The night after the final of the Quidditch World Cup.

RON XI

"You know, the movement that Troy made, when he hooked on his broom with one hand and kicked the Quaffle with his foot to score…" Ron was listening attentively to Mr Black's words. "Your father did it once."

"Really?" Harry asked, all impressed, and Ron had to say that he was impressed too.

"Oh, yes. If you had seen how the people reacted. If the recruiter of a Quidditch team had been present on that day, your father would have received all the contract offers he could dream of, and more. Not to mention the number of girls who would have wanted to date him. Too bad for them though, they would have needed to get over your mother's dead body to succeed."

Harry and his godfather laughed together. Ron took a gulp of his hot chocolate as he giggled as well.

"You'll have to try the Wronski Feint when we're back at Hogwarts, Harry," Ron told him.

"You bet I'll do it."

Ron looked around. His father and Charlie, a little farther away, were engaged in a debate over the excessive use of elbows by Zograf. Fred and George were counting the money they won from Ludovic Bagman, which seemed to be quite a significant amount. Ron was almost jealous of them. How could they manage to predict that Ireland would win but that Krum would catch the Snitch? Ron still couldn't believe this actually happened. Harry was of the opinion that Krum knew his team would never win because the Irish Chasers were too good, so he caught the Snitch to end the game on his own terms. Still, Ron didn't completely agree with him, although this was a very spectacular catch.

Bill and Percy were debating the outcome of the game as well, discussing the choice of players that Bulgaria made and that caused her defeat, according to Percy. Ron rarely saw Percy so enthusiastic about Quidditch, except for last year when Gryffindor won. The three girls of their party, Hermione, Ginny and Mrs Evans, were in another corner of the tent, discussing in ushed tones. Harry and his family had followed them back to the Weasley tent after the end of the game. When Lily Evans convinced Ron's father to let the children stay awake for a little more time, Ron commented to Harry that his mother was the coolest mother he ever met, to which they both laughed. But Ron truly believed it. Few parents would go down in the dungeons of Hogwarts, and few students had an Auror for a parent.

"You never played Quidditch, Sirius?" Ron asked him.

"For one match. I was a substitute," he replied. "But I played quite poorly, and I decided that it was better to let my best friend play with the best players he could find rather than his best friend, if he was to win."

Ron felt bad at these words. He looked to Harry, who was however still looking at his godfather, and already asking him about details of his game of Quidditch, asking him which position he played, and how the match ended. Ron, on his side, was deep into his thoughts.

Since Gryffindor won the Hogwarts Quidditch Cup last year, an idea had progressively grown into Ron's mind, after seeing his best friend and his brothers Fred and George raise the Cup, and also seeing Percy so ecstatic at the victory. Ron knew that Oliver Wood was leaving Hogwarts, and that in September, the Gryffindor Quidditch Team would need to find a new Keeper. So, slowly, and faster during summer, as he de-gnomed the gardens, took care of chickens, helped their mother prepare supper, and played Quidditch with his brothers, Ron came to seriously consider joining the Quidditch team. He wanted to play for Gryffindor. Charlie, Fred and George all played for the team, not to mention Harry. Bill and Percy had been both Prefects and Head Boys, and Charlie was also Prefect in his time. His brothers joined the Quidditch team early. Fred, George and Charlie were all part of the team as full members in their second year. Ron would now begin his fourth year, and he wanted to do something. He wanted to prove that he was able to do something with his life, and not remain on the side lines forever. And if he managed to join the Quidditch team, maybe, eventually…

Ron thought about Wood, who was now part of a professional team. Ron dreamed about joining one of those teams one day, and tonight's match encouraged him in this direction. He dreamed of playing like Troy, or Zograf, or even Krum. The things he could do with his broomstick were so fantastic. He was more than an athlete. He was an artist, a god. And Ron dreamed of a day when he could do as well as him while flying. He would need to talk to Harry before the season began, to see if he could encourage the new captain to take Ron in the team, if only as a reservist.

"Oh! I think it's time to go to bed," someone said on the other side of the tent. Ron saw that Ginny had fallen asleep, and that the content of her cup spilled on the floor.

