The Golden Quartet: Year 4

CHAPTER 4

“Don’t tell your mother you’ve been gambling,” Mr. Weasley said to Fred and George as they all made their way back to the tent.

“Don’t worry, dad,” Fred said gleefully, “we’ve got big plans for this money. We don’t want it confiscated.”

Mr. Weasley opened his mouth but Athena spoke, “Sir, I think it would be best if you didn’t ask what the money is for.”

Mr. Weasley thought for a moment and then nodded his head, “Yes, I think you are right.”

The large crowd they were all caught up in was rough and chaotic, overjoyed with the game’s turnout. When they finally got back to their tent, Mr. Weasley agreed they could all have a cup of cocoa and they all began sharing their opinions on the game.

Then, there was a sudden loud explosion. “Bloody hell,” Astrid said, turning around in her seat, looking at the entrance to the tent.

“Oh I am glad I’m not on duty,” Mr. Weasley muttered. “I wouldn’t fancy having to go and tell the Irish they’ve got to stop celebrating.”

There was another loud explosion that made them all jump, but this explosion was accompanied with loud shouts and screams.

Mr. Weasley got up, “I think I’ll just have a look,” he walked out the tent and a moment later came rushing back in.

“Those Irish are really-“

“It’s not the Irish!” Mr. Weasley spoke quickly, cutting off Fred. “Quickly everyone, grab your things! We need to get back to the Portkey.”

Everyone got up and scrambled to get their things, “Fred, George, look after your sister! Hurry now, everyone stick together,” they quickly followed him out the tent and were caught off guard by the explosions and screams and thousands of people running around; running from something.

They all began running back towards the hill where the Portkey waited for them. It was hard though, for every step Astrid took, there was another person, running past her, pushing her back.

The field seemed to have been set ablaze, with many of the tents being caught on fire. Astrid had no idea what was going on and not until she heard Harry grunt and then shout out her name did she turn around to glance.

Harry was pulled back into the crowd and quickly lost from the group and then Astrid saw what everyone was running from: Death Eaters.

Astrid recognized them quite easily. Her mother spoke of them often enough. Cloaked in long, black robes, large pointed hats, and they wore skulls for masks – but what also gave them away was their blatant cruelty.

With their wands they were carrying twisted bodies of live muggles in the air above them. The four muggles looked sick with fright as their bodies were forced into grotesque shapes.

Astrid pushed through the crowd and managed to hide behind a tent that had yet to be set on fire. She pulled out her wand and peered out, her eyes darting through the running herd of people, trying to find Harry, but found no trace of him.

She looked back over at the muggles and felt disgusted. Astrid pointed her wand at the four Death Eaters that were torturing the muggles and shouted, “Reducto Contineo!” the spell shot out towards the four and exploded, but the blast was contained to just them, as to not hurt the muggles. Dirt and debris clouded around those Death Eaters and the muggles fell down. The rest of the Death Eaters broke out of their formation, looking around to see where that attack came from but Astrid was already gone, running against the crowd, trying to find Harry again.

“Harry!” Astrid shouted, shoving wizards, left and right. “Harry!”

Astrid gasped when a bolt shot past her. She twirled around and was face to face with a tall, slim Death Eater. She glared and raised her wand.

He shot off another curse and she blocked it using the shield charm. He shot off more spells, not pausing to see what she would do, one spell right after the other, bolts of several shades of light and color shot out at her, fire swirled around trying to burn her, and streams of water tried to drown her and when his spells died down, Astrid was still there.

Standing up right, shoulders pushed back, wand raised, and dark eyes narrowed with a coy smirk playing on her lips. No spell he produced could penetrate the protective shield charm she had protecting herself, and she was quite pleased.

And now it was her turn.

Quick swishes, flicks, twirls, flourishes, and jabs were made as spell, after spell, hit him. Cuts and bruises were being made into him, and she was only toying with him, but he seemed to be catching onto her beat and began disarming her spells and fighting back with his own.

This banter would only go on for a moment longer when a bolt of green light shot up into the night sky, catching both of their attention. It swirled and formed into a green, glittering skull with a serpent protruding from its mouth like a tongue.

A huge dart of pain hit Astrid’s chest as she flew back and crashed into a large tent which then came crashing down on her. With loud, angry huffs and grunts, she managed to pull herself out from under the heavy material and scramble up to her feet. She looked for the man she had been fighting, but he was no longer there and she found herself now leaning forward on her knees, her chest still hurting.

She stood up and began walking forward, everyone seemed to be gone now, but then she saw two figures run across, “Ron, Hermione!” she called.

They quickly stopped and looked over and she ran to them and from the other side, Harry was there, running to them as well.

They all quickly hugged each other and then pulled away to ask about what happened but before they could, loud cracks were sounded around them and Astrid recognized them as Apparating sounds and she grabbed them and pulled them down, “Duck!”

“STUPEFY!” roared twenty voices and there was a sudden blinding series of flashes.

“Stop!” a familiar voice yelled. “STOP! That’s my son!”

They all looked up to see Mr. Weasley running over to them. “Ron, Harry-“ his voice was shaky as he looked over the four of them, “- Hermione, Astrid – are you all right?”

“Out of the way, Arthur,” said a cold, curt voice, belonging to Mr. Crouch.

He and the other Ministry wizards were closing in on them as the four stood up.

“Which of you did it?” he snapped, his eyes darting between the four teens. “Which of you conjured the Dark Mark?”

“Are you mad? We didn’t do that!” Astrid stated firmly.

“Do not lie!” Mr. Crouch shouted, his wand still pointing directly at them.

“Oh right, like Harry Potter and his best friends are going to conjure that thing!” She shouted back, pointing up at the glowing mark above them.

Crouch’s eyes flicked over at Harry.

“I saw someone, though,” Harry spoke, looking over his shoulder. “A man, over there-“

“What did he look like?”

“I – I don’t know. I didn’t get a good look.” Harry said.

The other wizards pointed their wands now at the direction Harry had pointed at.

“They’ve all Disapparated, anyways.” Astrid said.

“Oh really, and how do you know that?” Crouch commanded to know.

“Well, I was fighting one of them and as soon as the mark went up he disappeared.” Astrid stated, crossing her arms.

“You were fighting one of-“

“The Death Eaters, yes. They were the ones who summoned the mark. Not us!”

Mr. Crouch and the other wizards shared glances and they slowly lowered their wands. “The one you were fighting – did you get a look at his face?”

“No, he was masked. They were all masked.”

Mr. Crouch nodded his head at the men, signaling them to lead the way over towards where Harry said the man had ran off in. “You all… are free to go.” He then went off with the rest.

“Come on, you four. We need to get to the Portkey. Everyone is worried.” Mr. Weasley said as he nudged them onward.

Astrid caught Harry looking up at the Dark Mark, and she grabbed his arm and pulled him forward, “Come on, Harry. I’m sure everything will be all right.”

“Promise?” he asked, looking at her for a solemn vow of reassurance.

But Astrid found herself frowning, unable to promise him that everything would indeed be all right. They were looking into each other’s eyes, seeing in one another, that this year would not be what they would hope it would be.