Still do not own Harry Potter.

The Quidditch match, though brief compared to others, had been incredible with an ending no one had expected. They had stayed up late talking about it and drinking cocoa, until Ginny had fallen asleep at the table, and they had all finally gone to bed. James felt he had only been asleep for a few minutes when he was awakened by a scream from outside the tent. He grabbed his glasses and scrambled from the bed. Somehow, he could tell that this scream was different from the shouts of delight following Irelands victory.

He collided with Arthur as he entered the tent just as James exited. "What's…?"

"Death Eaters," Arthur said, before James could finish his question.

"What!"

"We can't stay here," said Arthur, urgently. "Wake up the girls, I'll get the others."

James nodded once, heading out of the tent, holding his wand at the ready. He glimpsed the masked, hooded Death Eaters across the field, but didn't stop. He'd deal with them later.

He burst into the girl's tent. "Lily!" he shouted.

"What?" she shouted back. He entered the room where the girls were sleeping. Lily was standing, disheveled, but alert. She must have been woken by the commotion as well. Hermione and Ginny were stirring.

"Get up! No time to explain. Grab a jacket and let's go! Quickly!"

James herded the three of them out of the tent as they pulled on coats over their night dresses. He noticed Harry and the rest of the Weasleys standing outside the tents. Looking around, he saw what the Death Eaters were doing, and the sight made him nauseous. They were levitating the campsite manager and his family while they marched across the field, blasting tents out of their way.

"We're going to help the ministry!" Arthur shouted. "You lot – get into the woods and stick together. I'll come and fetch you when we've sorted this out!"

James saw Bill, Charlie, and Percy already heading toward the marchers. He whirled to face his wife. "Lily," he began, about to tell her to go with the kids to the woods.

"Don't even think about it!" she interrupted him, eyes narrowing dangerously. "Harry, go with the Weasley's; we'll come find you."

Why did he even try?

"Right," said Harry, "Be careful."

"You too," James said. He couldn't help feeling nervous; Harry seemed to have a knack of getting into life threatening situations.

The kids ran toward the woods, and James and Lily sprinted toward the Death Eaters. They were running against the crowd; it was hard to go anywhere. There was a small explosion as one of tents near them went up in flames. "Aguamenti!" Lily cried, putting out the fire. James blocked a jinx that headed their way, and they continued toward the source of the commotion.

It seemed like it went on for hours. It was chaos that James had not seen since the first wizarding war. He shoved the thought from his mind.

The ministry wizards had just gotten close enough to duel Voldemort's old supporters when it happened. There was a flash of green light shooting across the sky, and everything stopped. No matter whose side they were on, everyone stopped what they were doing and looked up. A shimmering green skull and snake was hanging in the sky, directly over the forest. James heard Lily's terrified gasp beside him; he felt his own heart in his throat.

Then everything started moving again. The Death Eaters were Disapperating all over the field, and the remaining wizards were scrambling to catch the muggles before they hit the ground. James barely noticed any of it as he and Lily made eye contact. "Harry," she whispered.

James glanced around, catching sight of Barty Crouch and other ministry officials Disapparating. "Come on," James said, grabbing Lily's hand and Disapparating to where it looked like the dark mark had been conjured from. Not far in front of them a circle of wizards were shooting stunners over the heads of a group of people. James felt fury crash over him as he recognized the trio, but Lily beat him to saying anything.

"Stop it!" Lily screamed at the same time a voice came from their right…

"Stop! STOP! That's my son!" Arthur had arrived as well. The wizards stopped firing. James, Lily, and Arthur hurried forward.

"Harry, Ron, Hermione," James said, "Are you alright?"

"Get out of the way," said Mr. Crouch, coldly. James turned to yell at him but was again interrupted. That was happening way too often today.

"Which of you did it?" Mr. Crouch snapped. "Which of you conjured the Dark Mark?"

"We didn't do that!" Harry gestured upwards.

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

"Do not lie, sir!" shouted Mr. Crouch, looking slightly insane. "You have been discovered at the scene of the crime!"

"Are you mad?" Lily demanded. Her eyes flashed with anger, and she looked frankly dangerous. "They're just kids! They never would have been able to conjure it!"

"Where did the mark come from, you three?" James asked, before Mr. Crouch could respond.

