Rob woke them up after only a few hours, used magic to pack everything up and they left the campsite as quick as possible. They passed Mr Roberts on the way out who waved "Nice having you" he said pleasantly. Silver was glad to see he didn't have any memory of last night, no one would be the same after something like that. They then had to wait in a queue to get a Warp Gate out as many Wizards also wanted to leave quickly. They eventually got a tire which took them back to the top of the hill they found the boot on. They talked very little on the way back to Deerwood, they were exhausted and hungry. As the house came into view, they heard a cry "Oh, thank goodness! Thank goodness". Mari-An had been waiting out in the garden for them. She was running across the grass in her nightgown, her face was pale, and she held a newspaper in her hand. She threw her arms around her husband's neck dropping the newspaper. Silver saw the headline "SCENES OF TERROR AT THE SKY CHASE WORLD CUP" there was a picture of the Dark Mark. Mari-An cried "You're all alright. Oh, boys". She grabbed Mighty and Ray "I shouted at you before you left! It's all I've been thinking about! What if You-Know-Who had got you, and the last thing I ever said to you was that you didn't get enough G.E.M.s". Mighty and Ray hugged back to try and cheer her up. Rob led everyone back inside "Ash, pick up that paper. I want to see what's happening". They all went into the kitchen and Rob poured Mari-An a cup of strong tea. He then read the newspaper "I knew it. Listen to this. 'Ministry Blunders. Dark Wizards at large. Disgrace'. And no surprise. Look who wrote it. Breezie the Hedgehog". Hamlin let out a scoff "That woman has it in for the Ministry. Last week she was saying we're wasting our time quibbling about cauldron thickness when we should be stamping out Yetis! As if it wasn't specifically stated in paragraph twelve of the Guidelines for the Treatment of Non-Wizard Part-Humans" "Do us a favour, Ham. Shut up" Ash yawned.
Rob continued to read "I'm mentioned. Listen to this 'If the terrified wizards and witches who waited breathlessly for news at the edge of the wood expected reassurance from the Ministry of Magic, they were sadly disappointed. A Ministry official emerged some time after the appearance of the Dark Mark alleging that nobody had been hurt but refusing to give any more information. Whether this statement will be enough to quash the rumours that several bodies were removed from the woods an hour later, remains to be seen'". Rob threw the paper away "Oh, really! No one was hurt, what was I supposed to say? Rumours that several bodies were removed from the woods. Well, there certainly will be rumours now she's printed that". He gave a deep sigh "I'm going to have to go in" "I'll come with you, father. Mr Puff will need all hands-on deck. And I can give him my cauldron report in person" Hamlin said importantly. This upset Mari-An "But Rob this isn't your department" "I've made things worse. I've got to go in". Silver knew it was an inappropriate time, but he had to know "Mrs O'Hedge, has Lily arrived" "Lily, dear? No, there hasn't been any post all day". Coral and Razor looked at Silver understanding and the three of them got up and left the kitchen "Letter from Elias?" Razor asked.
Silver didn't talk until they were in Razor's room "There's something I have to tell you. Last Saturday when I woke up my head was hurting. But not like normal. I mean like… when he was at Soleanna". There reactions were exactly how Silver predicted. Coral gave suggestions and said they should consult everyone from Locke to Madam Vanilla. Razor meanwhile was panicking "He wasn't there was he?" "At Pender Drive? No, I don't think so. But I had a dream about him. He was talking to Mordred" "It-It was only a dream" Razor said not sounding convinced. Silver crossed his arms "It's just… I have a dream about Fini… You-Know-Who and then these Nocturnus show up. And then there's what Pyjamas told me last year". Coral rolled her eyes "Oh, you're not going to believe anything that fraud says" "You weren't there. You didn't hear her. She talked about his servant returning and that night Mordred escaped". This seemed to leave Coral speechless. Razor tried to change the subject "When did you write to Elias?" "Saturday. But where he is. I was hoping it would be here by now". Razor could tell he was worried "Hey, after breakfast let's play some Sky Chase, eh? Three on three, Me, you, Mighty, Ray, Rotor and Ash. You can try the Wronski Faint". Coral stared at him in disbelief "Razor, Silver doesn't want to play Sky Chase right now. He worried and tired. We should all go to bed" "Actually, I do. I'll get my board" Silver said. Coral walked out muttering about "Boys".
