A Cup of Chaos
"Is everyone ready to go?" Mr. Weasley asked.
Hermione exchanged glances with Ron and Ginny.
"All set," Ron said.
"Boys?" Mr. Weasley asked the Twins.
"We're all set," they said together.
"Where are we going?" Hermione asked.
"It's a bit of a hike," Mr. Weasley replied. "We're gonna meet the Diggorys and all take a portkey together."
Hermione smiled. It'd be nice to see Cedric again. It'd been a few months since she'd seen him last. Despite staying with the Weasleys for nearly a month, she hadn't seen the Diggorys once.
"How come Cedric hasn't stopped by?" Hermione asked once they'd started walking.
"I don't know," Ron said, shrugging. "We can just ask him when we see him."
Hermione nodded, then changed the subject before she talked about Cedric too much.
"Having never been to a professional Quidditch match before, what should I expect?" Hermione asked.
"It's brilliant!" Ron exclaimed. "We're gonna be in the top box, so we can see everything!"
"You mentioned that," Hermione said. "What about the match? Is it just like at school?"
"Except there's so much more," Ron said. "Everyone moves fast, faster than you can even see sometimes. They just move the Quaffle down the field like it's nothing."
"Don't forget the opening," Ginny said. "Ireland's got a team of Leprechauns that comes out, and Bulgaria's got a bunch of Veela. Us girls haven't got anything to worry about from the Veela, but they make boys go mad."
"Do not!" Ron exclaimed.
"Like Sirens?" Hermione asked.
"Huh?" Ginny asked.
"Sirens from The Odyssey," Ron explained. "I read about them for Muggle Studies."
"Did you just say you read about something?!" George exclaimed. "You read?!"
"Hilarious," Ron said. "It was better the first time you made that joke. They enchanted sailors with their singing, luring them into the rocks where they'd crash and die."
"That sounds exactly like Veela," Mr. Weasley said. "Word is Bulgaria tries to use them to distract the referees."
"That's horrible," Hermione said. "Why not just play fair? If they're so good, why do they need to cheat?"
"Now you sound like Princess," Ginny said. "It doesn't matter. It's just part of the game."
"Cheating should never be part of a game!"
"If you played Quidditch, you'd understand," Ginny said.
"I don't agree with that."
"It'll be fine," Fred said.
"Just enjoy," George added. "We certainly will, won't we, Fred?"
"Of course, George."
"You two aren't up to anything, are you?" Mr. Weasley asked.
"Not with Hermione around," George said. "She catches us, and we're ruined."
"And don't you forget it," Hermione said.
They walked for nearly an hour before arriving at their destination. When they arrived, they found Cedric and his dad waiting for them, standing beside the portkey.
"It's a boot," Hermione said.
"That boot's the portkey," Mr. Weasley said. "Amos, long time."
"Always a pleasure, Arthur," Cedric's father said as he and Mr. Weasley shook hands.
"Alright, everyone," Mr. Weasley said, picking up the boot. "Just like I told you, put one hand on the portkey and hold on tight."
"Ever taken a portkey before?" Cedric asked her as she placed a hand on the boot.
"No."
"Just hold on tight, and don't try to stand up too fast."
"What?"
"Now!" Mr. Weasley exclaimed.
Hermione felt a sensation of being pulled through a small hole at high speed, similar to how she felt when Rose teleported her. She couldn't see anything for a moment apart from everyone else holding the boot.
They were all lifted from their feet, then Hermione felt as if she were falling. They landed hard, soft grass doing nothing to help their fall.
"Not so different from Rose," Hermione said. "A bit bumpier, maybe, but not bad."
She stood up, and immediately felt dizzy.
"I've got you," Cedric said, grabbing her shoulders and helping her stay steady.
"Thanks," Hermione said as her head cleared. "I think I'm alright."
Cedric let go of her, and Hermione realized she was the only one bothered by the portkey.
"Everyone ready?" Mr. Diggory asked.
After a few nods, their group began the short walk to their campsite. They weren't far out, but Hermione still took the time to talk to Cedric.