"Over there," said Hermione, pointing shakily, "There was someone behind the trees… they shouted words – an incantation."

"Oh, stood over there, did they?" Said Mr. Crouch turning on Hermione. "Said an incantation, did they? You seem very well informed about how that mark was summoned, missy – "

James ignored him, turning toward where Hermione pointed, raising his wand.

"We're too late," said a witch, "They'll have Disapparated."

"I don't think so," said Amos Diggory, "Our stunners went straight through those trees . . . There's a good chance we got them."

"Only one way to find out," James said and started forward.

"James, be careful," Lily murmured. He threw a cocky smile over his shoulder and disappeared into the trees.

"Lumos," James lighted his wand. He shown it over the ground. At first it didn't look like there was anyone there, then the light fell over the small form of Mr. Crouch's house-elf, Winky. His heart sank. Nothing good would come out of this.

"James," he heard Lily call.

"I'm fine. We got someone," he called back, heavily. He stooped to pick the house-elf up, then noticed the wand clutched in her hand. He took it, then stopped. No, it couldn't be. He examined the wand by the light of his own. There was no mistaking it; it was Harry's wand.

He was brought back to himself by Mr. Crouch's voice. "You've got someone? Who? Who is it?"

James picked Winky up and went back into the clearing. Everyone stared in silence as he brought the elf into the circle and gently laid her on the ground. "This – cannot – be," Mr. Crouch said finally, "No." He strode off in the direction they had come from.

"There's no one else there," James called after him. Mr. Crouch ignored him and continued to search the bushes.

"Bit embarrassing," said Amos. "Barty Crouch's house-elf… I mean to say…"

"You don't honestly think it was Winky?" Lily demanded, indignantly, looking at James to back her up.

"The Dark Mark is a wizard's sign," James agreed.

"And it requires a wand," Arthur put in.

James winced, wishing he hadn't brought that up. Still, he'd have to mention it sooner or later. "She did have a wand, Arthur," he said, quietly.

"What?"

James held up Harry's wand. "She had it in her hand." Before he could say more, Amos spoke up.

"That's clause three of the Code of Wand Use broken, for a start. No non-human is permitted to carry or use a wand."

At that moment, Ludo Bagman Apparated into the clearing. He had no idea what had been happening, and after it had been explained, he again brought up the point that she would have needed a wand, and Amos joined in again. "And she had one. James found her holding one. If it's alright with you, Mr. Crouch, I think we should hear what she has to say for herself."

Mr. Crouch, who had returned earlier, did not say anything. Amos took that as permission and revived Winky. He demanded an explanation, and Winky insisted that she did not summon it; that she did not know how. As Amos pointed to the wand in James' hand, Harry caught his first good glimpse of it under the light of the Dark Mark.

"Hey! That's mine!" He cried. Lily gasped. James nodded.

"Excuse me?" Amos asked.

"That's my wand," Harry explained, "I dropped it."

"You dropped it?" Amos repeated, "Is this a confession? You threw it aside after you conjured the Mark?"

"Excuse me?!" Lily cried, drawing herself up with rage.

James felt his own temper flare. "How dare you accuse my son…"

Arthur interrupted, putting his hand on his arm, probably in an attempt to calm him. "Is Harry Potter likely to conjure the Dark Mark?" he asked.

"Er – of course not," Amos mumbled, "Sorry… carried away."

"I didn't drop it there, anyway," Harry explained. "I missed it right after we got in the wood."

"So," said Amos, turning back to Winky. "You found this wand, eh, elf? You picked it up and thought you'd have some fun with it, did you?"

"I is not doing magic with it, sir!" Winky squealed. "I is – I is – I is just picking it up, sir. I is not making the Dark Mark, I is not knowing how!"

"It wasn't her!" Hermione cried, looking nervous but determined. "Winky's got a squeaky, little voice, and the voice we heard was much deeper. It didn't sound anything like Winky, did it?" She appealed to Ron and Harry.

Harry shook his head. "No. It definitely didn't sound like an elf."

"Yeah," Ron agreed, "It was a human voice."

"There is a simple way to be sure," said Amos, looking at James. He rolled his eyes but held up Harry's wand. Amos put his wand tip to the wand and yelled, "Prior Incantanto!" A ghost of the Dark Mark shining above the trees appeared above where the two wands met. "Deletrius!" Amos shouted. "So," he continued, triumphantly.

