I tipped my head as I looked out at the stadium. "It's nice here. Very quiet, not crowded. I should be fine."

She cracked a smile. "Well, that's good. How was your summer? Did you do anything interesting?"

I frowned lightly, thinking about everything that had happened and what I should say; if anything at all. "I… had some trouble for a bit but I'm better now," I finally admitted, earning a rather surprised look from her.

"Oh! Well, I'm glad you're feeling better."

"Hey, so what team are you betting on, Sven?" Fred asked, grinning as I stared at their vibrant green hats and merchandise.

"I don't know," I answered. "I don't know much about Quidditch, or the teams. What makes one better than the other?"

The two exchanged looks before going into detail about the various players and past games the two teams had played, very obviously leaning towards Ireland winning though they rather enjoyed the Bulgarian Seeker. As they spoke, more people filtered into the box, shaking hands with their father while Harry and Sirius sat together and chatted about Quidditch themselves. I still didn't quite understand why Quidditch was so enjoyable or why the twins had bet on their team winning but the other team catching the snitch, but I was distracted as a familiar heavy-set man stepped in.

It was the Minister of Magic, Cornelius Fudge, who hesitantly eyed both myself and Sirius as he spoke with another man beside him. Harry's fame was proven when the man—the Bulgarian Minister—began to speak about him as well. Fudge spoke a bit with Harry, despite Sirius's glare before someone else stepped in. I shot the blonde boy a glance as he stepped in with his father and mother, earning a glare from Draco in return.

"Ah, Fudge," his father greeted. "How are you? I don't think you've met my wife, Narcissa? Or our son, Draco?"

"How do you do, how do you do?" Fudge greeted, attempting to introduce the Bulgarian Minister before pointing out Mr. Weasley.

It was interesting to see how the two bristled when faced with each other, making me glad to know that Lucius was as bad as his son. When he turned his gaze to Hermione, I myself bristled and shifted so I was placed between them, eyeing the man myself with cold eyes. He frowned before sweeping his son and wife to their seats as I huffed. A final man stepped in then, asking if everyone was ready before casting a spell that made his voice echo across the entire stadium. It was the spell that piqued my interest, getting a fond smile from Lupin as he lightly explained it to the best of his abilities.

"Ladies and gentlemen... welcome! Welcome to the final of the four hundred and twenty-second Quidditch World Cup!" He bellowed to the roar of the crowd. "And now, without further ado, allow me to introduce... the Bulgarian National Team Mascots!"

"Oh, no," Lupin muttered as women-like creatures glided onto the field. "Veela."

I tipped my head, eyeing the Veela in confusion as they started to dance. I noticed Harry was on his feet and Ron looked about ready to leap up from his seat. I instinctively grabbed the back of Sirius's cloak as he actually attempted to climb out of the box we were in and looked over to Lupin who had his gaze pointed anywhere but where the women were.

"Lupin, why is everyone acting strangely?"

"It's because of the Veela, Sven," Lupin answered, looking over to see me easily holding back a squirming, complaining Sirius without even looking at him.

"I don't get it. Even Sirius is acting strange." I glanced back at the dancing creatures with furrowed brows. "They're not that interesting."

The music stopped and complaints rang up through the audience as the mascots lined up across the field; Sirius relaxing in my grip enough for me to feel safe to release him.

"Ah, Veela," Sirius hummed as he settled back in his seat, but Lupin was eyeing me.

"Sven... could it be that you..."

"What?"

"Y-You don't find the Veela interesting because you..."

"Do you like guys?" Sirius blurted out, looking surprised after listening in.

"Sirius!" Lupin scolded.

"What! You were gonna ask!"

I just blinked in confusion. "I... I like Harry."

"Oh, God."

"And Ron and Fred and George—" I ticked off my fingers as Lupin tried to stop me.

"No. Hold on. T-That's not—" Lupin sighed. "Sven, do you like any of them? As in… more than friends."

My brows furrowed, not understanding how this was any different. "I mean... once again, I like Harry, Ron, and the two of you."

"Sven," Sirius started. "I think we're a little old for you... not that either of us swing that way anyhow."

"Swing what way? You're not swinging at all. This doesn't make any sense."

Sirius reached over and grabbed me by the shoulders. "Sven, would you kiss any of them?"

I gave him a confused look. "What? No. You two are being strange."

