Chapter 5
Fred, George and Ginny were huddled together near several other families that had run away from the campground. Everyone was nervous and tense. Fred and Ginny were resting on the ground, but George kept looking around as people walked past, he was really jumpy and agitated. "I still don't see them," he said to Fred and Ginny. They had been looking around for Ron and others, or any sign of their father.
"And we probably won't until we get back to the campground," Fred replied. "You'll just have to be patient until Dad comes," Fred was losing his temper. He had barely managed to keep George from running off to search the woods.
George continued craning his neck above some people standing around in front of him. He muttered, "These stupid people are in my way…" George moved to walk further away, but Fred grabbed his pant leg.
"Just sit down and wait!" Fred practically yelled at him. George glared at his brother and was tempted to continue walking. Fred lowered his voice, "Look, you're not going to find her in all this chaos." George looked around one last time and sat down with a sigh. Fred continued, "I know you're worried, mate. But she's not alone, she's got Ron, Harry, and Hermione with her." George still didn't look convinced, "You know as well as I do that Hermione isn't going to let anybody get into any trouble." George laughed a little and Ginny narrowed her eyes at Fred for making the joke at Hermione's expense.
Fred shrugged his shoulders at her and had an expression on his face that said, "How else was I going to get him to relax?" Suddenly a commotion broke out over to their left. People began talking in low panicked voices and more people began rushing to small clearings in the trees.
Ginny's voice squeaked, "What's happening? Are those wizards coming?" She looked fearfully at Fred and George. George got up, motioning them to wait there. George pushed through a crowd of people and came out into a clearing. Everyone was looking up into the sky, George heard an old wizard next to him whisper fearfully, "It's the Dark Mark!" George looked up into the sky, his eyes widening.
Up above him, green smoke had twisted into a snake that was twining itself around a skull. Everyone was whispering fearfully about Voldemort as George made his way back to Fred and Ginny. Fred and Ginny stood up as he approached. "What is it?" Fred asked.
George replied uncertainly, still unwilling to believe what he had seen, "The Dark Mark." Fred's eyes widened in surprise and Ginny's mouth dropped open a little. George led them to the clearing and they looked into the sky.
Ginny looked briefly before looking at George, "I don't want to stay here any more. Where's Dad?" She was near tears and George hugged her, he tugged Fred's arm. Fred had been transfixed by the symbol hanging in the sky, a look of horror and astonishment on his face. Fred looked at George and he gestured down at Ginny.
Fred nodded and George let go of Ginny. Fred put an arm around her shoulder, he began talking merrily as they walked away from the clearing, "Come on, old girl, Dad will be here any minute. Everything's going to be just fine."
No sooner then he spoke, they heard someone calling above the crowd. "George! Fred! Ginny!" They turned around and saw their father walking through the crowds of people.
"Dad!" Ginny shouted. She ran towards him and he hugged her tight.
Mr. Weasley walked towards them and squeezed his son's shoulders. "You're safe." Mr. Weasley stopped to catch his breath. "We can go back to the tent now. I found Ron, Harry, Hermione, and Serena. They're already there waiting." Fred looked pointedly at George, but he ignored the look. "Can you find your way back?"
Fred and George nodded, but Ginny looked panicked, "Aren't you coming with us?"
"I'll be along in a few minutes, so don't you worry. I have to get all these people going in the right direction. Just stay together." Ginny nodded and Fred took her hand once more. They started walking back through the forest towards the campground, the shouts of their father beginning to fade away.
Soon more families began walking back, all taking their father's directions. It wasn't long before they left the forest and got back to their campgrounds. Many tents had been destroyed, the only evidence of them being there were the singe marks on the ground or their owners looking through the debris. The three siblings finally reached the tent and they went inside.
Ron and Harry were sitting silently at the table next to Hermione and Serena. They all looked up as the three entered the room. Ginny took the last chair at the table and Fred and George went to grab more chairs. "Serena, what happened to your hands!" Ginny exclaimed.
"What?" George blurted. He looked at Serena and saw Hermione had wrapped a bandage over the knuckles of her left hand and was swiftly working at the right hand. Serena smiled sheepishly and he saw her cut lip and the black eye forming.
