DUSK; Cedric Diggory

Chapter 38

"Dad said to stick together!" Cedric yelled back, still trying to push back in the crowd. "And Merlin knows I won't let you find them alone!"

But he was drifting further and further away, and Ophelia had spotted a small clearing by the trees. "Harry?" she gasped, spotting the dark haired boy and his glasses in the faint moonlight with Ron and Hermione leaning on a tree.

"Ophelia!" Harry stood up from the grass, pulling her into a tight hug. "We were so worried—but Hermione kept saying you were fine because you had Cedric...where is Diggory? He should be with you..."

He broke off when a sound came from behind them, like the faint sound of footsteps. "Hello?"

They were met with silence. "I think there's somebody over there," Ophelia whispered, but nobody could see where she was pointing since it was too dark.

"Who's there?"

"MORSMORDRE!" Without warning, a glittering green light erupted from the direction of the woods Ophelia was pointing at, through the trees and up into the sky.

"What—?"

"That's the dark mark." Ophelia whispered in a timid voice. In the dark sky, there was a colossal skull made of emerald sparks, with a snake coming out of the mouth. It kept rising, and it was etched into the dark sky like a constellation.

Suddenly, high pitched screams were heard from all around them. "Who's there?" Harry called out.

"Harry, come on, move!" Hermione seized the collar of his jacket and tugged him back.

"What's the matter?" Harry asked, seeing the pale aces of Ron, Hermione and Ophelia's.

"It's the Dar Mark, Harry!" Hermioned groaned, still pulling him back. "You-Know-Who's sign!"

"Voldemort's—"

"Harry, shut it and come on!" Ophelia whispered, helping Hermione pull him back.

They were met with a series of popping noises, no doubt it was the Ministry that had Apparated. There were about twenty wizards that surrounded them, and they all had their wands out, pointing right at them.

"STUPEFY!" all twenty voices roared just a Harry yelled to duck, and blasts of light streamed above their heads.

"STOP!" yelled a voice from the circle. "STOP! That's my son!"

Mr. Weasley stepped towards them, examining their faces for any injuries. "Ron—Harry—Hermione—Ophelia—are you all right?"

"Out of the way, Arthur," It was the Crouch man for earlier. "Which of you did it?" he demanded, glancing sharply at them. "Which of you conjured the Dark Mark?"

"We didn't do that!" Ophelia said, gesturing up at the skull.

"We didn't do anything!" Ron added. "What did you want to attack us for?"

"Do not like, sir!" Mr. Crouch shouted, his wand still pointing at Ron's chest. "You've been discovered at the scene of the crime!"

"Barty," one of the witches whispered. "they're kids, Barty, they'd never have been able to—"

"Where did the Mark come from, you three?" Mr. Weasley cut in quickly.

"Over there," Hermione said, pointing at the woods.

"There was someone behind the trees...they shouted an incantation..." Ophelia muttered.

"Stood over there, did they?" Mr. Crouch said in disbelief at Ophelia. "Said an incantation, did they? You seem very well informed abouthow that Mark is summoned, missy —"