There was snickering coming from the twins and Hermione now looked like she was going to pass out from holding back laughter. I felt as though I was missing something and Mr. Weasley finally took pity on me.

"Veela are a type of being that affects people who are attracted to women. So, those who aren't affected are people who either have someone they already care about, someone with exceptional mental strength, or… well, don't fancy women."

It clicked then what the two adults had assumed and I felt my face flush as I buried my head in my hands. Laughter echoed out from Sirius and the others as he pat me solidly on the back and Ludo Bagman announced the entrance of the Irish team's mascot. A fireworks display went off and soon there was gold seemingly falling from the sky from a large shamrock holding bouncing little bearded men.

"Leprechauns!" Mr. Weasley announced as people in the stands tried to gather as much gold as they could.

I picked up a piece myself and eyed it before setting it back down. I didn't trust it was real and simply settled in as the teams were zooming out onto the field. When the actual game started, I just blinked. I could barely see anyone, they were moving so quickly. Even Bagman was having difficulty narrating what was going on, only able to say the names of the players as they retrieved the Quaffle. The only time things slowed down was after someone scored and took a victory lap. The Irish team scored twice more after that and when a Seeker slammed into the ground, there was a time-out.

I frowned, watching as the Seeker slowly rose to his feet and took back off into the sky again, folding my arms across my chest and tipping my head again. "I still don't understand this game. What is it about this fighting and knocking Quaffles through hoops that make it fun?"

Lupin offered a small, awkward smile as he clapped with the others. "Perhaps it is simply not your sport, Sven. That's all right too, you know."

I hummed as the game only became even more dangerous. The Veela were nearly kicked from the field. Fouls were called out every other second, and Krum had just had his nose bashed in by a bludger. Then, with one more dive from the two Seekers, the game was ended. Just as the twins had bet, Ireland won by ten points with Krum having caught the Snitch.

"Ah, the Top Box is about to get rather crowded now, Sven," Lupin informed me. "The teams will be entering to present the trophy. Will you be okay or…"

I winced, not liking the idea. I was already a little over-stimulated with the blaring cheers and announcements. The number of people in the box wasn't very many but we had space between us. Adding in two Quidditch teams would make it a bit stuffy, not to mention whatever spotlight we'd be getting when they got here.

"I better not stay," I said, giving him a look. "I can return on my own if you'd rather remain."

"No, no. While Sirius will stay, I'm perfectly fine coming back with you to the tent. We planned on leaving early anyway, given the crowd that will be leaving." He stood and offered me a hand. "Come. We can step just outside and Apparate."

I took his hand and got up, ignoring the way Draco sneered at me as we walked out to the stairs. We just caught sight of the two Quidditch teams heading up, but Lupin wrapped an arm around my shoulders and we snapped into place just outside the tent.

"Now then, how about some tea?"

It was late in the night when they were woken up by a frantic Mr. Weasley. There was screaming and the sounds of people running outside the tents, letting them know something was very wrong as Harry was told to grab a coat and get outside. Once out, he and the others could see people fleeing to the surrounding woods while flashes of spells swept across tents and fired off like gunshots.

A group of wizards were moving through the camp wearing masks and holding up the poor muggle campsite manager and his family like limp puppets. They laughed and jeered at them as more wizards joined the group and tents were shot into flames. The girls came out from their tent and Mr. Weasley ordered the boys to hide in the forest while he and the other Weasleys went to help the Ministry with this sudden situation. Someone came running towards them though and Harry felt a hint of relief to see Lupin with a large burly dog at his side.

"Sirius, you're okay!" Harry smiled, but his smile fell when Lupin looked around the group frantically.

"Have any of you seen Sven?"

The trio shook their heads as he ran a hand through his hair and Hermione stepped forward in concern.

"What happened? Where did he go?"

"He usually walks around the camp at night when it's quiet," Lupin explained. "He had to wait a little longer because of the celebrations, but when they calmed down enough, he stepped out to stretch his legs. Then, this happened."

"He won't… He won't hurt anyone, will he?" Ron asked, having grown a little more hesitant now that he knew Sven was a vampire.

"Come. We'll talk as we escort you to the forest," Lupin said, eyeing the group that was coming closer and they started walking through the tents and other fleeing people. "We had a problem over the summer. It had something to do with him getting older, but he was having issues controlling himself."

"What?" Hermione breathed, worried.