"How's your summer been, Hermione?" Cedric asked.
"It's been alright," Hermione replied. "A little quiet without Rose."
"Where is she?"
"With Luna, where she's been for the past month. How's your summer been?"
"Busier than I expected, but all in all alright."
"Why was it busy?" Hermione asked.
"Just things," Cedric said. "Nothing you need to worry about."
That was odd. Cedric wasn't usually evasive about anything. He was always so open and willing to share.
When they reached the campsite, the adults spoke with the campsite manager, Mr. Roberts.
"Did he seem a little out of it?" Hermione asked Cedric.
"He's a muggle," Cedric said.
"And–"
"Which means they've got to keep wiping his memory," Cedric said.
"Oh," Hermione said.
Cedric and his dad broke off from their group when they got inside the camp grounds to go to their site. They found Bill, Charlie, and Percy waiting for them at their own site. Together with Mr. Weasley, they started setting up their tent. Fred and George wandered off, saying something about a man called "Bagman", leaving Ron, Ginny, and Hermione to go find Harry and Sirius.
Before Hermione could join them, a familiar sound caught her attention. She looked around and spotted Tutela running to her.
"Tutela?"
The "dog" sat down at her feet. She wagged her tail and panted, happy as ever to see Hermione.
"What are you doing here girl?" Hermione crouched down and petted Tutela. She leaned in close and whispered, "Did Rose send you to check up on me?"
Tutela shook her head, then turned back and barked.
"Told you they were here."
Hermione looked up and saw Rose and Luna weaving their way through the crowd. She smiled when she saw them.
"What are you two doing here?" Hermione asked.
"Luna's dad wanted to come, and didn't want to leave us alone for some reason."
"That's a normal parent thing here, Rose. Come to think of it, even your parents never left you alone."
"Yeah," Rose said, gazing off into the distance. "Mr. Grund was fun."
Hermione chuckled and rolled her eyes. It didn't surprise her that silently watching someone else craft all day fit Rose's definition of "fun".
"Right," Hermione said. "Anyway, why are you two–"
"Quidditch," the girls said together.
"Alright, I guess that one's on me."
"Daddy likes to watch Quidditch," Luna said. "I do to. They're like birds in the sky. It's exciting."
"Huh."
"What?" Rose asked.
"Nothing, I just didn't peg Luna for a Quidditch fan."
"That's okay," Luna said.
"How've you been?" Hermione asked.
"We're well. Thank you for asking."
"We've been having lots of fun!" Rose exclaimed.
Tutela barked her agreement.
"What about you?" Luna asked.
"It's been… interesting. Ron's brothers are a lot different than I was expecting."
"You're sure they're not imposters?" Rose asked.
"I'm sure Mrs. Weasley would've picked up it by now if they were. She seems on top of things."
"Unless–"
"Rose, she's not an imposter either, and you need to spend less time talking to Shadow."
"Do not!" Rose protested.
Hermione smiled, then glanced behind her. Ron and Ginny were nowhere to be found.
"I've got to get back to the others before they think I've gone missing," Hermione said. "It was nice talking to you both."
"Same!" Rose said. "We'll see you soon!"
"Take care, Brain," Luna said.
"You too."
Hermione turned back and ran to find the others. She knew about where Harry's tent was, so it didn't take her long to find it.
"There you are," Ginny said. "We were starting to worry."
"Come on!" Ron exclaimed. "It's almost time!"
"It feels early," Hermione said.
"We left just before noon," Ginny said. "It's hardly early."
"How've you been Harry?" Hermione asked her quiet friend.
"Alright," he replied.
"How's life with Sirius?"
"Better than the Dursleys."
As much as Hermione'd talked with Harry, she didn't know exactly what went on with him and the Dursleys. All she knew was what Rose told her, which she was sure wasn't everything.
Now, Harry was more open than he'd been. They talked all the way to the pitch. He was more willing to talk about his life than he'd ever been.
When they approached the pitch, they found vendor stands.
