Updated: June 29th, 2017
Chapter 8: Mayhem
Boisterous singing filled the night sky as we followed the lanterns back to our part of camp. Leprechauns kept shooting overhead, cackling and dancing. When we finally reached the tent, no one felt like sleeping. Arthur let us all have one last cup of cocoa before we had to go to bed. He went outside to celebrate with friends and wait for his older sons while the rest of us stayed in. Hermione took her cocoa and hopped on one of the beds, taking out a book to read. The sounds of singing and fireworks could still be heard outside. Inside, Harry and Ron got into an argument concerning the playing tactics of Lynch and Krum.
"There's no one like Krum," Ron growled at Harry as he jumped up on the couch. "He's like a bird the way he rides the wind. He's more than an athlete, he's an artist!"
The twins began babbling in a sort of comical mocking way. They flapped their arms, circling around Ron, muttering, "Dumb Krum. Dumb Krum. Dumb Kruuuuuum."
Ginny passed her brothers on her way to our bunk. She smiled, placing her hand on Ron's, "Think you're in love, Ron?"
The twins enclosed on their younger brother. They sang, "Viktor I love you! Viktor I do…"
Harry and I joined, singing rather off key, "…when we're apart my heart beats only for you!"
Ron swat at us playfully. Just then, a rather odd banging sounded in the distance. The singing had stopped after that. "Sounds like the Irish have got their pride on," Fred chuckled.
"That's not the Irish," Arthur burst through the tent flap. He looked frantic. "We need to leave. Now!"
I grabbed my coat from the arm of the couch as the others fled through the flap. In place of singing were screams and the sound of running. Outside was a crazy, scary mess. People were running every which way, trying to get away from something moving across the field. The mass was rapidly approaching and emitting flashes of light, leaving a trail of fire. Bursts of red, white, and green lit up the surrounding area.
Arthur told us to stay together and get back to the portkey as fast as we could. He also told Fred and George that Ginny was their responsibility as he dashed off to help his fellow Ministry workers. The twins and Ginny took off instantly. Hermione grasped my hand as she pulled me behind Ron. I hardly heard myself scream as a tent next to me suddenly went up in scorching flames. Hermione's hand slipped from mine and she yelled my name as she and Ron were pushed forward with the crowd.
That's when I saw them. The mass was a crowd of wizards, tightly packed and moving together. The lights came from their wands, illuminating the masks on their faces. Above them, floating in midair, were four No-Maj. They struggled, contorting into grotesque shapes. Two of the floating figures were very small. They were just young children.
I ran.
People were rushing all over as I squeezed my way through crowds. Tents fell and fires blazed as the screams got louder. I began pushing my way through people as I shouted the names of my friends. I was so scared. I was afraid for them. Not once did it ever occur to me what would happen to me; my main concerns were the Weasleys', Harry, and Hermione. I looked behind my shoulder for just a second and I was on the ground in another.
"Fuck," I grunted as I felt pain burn my knees.
"Language, Maguire," said a drawling voice from in front of me. My head snapped up. Draco Malfoy was standing alone near a water pump, looking completely relaxed. His arms were folded; he seemed to have been watching from a patch of undisturbed tents. Draco's wand was drawn and his eyes glittered. His smirk unnerved me. "Hadn't you better be hurrying along, now? You wouldn't want to be spotted, would you?"
At that same moment, a blast like a bomb sounded in the distance just lighting up our area. I ignored the slimeball and got to my feet, looking for my fallen wand. "Have you seen –?"
"This…" Draco stretched out his other hand. My 11-inch ash wand was clutched in his pale palm.
I glared at my cousin, "Give it back or I'll hit that smug little mouth of yours."
"Oh, I'm so scared," he smirked again. That stupid look on his face was seriously pissing me off. There came a loud bang which was closer to us than before. I jumped, staring in the direction of the noise with wide eyes. "Scare easily, don't you? I suppose Weasel-bee's daddy told you to run? What's he up to – trying to rescue Muggles?"