"We've done what we can to help him. He's doing everything he needs and we agreed that he was capable of continuing at Hogwarts and coming here, as a sort of… preparation for the castle. We had precautions in case it became too much for him. Our tents are enchanted to help keep out sound and we would Apparate him away if things were overwhelming. With what's happening now… I'm concerned it will be too much."

They reached the edge of the forest and he nudged them to enter.

"Stay in here and stay safe. We need to help with what's happening and search for Sven. If you find him, be careful. We don't know how overstimulated he is."

They agreed and hurried into the forest. It was dark though and Ron tripped once already as they somehow split up from the twins and Ginny. Hermione cast a spell to light the path which was full of a number of others. What they found was rather interesting. It was a group of teenagers in pajamas speaking with someone they all recognized.

"Sven!"

The boy turned, looking rather exhausted as he nodded in greeting to them and turned back to the teens as one spoke in French.

"Ou est Madame Maxime? Nous l'avons perdue et devons la retrouver." (Where is Madame Maxime? We lost her and must find her.)

"Je ne la connais pas. Pouvez-vous la décrire?" (I don't know her. Can you describe her?)

"What is he saying?" Ron asked, leaning over to the others as Hermione sighed.

"They must go to Beauxbatons. You know… Beauxbatons Academy of Magic… I read about it in 'An Appraisal of Magical Education in Europe.' He's speaking French."

"Si je la vois, je l'enverrai ici," (If I see her, I'll send her here,) Sven finished up, giving her a nod and moving over to them tiredly. "We need to move. There are too many people here."

They nodded and lit their wands, only for Harry to groan.

"Ah, no, I don't believe it… I've lost my wand!"

"You're kidding!"

Everyone looked around but there was no sign of it.

"Maybe it's back in the tent."

"Maybe it fell out of your pocket when we were running?"

"Yeah, maybe," he muttered, feeling rather unsafe until there was a wand held out to him.

Sven stood there, holding his wand by the tip and offering it. "Take mine."

"Sven, I can't—"

"I can handle people without my wand. Take it."

Harry hesitated, but nodded, muttering thanks as he took the wand and lit it. It didn't feel the same and it was a bit awkward, but he could use it easily enough as they continued. Partway down the path, Sven suddenly held out a hand to stop them as a small, familiar House Elf ran out from the bushes. She was almost fighting against something as she shouted.

"There is bad wizards about! People high, high in the air! Winky is getting out of the way!"

She made it across the path but everyone was a bit confused by her actions.

"What's up with her? Ron asked. "Why can't she run properly?"

"Bet she didn't ask permission to hide," Harry said, and Hermione went to complain about them only for Sven to cut across their conversation—eyes focused on where Winky had left.

"She was with someone."

"What?"

"Sven, mate, there was no one there," Ron countered, looking worried.

"No. I could hear their heartbeat. She wasn't fighting against a spell. She was fighting against a person."

"Sven. Sven!" Hermione called after him as he stalked into the trees towards where the House Elf had vanished. "Sven, wait!"

"I really don't think we should get involved!" Ron called as well, the three of them unable to stop the boy as he easily navigated the forest to head after the Elf and her invisible friend.

The further they went, the quieter it became until they paused in a small clearing just for Sven to whip around as someone broke through the trees. It was Ludo Bagman, looking pale and confused at them being there.

"What are you doing in here all alone?"

"Well, there's sort of a riot going on," Ron mentioned, making the man pause.

"What?"

Sven sighed. "There's a group of wizards currently holding a Muggle family up in the air and burning down tents."

"Damn them!" He swore, Disapparating instantly as Hermione frowned.

"Not exactly on top of things, Mr. Bagman, is he?"

"He was talking with a group of people over there," Sven said, pointing back the way the man had come from. "Distracted by his own conversation, most likely and too deep in the forest to notice."

"Are we done chasing after invisible people now?" Ron complained and Sven shrugged, making him huff as they settled in to wait.

"I hope the others are okay," Hermione said.

"They'll be fine," Ron waved off.

"Lupin and Sirius were looking for you, Sven," Hermione added, giving the vampire boy a look. You should've gone to your tent when the commotion happened."

"I was unable to do so with them between me and the tent," Sven replied, still eyeing the trees cautiously. "I considered becoming a bat but felt that getting out of the area through the nearby trees would have been a better idea. I do not do well with crowds, much less those in a panic."

