Sorry for the lack of updates, but we were moving the computers around in our house, and now one of them has no internet for the time being. But I felt it was about time to update this one.

Dobby's Polka-Dotted Sock

Chapter Seventeen:

Black Mob, Dark Mark

The mood was festive and fun, even the Bulgarian fans were in a somewhat cheerful mood. Their team had put up a valiant fight after all; Leila could barely breath when they realized the twins had actually won their bet, she was laughing so hard. She consented to allow Fred, who was dancing some sort of strange jig with his twin, to grab her by the arm and spin in a circle. Meanwhile, Harry and Ron were deep in a play-by-play of the match they had just witnessed. Everyone was in high spirits, and she wondered if this good mood would ever wind down.

Eventually she, Hermione, and Ginny made their excuses to the boys and went to their tent for bed.

"That was a wicked good match," Ginny remarked below her from the bottom bunk, as Hermione turned off the lamp.

"It sure was," Leila replied with a sleepy smile. She heard Hermione's covers rustle as the other girl got into her own bed.

"Yes, I think watching that match helped me to begin to understand why Quidditch is such a mania with wizards and witches. It's—"

" 'Mione?" Leila mumbled.

"Yes, Leila?"

"G'night." There was a pause in which she heard Ginny's muffled laugh.

"Good night, you two," Hermione said.

OoO

"…Fred? George? Did you blow somethin' up again?" Ginny was mumbling, only half-awake. Leila's eyes slowly opened, though gravity seemed to be protesting. She oddly both did and did not understand Ginny's instinctive question. Fred and George were nowhere in sight and yet something was burning.

Hermione yawned, and with that Leila began to become aware of other sounds. Thousands of pounding footsteps, smashing noises, the crackle of flames, and screams. Even through the canvas flaps of the tent she could tell something was brightly shining in the distance, and she was certain it wasn't the sun.

Ginny was rubbing her eyes now and Hermione was fully sat up in bed. The two older girls met each other's eyes, uncertain. Leila climbed down from the top bunk and all three girls wrapped bathrobes around themselves over their night clothes, donning slippers on their feet.

"I suppose we should have a look?" She asked, and Hermione nodded at this reasonable suggestion. She reached for the flap—

"Leila! Hermione! Ginny!" Sirius burst into the tent. Hermione and Ginny both gasped in fright, but she was embarrassed at having been the only one to scream. Her godfather placed steadying hands on each of her shoulders. "Good, you're awake. The place is under attack; nothing too dangerous, just a bunch of drunken idiots. But it's not quite safe here. You and the boys are to head for the woods, understand? We'll come and find you once it's over." He had a hard determination set on his face, and wand out. Leila fumbled for her own as Hermione replied,

"Yes, of course." They all left the tent, Sirius running in the direction of the fires and a huge, black cloaked mass.

"Let's go!" Harry yelled above all the multitude of noise, and at least two people grabbed her by the arm. There was much confusion, several times a yell of terror would sent them running in a different direction, not sure where the danger would be coming from, and people shoved and fought to keep from being at the back. By the time they were in the woods, the only Weasley with them was Ron.

He let go of her then, and said, "What do we do now? We lost Fred, George, and Ginny!"

"I'm not sure," Hermione admitted, "But Fred and George are older than us, I'm sure they'll all be safe. We should wait here, if we keep moving no one will be able to find us." A particularly bright flame lit up the sky, and they gazed in horror as they watched three Muggles suspended midair being made to do whatever as the 'drunken idiots' cackled.

"It might be better if no one finds us," Harry decided, and they all nodded. It wasn't long before they were deep in the woods. Of course it had to be Malfoy that they ran into, the Slytherin boy insinuating some perfectly vile things that the black robed crowd would do to them.

"What, they can tell who's a Muggleborn and who's a Pure blood just by looking at them?" She asked with a defiant hand on her hip.

