Sirius Black's Daughter

Chapter Six: The Dark Mark

Posted: November 24th, 202
Major editing: August 3rd, 2021
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"Don't tell your mother you've been gambling," Mr. Weasley implored Fred and George as they all made their way slowly down the purple-carpeted stairs.
"Don't worry, Dad," said Fred gleefully, "we've got big plans for this money. We don't want it confiscated."
Mr. Weasley looked for a moment as though he was going to ask what these big plans were, but seemed to decide, upon reflection, that he didn't want to know.
  They were soon caught up in the crowds now flooding out of the stadium and back to their campsites. Raucous singing was borne toward them on the night air as they retraced their steps along the lantern-lit path, and leprechauns kept shooting over their heads, cackling and waving their lanterns. When they finally reached the tents, nobody felt like sleeping at all, and given the level of noise around them, Mr. Weasley agreed that they could all have one last cup of cocoa together before turning in.

They were soon arguing enjoyably about the match; Mr. Weasley got drawn into a disagreement about cobbing with Charlie, and it was only when Ginny fell asleep right at the tiny table and spilled hot chocolate all over the floor that Mr. Weasley called a halt to the verbal replays and insisted that everyone go to bed. Natalia, Hermione and Ginny went into the next tent, and Harry and the rest of the Weasleys changed into pajamas and clambered into their bunks. From the other side of the campsite they could still hear much singing and the odd echoing bang.
Jae went back to his tent after saying goodnight to everyone.

The girls were all talking about the day.
  "I swear! Jae likes you!" said Ginny as they all met on Hermione' top bunk.
"Nah. We're friends," said Natalia, feeling very uncomfortable. She doesn't talk about her feelings, so having this conversation made her uneasy.
"Yeah, friends that like each other!" said Hermione and Natalia threw a pillow at her.
  "She is right. I do think Jae has a thing for you," said Ginny, guarding her face from another pillow that Natalia threw.
Natalia sighed and rubbed her face in annoyance.
"Why are we even talking about this?" questioned Natalia.
"Because you're lonely," Hermione and Ginny said at the same time.

  "Well... Ginny—! You like Harry," said Natalia.
"And Hermione—! You like Ron!"
  "Ok. Uncalled for," said Ginny, her face as red as a tomato.
"See? That's what I feel like. Uncomfortable."
"Wait! So you do like Jae?" Hermione squealed. Natalia's face heated up as much as Ginny's and reached for another pillow to throw but there wasn't any.
So Natalia took her sock off and threw it at Hermione.
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Natalia woke up hours later in the middle of the night into early morning.
She could tell that something was wrong.
The noises in the campsite had changed. The singing had stopped. She could hear screams, and the sound of people running. Natalia slipped down from the bunk and got her things; which were all in a backpack she brought along with her.
As soon as Natalia got up to wake up the others, Fred ran in.
  "Get up! Get up!" Roared Fred. Ginny and Hermione woke up and looked around confused.
  "Hurry!" said Fred. They all hurried out of the tent, meeting with the others.
By the light of the few fires that were still burning, he could see people running away into the woods, fleeing something that was moving across the field toward them, something that was emitting odd flashes of light and noises like gunfire. Loud jeering, roars of laughter, and drunken yells were drifting toward them; then came a burst of strong green light, which illuminated the scene.

A crowd of wizards, tightly packed and moving together with wands pointing straight upward, was marching slowly across the field. Natalia squinted at them....They didn't seem to have faces....Then she realized that their heads were hooded and their faces masked. High above them, floating along in midair, four struggling figures were being contorted into grotesque shapes. It was as though the masked wizards on the ground were puppeteers, and the people above them were marionettes operated by invisible strings that rose from the wands into the air. Two of the figures were very small.
More wizards were joining the marching group, laughing and pointing up at the floating bodies. Tents crumpled and fell as the marching crowd swelled. Once or twice Natalia saw one of the marchers blast a tent out of his way with his wand. Several caught fire.