"We heard," Harry said, getting a bit sheepish when Sven raised a brow. "Lupin found us and explained what happened over the summer. How you're… more sensitive or something."

He looked almost sad for a moment before turning away. "It is unfortunate but I am handling it as best I can."

Sensing the growing solemn mood, Hermione spoke up. "Where did you learn French? I know a little bit, but you were easily talking to those students from Beauxbatons."

She wasn't expecting him to frown further though.

"My…" Sven paused, changing what he was going to say. "Someone taught me, is all. A traveler. He said languages would be key to understanding and changing things. He was only willing to teach me one language, though he knew several."

"So, he was like your teacher then?"

"Do they have a school for vampires?" Ron asked as Harry thought about it.

"But then, why would he go to Hogwarts if they had a school?"

"Before Hogwarts, I mean. Like… My family all learned the basic stuff from my mom, though dad wanted us to go to a Muggle school to see what it was like. Writing and spelling and all that. Do vampires get that too?"

Sven shook his head. "No. There is no school. Some are picked up by powerful families and taught by elders. Others, by the sympathetic or those hoping to pass down a legacy, but the rest are on their own. I was taught by m—the traveler I knew. Others are not so lucky."

"Seriously?" Ron questioned. "Blimey."

Hermione fidgeted. "But… if vampires are made by humans being bitten, then… then you…"

Sven nodded. "I was bitten when I was very young. My parents didn't survive, but I did. The Ministry picks up the newly changed and places them in covens. Once there, young ones have to figure it out themselves or hope they are powerful enough to be taken in by elders. Adults have less of a chance of getting taken in, but it is possible. They would have lived normal lives until they were bitten so they would already have their education."

"I… I'm sorry," Harry breathed, knowing how it felt to grow up without parents but also feeling terrible for what Sven had gone through after the fact.

Sven though just shrugged. "As I said, I am lucky. Apologies are not necessary given you are not the people who put me there."

"That's so stupid though," Hermione complained. "I mean, you're almost normal, Sven! How could they just take a child and leave them in a place like that without—"

"Sh," Sven silenced her suddenly and everyone whipped around to the sounds of someone stumbling towards their clearing.

The footsteps were uneven and soon stopped. Harry went to call out, but Sven took a step forward to check and see who might be there. Then, a voice called out.

"Morsmordre!"

Sven took off into the trees as Hermione called to stop him, but Harry's eyes were on the sky where a large emerald skull appeared with a serpent protruding from between its teeth. Screams rang out around them at the appearance of the sign, but he turned his attention to Hermione who sounded frightened and scared.

"Sven! Sven, please! We need to go!"

"Hermione, what's wrong?" Harry asked, heading over only for her to grab him by the hand and start tugging him away, giving up on Sven for the moment.

"It's the Dark Mark, Harry," she moaned, tugging at him when he dug in his heels. "You-Know-Who's sign!"

Ron shouted for him to hurry up too as they started across the clearing only for a series of popping to fill the air. They were abruptly surrounded and the second Harry realized their wands were all out, he shouted.

"Duck!"

He pulled Hermione and Ron down just in time for all the wands to go off as a familiar voice shouted.

"Stop! Stop! That's my son!"

Mr. Weasley hurried over to them in concern. "Ron, Harry, Hermione. Are you all right?"

"Out of the way, Arthur," a cold voice snapped and Mr. Crouch closed in with the other Ministry wizards. "Which one of you did it? Which of you conjured the Dark Mark?"

"We didn't do that!" Harry argued, pointing at the skull overhead.

"We didn't do anything! What did you want to attack us for!" Ron added.

"Do not lie, sir!" Crouch snapped. "You have been discovered at the scene of the crime!"

"Barty," a witch argued. "They're kids, Barty. They'd never have been able to—"

"Where did the Mark come from, you three?" Mr. Weasley asked quickly and Hermione pointed at the trees.

"Over there. There was someone behind the trees. They shouted words, an incantation. S-Sven rushed after them."

"Stood over there, did they?" Crouch snapped. "Said an incantation, did they? You seem very well informed about how the Mark is summoned, missey."

None of the other Ministry workers listened to the man's crazed rambling as they turned their wands to the area she'd pointed.

"We're too late. They'll have Disapparated."

"I don't think so. Our Stunners went right through those trees. There's a good chance we got them." The man started for the trees as others called their warnings.

"But Sven was over there, Mr. Weasley," she said. "He might have gotten hit."