"They're drunk beyond recognition, Malfoy. And I'll bet you're scared of them. You're running just like we are," Harry accurately guessed, evidenced by a pink color rising in Malfoy's cheeks.

"Scared? As if," he scoffed, "I'm just trying to escape all of you blood traitors and Mud-bloods." With that, he turned on his heel and stalked out of sight, the four friends glad to be rid of him.

"I swear, if he uses that word one more time—" Ron started, but Hermione placed a hand on his arm.

"There's no point, Ron. Just don't let it bother you."

"I'm not just going to ignore it, Hermione. He's a stupid git."

"I completely agree," Leila said.

"Mosmorde!" A third voice added to the night. All four Gryffindors jumped, pulling wands out except—

"Hey! My wand's missing!" Harry exclaimed.

"What?" Leila asked, aghast. Where could it possibly be? Had Harry left it in the tent where it might at that moment be burning as a small piece of kindle?

"Nevermind that, look!" Hermione exclaimed, pointing to the sky, her face bathed in an eerie green glow. Actually everything was tinted green, due to the huge glowing symbol now hanging above to woods. A skull with a snake for its tongue.

"Tha-that's—" Ron stammered.

Several cracks filled the air around them, and a multitude of voices shouted, "Reducto!" Leila was not the only one to scream this time, as all four dove to the ground to avoid the jets of red light.

Leila was yanked up by the hood of her sweatshirt, shocked to come face-to-face with Mr. Diggory. To her right, Mr. Crouch had a hold of her brother while a man and a woman had grabbed Ron and Hermione.

"Which of you did it?" Crouch demanded. "Which of you cast the mark?"

"The- what?" Harry asked, bewildered and more than a little scared.

"Stop!" A familiar voice exclaimed, and Leila felt her knees buckle in relief as Mr. Weasley came rushing through the trees, Sirius close on his heels. "Stop, they're just children!" At the livid expression on her godfather's face, Mr. Diggory let go of her, and Leila sagged against her twin who had also been released.

"Er, sorry Arthur, Mr. Black," Diggory began, "But the Mark—" he started to raise his hand in indication of the floating symbol, but Sirius cut him off with a scathing remark.

"Yes, we can see it. What I'd like to ask is what were you doing accusing children who were barely alive when it was created of casting it?" While Diggory wilted under the hard gray stare, Crouch stayed resolute.

"They were right under it and unsupervised. The law will not stop for children, Black."

"We're all under the bloody thing! Your law stops for little, Crouch."

"Gentlemen, please!" Mr. Weasley cut in as the two glared at each other. "We should try figuring things out. Ron, Harry, Leila, Hermione, did any of you see or hear something strange before the Mark appeared?"

"Yes, Mr. Weasley," Hermione responded, "Right before someone over there that we couldn't see said something—I think it was a spell. We couldn't see the person, though." Immediately, Crouch sent a couple men to check the surrounding area, obviously eager to catch the culprit.

But when Mr. Diggory and the others returned with the House Elf from the top box, no one was more surprised than her owner, Mr. Crouch himself. The drama that unfolded almost made Leila want to look away as she watched the creature sob on the ground before her master and interrogator. Hermione was shaking with suppressed rage and her fists were clenched. While she was indignant on behalf of her brother for having his wand stolen, she didn't really blame Winky. It was clear to anyone with half a brain she would never want a wand. And yet she was fired anyway.

They parted at the edge of the woods, Sirius wanting to take the Potters home immediately, stating that Crouch's so-called security was a farce. They exchanged relieved hugs with the other Weasleys who were happy they were all unharmed.

Though Sirius perhaps was being a little overdramatic in his display of hate for Crouch, Leila was happy to collapse back onto her bed at the house, physically exhausted. But her mind kept her up all night with worries and fears and all kinds of nerves.

I'll end it here. I think I've put in enough work on this for Christmas Day. Happy Holidays to everyone, and thank you for reading. Don't forget a review!