Chapter 38: Morsmordre
It was dark and the lanterns among the path to the campsite shined dimly. And for trying to fit in, the lot of wizards sure we're making a ruckus. Singing, cheering and laughing could be heard from every direction. The Leprechauns flew all over the grounds shining their lanterns and firing their green sparks. Sleeping seemed impossible so Arthur made some hot cocoa and let everyone stay up and talk. It wasn't until Ginny fell asleep, spilling her beverage, that Mister Weasley sent everyone to their bunks.It wasn't long before an orchestra of snores began as everyone was fast asleep. Kiba himself however couldn't sleep, he felt strange but he couldn't describe it if he tried. Something was… not right. He got up quietly and made his way out to the larger central room of the tent. He stretched a bit and then transformed, choosing to become a common domesticated cat and take a little stroll.
He walked through the grass, the droplets of dew clinging to his fur as the cold air refreshed his lungs. He looked back at his tail which dragged through the grass, he had yet to get used to carry his tail high, or at least move it when he transformed. But his thoughts were interrupted by sudden screams, followed by what sounded like an explosion of pure flame. His ears were the first to turn and identify the correct direction followed shortly by his eyes that peered into the distance piercing through the darkness. And he saw it, four people, dangling in mid air. Kiba recognized the man as the muggle that owned the land, the one who had almost found out that the were wizards all over the place. And the others were likely his wife and children.
Kiba looked below them and saw a group of hooded figures that obscured their faces with silver masks. One of them had his wand raised high above his head, making the muggles fly as they walked towards Kiba. The others were firing spells at the tents and anything that moved. Kiba moved as fast as his four paws allowed and got back into the tent, transforming immediately as he headed for Mister Weasley's bed.
"Kiba, were you just out there?" he asked sleepily "are they still celebrating.. i'd hate to be on duty now"
"Mister Weasley, it's not the Irish. We need to go, quickly" Arthur was wide awake in an instant as he began waking his eldest Sons. Kiba headed for the other room to wake Harry, Fred, George and Ron as Mr. Weasley headed to the girls. Everyone made their way out of bed hearing the screams and trampling of hundreds of feet came past their tent.
"grab a jacket and get outside!" Arthur yelled. Everyone did as instructed and they headed out stopping to look at the group of masked Wizards.
"that's sick…" Ron muttered suddenly "really, really sick…" Hermione and Ginny came stumbling out of the tent too, hastily pulling coats over their night dresses with frightened looks on their faces.
"We're going to help" Bill said as he walked past them breaking into a sprint followed by Percy and Charlie all fully dressed and Wands at the ready.
"i have to help aswell" Arthur said, now also dressed. "get into the woods, and stick together! Fred, George.. Look after Ginny" he added before he rushed off after his elder Sons.
"Kiba, Harry! Come on!" Hermione called out to the two boys still absently stareing at the muggles floating high. She herself was trying not to look at them the best she could, most likely because she would immediately see her parents in them. They ran, one behind the other, pushing through the crowd that all scattered in different direction in a panic. But the treeline was drawing nearer with every step. They reached the first tree and stopped, Ron placed both hands against it and puffed loudly. "Where's Ginny?" Hermione asked frantically
"I think i saw her split away from the crowd," Harry replied his hands on his knees as he little bent over.
"i did too, Fred and George took her along" Kiba added
"Well, Well. Afraid, are we?" a voice said. The four turned sharply towards the direction of the voice. It was Draco Malfoy, calm, collected and utterly relaxed.
"Go fuck yourself, Malfoy" Ron spat quickly before Hermione could even say anything, she could only look at Ron in disbelief.
"woah, woah. Language Weasley" Draco said unfolding his arms and sticking his hands in his pocket instead was he took a few steps towards them. "you better hurry along, you wouldn't want Granger spotted, would you?"
"What's that supposed to mean?" Hermione shot back at him.
"they're after muggles, Granger" Malfoy chuckled. "do you want to be showing off your knickers in mid-air? Hang around if you do, it would give me a great laugh"
"Hermione's a Witch" Harry fought back
"have it your way then, Potter. If you think they can't spot a Mudblood, then by all means, stay here"
"you watch your mouth Malfoy!" Kiba said taking an aggressive step towards Malfoy only stopped by Hermione holding him back by the arm. Just then an explosion followed by screams startled the four friends, but Malfoy remained unfazed as he casually checked his nails.
"I think I'll stay close by, watch them kill weasley, torture Granger. Hell, they might leave Kiba alive long enough to watch Harry die" he said "but, i guess your Dad told you to hide, right?"
"so he did. Where are your parents?" Harry replied the anger in his voice more apparent then ever. "out there wearing masks, are they?"
"well, if they were i wouldn't tell you, would i Scarhead?"
"Leave him, let's just go" Hermione finally intervened grabbing Harry with her free hand and pulling them away into the trees.
"keep that bushy head of yours down, Granger" he said as they disappeared among the trees "don't let them find you!" he shouted after them followed by a manic laugh.