"Omnioculars," Ron read as he passed by one stand. "I completely forgot to bring something to see with."
"What do you mean?" Hermione asked.
"We'll be in the top box," Harry said. "Best seats in the pitch, so long as you can see." He glanced at the stand. "I'll be back in a moment."
"What?!" Hermione called after him.
"Just wait right there!"
They watched as Harry talked to the vendor. Hermione couldn't see what he was doing, with so many people in her way.
Harry returned from the stand a minute later carrying four pairs of Omnioculars.
"Here," he said, handing one pair to each of them. "To make up for the birthdays I've missed."
"What?" Hermione asked, taking her pair. She squinted to see the prices at the vendor. "Thanks, but isn't this a bit much?"
"I've told you before, I'm not really short on money," Harry said. "Besides, you lot bought me my Firebolt last Christmas. That was expensive."
"Thanks, mate," Ron said.
"Who's the last pair for?" Hermione asked. "Ginny?"
"I didn't even think about that," Harry said. "No, it's for Sally-Anne."
"Don't worry," Ginny said. "I can just take Ron's pair if I want one."
"In your dreams, maybe," Ron said. "Ginevra."
"Don't call me that," Ginny growled.
"Might I remind you that of the four of us, I'm the only one allowed to use magic?" Hermione said. "Don't make me immobilize you two."
After a few groans from Ginny and Ron, they caught up with the rest of the Weasleys.
"What, nothing for us?" George asked, eyeing the pairs of Omnioculars hanging from their necks.
"Maybe next time," Harry said. "How'd you get here before us?"
"That's a secret," Fred said.
"We took the short way around," Bill said. "The way around the vendors."
Fred and George made faces at Bill the moment he turned his back. Hermione covered her mouth before she laughed, partly at them, partly at knowing there were countermeasures for them.
They walked up several flights of stairs, taking them all the way above the pitch. Hermione looked down once, and immediately regretted it. She felt dizzy just looking over the edge of the pitch.
When they reached the top, they found two men standing on either side of the entrance. The children took a moment to catch their breath while Mr. Weasley showed them their tickets.
Inside the box were 18 seats, laid out in three rows of six. Two of the seats in the back were already occupied by none other than Minister Fudge, and another man that Hermione didn't recognize.
"That's the Bulgarian Minister of Magic," Sirius whispered to them.
"How do you know?" Hermione asked.
"I was told he'd be here."
"Arthur, good to see you!" Minister Fudge exclaimed when he saw them. "May I introduce Mr. Oblansk of Bulgaria."
"Pleasure," Mr. Weasley said, shaking hands with the other man.
"Mr. Oblansk doesn't speak any English," Minister Fudge said.
He turned to the other Minister.
"This is Arthur Weasley," he said slowly, motioning to Mr. Weasley. As he spoke, he pantomimed his words. "He works at the British Ministry."
Hermione caught Harry holding back a laugh behind her.
Where's Princess when you need some moral support? Hermione asked, then decided to take the initiative and be the better person.
"This is Mr. Arthur Weasley," Hermione said in Bulgarian. "He works at the British Ministry."
Everyone in the room turned to stare at Hermione in shock, except for Mr. Oblansk, who looked impressed.
"You speak Bulgarian, Ms…?" he asked.
"Hermione Granger," Hermione said, curtsying to the best of her ability. She blushed when she realized that everyone was still staring at her.
"I taught myself over the summer. I've got a good memory, and when I found out which teams were playing today, I found a Bulgarian dictionary and a few guides in the library."
"That's impressive," Mr. Oblansk said, glowering at her. "Don't let on, but I speak English just fine. I'm enjoying Minister Fudge making a fool of himself."
Well, he just earned Rose's approval.
Hermione thought fast, then said, "Tell him you'll only speak through an official. That way he won't have a translator."
"Good thinking, Ms. Granger!" Mr. Oblansk barked. He turned to Minister Fudge, and shook his head. "Not Ministry. Un… unapproved."
"Oh!" Minister Fudge exclaimed. "I'm so sorry."
