Chapter 4 – The Attack

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It was getting dark, the party still in full swing. People getting drunk in front of their tents, sending green sparks in the air as they sang loudly. I was walking around the fields for a few hours now and my feet started to hurt. I found a dying campfire and sat down on one of the logs. I glanced around and pointed my wand at the flames, making them grow bigger. The place was full of wizards, the ministry won't find out if I used underaged magic. I watched the flames as the music and the singing filled my ears. Then suddenly a loud scream drowned out all the party noises.

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"What did you say to her?" Charlie asked, stepping in front of Cedric before the twins could pound on him.

"I-nothing." Cedric stammered still looking at the space she disappeared through. Charlie stepped closer and put his hand on his shoulder, making him look at him.

"Cedric, you have to tell her." He whispered.

"Tell her what?"

"The truth." Charlie gave him a pointed look.

"I fucked up, Charlie." Cedric groaned, rubbing his hand over his face.

"Oh, I know."

"We'll go find her." The twins declared after they couldn't hear what the two of them were talking about.

"No!" Cedric and Charlie called in unison.

"I'll go." Cedric said already stepping to the staircase. "You go celebrate. I'll find her." He looked back to his father. "Dad, I'll see you at the tent."

"Right-O, son." He said in a singing voice, still in a celebrating mood. And with that Cedric ran down the stairs after his best friend, after the one he loved.

He looked for her for hours but couldn't find her. He even went by the Weasley tent to see if she was there but he when he poked his head in to ask, a scream overshadowed the singing. All the Weasleys, Hermione and Harry jumped up, wands in hand as they looked at each other with worry.

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I was running, running away from the hooded figures behind me. I tripped on a stupid log and fell to the ground, groaning. When I turned my head away from the grass, trying to push myself back up, I looked in the eyes of the two small children I met earlier. They were hidden under a bench, huddled together. I crawled my way over to the kids.

"Arthur, Rose. Where are your parents?" I whispered.

"They went to help the others; mum should've been back by now." Rose said with a shaking voice. Her brother Arthur was tucked under her arm, crying. I looked over my shoulder and saw the hooded figures coming closer.

"Alright, uhm. Rose, climb on my back." I instructed. "I'll keep you two safe, I promise." I added with a small smile as the girl hesitated. The girl nodded and climbed on my back, her tiny arms securely around my neck. I picked up my wand from the ground and put a featherlight charm on Rose.

"Now Arthur, come here." I opened my arms, and the boy ran into them crying. I picked him up and put the same charm on him, making him almost weightless. "Hold on tight." I felt the kids nod against me and I straightened up and started running. Tents were burning all around us as people screamed. "Don't look, keep your head against me."

I ran, even when my side started to sting, I kept running. Running away from the fires, from the screaming people. The only thing I worried about now were the two small kids I carried. I saw all the underaged kids running into the woods and I followed after them. I didn't stop when I entered the woods, I only stopped until the sounds faded in the background. When I was only surrounded by a few kids of about 14 years old, I placed the kids on the ground, against a tree.

"Are you alright? Are you hurt?" I asked looking the kids over. The young children shook their heads as they trembled.

"We're okay." Arthur whispered.

I kissed both kids on the top of their heads, for reassurance. Not just for them but also for me. Now that I knew they were fine, I started to fear for Cedric, Amos, the Weasleys.

"You two are very brave." I whispered to the kids. I conjured a pillow and a blanket and covered them up. "Lie down." I said as I stroked their hair until they fell asleep against the tree. I stood up and guarded the kids, wand at the ready.

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Mr Weasley had ordered him to follow the others into the woods. He didn't want to go but Fred and George practically pushed him with them.

"She knows what to do, she will know to come to the woods." George said as they ran to the woods, Ginny in one hand.

Cedric didn't answer. He just kept looking in every direction hoping to find her in the sea of people. But he didn't, now even in the woods he didn't find her. He was seriously thinking about sending a Patronus but if she were in hiding it would give away her position. When the voices, the screams grew quiet they stopped running, catching their breaths.

"I need to find her." Cedric exclaimed between breaths.

"Diggory, she's probably in the woods already." Fred said, looking around nervously.

"You don't know her like I do. She won't just leave people behind." He said angerly. "She's so stubborn, she would take on the death eaters herself."

"Okay, why don't we search the woods together?" George proposed. "If we don't find her, we can see from there."

Cedric took a moment to think it over before he nodded. "Alright." So they went, searching in silence as they combed through the woods. They didn't want to risk calling her name, so Cedric sends out yellow sparks that didn't reach the top leaves of the trees, in hope she would see them.

It was almost an hour later when he saw the same sparks coming from behind a large oak tree. He started running towards it, leaving the three Weasley siblings behind. His breath stopped as he saw her standing in front of the tree, her hair white as snow as it looked like she guarded the tree with her life. When she noticed him, her shoulders slumped, and her wand lowered before they rushed towards each other. Her arms flew around his neck, while one of his hands went around her waist pulling her as close as he could and the other found its way in her white hair.

"Winnie." He whispered, tears started to roll over his cheeks, but he didn't care. He was just so relieved she was okay, that she was here in his arms. "I thought-" He shook his head in the nook of her neck. "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry about today. If something were to happen to you... all my fault."