"Bet you a galleon his dad is under one of those masks" Ron mumbled. They lighted their wands, except for Harry who had seemingly lost his and wanted to continue deeper into the trees but they were startled by a rustling followed by a histerical Winkey rushing past them stumbling with every other step.
"what's wrong with her? She can't even run properly" Kiba said
"she probably didn't ask for permission to hide. I remember Dobby was forced to injure himself if he went against the Malfoy's" Harry replied
"that's disgusting" Hermione uttered in disbelief.
"It's their job to obey," Ron said with a shrug
"job? I'd hardly call it work.. it's Slavery" Hermione hissed. An explosion at the same time startled Kiba enough to take a step deeper into the woods. "she didn't want to be up there, and now she can't even run properly when they start talking tents. If you ask me Ronald, I-" another explosion much closer now also caught the attention of the others.
"let's just keep moving, okay?" Kiba asked carefully. They marched on passing a group of female students from a French school, a small group of goblins and even the Veela that had momentarily ensnared Ron. And eventually they were deep into the wood to feel safe.
"What are you four doing here?" Ludo Bagman had just stepped out from behind a tree looking pale and tired.
"hiding, from the.. you know" Ron replied
"the what?"
"the whole riot going on? They've got muggles flying?" He added
"damn them!" with a Pop he disappeared and left the four to themselves. They decided to stay where they were, going that the others had made it to safety too as they distracted themselves with a Krum figurine and Ron's knowledge of Bagman's career. But Kiba and Harry both jolted back to full attention, looking past the trees into the dark in roughly the same direction.
"Hello?" Harry asked quietly
"Who's there?" Kiba added louder.
"MORSMORDRE!" was the response that excited through the dark, bouncing a unfamiliar voice off of the trees. It wasn't directed at them however, it sounded more like an incantation. And briefly a green flash illuminated the dark before them, Harry traced the green flame as it shot to the sky exploding into a flurry of green smoke, Kiba however remained fixated on the man he saw.. he seemed.. familiar somehow. And just as the light faded from the caster of the spell allowing him to disappear into the dark again the entire woods erupted into screams of utter terror. Kiba was unsure as to why, but when he looked to the now emerald sky, he knew. A giant skull was Lurking ominously over the wood and moved ever so slightly to open it's mouth which promptly released a snake that hung there hissing at whatever it saw. Kiba couldn't tear his eyes away as he listened to Hermione's panicked voice.
"it's the Mark, oh God. Harry, it's his Mark" she said as she tried to pull him and Kiba away, bit they didn't make it far before twenty wizards announced themselves with their own swirl and pop and their wands raised at the quartert. They froze but Kiba had his wand firmly in hand, ready to defend himself.
"What do you-" before he could finish his question he was seized by his jacket and pulled to the ground by Hermione.
"Stupefy!" the Wizards yelled in unison, much like a trained choir. The air above the four children ripped, as the force of each spell made their hairs move. Kiba looked around, checking to see if any of the wizards had stunned one of theirs, but no, they had positioned in a way where a miss on the target was also a miss on the opposite wizard.
'these aren't.. ministry?' he thought
"Stop! Stop it! That's my son! Lower your Wands!" it was Arthur Weasley that recklessly came running into the clearing, but thankfully the ministry Wizards stopped. "Ron, Harry! Oh, goodness. Hermione, Kiba are you all alright?" he asked. They all nodded and got to their feet as no other then Crouch came stomping towards them with furious steps, his wand still raised.
"who did it?" he asked "Which of you conjured the Dark Mark?" he pointed his wand at the four of them individually.
"we didn't do it," Harry said
"we didn't do anything" Ron added
"you have been discovered at the scene if the crime! Which of you was it?" he asked again
"none of us" Harry said
"there was a man in trees, over there" Kiba pointed but unlike the other ministry Wizards Crouch did not turn to look, he was fixated on the children.
"Come now, Barty" Arthur said "they are children, you don't really believe one of them did it?"
"i found someone!" Amos Diggory yelled "our stunners must've… oh dear" the leaves rustled as Amos came walking back into the clearing carrying a small figure dressed in a familiar cloth.
"it can't be, Winky… no" Crouch said as Diggory laid the Elf on the ground. Crouch retraced Amos' steps and went looking himself.
"embarrassing" Amos said "Mister Crouch's House-Elf no less… i mean to say"
"oh, come on Amos" Arthur stopped him "you don't seriously think Winky conjured it? I mean, it's a Wizards spell.. you need a Wand for it"
"And she has one, found her holding it tightly" he replied "that's a broken law by itself. I think we should hear what she has to say. Crouch?" the man didn't reply. He had returned empty handed and with a face as pale as a ghosts. Mister Diggory sighed and raised his wand "Rennervate!" winky woke slowly, first one eye and then the other, she raised herself slowly into a sitting position and looked up at Diggory with her big brown eyes filled fear as she looked even higher. The skull was reflecting twice in her glassy eyes and she suddenly began to look around her wildly before breaking into tears. Tears of terror, not of sadness.
"It can't have been her.." Hermione whispered her voice breaking slightly.