"Where's your daddy," I asked, temper rising. "Out there wearing a mask and killing people, is he?"
Draco sneered as he walked towards me. I slowly raised my fist in case he tried anything. My grey eyes never left his blue ones as we stared each other down. Just before he passed me, my wand connected with my unclenched hand. I grasped it and tried to pull away, but Draco's grip held. I shuddered when his lips came in close contact to my right ear.
"I'd watch my back if I were you," he hissed.
"Cora! Cora where are you," someone shouted my name in the distance. When I looked around, I noticed I was standing alone. Draco must have run off when he heard my name being called.
The person calling me sounded closer. I lit my wand and replied, "Over here!"
Two people burst through the tents, wands lit. Ron and Hermione relaxed a little when they saw me. Hermione reached me first, pulling me into her arms. When she let go I caught Ron's gaze. He nodded at me and looked to the row of destroyed tents behind me. Hermione fussed over my ripped pants and my scratched knees as Ron shouted out for Harry.
"You lost him," I shouted at Ron incredulously.
"Yeah, well, we lost you too," he snapped back.
"Well, I'm not Harry Potter," I said through clenched teeth.
Suddenly, a figure sped towards us. By the light of our wands, we were able to make the person out. It was Harry. Ron sighed, "Been looking for you for ages."
"I was –" Harry looked up in an attempt to catch his breath. "What is that?!"
Something big and green glittered in the sky above us. For a split second, I thought it was another Leprechaun. Then I noticed it was a colossal skull made up of what looked like green stars with a serpent protruding from its mouth like a tongue. It seemed to be moving in a haze of grey-green smoke. Harry winced in pain as he rubbed his scar. Hermione was shaking, I had never seen her so frightened.
The four of us knew it was time to leave. We had hardly taken a few steps when a series of popping noises announced the arrival of wizards and witches, appearing from thin air. They surrounded us. Only one thought crossed my mind: why are their wands pointed at us?
"DUCK," Harry yelled.
The four of us hit the ground as all of the voices rang out at once. A series of flashes whipped my hair against my face as if a strong gust of wind swept the clearing. I cracked open my eyes a little to see jets of scarlet lights flying above us. Each witch and wizard had been casting the stunning spell above us.
"STOP," a voice I knew well shouted. "That's my son!" When my hair stopped blowing I opened my eyes fully and cautiously raised my head. The group surrounding us lowered their wands. Arthur was running towards us, out of breath, flushed, and looking terrified. "Ron – Harry – Hermione – Cora, are you alright?"
"We came back for Cora and Harry," Ron gulped, still shaken.
"Which of you conjured it," a cold, curt voice asked us. It was Barty Crouch.
"You can't possibly –"
Crouch cut Arthur off, pointing his wand in each of our faces, "Do not lie. You have been discovered at the scene of a crime!"
"Crime," Harry frowned.
"Barty, they're just kids," Arthur tried to explain.
"What crime," Harry asked again.
"That's the Dark Mark, Harry," Hermione whispered as I looked up in terror. "That's His mark."
"You," Crouch's wand was now pointed directly at me. His eyes were wide making him look like a lunatic. "You are the daughter of escaped mass-murderer Sirius Black!"
"Barty," Arthur barked louder. "That has nothing to do with this, you know that."
"Voldemort," the witches and wizards visibly flinched. "Wait, so those people tonight, in the masks…" Harry was staring at Crouch now. "…they're his too, aren't they? Those are his followers?"
"Yeah," Arthur nodded rapidly. He turned to Crouch who still had his wand pointed at Harry's face, "Death Eathers."
"Follow me," Crouch said to the others. They were about to take off when Harry spoke again.
"There was a man. Before. Over there."
"All of you, this way," Crouch and the hoard of Ministry workers took off in the direction Harry had pointed in.
After they were gone, Arthur looked at Harry in concern, "Who was it?"
"I dunno," he whispered, staring at the Dark Mark in the sky. "I didn't see his face."