"Hey." I said pulling back, I caressed his cheek softly. "I'm okay. We're okay." I rested my head against his, both closing our eyes.

"Winnie..." Cedric started but was interrupted by a soft voice.

"Queen Guinevere?" A small voice came from behind us.

We pulled away from each other and opened our eyes, looking behind me. Cedric's eyes went wide when he saw the two small children. Before he could say something, the twins and Ginny ran up to them.

"Thank Merlin, you're alright." Ginny breathed out as I walked to the kids.

"Is everyone okay?" I asked looking over my shoulder.

"We don't know. Dad has sent us a Patronus just now, to stay in the woods until he sends a new one. Are those -?"

Rose looked up to Ginny with sleepy eyes. "You have pretty hair."

"Thank you." Ginny kneeled down next to me as the boys stepped closer behind them. "How did you get here?"

"Queen Guinevere saved us." Arthur piped up, barely awake.

"Our parents were gone, and she saw us. She picked us up and saved us from the scary men."

"Queen Guinevere is certainly brave." Ginny smiled at the kids.

"I think you got sorted in the wrong house, Guinevere." Fred let out a dry chuckle.

"I've been saying that for years." Cedric managed a grin at the twins.

"Sit down boys." I patted the ground as I turned and leaned against the tree trunk and pulled the kids close to me. When they all sat in a circle together, I made them a small fire, keeping them warm. Cedric didn't take his eyes of me for one moment after they sat down, afraid I would disappear again.

"You can't use magic, you're not seventeen yet." Ginny said, pointing at her wand.

"There are so many wizards here, they won't notice, especially not after tonight. Besides I turn seventeen in a few weeks, what can they do." I shrugged as I put my wand back down but still in reach.

"What happened to your hair?" Fred asked with a frown. I took a strand of hair in my hand and looked at the white colour in surprise.

"Oh. This hasn't happened in years." I whispered, turning my hair back to ash blonde.

"When something bad happens or she is scared out of her mind, her hair turns white on its own accord." Cedric said softly.

"Does it change other colours too?" Ginny asked curious.

"I can change it to whatever I want. But on its own accord, so far only white and red."

"Red?"

"If it turns red, you don't want to face her, believe me." Cedric smiled at her. "Red means angry, real angry. You better get the hell out of there if that happens."

The others started to laugh; their voices echoed through the silent woods. The kids fell asleep on my lap as I stroked their hair softly. We talked quietly amongst each other, trying not to wake them.

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"Gwennie?" A deep voice came from the dark.

"Gavin?" I looked up at the tall dark man. His buzz cut hair and his nearly black eyes looked at me in front of the fire. The three boys' heads snapped back to look at the newcomer. "What are you doing here?"

"Came here to check on everyone, I was one of the aurors on duty tonight. I just arrived to replace Dunner when all hell broke loose. The death eaters are gone, it's safe to go back." He looked at the others around the fire. "Hey, Cedric. I saw your dad, he's fine."

"Thanks, Gavin."

"What about our dad? Arthur Weasley?"

"I saw them with your other brothers, they were just returning to the tent." The three Weasleys let out a breath of relief as they gave him a nod in thanks. "I'm going to keep searching for others."

"Thanks again, Gavin."

"Anything for you, love." He gave me a smile before he disappeared behind the trees. Before anyone could say anything, Arthur Weasley's Patronus appeared in front of them, telling them they could come out of the woods. They all went to stand up, but I was still pinned down by the two kids on my lap. Cedric leaned down and picked the boy up in his arms. The boy nuzzled his face in his chest as he slept on. George picked up the girl, so I could stand up.

"Thanks." I smiled at the two. The small girl started to squirm in George's arms. "Oh, give her to me, George. I think she'll calm down."

"Are you sure?" He asked looking from the girl to me. I smiled and nodded my head, opening my arms. George gently placed the girl back in my arms, and she let out a sigh, sleeping soundly once again. "Guess you're right." He grinned.

"So, Gavin..." Ginny started, and the boys' eyes perked up as we walked through the woods.

"He's my ex. We dated last year."

"Was it serious?"

"No. Gavin is a great guy, but it was just some fun. We parted ways at the end of the school year."

"Fun in like..."

"Ginny, I'm not talking to you about that! You're too young."

"That says enough." Ginny snickered and I felt caught as the three boys stared at me. Now I was really grateful to be a metamorphmagus because I could hide my blush with ease. We walked out the woods in silence for the rest of the way. I could still feel the boys looking at me as we reached the Weasley tent. Bill was pacing outside the tent and stopped when we approached.

"Charlie, Percy, they're here!" Bill called to the tent. Not a moment later the two other Weasleys were standing in front of them. The three brothers hugged their younger siblings tight, checking them over to see if they were really fine. Charlie came over to check on me and Cedric.

"Who are these little munchkins?" He asked about the kids after he saw we were okay.

"Guinevere, the heroin, saved them." Fred said with extra flare.

"Their parents were gone; I couldn't just leave them." I said as I readjusted the girl in my arms.

"You're amazing, Gwen." He turned to his brothers. "You all stay here, wait for the others. I'll go with them to find the parents and get them back to their tent."

The twins were about to protest but Bill ushered them all in the tent, leaving the three of us and the kids alone outside.

"Do you know where you found them?"

"I think so." I nudged my head to the left and they followed me through the burned tents.

GN