Chapter 14: World On Fire
Arthur had let everyone under his care stay up far later than Molly would have, even young Ginny, who had only ever stayed up later than this during parties in Gryffindor tower. This found all 12 people celebrating the Irish win against Bulgaria, and while it was grand the Irish won, no one could stop talking about Viktor catching the snitch, as it had never really happened before and probably wouldn't happen again in their lifetime.
Cedric had opted to celebrate with his father in their own tent. Boston had done her best not to sulk about this, and no one but Kat would have picked up the subtle sadness that her usually stoney face was exhibiting.
It was the slightly vacant look in her normally bright eyes, and the lack of fire in her glare that tipped Kat off. She didn't say anything about it of course, Boston wouldn't have wanted to "talk" about it anyway.
Harry was sat at the table talking with Hermione, but it didn't look like they were talking about Quidditch, but something rather serious. Hermione had that look of worry and compilation she always had when trying to solve a problem she had yet to read about.
Bill and Charlie were taking shots of firewhiskey and trying to get Percy to join in. Percy vehemently refused all offers with a disgusted look on his face. Kat, though she had never really connected with Percy, she had never thought him as unbearable as she did now that he was working for the Ministry. Even when he was Head Boy, he was less self righteous than he was now.
Kat and Boston were in the kitchen, Boston raiding for food and Kat sitting on the counter watching the commotion. Kat swung her legs slightly, her joggers bouncing off the cupboards quietly. Boston had one hand full of chips and her mouth was filled with the orange she had found.
Fred and George had taken to a strange sort of celebrating which involved dancing like a one legged yeti and flapping around a flag like a cape. It was comical in their typical sense but entertaining enough for everyone to enjoy.
Ron was trying to steal away the firewhiskey from Bill and Charlie in order to drink it himself. Ron, unlike Bill and Charlie, could not hold his liquor to save his life.
Being in Gryffindor gave one the opportunity to try alcohol at a younger age than what would be considered a good idea. Ron had been eager to try it from the very start, but as everyone soon found out, couldn't keep any of it down for long.
Ginny was shifting between spending time in the kitchen and dancing with her brothers. It was nice to see her this happy and carefree. Out of all her siblings, Ginny clung to Fred and George the most. They never treated her like she was too young or too much of a girl to join in on their fun, only like she was family.
Arthur was messing with the fireplace with the muggle matches.
There was so much celebrating going on outside the tent, the noises all mixed together and it was a surround sound of drunken joy.
Hermione had just gone into the girls' bunks when Harry and Ron had dragged Charlie into a conversation about Quidditch. It turned into those three chanting "Krum," over and over in some sort of off kilter beat that Kat couldn't figure out.
Boston and Kat emerged from the kitchen to find George and Fred . . . well the polite term would be singing. They just repeated the same sound over and over to a repetitive melody.
Arthur had just gone to look outside when Ron got up on an ottomon and announced, "There's no one like Krum."
Fred and George stopped their singing and dancing and Fred asking in a mocking tone, "Krum?"
"Dumb Krum?" asked George.
Ron then declared, "He's like a bird the way he rides the wind." This caused the twins to circle him, flapping their arms like wings muttering Viktor's name. "He's more than an athlete," Fred threw his flag on top of Ron's head, "he's an artist."
"I think you're in love, Ron," said Ginny teasingly.
"Oh shut up," said Ron.
Without hesitation the twins started to sing. George started in with the beginning of a well known childrens' teasing song. "Viktor, I love you."
"Viktor, I do," Fred continued, getting down on his knee as if to serenade Ron.
Of course everyone joined in for the last known lines. "When we're apart, my heart beats only for you." Percy just rolled his eyes.
The noise outside got louder as Ron threw the Ireland flag at George.
"Sounds like the Irish have got their pride on," Fred said.
Kat was laughing with Hermione and Ginny about how ridiculous Ron's love for Victor Krum was, when Arthur ran back into the tent, very serious.
"Stop! Stop it!" Arthur didn't yell because, well he was Arthur, but there was nothing of the fun man playing with matches in his voice. He pulled George and Ron apart as they were hitting each other with a couch cushion. "It's not the Irish." Arthur moved to Ginny and grabbed her hand. "We've gotta get out of here. Now!"
Bill, Charlie, and Percy instantly were next to their father asking him what was going on. Kat raced to grab her bag and stuffed Boston's things into it roughly. She pulled Charlie's jacket over her shoulders and went back to Boston and Hermione.
Arthur let out a short sigh. "Death Eaters." Kat saw Boston turn so white, she was worried the girl would pass out. "The Ministry will need your help," he told his oldest children.
"Of course," Bill answered for the three of them.
"Let's go!" Arthur called as he dragged Ginny towards the front of the tent.
It was the fire Kat noticed first. Not the screams. She had gotten used to drowning out noise, but when she let it in…
A tear snuck out of her eye, but she brushed it away. From where most people were running from, Kat could see a group of wizards in dark cloaks with masks covering their faces, black hats pointed higher than the norm. A few of them were casting fire towards wizards trying to flee and tents, burning everything they touched to the ground.