He glared at Hermione, who did her best to look upset, then sat down in the front row between Harry and Ginny.
"What was that about?" Ginny asked. "Did he–"
"I'll tell you later," Hermione said.
She grabbed the condition conch in her pocket and sent a message to Rose.
After Hermione explained what had happened, Rose replied,
Hermione looked out in the crowd, hoping that Rose meant that instead of inside the top box, and looked to her left. She spotted Rose, sitting next to Luna and a man with white hair. Rose waved up at her.
On her immediate left, Harry grimaced.
"What's wrong?" Hermione whispered.
"I hear the other seats," Harry said.
Hermione turned just as the door was opening.
Lucius Malfoy was the first one in, followed by a woman Hermione didn't recognize, and of course Draco. A house-elf trailed just behind them, looking terrified to be there.
"What's he doing here?" Ginny hissed as Minister Fudge introduced the Malfoys to Mr. Oblansk.
"We're all here to watch the match," Hermione said. "Let's not make a scene."
The Malfoys took the back row. Draco eyed them, and Ron and Ginny glared back at him.
"Oi," Hermione hissed, nudging Ginny. "Match is this way."
Behind her, Draco snickered, and Ron clenched his fists.
Hermione got nervous until she caught Charlie shooting a glare at Ron. She also noticed Draco easing up when his mother did the same to him.
"Don't worry," Sirius whispered from behind her. "No one's gonna cause trouble so long as Fudge is here."
Hermione turned back to the pitch to see a man walking onto it. The crowd erupted into applause when he stepped out.
"Who's that?" Hermione asked.
"That's Ludo Bagman," Harry replied. "He's head of the Department of Games and Sports."
"Let's get this match started!" he called.
He introduced both teams, each of whom sent out a group of "mascots" to the field.
From the Bulgarian team, a bunch of beautiful, almost enchanting women entered the field. They sang a haunting song, and Hermione saw Harry clap his hands over his ears.
Must be Veela, Hermione thought.
Ron, who sat on the other side of Harry, wasn't as prepared as Harry was to deal with the Veela. Charlie and Harry worked to restrain Ron, who tried to rush out of the box. Hermione saw men all over the audience in the same situation, enticed by the enchanting song of the Veela.
Running around the field along with the Veela were what Hermione could only guess were Leprechauns, who flung gold coins into the audience.
"Don't get excited," Hermione said when she saw Ginny staring at it. "It's Leprechaun gold, which as I recall, is fake. It'll turn into rocks or vanish after a while."
After each team had put on a show, the real event began. Seven players from each team flew out onto the Pitch. They flew faster than Hermione's eyes could track, but she used her new Omnioculars to slow them down.
The crowd erupted into applause again as the players took their places on the field.
Just like Ron said, the action was nonstop. The players moved across the field, exchanging the Quaffle between them, never taking a break. Hermione doubted that they even stopped to think about what they would do next. Even Hermione found herself enjoying the excitement, although not nearly as much as everyone else in the top box.
Hermione rolled her eyes.
Rose's voice cut out as one of the Irish Chasers hurtled into the field.
Veela swarmed the fallen Chaser, apparently attempting to keep the man on the ground. He ignored them and kicked off, returning to the air.
The other members of the box cheered at every goal, although not nearly as much as when Bagman announced the appearance of the Golden Snitch.
It was as if the Seekers came to life. They broke from their rounds and rocketed towards the Snitch. Viktor Krum, the Bulgarian Seeker, while farther from the Snitch (which Hermione could hardly see, even with the Omnioculars), reacted faster. He dove at the Snitch, hurtling towards the ground going faster than Hermione thought would've been possible with a broom. He crashed straight into the field, with the Irish Seeker pulling up at the last second.
"That was amazing!" Harry exclaimed. "Did you see that?"
"It was hard to miss," Hermione said. "I'm not sure I'd call it 'amazing', either. He's lucky he didn't kill himself."
Even with this going on, the other players didn't pay any notice. They didn't stop flying until Bagman called the match.