Ron didn't want to go to bed, but all adults, even Harry's godfather, agreed that it was time to sleep. Harry and Ron wished each other a good night, and he left with his mother and godfather, while Hermione and Ginny headed for their own tent. Ron put on his pyjama and went into his bed. However, he couldn't sleep. His mind was reeling with the possibility of playing Quidditch this year. This was what he wanted. He didn't want to see the Gryffindor Quidditch team win the Cup. He wanted to hold the Cup as well, like his brothers, like Harry. He would hold the Cup. He imagined himself flying a Firebolt, applauded by thousands of people. Tonight's match convinced him that everything was possible if he really wished to realize something. His head filled with thoughts of becoming a great Quidditch player.

More than anything else, a conversation he had with Hermione this summer came back to his mind. They had been de-gnoming the garden once more, something Hermione struggled with, and Ron was more than glad to show her how to proceed. For once, he could teach something to Hermione, filling him with satisfaction and happiness as she laughed while also feeling frustrated at her own failed attempts to throw the gnomes away. However, as they finished the job, a question had come to Ron's mind, a question that kept his mind busy over the whole summer, and that he didn't dare to discuss with Harry in his letters. Anyway, Harry didn't write to him very often since the summer began. Well, he wrote, only not as often as before.

"Hermione, did you ever think about playing Quidditch?" he had asked her.

Hermione had looked surprised by the question, but she answered it all the same. "Not really. I mean, I like to watch it, but it can be quite brutal, and you can get injured quite often. Look at Harry. He ended up in the infirmary for Quidditch injuries more often than for any other kind of injuries. And he's not the only one. And it takes a lot of time. I think it is better that I focus on my studies. It will be more useful later in life. And anyway, I'm not the best at flying."

Ron was certain that she would say her studies were more important. Though she was right in saying that she wasn't the best at flying. It was one of the few disciplines in which Hermione did not excel from the very beginning at Hogwarts.

"Do you think I could join the team?"

He asked it out of the blue, without thinking. But the question occupied his mind for so long that it was only a matter of time before he asked someone, and he thought that Hermione was the person less likely to laugh at him or to mock him for that. To his great surprise, Hermione looked delighted at his question.

"Of course, you can."

This wasn't the answer he expected. "Are you sure?" he asked, wondering if she was not mocking him.

"Yes, I am sure. I think this is a very good idea."

Ron had to blink a few times to absorb what Hermione just told him. She actually didn't think it was a stupid idea for him to join Gryffindor's team.

"And you think I could succeed? I mean, you think that I could actually join the team?"

"Yes, I think you could, Ronald. Oliver is gone. Gryffindor will need another Keeper this fall. And the new captain might need players in reserve too."

Ron was thunderstruck not only by Hermione's enthusiasm at the idea, but also by the faith she had in him to actually succeed. "Do you think Harry would approve?" he asked.

"He would be delighted."

"Yeah, I mean, if I'm not too bad."

"Have you tried playing Quidditch? You have, if I must rely on you and your brothers playing it daily."

"Yeah, but that's different."

"Ron, if you don't try to join the team, you'll never join it. So, when there are qualifications this fall, just take part in them. What have you got to lose? Anyway, I don't know of anyone in Gryffindor outside the team who would be better than you."

Ron had almost reddened at the veiled compliment. But Hermione had given him some hope and confidence, which tonight's match reinforced. He would make it on the team this year. He would prove to his brothers what he was capable of, and they wouldn't be laughing at or of him when he would rise the Quidditch Cup in June.

Ron wasn't sure if he dreamed, but somehow his head was filled with images of himself playing with Harry, Fred and George for the Gryffindor team, and raising the Hogwarts Quidditch Cup high over their heads as Hermione looked at him with admiration. Her face was lightened up by fireworks that colored her face, which made it seem as though she shone like a Veela under the screams of the crowd.

"Get up!"

Ron groaned. Why did his father didn't want him to look at Hermione?

"Ron! Fred! George! Get up! Now!"