Ron and Harry couldn't help smiling and Hermione glared darkly at them. Serena looked at Ron, "You can go ahead and tell them."
Ron leaned forward excitedly, "It was brilliant! There we were, and Malfoy was there, being a complete ass."
Fred interrupted, "Malfoy? Draco Malfoy?"
Harry and Ron nodded eagerly and Ron continued the tale, "We were all set to just walk away, when suddenly, she just snaps." Ron made a breaking gesture with his hands, "She lunged at him and was beating him senseless, and all he could do was squeal."
"I'm pretty sure he screamed for his mother," Harry added.
"It's like she was possessed!" Ron continued. "Nothing could stop her. There was blood everywhere!" He spread his arms widely.
Ginny eyes were wide with shock and Fred and George were both laughing. "Okay, just a minute, there was not blood everywhere," Serena corrected.
Ron continued like he hadn't heard her, "We were all trying to stop her, but she just kept hitting him."
"Ronald Weasley!" Hermione scolded, "That is a lie! You and Harry were both watching as I was yelling for you to help her." Hermione finished taping the last bandage.
"If they really wanted to help," George teased, "They should have held down his hands so she didn't get hit."
"That's going to be a good one to tell at Hogwarts!" Fred laughed. "What did he say to make you so mad?"
Ron or Harry didn't rush forward any explanation and Serena just laughed it off, "Oh, just the usual insults. But I figured he had gotten a little too cocky since Hermione let him have it." Serena smiled as Hermione's face colored from remembering her own fight with Malfoy. George saw through the light-hearted expression and determined that Malfoy must have said something very cruel to get Serena to react the way she did. He resolved to ask her later what Malfoy had actually said.
Mr. Weasley walked through the tent flap and clapped his hands, Charlie, Bill and Percy followed behind him. "Everyone, get your things together. We're going home as soon as we can." Everyone got up and headed off to get their things. Mr. Weasley saw Serena's bandaged hands, "Oh, good. As soon as we get to the Burrow, Molly will have you healed up." He hesitated a moment, "Don't worry about…we'll just tell her you fell or something. We don't want her upset about anything else."
"Thanks, Mr. Weasley," Serena said, relieved. She had been worried about Mrs. Weasley's reaction towards her fighting with Draco Malfoy. Serena headed to her bunk bed and grabbed her bag off the top bunk. Immediately she had to set it down as pain shot through her knuckles. She tried to make a fist and found she couldn't. She sighed and wondered how she was going to pick up her bag, something that used to be simple enough.
"Need some help?" Serena turned around and George was standing in the doorway, his pack already hanging on his back.
Serena blushed a little, "Yeah. Kind of sad, I can't even pick up my bag." George picked up the bag and moved to throw the strap over his shoulder. Serena objected, "Oh, you don't have to carry it. I mean, if you could just put it over my shoulder for me…"
"Don't worry about it, I'm a big strong man," George flexed his arms and grinned.
Serena shook her head, "Really…just give me my bag."
George shrugged the bag off, "If you insist."
"I do," she said. George put the bag over her head and she put out an arm so the bag hung slant wise across her body.
"Feel right?" George asked as he adjusted the bag to rest on her hip.
"Yup, thanks," Serena smiled as George briefly rested his hands on her waist and shoulder.
"No problem." George smiled crookedly, "Let's get out of here." They walked outside and everyone was waiting.
"Everybody all set?" Mr. Weasley asked. He looked around and made sure he had everyone. He waved his wand and the tent packed itself away. Charlie picked it up for him and they walked over to the portkeys. There was a large line waiting, but Mr. Weasley managed to get them out without too much delay.
They walked back to the Burrow, mostly quiet. They were all tired from the excitement at the World Cup. Mrs. Weasley was outside waiting for them and ran to hug Mr. Weasley as they came near. She was near hysterics, explaining how she had read about everything in the paper. She began hugging everyone, including Harry, Hermione and Serena. After she hugged Serena she exclaimed, "What happened to your hands? And you eye!"
"Er…I fell," Serena lied. Mrs. Weasley pulled her inside the house, fussing over her and worrying over everything that had happened at the World Cup.