"Krum has caught the Snitch!" he called. "Krum has caught the Snitch! It's all over, folks!"
Hermione applauded along with the others. The total score brought Bulgaria just behind Ireland, meaning that Krum lost even though he caught the Snitch, something Hermione wouldn't have thought possible.
She glanced behind her at Mr. Oblansk. He didn't look upset, despite his team having lost the match. Instead, he clapped politely, looking as though he enjoyed the show.
Hermione woke up, stretched, then threw on some clothes. After using her brush to clean herself, she went outside.
It was still dark, though stars decorated the night sky. Many people were still awake, celebrating victory or lamenting defeat.
After the match, they'd returned to the tent and ate dinner with Harry and Sirius. Rose had stopped by to let them know she was leaving.
It was a nice night, but Hermione still had a bad feeling. Cedric avoided the subject, Mr. Weasley knew something about which he wasn't letting on, and even Percy had stopped himself from talking about something. Something was happening at the Ministry that they wanted to keep secret.
She wanted to ask Rose about it, to see if she could find out anything.
In the morning, perhaps, Hermione thought.
For just a moment, Hermione closed her eyes and enjoyed the cool, night air. No Dementors, no racism, no monsters, no earthquakes, just her and the countryside. For just that one moment, she felt as if the weight of the world were no longer on her shoulders. It wasn't up to her to figure out what was going on; it wasn't up to her and her friends to stop it.
For that one, fleeting moment, Hermione was completely at peace.
Someone screamed and Hermione lept to her feat, her head whipping around to find the source of the noise.
A group of people marched through the camp not far from where she stood. She muttered a spell under her breath, and her world turned gray. She saw the men in masks as if it were light out, and more importantly, she could see their hostages.
Above the group of people were four bodies, suspended like puppets above them. Hermione was certain it was the Roberts family: Mr. Roberts, his wife, and his two children.
The people laughed as they set fire to any tents in their way, and spun the helpless people around every few seconds.
Hermione looked out and saw people running around, screaming, trying to get away from the masked men. Smoke rose into the night sky, smothering the array of stars above her head.
"Thars," Hermione whispered. "It's like Thars."
Rose had told Hermione about Thars before, but what she hadn't said was that she was there. She was there at the fall of Thars, but had to be taken away, because it was only a few weeks after her encounter with Valignatiejir that Thars had fallen. Thars was burned by a red dragon, and Rose was so scared she'd been frozen with fear.
"What happened on Thars haunts me even now," Rose had said. "If I had the chance, I'd change it all. Maybe I could've made a difference there, but I'll never know. Now I've got the feeling that Shadow looks at me with shame, and that will never go away."
"Sonor Satta!" she cast, then screamed as loud as she could.
She let out a high-pitched screech, getting the attention of everyone at the camp, sleeping or awake.
Hermione ran towards the group of people, ducking behind a group of tents before they could figure out what had happened.
Think, Hermione. What next?
The next part of her plan involved freeing the hostages. She was close enough to get a good look at the spell holding them in place, with and without her night vision. The "strings" were green, and for a moment she thought it might be levicorpus, but she'd seen Sirius use it, and it didn't leave a trail like that.
Simple solution. Disarm whichever one is doing that, then use arresto momentum or wingardium leviosa to get them out.
That left the question: How could she keep them distracted long enough to get the Roberts family out?
The answer seemed obvious in hindsight. She switched off her night vision, muttered another spell under her breath, then pointed in the middle of the crowd, closing her eyes before the spell went off.
A blinding flash of light flared from the spot at which Hermione had pointed. It lasted just a second, but would keep them blinded for long after.
Hermione restored her night vision, disarmed the men that were holding up the Roberts family, then slowly began to levitate them to safety. She was proud of herself until she realized she forgot an important rule: Never stand still in the middle of combat when you've got aggro.
She was knocked off her feet by a curse, and the family began to fall. Unfortunately, they were caught by the masked men, who jeered at Hermione.
"What 've we got 'ere?" the one that attacked her asked. "A little mudblood girl trying to be a hero."