The ones who weren't burning were in the middle, laughing, wands pointed straight into the air. Kat thought that they were probably a family, the four bodies floating above the Death Eaters, two of them the size of children. Muggles. One of the children's bodies contorted in a strange way. Kat thought she might be sick, but Boston grabbed her hand and forced her to look away just as what had to be the mother had been turned upside down, her nightgown falling to the ground to be trampled beneath the Death Eaters' feet.
Arthur yelled over the screams, "Get back to the Portkey, everybody, and stick together!" He turned and pushed Ginny into the twins arms. "Fred, George! Ginny is your responsibility!" George nodded at his father. "Go!"
George had Ginny by the hand, pulling her towards the hill they had all come from. Fred was right behind them, his wand out in case he had to use it. Kat and Boston were running hand in hand after the three gingers, Ron behind them and Hermione behind him.
"Harry!" Boston stopped. She spun around to look for the dark haired boy but he wasn't there. Kat had stopped with Boston but was trying to pull her along.
"Come on!" Fred yelled not far ahead. Kat turned to him but stayed with Boston. There was a flash of something across his face, then it was gone.
Hermione called out again then screamed. All three of the stopped teens looked to the girl, she had fallen to the ground.
"Mione!" Kat bellowed. She had to get up or she would get trampled.
Boston looked at Kat, then at their hands and gave her an apologetic look. Boston shot a look at Fred, a tight line across her mouth. She ripped her hand out of Kat's grasp and ran towards Hermione.
Kat went to run after her when strong arms wrapped around her waist. She pulled against them and screamed, "Boston!"
"She's got Hermione, Love. We have to go," It was Fred's voice close to her ear, his arms caging her.
She beat her fists against his arms and tried to pull herself away towards the girls. She strained more and more, sure the bruises on her were getting worse by the second, but Fred just held her tighter.
"Get off me!" She wailed at Fred. Boston hadn't gotten to Hermione yet. "Boston!" Kat screamed again as a flash of fire burned a clump of grass to her left. Someone ran into her, moving her sideways. Boston stumbled.
"Boston!"
She kept going towards Hermione, who looked like she was huddled in a ball, trying not to be trampled by the mob.
"Let go!" Kat yelled again, tears were falling freely, blurring her vision. She clawed at Fred's arms this time. "Let me go!"
"We need to go!" Fred yelled at Kat. She was still fighting to get to Boston. "Come on, Love. Please," he begged her.
"You go! We will catch up," Kat tried to argue. She looked back at the retreating figure of her best friend. "Boston!" she screamed so loud her throat burned and she could taste something like metal in her mouth.
Boston reached Hermione and hauled the girl up, righted her, and then grabbed her hand and ran towards Kat and Fred.
Kat was still fighting, intending to meet them in the middle. She heard Fred curse under his breath right before he lifted her and threw her over his shoulder. Fred started running again, away from Boston and Hermione, towards the Portkey.
Fred was fast, even with Kat weighing his and hitting his back as hard as she could. It wasn't long before she couldn't see Boston and Hermione through the crowd. "Let me go!"
"That's not happening," Fred growled.
"I have to get to her!" cried Kat. A choking sob broke through her throat. "Boston!"
"She knows where the Portkey is," Fred rationalized.
"If you do not put me down right now, I swear to Godric, I will never forgive you!" Kat's voice sounded broken.
"I can live with that."
"I hate you!"
"Boston can look after herself," Fred nearly growled.
Kat cried harder, her whole body seeming to shake with her sobs. "Boston!"
Fred's grip in her tightened even more, forcing air out of her lungs. "Fucking shut up, Love. We are almost there."
"I hate you! I hate you! I hate you!" It became a mantra, assaulting Fred's ears.
"I'm not your biggest fan right now either," he gritted out.
He stopped. He dragged her off his shoulder and put her on the ground, but his arms caged her waist again. "Fred!" Kat looked around to see they were at the Portkey. George was silent as he held tight to Ginny's hand still. Ron was pacing nervously back and forth. "Let me go!" she screamed again.
Fred turned them towards the sound of feet running in their direction, one hand freeing itself to hold his wand between them. Kat struggled against the one arm, but his fingers dug into her hip so hard she was sure there would be bruises.
A figure burst through the dark. Kat stopped breathing.
Cedric Diggory was breathing heavily as got to the group, hands on his knees.
"Hermione and Boston?" Fred asked the Hufflepuff. Cedric just shook his head, fear coating his features.
"Dad and the rest of the Ministry are fighting. He told me to come here. I," Cedric stood straight and ran a hand through his hair and shook his head. "I should have stayed to fight."
Kat struggled again as Fred's wand arm came back around her, but it didn't seem like she was trying to run towards the fire anymore. He felt her knees give out and he lowered them both to the ground. She turned in his arms and started hysterically bawling into his sweater. Fred just let her, sending a look to George, who hadn't made a single move.
"I hate you. I hate you. I hate you." Kat just sobbed and sobbed into Fred's sweater. He held her through it.
Fred looked to his brother, who had yet to let go of Ginny's hand. George was looking at the broken girl in Fred's arms. They both knew the truth. Kat didn't hate Fred, not really, but if Boston was hurt, or worse, that was it, they would both lose Kat forever.
