The whole wood erupted into screams. Edward pulled Hermione and Harry to his side, and George quickly did the same for Ruby and Ron.
"What is that?" Harry frowned.
"The Dark Mark," said Edward quietly. "You-Know-Who's sign.... Remus told me."
Before he could explain more, there was a series of loud cracks, and several Ministry officials Apparated out of nowhere. Edward dragged Hermione and Harry to the ground and George, seeing what was about to happen, pulled Ruby and Ron to the dirt.
"STUPEFY!" roared several voices. The air above them filled with bright red flashes that barely missed Edward and his friends and rebounded off tree trunks.
"Stop!" yelled Mr. Weasley's voice. "STOP! Those are my sons!"
The flashes stopped, and Edward looked up. Mr. Weasley was striding through the group of Ministry wizards toward them, looking white.
"Ron, Harry, Hermione, Ruby, George, Edward-" he sounded shaky "-are you all right?"
"Out of the way, Arthur," said a cold voice. Mr. Crouch was marching toward them, looking furious. "Which of you did it?" he asked. "Which of you conjoured the Dark Mark?"
"Firstly, Mr. Crouch," said Edward very coldly, making all the Ministry wizards take a step back, including Crouch, "we're all underage; we couldn't have the power to conjour that-" he pointed up at the glowing skull "-anyway. Secondly, most of us were between half a year and three years old when You-Know-Who died; how could he have taught us the spell? Thirdly -- do you think Harry Potter, or any of his friends, would be willing to perform the spell of the Dark Mark?"
The Ministry wizards fell silent. Most of them looked awed and wary of Edward.
"Where did the Mark come from, Edward?" Mr. Weasley asked.
Edward pointed to where the voice had come from. "A man, I think. He shouted some sort of incantation." He wasn't going to tell them that he'd accidentally memorized the spell -- he had a habit of doing so when he heard any charm or jinx. "Your Stunning spells went into those trees; you might have caught them before they Disapparated."
Instantly, a wizard broke off from the group. It was Amos Diggory, Cedric's father. He marched into the trees where Edward had pointed.
"Yes! We've got them! There's someone here, unconscious! It's -- but -- blimey..." He walked out of the trees, carrying a familiar form.
"Winky?" Ruby looked alarmed.
"You know my elf?" Crouch frowned at her.
"She was sitting in the Top Box with us," said Edward with a sigh.
Diggory glanced at Ruby and Edward, then put the elf on the ground in front of Crouch. Mr. Crouch barely glanced at her before going back out into the wood.
Wait, Edward thought, staring after him. Is it possible that someone was keeping Winky from going into the woods? Someone with an Invisibility Cloak, or an invisibility spell?
"Bit embarrassing," said Diggory, looking down at Winky. "Barty Crouch's house-elf... I mean to say..."
"Come off it, Amos," said Mr. Weasley. "You don't seriously think it was the elf? The Dark Mark's a wizard's sign. It requires a wand."
"Yeah," said Diggory, "and she had a wand."
"Is it by any chance eleven inches and made of holly?" Edward asked curiously.
"It is!" said Diggory with surprise, pulling out Harry's wand. "How did you know?"
"Harry lost his wand," said Edward, glancing at Harry, who looked shocked and confused. "Probably before we left the Top Box."
Crouch had returned, looking white. "I do not understand. She could not have conjoured the Mark... she would have to have a wand...."
"She had one," said Diggory, giving him Harry's wand. "Apparently it's this boy's." He pointed at Harry. "I found her holding one. If it's all right with you, Mr. Crouch, I think we should hear what she's got to say for herself." He pulled out his own wand and pointed it at the elf. "Renervate!"
Winky blinked awake, and her brown eyes travelled slowly from Diggory, to Crouch, to the Dark Mark in the sky. Then she burst into tears.
"Winky!" Ruby cried worriedly, rushing towards her, but Edward caught her.
"Wait," he whispered.
"Elf," said Diggory sharply. "Do you know who I am? I'm a member of the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures!"
Winky rocked backward and forward on the ground, sobbing harder.
"As you see, elf, the Dark Mark was conjured here a short while ago. And you were discovered moments later, right beneath it! An explanation, if you please!"
"I -- I -- I is not doing it, sir!" Winky gasped. "I is not knowing how, sir!"
"It wasn't her!" Ruby said angrily to Diggory, who blinked at her. "The voice was all low, and Edward said it was definitely a man!"
"Winky," Edward said quietly to her, "did you see anyone?"
Winky blinked at him, still crying. "I -- I is seeing no one, sir."
She's lying. Orders from Crouch...?
"Amos," said Crouch coldly, "I am fully aware that, in the ordinary course of events, you would wnat to take Winky into your department for questioning. I ask you, however, to allow me to deal with her."
Diggory frowned but nodded. Clearly Crouch was important.
"You may rest assured that she will be punished," said Crouch, even more coldly.
"M-m-master," Winky rasped. "M-m-master, please..."
Crouch stared back at her, no pity in his gaze. Ruby looked furious.
"WInky has behaved tonight in a manner I would not have believed possible," he said very slowly. "I told her to remain at the tent. I told her to stay there while I went to sort out the trouble. And I find that she disobeyed me. This means clothes."
"I'll take her!" Ruby cried suddenly. Everyone stared at her. "I'll take Winky," she said defiantly to Crouch. "How much?"
"How much?" he asked icily, looking at her like she was insane. Edward narrowed his eyes at him.
"Three hundred galleons!" Ruby said fiercely.
"You are a child," said Crouch coldly. "You do not need a-"
"Five hundred galleons!" The Ministry wizards stared at her.
"Five hundred..." Crouch frowned. "When will you pay?"
Ruby hesitated, and Edward spoke up quietly. "Mr. Weasley could bring you the money tomorrow at the Ministry, when he goes in to work, and take Winky back to his house at the end of the day; we're all staying with the Weasleys."
"I can do that," Mr. Weasley agreed nervously.
"Very well," said Crouch, as Winky still sobbed quietly, "I agree."
"Well," said Mr. Weasley quickly, "I think I'd better take my lot back to the tent, if nobody's got any objections. Amos, If Harry could have his wand back, please...."
Very reluctantly, Diggory handed Harry his wand, and Harry pocketed it.
When they got back to the tents, Charlie emerged from the boys', frowning. He looked relieved when he saw George and the others.
"Good," said Charlie as they approached, "Fred, Topaz, and Onyx were freaking out."
Draco, Topaz, Onyx, Ginny, and the three other Weasley boys were huddled around the table, white-faced, when they entered. Fred and Ruby's brothers leaped up when they saw them and attacked, squeezing George and Ruby in their arms.
"We were worried," said Topaz, as he and Onyx releases their sister, "that you'd..." he trailed off.
"Did you get them?" Bill asked as they all sat down. "The person who conjured the Mark?"
"No," said Mr. Weasley tiredly. "We found Barty Crouch's elf holding Harry's wand, but we're none the wiser about who actually conjured the Mark."
Everyone gasped, and Edward interrupted with exhaustion in his tone.
"Can those who already know what happened go back to sleep?" he groaned. Onyx snickered.
"Right," said Mr. Weasley with embarrassment. "You six can head off to bed."
"Can I stay until my mother comes to get me?" Draco asked in a small voice.
Mr. Weasley gave him a concerned look. "Of course. Would you like to take someone's bed?"
"He can have mine," said George. "I don't want to sleep until Fred does."
"Thanks," said Draco quietly. Edward showed him where George's bed was, then crashed onto the mattress beside Harry, instantly falling asleep.