The Hogwarts Games: In Ruins

Chapter 25: James

Scorpius was well enough by morning to travel. Hermione, Scorpius, and I headed out after breakfast. The others stayed behind.

After about twenty minutes of sneaking around the forest, looking for extra food or weapons, we heard a high pitched scream. Scorpius poked a head from out behind a tree, his eyes wide, "What was that?"

It came again. It sounded like-

"Ginny!" Hermione pelted back to the cave, Scorpius and I running after her.

She ran through an area crowded by trees. And then there was Hermione's scream.

We raced through the trees and saw her. Her bow and wand were lying, forgotten, on the forest ground. She whimpered as Logan Ravenwood pressed a knife closer to her throat.

I raised my wand and Ravenwood pressed the knife closer to Hermione. "Not one step."

"There's two of us and one of you," Scorpius pointed out, getting his wand out as well.

Kevin Jacobs came out from behind a tree, his own wand pointed.

"The odds are against you, aren't they?" Ravenwood mused.

I heard Albus' yell in the distance.

"Sounds like we've found your little hideout," Ravenwood continued to taunt, "Don't worry, even if you manage to get there, they'll all be dead. Along with your girlfriend here."

"Crucio!" I flinched, waiting for the spell to hit me. But it didn't. Scorpius already had his wand pointed at Jacobs and yelled, "Stupefy," while Ravenwood lie screaming on the ground due to Scorpius's Cruciatus Curse.

Scorpius rushed to the bow and wand, tossed them to Hermione, and yelled, "You want to save your family or not?"

I came out of my shock quick enough to grab Hermione by the sleeve and run.

The fight was still going on by the time we got there. Goyle was dodging Albus' and Molly's spells excellently. Frank and Ginny were trying and failing to jinx Isabelle Gray. Hugo was out dueling with Theresa Branchild, with Lily behind him, worriedly trying to wake an unconscious Colin.

Hermione wasted no time and let loose an arrow. It sunk into Isabelle's left shoulder and she let out a cry of pain and fury. At that moment, Hugo had managed to Stupefy Theresa. Scorpius joined Albus and Molly in dueling Goyle. Goyle repelled the spells, knocking them off their feet. Isabelle ran to Theresa, her shoulder still dripping blood, grabbed her, and shot a stunning spell at Hugo which hit him square in the chest. "Goyle!" Isabelle screeched and before any of us could react, she snatched a sword lying nearby and bolted into the trees. Goyle followed her example, grabbed one of our fallen packs and ran.

Scorpius aimed a spell at him but missed as hole disappeared into the trees, "COWARD!"

None of us bothered to go after them. We heard the sounds of leaves crunching under their feet as they ran. A scream pierced the air but was silenced by a quick, "Avada Kedavra!" And then came the blast of a cannon.

"Is everyone okay?" I asked.

Albus touched a long cut on his arm and winced, "I'll be okay."

"Ennervate," Scorpius helped Hugo to his feet, "Alright?"

Hugo grunted, "Yeah."

Lily pressed her hand to Colin's forehead and said, "He's unconscious but will be fine." She let out a sigh of relief.

"What happened?" Hermione asked, fussing over the state of Ginny and Frank.

Molly answered, "They knew where the cave was."

Hugo shook his head, "Don't be stupid. With those protective enchantments, they couldn't have." But he sounded unsure.

"Or," Ginny said slowly, "someone told them."

And eerie silence settled over us.

I shook my head, "No, I probably made a mistake in the enchantments."

They all nodded hesitantly and gathered everything. We headed out to look for a new shelter. Along the way, we passed the body of Ariana Jackson. She must've been the tribute Goyle killed while he was fleeing.

I remained uneasy. I had only said that I probably made a mistake in the protection spells so that the others could remain calm.

But I knew for sure that I when I triple checked my spells, I made no mistake in the protective enchantments.