Raven (Fred x oc)

35. Death Eaters

As if I'd been shocked, I jolted awake, the sounds of screams reaching my ears. My eyes widening in fear, I changed into a sweatshirt and some jeans, shouting, "Hermione! Ginny! Get up, now!" Groggily, they opened their eyes.

"Wha-" Ginny began, breaking off when she heard the screams. Grabbing my wand, I pulled Ginny and Hermione out of bed.

"Come on!" I yelled just as Mr. Weasley came into the tent, looking worried.

"Good, you're up," he said, panicked. "Valerie, take these two and go with the others." I nodded, grabbing the two and running from the tent. My stomach dropped as I saw a group of people suspending three muggles in the air.

"C'mon," Fred said, grabbing my hand and Ginny's and pulling us toward the wood, Harry, Ron, Hermione, and George following behind. In the chaos, Fred let go of my hand and we were all pushed around by everyone running around. With my small figure, I fell behind.

"OUCH!" Ron cried. I stopped, trying to find him.

"What happened?" Hermione asked anxiously. "Ron, where are you? Oh this is stupid. Lumos."

"Tripped on a tree root," Ron fumed as Harry and I joined Hermione in going to Ron.

"Well, with feet that size, it's hard not to," a drawling voice said. We all turned to see Draco leaning against a tree. He seemed to be watching what was happening through the trees, his demeanor completely and totally relaxed.

"Piss off," Ron retorted.

"Language, Weasley," Malfoy drawled. "Hadn't you better be hurrying along, now? You wouldn't want her spotted, would you?" He nodded at Hermione, causing my jaw to clench. Next moment, a loud noise sounded from the campsite and a flash of green ran through the forest. I flinched, my head whipping towards the origins of the light and sound.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Hermione asked.

"Granger, they're after muggles," Draco said snidely. "D'you want to be showing off your kickers in midair? Because if you do, hang around they're moving this way. And it would give us all a laugh."

"Hermione's a witch," Harry retorted.

"Have it your own way, Potter," Malfoy said offhandedly. "If you think they can't spot a Mudblood, stay where you are."

"You watch your mouth!" Ron shouted.

"Ron, stop," I interrupted, sending him a look.

"How are you defending him?" Ron retorted.

"I'm not," I countered. My eyes met Draco's glittering ones as I said, "There's just no point. As long as he's in the clutches of his father, he'll never change. You know, I pity you, Draco. You and your mother. My father was in prison most of my life, but at least he didn't keep me in a prison. With how you were raised, it's a miracle you're not a Death Eater all ready, just like your parents. Let's go, guys." Draco's expression changed to an unreadable one at my words, but he said nothing as I forced the rest on. "Lumos," I muttered, lighting my wand.

Looking around, I said, "They're no point trying to find the others. At least you're with me."

As we were walking, a girl suddenly turned to us, saying, "Oú est Madame Maxime? Nous l'avons perdue."

"Je suis désolé, je ne l'ai pas vu," I replied.

"Merci quand même," she said, looking deflated.

"You speak French?" Hermione asked, looking up at me in surprise.

"Remus needed a place to put me during the day while he worked since he couldn't be home so he sent me to muggle school," I explained, pulling them along again. "I took French first through fifth grade and kept studying when I went to Hogwarts."

"Oh," she replied, dropping the subject as we ran along.

"I can't believe it, I've lost my wand!" Harry exclaimed. Hermione, Ron, and I raised our wands in the air, spreading the ring of light so Harry could look. Glancing worriedly back down the path, I suddenly did a double take. It couldn't be, could it?

"Guys, I'll-I'll be right back," I said, sounding slightly dazed. "Go on in a few minutes if you don't find your wand."

"But-" Harry began, but I had already dashed off. Convinced I had been seeing things, I returned to the others.

"Let's go," I said. We past by several people and things, but the crowd was thinning and my sharp eyes moved over everything, dismissing what didn't seem harmful. Soon we came to a clearing. "Stay here," I said, my anxiety spiked. "We s-should be safe here."

"Val?" Hermione said worriedly. "Are you okay?"

"Y-Yeah," I said. "I-I'm fine." I barely listened to the voices of the other three before a sound from the woods caught my attention. "Shh," I hissed, raising my wand and stepping in front of the group. It sounded like footsteps.

"Hello?" Harry called.

"Shut up," I hissed. "Have you never seen a horror movie?" He shook his head. There was only silence now.

"MORSMORDRE!" a loud voice called. A large green shape shot from the wand, flying into the air. It was a skull with a serpent for a tongue. I screamed, backing up as more screams started up. I screamed and screamed until I felt someone pull me to the ground, but I began to whimper as flashes of red shot over our heads.

"NO! NO!" I cried, terrified as the mark consumed my mind.

"Valerie!" Harry cried. "You're safe! You're fine!" I stopped, breathing shakily. Looking up, I saw wizards surround us.

"Which of you did it?" Crouch snapped, glaring around at us all. "Which of you conjured the Dark Mark?"

"We didn't do that!" Harry cried.

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

"Do not lie, sir!" Crouch shouted. Rounding on me, he shouted, "Was it you?!"

"How dare you!" I shouted. "Why would I cast the mark that hung over my godparents' bodies? I'm innocent just like a was a year ago!"

"She freaked out at the sight of it," Mr. Weasley defended. "It wasn't her, Barty." Turning to us, he asked, "Where did the mark come from?"

"Over there," I said weakly, pointing.

"There was someone behind the trees," Hermione said. "They shouted words, an incantation." Trembling, I sat down, leaning against a tree and burying my head in my hands. I wasn't crying, but my heart pounded. James and Lily weren't the reason that mark freaked me out so much. I wasn't afraid to say Voldemort's name, but...the truth was I was afraid of him coming back. The mark didn't scare me because of what it was, it scared me because the casting of that mark meant something was stirring. He was coming back.