"Elf! Do you know who i am?" Mister Diggory asked sternly "I'm part of the Department for the regulation and control of magical creatures" Winky didn't respond, instead she began rocking back and forth, breathing in sharp bursts of air. "the Dark Mark was conjured here, moments before you were discovered beneath it! What do you have to say for yourself?"
"I-I-I is not doing it, sir" the end gasped "I is not knowing how, sir!"
"you were found in possession of a Wand!" Amos barked at her revealing the wand to her. But Winky didn't recognize it, someone else however did.
"Hey! - that's mine" Harry blurted out making all turn their gazes at him.
"Excuse me, Potter?" replied Mister Diggory
"that's my wand" Harry said "i dropped it!"
"you dropped it?! Is this a confession Potter? You threw it aside after you conjured the mark?" Amos accused Harry
"Amos, remember who you're talking to" Arthur stepped in "is Harry Potter likely to conjure the Dark Mark?"
"i didn't drop it there anyways" Harry said "i lost it right after we got into the wood" Amos hummed thoughtfully to himself as he faced Winky once more
"you find this wand, eh? Picked it up and had some fun with it, did you?"
"I is not doing magic with it, Sir!" Winky squealed " I is… I is.. just picking it up, Sir! I is not making the Mark, sir, I is not knowing how!" Hermione suddenly squeezed hard on Kiba's arm that she had grabbed suddenly
"It wasn't her!" Hermione almost shouted. The shakiness of her voice made it obvious his nervous she was speaking infront of the ministry men, but in her eyes shined determination unlike any other. "we heard a man's voice, low and steady. Not the high and squeaky voice of an elf"
"definitely wasn't an elf" Kiba added finally causing Hermione to relax her grip
"yeah, it was a human voice" Ron also added.
"well, we'll see" Amos said placing the tip of his wand against Harry's "Prior Incantato" Amos roared. The quartert was shocked to see an exact mirror image of the giant skull pertrude from Harry's wand though much, much smaller. It wasn't green like the real thing, it was a pale silver-gray, as if the spell itself were a ghost. "Deletrius" Amos shouted, and the smokey skull vanished in a wisp of smoke. "you have been caught with the guilty wand, Elf! Caught red handed"
"Amos," Mister Weasley interrupted "clear your thoughts for a moment. Precious few wizards know how to produce that spell.. where would she have learned it?"
"Perhaps, Amos is suggesting, that i routinely teach my servants dark magic" Crouch said glaring angrily at Mister Diggory "you have come very close to accusing the two least likely to produce the Mark.. Harry Potter and myself. You are familiar with Potters story, yes?"
"o-of course, sir" Amos Stuttered His face growing redder by the second. "She could have simply picked it up anywhere"
"Precisely, Amos!" Mister Weasley jumped in again "she could've picked it up… Winky?" he turned to the tiny elf and looked into her big eyes "where exactly did you find Harry's wand?"
"I is… I is finding it.. S-S-Sir" she replied raising one hand to point into the trees.
"You see, Amos. Winky simply had the misfortune of stumbling upon the wand. The real culprit must've Disapparated after conjuring the Mark with Harry's wand. Quite clever, not using ones own wand" Mister Weasley deduced.
"But then she must've been just a few feet away from the culprit" Amos replied "Elf, did you see anyone?!" Winky grabbed a hold of her wrinkly Tea-Towel and twisted it whilst she shook her head violently. It was then that Crouch grabbed a hold of Amos' shoulder and sighed loudly.
"Mister Diggory, i understand that, in the ordinary course of events, you'd want to take Winky in for questioning. However, would you please allow me to deal with her myself" Winky suddenly began crying, begging her master through tears as Amos stepped aside, not daring to stand between Crouch and his Elf "Rest assured, she will be punished.." he said, his gaze fixed on Winky though void of any emotion. "Tonight, Winky has behaved in a way i did believe possible. Disobeying not just one, but several of my direct orders.. this means, Clothes" Winky suddenly cried out driving forward and wrapping herself around Crouch's feet.
"M-m-master.. Ple-P.. Please, No-Not Clothes!" she whimpered
"Sir, she was frightened!" Hermione suddenly spoke angrily, glareing at Mister Crouch "she's afraid of hights and those masked men were levetating people. Can't blame her for getting out of their way"
"I have no use for a House-Elf that disobeys me.." Crouch said stepping away from Winky, looking down on her like she was nothing more then a filthy Rat. "i have no use for a servant that forgets what is due to her master, and her Masters reputation"
Everyone remained silent, listening to the painful sobs of Winky that echoed through the clearing. Arthur quickly rounded up the children and rushed them back to the Tent as to not let them see any more of the uncomfortable situation. As much as he wanted to agree with Hermione, This was the way it has always been.. and he couldn't change that.
After allot of questions that Arthur answered about the Death eaters and the dark Mark everyone tried to get some sleep before they would take an early Portkey back to the burrow. Percy, Bill and Charlie had all been wounded and we're in a Wizards hospital Kiba didn't know of. But even though he tried, Kiba couldn't fall asleep.. that mark, his father's symbol kept flashing before his eyes.. was he alive? Was he coming for him.. and Harry?
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