Chapter Eight

Harry followed Mr Weasley out of the stands trying not to get caught up in the swarms of people.

"Wasn't that amazing!" Ron said excitedly.

Harry nodded, he was so excited still he felt like he was buzzing, "I just wish it had gone on longer! But that finish! Krum is the most amazing flyer!"

Fred and George were following behind, counting their large pile of gold.

"Whatever you do, do NOT tell your mother that you have been gambling." Mr Weasley sighed.

Fred and George grinned, "Don't worry, we don't want it taken away; we have plans for all this!"

Mr Weasley wondered if it was worth asking what these plans were but quickly decided that it was better if he didn't know.

Lily arrived back at the tents shortly after the Weasley's and Malfoys. Danica was tired, snuggled into her mothers shoulder, her bright green dress slightly crumpled from jumping around so much.

"Did you have fun?" Harry said, taking Danica from him mother and giving her a hug.

"Yeah it was great!" Danica grinned, "Need to sleep now though."

Harry was far to excited to sleep and sat around the fire with the Weasley's, Draco and Hermione talking excitedly about the game.

"Harry come on, time for bed." Lily said, touching his shoulder.

Harry let out a loud sigh, "Please Mum?!"

"If you don't come to bed now you're going to wake Danica when you come in." Lily pointed out.

"He could sleep with us." Mr Weasley offered, "We have a spare bed for him and that way he could stay up a while."

Lily looked around at how well the children were getting along, she didn't want to drag Harry away to bed, she was sure he wasn't going to sleep anyway.

"Best behaviour, if it isn't to much trouble for you?" She checked with Mr Weasley.

He waved his hand, "Harry's no trouble." he smiled, "He was as good as gold yesterday and they're getting on so well."

Harry wasn't sure he was happy about Mr Weasley and his Mother talking about him as though he wasn't there but Lucius and Narcissa were already in bed and this was the last chance he had to be able to stay up.

Lily nodded, "Yeah of course then. Just be good and try not to stay up to late."

Harry stood up and gave his mother a huge hug, "Thanks Mum."

"I'm just there if you need me." Lily said, pointing at the tent.

Harry went in after her and grabbed his bag full of pyjamas and toiletries, poking his head round the tent bedroom to see Danica sleeping soundly, despite the noise, before duping it on the bottom bunk of Ron's bed in the Weasley tent.

Draco was draining the bottom of his hot chocolate cup by the time Harry returned to the camp fire. They talked for a couple of hours, using the Omnioculars to go over their favourite bits and how amazing the mascots were.

"Right time to bed." Mr Weasley said, checking his watch, he looked over to where the Irish camp site was still partying in full force, "I'm so glad I'm not on duty tonight. Don't fancy being the one who has to tell the Irish lot to quiet down!" he laughed.

Harry emptied his cup and stretched. Draco was looking very tired as was Hermione, they quickly said goodnight and went to bed.

Harry changed into his pyjamas and climbed into the slightly musty smelling sleeping bag. It was comfy enough that, even with all the noise outside he quickly fell asleep.

Harry found himself dreaming he was in the Quidditch World Cup. Flying though the air and waving to the cheering crowds.

Harry! Harry!

The sound changed from excited to panicked as Harry felt himself shaken awake.

Harry pushed off Mr Weasley's hand and sat up, bashing his head on the bunk bed, "What's up?"

Mr Weasley's face was as white as a sheet, "Harry you have to get up!"

Harry was awake in a second, "What's happening? Danica?! MUM?!"

Mr Weasley shook his head, "I'm going to get them, you have to get dressed and head into the forest."

Harry nodded and pulled on his clothes over his pyjamas, stuffing his feet into his shoes and waiting for Ron.

They went into the main bit of the tent to find the other Weasley children apart from Ginny, who was in the other tent with Hermione.

"Head to the forest?" Fred said with a grim face.

Harry nodded and headed out the tent. He could see the light flick on in his mother's tent and wandered if he should wait for them.

Then he saw what had happened. There were a lot of tents on fire, more and more catching alight as masked figures moved through the camp field. Harry squinted and saw that several people where floating in the air, frozen and caught in spells that the masked figures had. It looked like Mr Roberts and what Harry assumed where his family.

Maniacal laughter was coming from that direction and Harry knew they had to get out of there. Charlie and Bill were heading towards the masked people to try and help rescue those who were trapped.

Hermione and Ginny had emerged from the tent, fully dressed and looking panicked. Hermione took Harry's hand and started to drag him towards the forest.

Crowds of people were moving in that direction and Harry was struggling to keep his footing in the dark.

"I want to wait for Mum!" He shouted, as a loud explosion shook the air behind them.

"Harry, Mr Weasley said to go to the forest." Hermione said.

"Harry come on." Ron said, "Hermione is in danger!"

Hermione looked round at him, getting shoved in the shoulder by someone running towards the forest, "Why am I in any more danger than anyone else?"

Ron all but rolled his eyes, "They're muggles! Those people getting caught."

"It doesn't matter." Harry snapped. They'd lost Fred and George who had made sure that Ginny was safely tucked away in the forest, "We're all in danger and we have to move. NOW!"