Excuse me, I was succeeding before you interrupted, Hermione didn't say out loud.
Hermione was scared, but that never meant she couldn't think. She recognized the masks the men wore, and she knew what they were doing there.
Death Eaters.
It also crossed her mind that the man facing her knew who she was, or had himself convinced that he knew every pureblood family in Britain. It wasn't as if there were many of them, but she was confident that her first theory was correct.
Hermione climbed to her feet, keeping her eyes on her opponent as the rest of the Death Eaters continued walking through the camp, no longer believing her to be a threat. She stared at him for a minute, then performed a maneuver she'd practiced all summer. Without uttering a single word, she summoned the condition conch to her hand.
"Crucio!"
Pain surged through Hermione's body. She screamed and fell to the ground as it coursed through her veins like the blood that sustained her. She thrashed around, unable to control herself and desperate to make the pain stop.
Hermione had never felt anything like it. Every inch of her screamed with pain, blocking out all other thoughts. Her mind was stripped away, leaving nothing but the basic, animalistic desire to escape the pain.
"It's about time someone put you mudbloods in your place," the man spat. "Making it 'ard for the rest of us. Taking our jobs, our families, our 'appiness. Serves you right."
The pain subsided, and Hermione gasped for air. She tried to climb to her feet, but a foot knocked her down.
"Please, no," she whimpered. "No more."
"Want me to stop?" he asked.
It took all her strength, but she nodded.
"Too bad."
Hermione cried as he raised his wand to her.
"Come on!" another voice hissed. "Stop wasting time."
The man looked down at her again, then brandished his wand.
"Stupefy."
A red bolt shot out of his wand and struck Hermione. It wasn't a strong stunner, but it was enough that she didn't want to get up. Hermione allowed her mind to slip into unconsciousness, hoping to erase the pain like a bad dream.
A screech pierced the night and jolted Ginny awake.
"What's going on?" she asked. "Is it morning?"
She looked around, hoping Hermione could answer her question.
"Hermione?"
Ginny climbed down from her bunk and found an empty bed beneath hers.
"Hermione!"
"Girls!" her dad said, poking his head in the door. "Put something on, and get outside. Now!"
"But–"
"Now!"
Ginny pulled a robe out of her pack, threw it on, then grabbed her pack and ran outside.
"Where's Hermione?!" Ginny exclaimed when she got outside.
Ron and Harry began looking around the campsite.
"She doesn't need to sleep as much as us," Harry said. "She was probably the one that made that screeching sound earlier."
They looked through the confusion and chaos. Charlie and Bill helped them for a moment, but it was Harry that spotted her.
"I found her."
"Where?!" Ron exclaimed.
"I don't think she's conscious," Harry said, looking out towards the group of people moving through the camp. "Those people are between us and her."
"We've got to help her!" Ron exclaimed, then began tearing off towards the group of people causing terror in the campsite.
"Don't you dare!"
Charlie grabbed Ron with both arms before he could get any farther.
"Hermione's over there!" Ron shouted.
"We don't know that she's still alright," Charlie said. "You rushing in without thinking isn't going to do her any good."
"But I can help!"
"If she's alive, I promise I'll get her out that way, but you need to get to where it's safe. Take Ginny and Harry and get to the forest."
Ron stole one last glance at the hooded figures. His mind raced through possibilities. A good scattering hex would disorient them, then he could summon the hostages. If that didn't work, he could always turn them against each other with a few stealthily placed spells.
"Now!"
Ron abandoned his plans and obeyed his brother's order, running with Harry and Ginny into the woods.
"Fred, George, follow them," their father ordered. "Keep them safe."
The boys nodded, then sprinted to catch up to their younger siblings.
Charlie, Sirius, Bill, Percy, and their father joined the other adults in trying to subdue the apparent Death Eaters. No one fired into them, for fear of threatening the safety of the hostages. That left them at a standoff; the Death Eaters couldn't move, and the adults couldn't touch them.