The man who went into the trees—Mr. Diggory—came back. "Yes! We got them! There's someone here! Unconscious! It's… but, blimey."

"You've got someone?" Crouch shouted, a little surprised. "Who? Who is it?"

Mr. Diggory returned, holding the limp figure of Winky in his arms and holding the back collar of Sven's robes as he nursed a bloody nose. Crouch looked pale as the elf was laid on the ground but quickly turned his eyes towards Sven.

"You! You must have cast it!"

"No!" Hermione shouted. "He was with us! He ran to go after the person after it was cast!"

Harry and Ron quickly agreed as Sven was released and pulled his hand away from his nose to check the blood on his hand.

"There's no possible way the elf did it! It must have been him."

Seeing that Sven was getting unjustly blamed, Mr. Weasley stepped forward.

"Sven, can you explain what happened?"

He nodded, lowering his hand from his nose so he wasn't muffled as he spoke. "I was with everyone and we saw the House Elf struggling across a path and into the trees. We followed but lost them here."

Harry noted he wasn't mentioning knowing about a second person yet and had to bite his tongue to keep that a secret. Giving it away would give away what Sven was, which was dangerous.

"We stayed here to keep safe from what was happening in the camp and heard a noise. Someone said a spell and I rushed into the trees to at least see who it was."

"Very reckless," Mr. Weasley scolded before Mr. Diggory spoke up.

"And did you see?"

Sven shook his head, grimacing as the blood from his nose dripped once more and he took the handkerchief offered by Hermione to press against it. "No, but I fought them."

"You what?"

Sven raised a brow at Mr. Crouch. "My nose is broken and you think I did what? Walked into a tree?"

The man bristled. "Stunners were sent through the trees. You must have been hit."

"Stunners don't break noses, sir," Sven argued, looking back to Mr. Weasley and brushing off the bristling man. "I couldn't see him because he was under an Invisibility Cloak."

Crouch seemed to pale at that while Mr. Diggory questioned it.

"An Invisibility Cloak? They're very rare. Are you certain?"

Sven nodded. "I could feel the fabric when we fought. I tried to pull it off to see who it was, but I was on the ground and he was hit by the stunner. It was only after I was able to see, but I don't recognize him."

"He's lying," Crouch said, though his voice was far softer and more panicked than he expected and no one listened.

"You saw him?"

Sven nodded. "Yes. Very clearly."

"This cannot be. No," Crouch said, storming into the forest.

Others went after him just as Ludo Bagman snapped into existence beside Mr. Weasley, making Sven bristle instinctually before relaxing somewhat when Hermione grabbed his sleeve.

"The Dark Mark!" He panted, trying to figure out what happened. "Who did it? Did you get them? Barty! What's going on?"

Mr. Crouch had returned with the others empty-handed, though Bagman didn't seem to notice the man's distress.

"Where have you been, Barty? Why weren't you at the match? Your elf was saving you a seat too." he spotted said elf unconscious at his feet. "Gulping gargoyles! What happened to her?"

"I have been busy, Ludo," Mr. Crouch said sharply. "And my elf has been stunned."

"Stunned? By you lot, you mean? But why—" He seemed to answer his own question as he glanced up at the skull and back, but before he could claim the elf did it, Sven spoke up.

"There was a man in the forest under an Invisibility Cloak who cast it."

"He's lying," Mr. Crouch snapped. "There was no one there. We searched!"

"He would've woken up from the stunner by now," Mr. Diggory said, gesturing to the downed elf. "And she couldn't have done it. She doesn't have a wand."

"Search the boy! He must have done it!"

"We already said he was with us when it was cast!" Harry argued, but Sven stepped forward and held out his arms.

"You can search me. I don't have my wand on me."

Harry remembered Sven having given him his wand and shut his mouth as Mr. Diggory searched him and found nothing.

"He doesn't have a wand either."

"Search the forest again! He must have hidden it!"

"We've already searched," one of the others said. "If the culprit woke up, they would've taken it with them."

"There is no other person!"

"Why was your elf here though?"

"She was running from the camp like everyone else," Sven defended Winky. "We only followed because we thought she might get lost or in trouble."

"Yeah," Hermione agreed. "She was just in the wrong place, is all!"

They'd come to a standstill and after a moment, Crouch finally spat out instructions.

"The boy needs to be taken into the ministry for questioning and—"

"I refuse."

"Excuse me?"