"I is not doing it!" Winky insisted. "I is not knowing how! I is a good elf, I is not using wands, I is not knowing how!"

"You've been caught red-handed, elf!" roared Amos, "Caught with the guilty wand in your hand!"

James thought things had gone far enough. "Amos!" He said, "Think about it. Very few wizards know how do that spell. Where would she have learned it?"

"Perhaps," Mr. Crouch joined the conversation at last, "Amos is suggesting that I routinely teach my servants to conjure the Dark Mark?"

There was a long, uncomfortable silence. "Mr. Crouch… not… not at all," Amos stammered.

"You have now come very close to accusing the two people in this clearing who are least likely to conjure that Mark!" barked Mr. Crouch. "Harry Potter – and myself! I suppose you are familiar with the boy's story, Amos?"

"Of course – everyone knows –" muttered Amos.

"And I trust you remember the many proofs I have given, over a long career, that I despise and detest the Dark Arts and those who practice them?" Mr. Crouch shouted.

"Mr. Crouch, I – I never suggested you had anything to do with it!"

"If you accuse my elf, you accuse me, Diggory!" shouted Mr. Crouch. "Where else would she have learned to conjure it?"

"She might have picked it up anywhere," Amos muttered.

"Exactly!" Lily spoke up, "Winky," she said, kindly, "Where exactly did you find Harry's wand?"

"I is finding it there," the elf whispered, "There, in the trees, ma-am."

"There you go, Amos," James said. "The person who conjured the Mark must have Disapparated after he did so, leaving Harry's wand behind."

"A clever plan not to use their own wand," Arthur agreed.

"And Winky had the misfortune to come along moments afterward and pick it up," James finished.

"But then she would have been only a few feet from the real culprit," Amos was impatient. "Elf, did you see anyone?"

"I is seeing no one, sir," Winky gulped, "No one."

Mr. Crouch spoke up then, asking (ordering) Amos to allow him to deal with his elf. It didn't appear that Amos thought much of this idea, but he couldn't argue. Mr. Crouch, severely disappointed in Winky, decided to give her clothes. James remembered Harry telling them how excited Dobby had been about being freed, but Winky clearly did not share the sentiment. He and Lily exchanged sad looks as the elf begged Mr. Crouch to reconsider, but there was nothing they could do. Protesting would do no good.

Hermione didn't agree. "But she was frightened!" she burst out. "Your elf's scared of heights, and those people in masks were levitating people! You can't blame her for wanting to get out of the way!"

"I have no use for a house-elf who disobeys me," Mr. Crouch explained, coldly, "I have no use for a servant who forgets what is due to her master and to her master's reputation."

There was a very nasty silence, only punctuated by Winky's sobs. "Well, I think we'd better take our lot back to the tent," said Arthur to James and Lily before addressing the rest of the group, "If nobody's got any objections."

"Good idea," said Lily, before anyone could speak up. James smirked as he handed Harry back his wand. Apparently, the ministry wizards knew better than to argue with her. "Hermione," said Lily, when she seemed reluctant to move. She turned and followed the rest of them out of the clearing.

As soon as they were out of sight, Hermione demanded, "What's going to happen to Winky?"

"I don't know," said Arthur.

"The way they were treating her!" Hermione continued, furiously, "Mr. Diggory calling her 'elf' all the time… and Mr. Crouch! He knows she didn't do it, and he's still going to sack her! He didn't care how frightened she'd been, or how upset she was – it was like she wasn't even human!"

"Well, she's not," Ron reasonably pointed out.

Hermione rounded on him. "That doesn't mean she hasn't got feelings, Ron. It's disgusting the way they…"

"Hermione," James interrupted, "I agree with you. But now is not the time to discuss elf rights. Right now we've got to find everyone else. Do you know where they ended up?"

"We lost them in the dark," said Ron. "Dad, why was everyone so uptight about that skull thing?"

"I'll explain everything back at the tent," said Arthur, exchanging a glance with James. But when they got to the edge of the wood, they met a large crowd of frightened looking witches and wizards and were bombarded with questions.

"What's going on in there?"

"Who conjured it?"

"James – it's not – Him?"