Charlie glanced past the hostages at the unconscious form of Hermione. While the rest of the good guys were trying to stop the Death Eaters, he was trying to make sure his future sister-in-law would still be around to be his future sister-in-law.
"I've got a plan," Bill muttered. "First, we–"
Bill was interrupted by a sudden downpour. Charlie looked up and saw the stars that were once visible were blocked by clouds.
"Brilliant plan," Charlie said as the fires were all extinguished. "What's next?"
The Roberts family vanished from above the Death Eaters.
"How are you doing that?" Charlie asked.
"Don't be daft, that's not me."
Without hostages to keep them safe, the crowd of Death Eaters broke apart, running back towards the woods. Without fires to provide light, they were able to use the confusion to run towards the nearby woods. The adults threw stunners at the fleeing Death Eaters, but, with their vision distorted by the rain, they didn't take any of them down.
When the last of them vanished, Charlie turned back and ran.
"Please be okay," he muttered. "Please be okay."
As he approached Hermione, he heard someone singing. It was a soft tune, something about the sun and roses.
He found Rose sitting on the ground, with Hermione's head in her lap. She stroked Hermione's hair as she sang, and Charlie caught sight of something glittering in her other hand.
"I knew there was a problem when they knocked her unconscious," Rose said. "She was holding the condition conch when they attacked her. I heard her screaming."
Charlie swore under his breath.
"Is she alright?"
"She'll be shaken up for a while, but they didn't hurt her for long." She sighed. "I'd have been here faster, but I'm not keen on loud noises."
"At least she's alive," he said. "How'd you get here? I thought you'd gone home."
"I had, but I came when she called, just like always."
"Charlie, come on!" Bill called. "They think some more of them are still out there."
Charlie looked up and saw the others. Sirius ran over to Hermione when he saw her.
"Is she alright?" Sirius asked.
"You go," Charlie said to Bill. "I'm gonna take Hermione back to the tent."
"I'll help," Sirius said. "I owe my freedom to these girls, after all."
Rose picked up Hermione.
"Stronger than you look," Charlie said.
"You've got no idea," Sirius muttered. "Someone should send for the children, tell them it's safe to come back."
"We don't know that," Charlie said, as they started to walk to the tent.
"Taltria and Alavel are with them," Rose said. "I got confirmation from them a few rounds ago. Those people go anywhere near my friends, those two will tear them to shreds."
"What if they can't?" Charlie asked.
"Then I will," Rose said, stepping inside their tent.
She laid Hermione down on her bed.
"Now what?" Sirius asked.
"We wait," Rose replied.
Half an hour later, Ginny and her group arrived back at the tent. After Alavel and Taltria found them in the woods, she wasn't surprised to find Rose sitting beside Hermione's bed.
Her dad and the remainder of her brothers littered the room. It was cramped with so many people there, but Ginny and Ron pushed their way through to Hermione's bed.
"What happened?" Ron asked.
"We don't know," Sirius said. "So far as we can tell, Hermione tried to stop them."
"Is she alright?" Ginny asked.
"She's alive, but hasn't regained consciousness yet," Bill said. "We checked her over, and she seems alright."
"Rose?" Ginny asked, turning to her crimson-haired friend.
"We'll know what happened when she wakes up," Rose said.
"My Lady, if I may," Alavel said.
"You may not, Alavel, but thank you for doing your job."
Alavel nodded.
"Please stand guard outside the tent," Rose ordered. "Notify me if anything suspicious happens."
Both nimblewrights bowed and exited the tent.
"Rose, was that you that made it rain?" Ginny asked.
Rose nodded, but kept her gaze locked on Hermione.
"How'd you do that thing with the Roberts?" Bill asked.
"She did the same thing with Ron a couple years ago," Percy said. "Just waved her wand and summoned–"
He was interrupted by groans from Hermione's bed.
"Easy," Rose said. "You've been through a lot."
"What happened?" Hermione asked as everyone crowded around her bed.
"Thars fell, but don't worry, we got everyone out," Rose replied.