Ron woke up suddenly, realizing something was amiss. The top of his head bumped into the ceiling of the tent, which was luckily soft. But that was the only thing soft about what was going on. The screams of his dreams he mistook for cries of joy were in fact shouts of terror, and whatever was exploding outside was definitely not fireworks.

"Get up!" his father said, horror and fear plain on his face. "Just grab a jacket and get outside. Quickly!"

Ron would usually grunt and complain about being raised from his bed like that, but he felt that tonight, something was different. His father definitely did not raise him to prepare breakfast. Outside, it was still night. Hermione and Ginny just came out of their own tent, pulling coats over their nightdresses. Hermione's face couldn't have been farther from what Ron dreamed about a moment ago.

But what made Ron really understand the gravity of what was going on was the sight of Mr Robert, the man responsible for their camping site, being hung in the air with who seemed to be his wife and their two children, played with like they were marionettes. A small crowd of hooded people with masks were laughing at them, marching across the campsite, burning several tents on their passage.

"That's sick," Ron said, disgusted. There was no other word for that. "That is really sick…"

"We're going to help the Ministry," his father declared. Bill, Charlie and Percy were already heading towards the group who mistreated the Muggles. He then addressed Ron, Ginny, Fred, George and Ginny. "You lot. Get into the woods and stick together. I'll come and fetch you when we've sorted this out!"

"Come on!" Fred yelled, grabbing Ginny's hand and heading towards the woods. Ron seized Hermione's hand on his side and dragged her towards the woods as well.

Ron and Hermione ran forward in the chaos, being pulled and pushed all around by other wizards of all ages who ran away in confusion just like they did. Those screams were not at all from people who were celebrating. Everyone was panicking. Strangely though, Ron didn't feel he was panicking. He felt in control, quite the opposite. He knew what he had to do. He had to run away, to place as much distance between he, Hermione and his family and the horrors that were taking place at the campsite. They progressed in the darkness of the woods, meeting fewer and fewer people on their way, going always deeper into it.

"Ron, I think we can stop."

With great force, Hermione stopped his advance by pulling the hand he was holding her with. They stopped, and Ron looked at his friend. Hermione seemed out of breath. She released his hand, which was moist. Ron then let out a huge breath and realized how out breath he really was. He had a cramp on his side, which tore through his stomach.

"I think we are far enough," Hermione said, looking in the direction where they came from. The two of them could still hear the noises of confusion from far away. Then Ron realized something.

"Fred? George? Ginny? Where are they?"

Hermione looked around just like he did, and they were clearly alone.

"We must have lost them in the confusion," Hermione pointed out, which was an evidence. "They must not have gone very far."

They began to search, lighting their wand. Somehow, they found a path where a few groups of people were wandering, but everyone they met were complete strangers who couldn't help them. Some didn't even speak English. And Hermione's attempt to communicate with some French students failed miserably. They looked offended after she spoke to them.

"I only asked them if they saw someone looking like you with red hair," she said. "I wonder where Harry is?"

Ron realized he barely thought about his best friend. "He must be alright," he said, trying to convince him as much as Hermione. "His mother is an Auror, after all. And Sirius… Well, he knows how to defend himself."

Hermione nodded, not seeming very convinced. They continued down the path, and met another woman who couldn't speak English, but who answered Hermione when she spoke in French. However, she wasn't of any more help.

"She hasn't seen anybody who looks like Ginny or your brothers, or like Harry," Hermione told him after she finished discussing with the woman.

"They're not here. We should go back into the woods," Ron decided.

"Wait, Ron. We shouldn't leave the path. It will be easier to go back to the camp if we stay there, for your father to find us."

"It will also make us easier targets for those people, whoever they are. And my family is not here. They must be hiding somewhere. They probably think they have fewer chances of being discovered by those mad men if they hide in the woods."

For once, it seemed like Hermione had nothing to counter his arguments. She said nothing as he walked into the darkness of the woods again, out of the path, and only followed him. Ron, however, soon realized he had little chance to find his siblings in this labyrinth of trees in complete darkness. He kept advancing but couldn't find anything. From time to time, they heard voices, but couldn't distinguish any or even less find their origin.