Hermione nodded and they started moving again in the crowds of people. Harry reached into his back pocket for his wand, it was gone.

"My wand."

They'd reached the edge of the trees now and the light was worse than ever.

"Did you drop it?" Ron said.

Harry threw his hands up in the air in annoyance "I must have."

"Don't worry, we can use ours for light." Hermione said, flicking her wand.

Harry nodded but his mind was racing. His Mother, Danica, Pansy, Draco Daphne, there were so many people he couldn't help but panic for; he didn't even know if his mother was still alive, she was muggle born as well.

He fell to the floor as another explosion echoed around the trees.

"Harry come on." Hermione said as Ron and her tired to drag him to his feet, "We have to keep moving!"

Harry nodded and moved forward as quickly as he could, trying to clear his mind of the horrific thoughts he had spinning round his mind. They reached an empty part of the forest, no one was here and instinctively, the three of them fell silent.

There was laughter, not nice laughter, nasty, vicious and triumphant.

"We should go back." Ron whispered.

Harry was about to agree when he saw someone moving in the trees. There was a muttered spell and a huge flash of green.

Harry looked and felt the colour drain from his face as the Dark Mark filled the sky, Harry had seen it before, branded on Severus's arm; it would have been impossible not to have seen it before.

Harry couldn't see it for long though before there was a blinding pain in his scar and he felt himself fall to the floor before everything went black.

Lily was tossing and turning in her bed. She could hear a lot of shouting and bangs from nearby as people celebrated or drowned their sorrows. Years of being a mother though had her listening out for any sound that could be Harry or Danica stirring and needing her.

She was worried about Harry being away from her again, he was only a tent away, a few steps at most, but it felt a lot more. She would be very glad to be back under her own roof with her family around her tomorrow.

She felt like she'd barely closed her eyes when she heard someone crashing into her tent. She was up in a second, reaching for her wand that was stashed under her pillow.

"Who's there?" She asked.

Mr Weasley came into the bedroom, white faced and panicked.

"You have to get up." He told her, "There's an attack going on. Where's Danica?"

Lily was already out the bed and tying her long hair up in a ponytail to keep it off her face. She didn't bother to get dressed or even put her shoes on, instead moving quickly past Mr Weasley to see what was happening.

"Where's Harry?" Lily asked.

"I sent him into the forest." Mr Weasley said, "Out of the way."

"You left him alone!?" Lily demanded angrily.

"I couldn't stay with all of them!" Mr Weasley pointed out, "He's with my lot."

Lily nodded and looked out the tent door. She felt her knees grow week at the sight of the bone masks and all to familiar robes.

"Wake the Malfoys." She told Mr Weasley.

He nodded and left the tent.

Lily went into where Danica was sleeping and stroked her cheek to wake her. She had been fast a sleep and let out a cry at being dragged from her dreams.

"Too sleepily." Danica cried, her soft face very baby like from where she'd been sleeping.

"I know, Kitten but we have to go." Lily said. She could hear the panic in her own voice even though she'd tried to hide it.

Danica woke up enough to realise that there was something wrong and started crying in fear. Lily picked her up, wrapped in her blanket and balanced her on a hip so she still had one had free to use her wand. Danica clung to her mother's neck as they left the tent, hiding her face away from the running people and burning tents.

Mr Weasley had left by this point to try and help. Lucius and Narcissa were just emerging from their own tent with a very tired looking Draco.

"By the Gods." Narcissa whispered as she saw the masks.

Lucius put a hand to his left arm and shook his head at his wife, and Lily's, unasked question, unable to take his eyes off the masked figures.

"Are you sure?" Lily asked.

Lucius nodded, "Yes. I would be able to feel it if it was… him. It's not a message you miss, and the wards around here aren't strong enough to block such a message."

"Where's Harry?" Narcissa asked.

"Arthur sent him off into the woods alone." Lily said, trying to keep the bitterness and fear from her voice.

"We'll help you find him." Lucius said at once.

Lily shook her head, "No. No, you have to get out of here. Look! If they see you, not helping them, then they'll turn on you as well."

"Lily..." Narcissa knew Lily was right.

Lily moved forward and passed the still sobbing Danica to Lucius, making sure he had a firm hold on her before pulling Danica's arms off her neck and stepping away.

"Take Danica and get out of here." Lily said.

"Mummy!" Danica sobbed reaching for her Mother as Lucius tried to hold on. He clutched her to his chest and made sure she couldn't wriggle free before nodding to Lily.

Narcissa took Draco's hand in on of her own and held onto Lucius with the other before turning on the spot and with a pop they were gone.

Lily could feel the cold wind, chilling her through her thin cotton nightdress and the damp clinging to her feet but she didn't care, instead she turned and headed into the forest.

"HARRY!" She called as loud as she dared.

There was a flash of green light deeper in the woods that filled the sky. She looked up as the dark mark twisted and filled the sky. It had been thirteen years since she'd last seen it, thirteen years since she'd had to worry about who's death it signalled.

She didn't care, as long as it wasn't Harry she could live with it being anyone else. Never the less, she took a deep breath and headed quickly for where the spell had come from.