The Forgotten Twin

Chapter 7

Bill, Charlie, and Percy were already sprinting away toward the oncoming marchers; Mr. Weasley tore after them. Ministry wizards were dashing from every direction toward the source of the trouble. The crowd beneath the Roberts family was coming ever closer.

"C'mon," said George, grabbing Ginny's hand and starting to pull her toward the wood.

Fred grabbed Delilah's hand.

"Buddy system," he said with a small grin, making Delilah chuckle.

Harry, Ron, Hermione, Delilah, and Fred followed George and Ginny. They all looked back as they reached the trees. The crowd beneath the Roberts family was larger than ever; they could see the Ministry wizards trying to get through it to the hooded wizards in the center, but they were having great difficulty. It looked as though they were scared to perform any spell that might make the Roberts family fall.

The colored lanterns that had lit the path to the stadium had been extinguished. Dark figures were blundering through the trees; children were crying; anxious shouts and panicked voices were reverberating around them in the cold night air. Delilah felt herself being pushed hither and thither by people whose faces he could not see. Then she heard Ron yell with pain. Delilah tried to stop but Fred dragged her forward. Finally, they stopped in an abandoned clearing.

"Where's Ron, Hermione, and Harry?" George suddenly asked.

"I think Ron tripped, Harry and Hermione probably stayed back to help. They'll be fine, they have their wands," Delilah said, looking a worried Ginny in the eye.

She realized that Fred was still holding her hand. He seemed to realize at that moment as well, because he immediately dropped it and murmured something under his breath.

They all sat down and waited, but then something vast, green, and glittering erupted in the sky. A skull with a snake coming out of it. Delilah gasped. It was the dark mark, his mark. She felt Fred pull her and Ginny closer.

It was a few more minutes before Fred decided that they could head back to the tent. There was a large crowd of frightened-looking witches and wizards by the edge of the wood that slowed their progress, but they still managed to make it back to the tent safely. Charlie, Bill, and Percy were there.

"Thank Merlin you guys are ok," Bill said, pulling all of them, even Delilah, into a hug.

"Are the others back yet?" Fred asked.

"No, we thought they were with you."

"We got separated."

They were ushered back into the tent and sat down. Bill was sitting at the small kitchen table, holding a bedsheet to his arm, which was bleeding profusely. Charlie had a large rip in his shirt, and Percy was sporting a bloody nose.

Delilah quickly made Ginny some cocoa to help her calm down. Just after Ginny finished, Mr. Weasley, Harry, Hermione, and Ron came back.

"Dad, what's going on?" Charlie called. "Fred, George, Delilah, and Ginny got back okay, but the others —"

"I've got them here," said Mr. Weasley, bending down and entering the tent. Harry, Ron, and Hermione entered after him.

"Did you get them, Dad?" said Bill sharply. "The person who conjured the Mark?"

"No," said Mr. Weasley. "We found Barty Crouch's elf holding Harry's wand, but we're none the wiser about who actually conjured the Mark."

"What?" said Bill, Charlie, and Percy together.

"Harry's wand?" said Fred.

"Mr. Crouch's elf ?" said Percy, sounding thunderstruck.

Mr. Weasley, with some assistance from Harry, Ron and Hermione, explained what had happened. When they had finished their story, Percy swelled indignantly.