"We'll never find them this way, Ron," Hermione finally said. "It's probably better to stay where we are. They must have found a place to hide until this is over."

This time, what she said made sense. Ron lowered his wand, discouraged. "You really think they're fine? All of them?" he asked.

"Yes, I'm sure."

Ron didn't think she could be sure, but he was thankful to her for trying to reassure him the best she could. He sat on a tree stump, and Hermione did the same not long after.

"These people? Who do you think they are?" Ron asked. Normally, Hermione always knew everything.

"I don't know. But whoever they were… It's better if we don't face them. The people of the Ministry will deal with them, for sure."

Ron doubted it. "I don't get it. My dad spent his time detailing the safety measures they deployed for the event. And this happens? How could they allow it?"

"There are over one hundred thousand people who came," Hermione reasoned. "No matter all the possible safety measures they could put into place, they cannot control everybody. You saw what happened in the game? They couldn't even stop leprechauns and Veelas from fighting."

"Yeah, but… It was a Quidditch game. It's different. How could someone find it funny to…"

He didn't want to say what these wizards did to Mr Robert and his family. But Ron knew very well what kind of people could find it funny to play with Muggles like that. There were a couple of people in Slytherin who would enjoy doing this, and their parents as well. When he thought about it, Ron wouldn't be surprised if Malfoy's parents, and even Malfoy himself, were part of this group.

Far away, someone laughed, but it was cut short. And a few moments later, he heard someone talking, far away, but the words could be heard very clearly.

"You'll pay for this!"

A red lightning illuminated a spot far away in the forest. Ron stood up. He recognized this voice. Another red lightning illuminated the same spot. And he heard the same voice again.

"When my father hears…"

And it was cut short again when another purple lightning flashed. Ron didn't dream. It was this voice. Ron stood up and headed in this direction.

"Ron!"

He didn't listen to Hermione. All he could think about was that he heard the voice of Draco Malfoy. Ron tightened the grip on his wand. He heard Hermione hurrying behind him.

"Ron, I don't think…" she began, but stopped when they heard other voices. First, there was the voice of a girl.

"Are you sure we won't get into trouble with this?"

A male voice replied. "I'd say he was looking for it. And I wish I did it myself."

"Michael!" another voice exclaimed, and this one sounded familiar to Ron. "We'll have problems. His father…"

"His father can go to hell!" another voice, very similar, declared. Those two voices were from two different girls, though they were very similar.

"Well, let's hope they can catch his parents," the guy who was probably named Michael said. "This way, we won't have any problem."

"If my mother gets her hands on him, believe me, Lucius Malfoy is going to regret he was ever born."

Ron stopped in his tracks. He knew this voice. Hermione too. They looked at each other, then ran towards its origin.

"Wait for my own parents to get their hands on him, after everything he did…" one of the girls began, but the rest was muffled when Ron tripped and landed hard on his face.

He grunted in pain and spit some grass and earth that made their way into his mouth somehow.

"Are you alright?" Hermione asked him, concerned.

"Yes, I'm fine." He looked behind. "That stupid root." He kicked against it.

The instant after, several lights were pointed towards the two of them.

"Who are you? What are you doing here?" the male voice that Ron didn't recognize shouted. Then the other mal voice he knew only too well took over.

"Ron! Hermione!"

"Harry!" they both said.

Ron was more than relieved and happy to be reunited with Harry, though he was obviously not alone.

"It's okay, Michael. You can lower your wand."

Ron looked up to see Cho Chang. He cringed as he got up on his feet. No matter that the boy who he now recognized as Michael Corner lowered his wand on her instructions, he still didn't appreciate much the Seeker of Ravenclaw. And by their sides, two other girls who were almost identical, Parvati Patil and her sister, stood as well.

"What are you all doing here?" Ron asked, wondering what Harry was doing with this motley group of students.

"Well, we escaped the campsite, Weasley, just like you," Michael Corner said. Ron felt he wouldn't get along well with this Ravenclaw either.