"Of course, it's not him," James replied, resisting the urge to roll his eyes. "We don't know who it was, but it looks like they Disapparated."

"No one was hurt, though," Arthur added. "Now, excuse us, please, we want to get to bed."

When they finally got back to the tents. Charlie was looking out of the boy's tent. "Dad, what's going on?" He called, "Fred, George, and Ginny got back okay, but the others…"

"I've got them here," said Arthur, as they entered the tent. Bill was holding a bedsheet to his bleeding arm, Charlie had a large rip in his shirt, and Percy was sporting a bloody nose. James noticed Lily raising an eyebrow at him, and he glanced in the mirror to find he himself displayed a black eye. He hadn't even noticed before. Everyone else, thankfully, looked unhurt.

"Did you get them?" Bill asked, sharply, "The person who conjured the Mark?"

"No," said Arthur, "We found Barty Crouch's elf holding Harry's wand, but we're no wiser as to who really conjured the Mark."

"What?" said everyone who hadn't been present at the time.

"Harry's wand?" asked Fred.

"Mr. Crouch's elf?" said Percy, thunderstruck.

They explained what had happened and then Hermione and Percy had an argument about Winky, before Ron interrupted.

"Look, can someone just explain what that skull thing was? It wasn't hurting anyone… Why's it such a big deal?"

"I told you, it's You Know Who's symbol, Ron," Hermione answered. "I read about it in The Rise and Fall of the Dark Arts."

"And it hasn't been seen in thirteen years," said Arthur.

"It's not a surprise people panicked," Lily added, quietly, as she sat at the table. "The only thing worse would be to see Death Eaters or Voldemort back again, and the Death Eaters were also here tonight."

"I don't get it," Ron said, "I mean… it's still only a shape in the sky."

"Voldemort and his followers sent it into the sky whenever they killed," James explained. "You're too young to understand the terror it inspired. Just imagine coming home and finding that hanging over your house," remembering his parent's death.

There was a silence. Then Bill said, "Well, it didn't help us tonight whoever conjured it. It scared the Death Eaters away the moment they saw it. They all Disapparated before we could unmask any of them. We caught the Roberts's before they fell, though. They're having their memories modified right now."

James nodded. "I think we saw what's left of Voldemort's old supporters tonight. The ones who managed to keep out of Azkaban anyway."

"There's no way to prove it," Lily said, resting her head on her hand. "Although, you're probably right."

"I bet they were!" said Ron. "Dad, we met Draco Malfoy in the forest, and he as good as told us his dad was one of those nutters in masks. And we all know that the Malfoy's were right in with You Know Who."

"But what were Voldemort's supporters up to, levitating muggles?" Harry asked, "I mean, what was the point?"

"The point?" Arthur let out a hollow laugh. "Harry, that's their idea of fun. Half the muggle killings done back when You Know Who was in power were done for fun. I suppose they had a few drinks tonight and couldn't resist reminding us all that lots of them are still at large. A nice little reunion for them." He sounded disgusted.

"But if they were Death Eaters, why'd they Disapparate when they saw the Dark Mark?" Ron asked, "They'd have been pleased to see it, wouldn't they?"

"If they were Death Eaters, they worked very hard to stay out of Azkaban when Voldemort lost power," James explained, "They told all sorts of lies about him forcing them to do things."

"They'd probably be more scared than us if he came back," said Lily, "I don't think he'd be too pleased with them for not looking for him when they weren't in prison."

"So… whoever conjured the Dark Mark," Hermione said, slowly, "Were they doing it to show support for the Death Eaters or to scare them away?"

"You're guess is as good as ours, Hermione," said Arthur, sounding tired.

"Only the Death Eaters knew how to conjure it," said James, "I bet whoever conjured it was a Death Eater once, even if they're not now." He looked at Lily, who shook her head minutely. It seemed unlikely Snape would be here or would take that kind of a risk if he was.

"It's getting late," said Arthur, "and if you're mother hears what happened last night, she'll be worried sick. Let's get a few hours sleep and try and get an early portkey out of here."

Everyone agreed. Lily drew James into a corner by the tent entrance as everyone else headed for bed. "Three days ago, Harry wakes up with his scar hurting," she whispered, green eyes wide. "Now the Dark Mark appears for the first time in thirteen years. What does it mean?"

James embraced her. "I don't know," he murmured.