Neither Rob or Hamlin were at home much over the next week. On the Sunday before they were to return to Soleanna Hamlin managed to make it back for dinner "It's been an absolute uproar. I've been putting out fires all week. People keep sending Howlers, and of course, if you don't open a Howler straight away, it explodes. Scorch marks all over my desk and my best quill reduced to cinders". Blaze was near the fire taping one of her second-hand books back together "Why are they sending howlers?" "Complaining about security at the World Cup. They want compensation for their ruined property. Farrel's put in a claim for a twelve-bedroomed tent with en-suite Jacuzzi, but I've got his number. I know for a fact he was sleeping under a cloak propped on sticks". Mari-An looked up at the family clock. Most of the hands were at home but Rob's was at work "Your father hasn't had to work weekends since the days of You-Know-Who. They're working him far too hard. His dinner's going to be ruined if he doesn't come home soon". Hamlin shrugged "Well, Father feels he's got to make up for his mistake at the match, doesn't he? If truth be told, he was a tad unwise to make a public statement without clearing it with his Head of Department first-" "Don't you dare blame your father for what that wretched Breezie woman said". Ash was nearby playing chess with Razor "If Dad hadn't said anything, old Breezie would just have said it was disgraceful that nobody from the Ministry had commented. Breezie never makes anyone look good. Remember, she interviewed all the Nameless Charm Breakers once, and called me 'a black-haired pillock'?" "Well, it is rather long, dear. If I could just-" "No, Mum!".
Silver meanwhile was polishing his Psychic Wave as next to him Coral was immersed in the The Standard Book of Spells, Grade 4. Mari-An had bought them all their books from Avalon while they were away. She noticed Mighty and Ray writing something near the windowsill "What are you two doing" "Homework". Mari-An looked suspicious "This far into the holiday? You two aren't by any chance writing up new order forms. Trying to start up Mean Bean Machine again?". Mighty smirked and shook his head "Now, mum, if the Soleanna Express crashed tomorrow, and Ray and I died, how would you feel to know that the last thing we ever heard from you was an unfounded accusation?". Everyone laughed, even Mari-An who then noticed the clock "Oh, Rob's coming home". As if prompted Rob came through the door and fell into a free chair completely exhausted "Breezie's been ferreting around all week, looking for more Ministry mess-ups to report. And now she's found out about poor old Bertha going missing, so that'll be the headline in the Prophet tomorrow. I told Barker he should have sent someone to look for her ages ago". Hamlin swiftly said "Mr Puff has been saying that for weeks" "Puff's lucky Breezie didn't hear about Momo being found with the Talisman that conjured the mark". Coral put her book down "If you ask me, Mr Puff is very lucky no one at the Daily Prophet knows how mean he is to Marmolim" "Now, look here, Coral. A high-ranking Ministry official like Mr Puff deserves unswerving obedience from his servants" "Slave, you mean. He doesn't pay Momo, does he?". Mari-An broke up the argument "I think you'd all better go upstairs and check that you've packed properly".
Silver and Razor packed in their room. Silver noticed Lily's cage was still empty "It's been a week. Razor, you don't think he's been caught, do you?" "No, the Daily Prophet would be all over it. It'd be a great way to get the Cup off people's minds". Silver nodded and they both looked through the stuff Mari-An got them at Avalon. There was the normal stuff, books, equipment when suddenly Razor made a sound of disgust. Silver turned around and saw that he was holding up something that looked like a long, maroon velvet dress. It had a mouldy-looking lace frill at the collar and matching lace cuffs "What's that supposed to be?". Mari-An knocked and came in with a handful of clean socks "Here you are. Mind you pack them properly, so they don't crease". Razor held out the dress "Mum, you've given me Blaze's clothes" "No I haven't. Those are your dress robes" "What?". Mari-An rolled her eyes "Didn't you read the list. It said you needed robes for formal occasions" "I'm not wearing these!" "Everyone' wearing them. I bought Silver some to. Show him, Silver". With some trepidation Silver opened his trunk and took out his dress robes. It wasn't as bad as he expected. They didn't have any lace, were blue and looked quite nice "I thought they would bring out the colour in your eyes, dear" Mari-An said. Razor looked annoyed "Why can't I have some like that". Mari-An's face flushed "Well… I had to buy yours second-hand and there wasn't a lot of choice". Silver looked away feeling awkward. Razor dropped his robes "I'm not wearing them" "Fine, go naked while everyone else is in their fancy clothes. Silver, send me a picture. I could do with a laugh" Mari-An stormed out. Razor groaned "Why is everything I own rubbish!?".