"I think Ron was wondering how you all ended up all together here?" Hermione carefully asked, but then she turned to Harry. "Where's your mother, Harry? And Sirius? And what about all of your parents?"

"Mine are still at the campsite," Cho Chang replied. "They told me to hide in the forest, and they went to help stop the rioters. Michael bumped into me as I was about to leave, and so we ran together. But I went to find Harry before, and I dragged him alone."

Ron could see that Harry didn't seem very comfortable as Cho looked at him. He rolled his eyes. What was it that he found so special about that girl? Was it only because she was the only female Seeker in Hogwarts?

"Parvati, Padma? What about your parents?" Hermione asked them.

"We lost them," Padma said.

"We made for the forest all together, but there were too many people," Parvati said. She was obviously distressed. "We cannot find them anymore. Harry found us a few minutes ago."

"We found you," Harry corrected, indicating Cho and Michael too.

"Any idea about what's going on there?" Michael Corner asked, pointing to the faint noises they could still hear from the campsite.

"No more than you do," Ron replied dryly. He turned to Harry. "We've been looking for Fred, George and Ginny. Did you see them?"

"No," his best friend replied. "You think they're alright?"

"They must be," Hermione said reassuringly. "These people don't seem to be interested in going into the woods. I think we're safe here."

"Well, I'd say we're safer than Malfoy," Michael said, a small grin on his lips.

This reminded Ron of what brought him towards here in the first place. "So Malfoy was here?"

"He's still there," Harry replied, a grin on his face as well. "Come, we'll show you."

Ron followed him, along with all the others. They arrived in a very small clearing. Lightened by all their wands, he soon saw at the outskirts of it the unmoving body of Draco Malfoy, eyes wide open, his arms and legs glued together as if he was tied up by invisible ropes.

"Body Freezing Spell?" Hermione asked, her voice between surprise and fear.

"Yeah," Michael said. "I would like to say that I did it, but it was Harry."

"After Parvati spit in his face and slapped him," Harry added. Ron noticed Parvati blushing. "That was brilliant, just like when you slapped him last year, Hermione."

"You slapped Malfoy last year?" Padma asked, sounding curious and impressed at the same time.

This time, it was Hermione's turn to look embarrassed.

"He had been looking after it," Ron assured.

"Well, he was looking for it tonight as well," Parvati said. "He showed up and started saying we should be careful because we were not of pure blood."

"I don't think you should have spit in his face and slapped him, Parvati," Cho said.

"He shouldn't have said that his father would take care of my parents!"

"Cho is right, Parvati," her sister said. "Lucius Malfoy could cause us problems. Remember what happened last year."

"Padma is right," Cho Chang added. "The Malfoys have a lot of influence. My father is instructed to let him see Rufus Scrimgeour every time he asks for it."

"Well, we will tell everybody that he was confused with everything that happened tonight," Ron said. "And anyway, if his parents are among the idiots who are playing with the Muggles, he will not be able to complain about much."

"We should leave," Padma said. "Better to be far away from this one." It was obvious from Padma's tone that although she didn't approve of what they did to Malfoy, she had no wish to spend any time near him.

"Perhaps we should revive him," Hermione said.

"Out of the question!" To Ron's surprise, he and Michael Corner said the words at the same time.

"Let his parents worry and find him, if they care," Harry said, and he went ahead, Parvati following him not far behind.

The strange group of seven people they were headed into the forest, and they finally stopped in another small clearing, and waited there.

"What about your father, Ron? Is he alright?" Harry asked him.

"He's gone to help with Bill, Charlie and Percy. They say they will find us once this is over," he explained.

"Everything will be alright," Hermione said, her voice trembling.

"There are many Aurors here," Cho Chang said, her voice weak. "They can't defeat them." She didn't seem quite sure of herself.

"Do you think that your parents will do fine, Cho?" Harry asked her.

"I hope. I mean, they're good, but they were not trained for that kind of situations. They spend their days inside. They're not on the field. My father is mostly a clerk, and my mother spends her time…"

She stopped at that. Her lips were sealed afterwards. "Her mother spends her time doing what?" Parvati asked.

