Magic? || Years 1-5

The Dark Mark: Year 4/Summer

"Well, with any luck, the Ministry will catch him!" Hermione replied just as hotly. "Oh I can't believe this. Where have the others got to?"

The rest of the Weasley's were nowhere in sight, even with the path covered in people.

There was a group of teenagers a few feet away, all arguing. When they spotted the four of them, one with pretty curly hair turned toward them.

"Où est Madame Maxine? Nous l'avons perdue -- " She asked hurriedly, her eyes wide.

"Er -- what?" Ron asked quizzically, not understanding her any better than they had.

"Oh..." She turned her back to them, looking vaguely disappointed. "'Ogwarts."

"Beauxbatons," Hermione murmured.

"Sorry?" Harry asked.

"They must go to Beauxbatons. You know... Beauxbatons Academy of Magic... I read about it in An Appraisal of Magical Education in Europe," Hermione explained.

"Oh... yeah... right," Harry nodded.

"Fred and George can't have gone that far," Ron groaned, pulling out his wand and lighting it. Amisty, even though her hands were shaking, pulling out her own wand and illuminated it, acutely aware of how her bracelet was brighter than the light at the tip of it.

"Ah, no, I don't believe it... I've lost my wand!" Harry exclaimed, digging through his pockets.

"You're kidding!" Ron muttered, eyes wide. They cast the light from their wands over the ground, searching. "Maybe it's back in the tent."

"Maybe it fell out of your pocket when we were running?" Hermione offered, her voice stressed.

"Yeah, maybe..." Harry replied, but he didn't sound very convinced or reassured.

There was a rustling nearby, and Winky the house-elf pushed through the bushes as if she were on an invisible leash.

"There is bad wizards about! People high -- high in the air! Winky is getting out of the way!" She gasped, scrambling to push through the path and disappearing into the trees.

"What's up with her? Why can't she run properly?" Ron asked, looking over to where the house-elf had disappeared.

"Bet she didn't ask permission to hide," Harry replied.

"You know, house-elves get a very raw deal! It's slavery, that's what it is! That Mr. Crouch made her go up to the top of the stadium, and she was terrified, and he's got her bewitched so she can't even run when they start trampling tents! Why doesn't anyone do something about it?" Hermione spat.

"Well, the elves are happy, aren't they? You heard old Winky back at the match... 'House-elves is not supposed to have fun'... that's what she likes, being bossed around..." Ron replied calmly.

"It's people like you, Ron, who prop up rotten and unjust systems, just because they're too lazy to -- " She began.

This time Amisty couldn't keep the tiny cry that escaped her mouth at the loud bang that cut Hermione off.

"Let's just keep moving, shall we?" Ron suggested, his gaze flickering briefly to Amisty and then Hermione as Harry took a minuscule step closer to the raven-haired girl.

She had a feeling Ron knew there was some truth to what Malfoy had said about Hermione being in more danger than the rest of them.

"Amisty, what's wrong?" Harry asked quietly as they passed by a group of goblins cackling over a bag of gold, unbothered by the commotion.