evelyn | h.potter

22

[CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO]
THE DARK MARK

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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. " 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 and Evelyn fell asleep over each other at the tiny table and knocked over hot chocolate all over the floor that Mr. Weasley called a halt to the verbal replays and insisted that everyone go to bed.

Evelyn, Hermione and Ginny went into the next tent,  Evelyn dragged her feet around as she changed into her pajamas and flopped onto her bunk. From the other side of the campsite she could still hear much singing and the odd echoing bang.

"My feet hurt." Evelyn complained, curling herself up into a little ball on the mattress. She could hear Ginny's light snores from below her.

"Go to sleep." Hermione mumbled sleepily from her mattress on the opposite side of Evelyn and Ginny. Hermione didn't hear a reply come from Evelyn and assumed she was sleeping.

"Get up! Evelyn — Ginny — Hermione! come on now, get up, this is urgent!"

Evelyn sat up quickly and the top of her head hit canvas. " 'S' matter?" she said. Dimly, 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.

She slipped down from the bunk and reached for her clothes, but Mr. Weasley, who had pulled on his jeans over his own pajamas, said, "No time — just grab a jacket and get outside — quickly!"
Evelyn did as she was told and hurried out of the tent, Hermione and Ginny at her heels.

By the light of the few fires that were still burning, she 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.