"She's an Unspeakable. But she's not used to fighting in the field. Last year, they were…"

She stopped again. This time, Harry intervened. "Pettigrew caught us all by surprise that day, Cho. My mother is an Auror, and she couldn't do anything, nor any of our teachers."

"Perhaps we should try to find our parents, Parvati," her twin sister suggested.

"No. We won't find them. I'm staying here," the Gryffindor sister said. She brought her legs against her belly and adjusted her position against the tree where she was sitting, on Harry's right.

They stayed there, talking in ushed tones, worrying about their families, wondering what was going on in the campsite. They were unanimously horrified by what they were doing to the Muggle family. They also felt powerless. Harry said they should do something, but Hermione talked him out of it. Parvati lamented that this really wasn't how she expected her summer to turn out.

"Everything went so well up to now, The Quidditch World Cup. Harry's mother becoming an Auror. Our activity at the beach," she summarized, while looking on her left.

"Yeah, it was well organized," Michael said.

"What activity at the beach?" Cho asked.

"Oh, it's true. You weren't there. Parvati organized a day at the beach for everyone in our year in July. It was a great day."

They went on to discuss it. Harry, Ron and Hermione didn't talk much. They were concerned by other things than frivolous days like these. To Ron, it looked like it happened in another life. It looked so far away in time. Strangely, he noticed that Parvati wasn't very talkative about this day. She replied shortly to the questions she was asked, and her sister spoke more than her on the matter. Considering that Parvati was the one who organized it and that she was by far the most talkative girl in the group, it was unusual for her to remain silent like this. Not to mention that her twin sister wasn't even there on that day, if Ron's memory served him well.

"No one really has any idea about who these people are?" Ron asked after a time. "I mean, come on? Who enjoys torturing Muggles?"

No one seemed to have an answer. They stayed there, talking little, as the night advanced. No one knew for how long they stayed there. They had watches, but they had no idea about when they left the campsite. All this seemed so unreal, when only a few hours ago, they had been watching the final of the Quiddtich World Cup. Harry and Parvati just started to discuss in ushered tones when a clear voice resonated through the woods.

Attention, everyone. The situation is under control. The Ministry has regained control over the situation. We demand that everyone comes back to their respective campsite. The Ministry is currently organizing departures from the site. Please return to your designated location in order and calm. Ministry's officials will ensure that you find your way. Follow the golden sparks in the air. For those in need of assistance, please send red sparks in the air and Ministry's officials will come to help you right away.

The seven of them stared at each other. For a moment, no one said a word. Then Cho Chang stood up.

"We should go," she said.

"Wait," Ron said, raising his hand. "What if this is a trap? How do we know this is the voice of Ministry's people?"

Some seemed to doubt for a moment. "Perhaps we should send red sparks, to be sure," Parvati suggested.

"If it's not the Ministry, we will be in trouble by signaling our position too," Harry pointed out.

"Cho is right. We should go," Hermione said. "Anyway, how could the rioters have driven away all the employees of the Ministry? That wouldn't make any sense."

The voice raised once again, but Ron couldn't understand what she said this time.

"It's French," Hermione said. "They must be calling in all languages. There are people of other countries here."

In a silent approval, they finally all stood up and headed towards the golden sparks that raised high in the sky and indicated the position of the campsite. It was still dark, but as they approached the campsite and the trees began to clear, Ron thought he began to see the light of day on the horizon. The number of people around them increased as they approached the campsite, and a large crowd was slowly taking shape.

"So much for order and calm," Ron said as he rubbed his side after he got an elbow there.

The officials of the Ministry clearly had their hands full and were running everywhere as people asked them questions and a few managed to reunite with their families.

"How are we going to find our parents in that?" Ron asked aloud.

No one replied. Perhaps it was because of the landscape in front of their eyes as they made it through the crowd on the borders of the campsite. The campsite itself was in ruins. Most tents had been burned to the ground. Everything in front of them was desolation. And Ron wondered, and was truly afraid this time, if he would manage to find family.

You probably noticed, but there is something that didn't happen in this chapter.

Please review.

Next chapter: Harry