All eyes went to Sven and even Mr. Weasley was a bit uncertain.

"Sven, they just want to find out who you saw."

"And I have a right to refuse," Sven argued. "I am not comfortable speaking with the people here about what I saw unless one of my guardians is present."

Crouch bristled, but Mr. Diggory stepped in.

"Well, that's easy to accommodate. Seeing as you're underage anyway, we best inform your parents."

"I don't have parents," Sven declared, surprising them. "However, I have guardians waiting for me in camp."

"You're speaking of Remus, yes?" Mr. Weasley said, looking at the others. "I can escort him and these other children back to their tents. I will inform his guardians of what has happened and set up a date to meet at the Ministry. Is that all right, given he is not a criminal nor being accused of a crime?"

Crouch didn't look pleased but knew there was no other option. He woke Winky and hauled her to her feet before leaving. The other Ministry workers left themselves with nods to Mr. Weasley before the group headed back to the tents to explain to Lupin and Sirius what had happened.

"Harry."

"Hm?"

"Here."

Harry looked surprised when I handed him his wand on the way back to the tents. "You found it?"

I nodded, though I shushed him to keep his voice down. "The person I fought had it. Don't say anything. We don't want them thinking you cast it."

"But how did they—"

"He was with Winky in the forest. He could've been with her in the Top Box and taken it," I said as Harry handed me back my own wand. "Staying quiet about it is for the best."

Harry nodded in agreement, wincing when I tapped my wand to my broken nose and fixed it with a sickening "snap." It made my eyes water a bit, but I cleaned up my face just as we entered the tent where the other Weasley brothers looked a little worse for wear.

"Did you get them, dad?" Bill asked. "The person who conjured the mark?"

"No. We found Barty Crouch's elf and Sven here attacked the culprit, but he got away and we're none the wiser about who actually conjured it."

"What?"

"Mr. Crouch's elf?"

"This kid fought him?"

"I did, and they're requesting me at the Ministry to provide an identity," I declared, but I swallowed thickly.

There was a lot of blood in this room and after the commotion earlier, my hunger was more than overwhelming.

"W-Would you like me to help heal you?" I asked, restraining the urge in the hopes that I could heal them and clean the brothers up enough for it to be less affecting.

"You know healing magic?"

I nodded. "I learned from Madam Pomfrey when she grew tired of me being in the infirmary."

Bill snorted as he moved the bedsheet he was using to staunch blood flow from a gash on his arm. I took a slow, deep breath and let it out as calmly as I could as I ran my wand over his arm. It wasn't perfect, nor completely healed, but I'd stopped the bleeding and cleaned it up.

"I-I can't heal it completely," I said, hating the slight quiver in my voice that undoubtedly drew the stares of the trio who knew what I was.

"That's fine. It's actually really good! You've got me impressed. Sven, was it?"

I nodded, moving to Percy who was a little more hesitant about me helping with his bloody nose, but more relaxed than he had been before I helped Bill. Once he was finished, I could relax a bit more and moved as far away from them as I could to better deal with the lingering scent of blood. Of course, it was then that Lupin and Sirius came rushing in to ask where I was.

"He's just there," Mr. Weasley pointed out and I winced when Lupin's stern gaze fell on me.

"Now, Remus," Sirius started, but Lupin ignored him as he stormed up to me.

"What were you thinking?" Lupin snapped as I pursed my lips and eyed the ground instead of facing his wrath. "We put precautions in place just to bring you here and you blatantly ignored them the moment it mattered!"

"I didn't—"

"You did because otherwise we wouldn't have been searching all over for you and you would've been safe in the tent!"

There was no point in arguing with him. He was upset and angry and nothing I would say would get through to him. So, I just sat in silence and rubbed at my forehead as my other hand fisted around the fabric of my cloak.

"Remus," Sirius said firmly but soft. "This isn't the place."

Lupin relaxed a bit before letting out a heavy sigh. "We should return to the tent and get ready to leave."

"Ah, there is one thing, Remus," Mr. Weasley said.

He began to explain what had happened in the forest and when it was brought up that I'd attacked the perpetrator and was required to have a meeting at the Ministry, Lupin looked about ready to go on yet another tirade. Thankfully, he took a calming breath and nodded.

"I'll make an appointment with the Ministry to bring him in. Now, if you'll excuse us." His gaze snapped to me. "It seems we have some things to talk about."

Great.