"Ha ha," Hermione replied dryly. "I did better than you did."
"You did, and I'm proud of you for that. How do you feel?"
"Everything hurts," Hermione said. "Is everyone else alright?"
"You're such a Carolina," Rose said. "'Oh, I'm in horrible pain, but how is everyone else?'"
"I don't think–"
"What happened?" Ginny asked.
"Hermione almost got herself killed is what happened," Ron muttered.
Ginny glared at her brother. Brain was amazing. With everything happening, even Ginny had been scared, but Hermione just ran in.
"They weren't trying to kill me," she said. "I got them with a lumos maxima spell centered on them, then tried levitation the… levitating the campsite manager's family out of there."
"You could've got into trouble for that," their dad said.
"The Trace is tied to our wands, and I don't use a wand," Hermione said, wincing as she sat up.
"That's not what I meant."
"Do you know what they did to you?" Bill asked.
Hermione closed her eyes, and Ginny eagerly awaited her response. She couldn't wait to hear about how heroic Hermione had been.
Hermione trembled and muttered something Ginny couldn't hear.
"Hermione?" Harry asked.
"It hurts," she whispered.
Hermione's trembles turned into shakes that shook the whole bed with her.
"Make it stop. It hurts! Someone make it stop!"
Hermione curled up in her bed and held her head in her arms.
"What's happening?!" Ginny exclaimed.
Ginny looked to Bill as he and their dad pushed through to the bed.
"Hermione!" their dad called. "Hermione, it's alright!"
Rose shoved them aside with one hand, then put her hands over Hermione's.
"Valla Glondoch."
Hermione kept screaming, but Rose kept her gaze fixated on Hermione. Rose refused to move, despite protests and commotion from the rest of their tent. Ginny barely caught Rose saying something else over the commotion, but after Rose said it, Hermione relaxed.
"What did you do?" Ron asked.
"Probe thoughts and calm emotions," Rose said without taking her eyes off Hermione.
"So you know what happened to her?" Harry asked.
Rose nodded as Hermione slowly opened her eyes.
"Hermione, you were hit by the Cruciatus Curse," Rose said.
Bill and their dad gasped, and Charlie, Sirius, and Ron swore, although Ginny recognized Ron's words as Dwarven.
"What's the Cruciatus Curse?" Harry asked.
"It's the torture curse," Ron growled. "If I ever–"
"That's enough, Ronald," their dad said. "Hermione, would you us to take you home?"
"I… I feel fine," Hermione said. "I feel a lot better already."
"That's calm emotions," Rose said. "I can't sustain it for more than two minutes."
"I'll be okay."
Hermione tried to smile. Ginny didn't know about the others, but it didn't do anything to reassure her.
Rose broke her gaze on Hermione, and she began to shake again. The rest of their group closed in on Hermione, but she held herself and slowly stopped.
"I'm alright," she said. "I just… I just need some rest."
Ginny looked at her family, feeling helpless not for the first time that night. Then she thought of the Death Eaters marching through the camp.
I should've been there to help her, she thought. I could've set them on fire, and then they'd be sorry.
"We'll let you get some rest," their dad said. "Ginny can sleep–"
"I'm sleeping here!" Ginny snapped.
"She may want to be alone," Bill whispered.
"But–"
"It's alright," Hermione said. "Ginny, you can sleep here. I'll be fine."
After protests from Ron, the other boys left their tent. Ginny climbed back up to her bunk, then slid under the covers.
"Sorry I didn't go in and help," Ginny said. "We–"
"Don't be," Rose said. "Neither of you should've done anything."
"What was I supposed to do?" Hermione asked. "Let them hurt people?"
Ginny rolled over and stuck her head over the side of her bed. "You taught us to fight! We can–"
"I taught you to fight one unarmed man," Rose said.
"What happened to 'I'm proud of you'?" Hermione asked.
"I'm proud that you weren't too afraid to do something, but you made the wrong choice," Rose said.
"I'm fine!"
"You were tortured!"
"That dragon did worse to you!"
"You're not me!"
"Someone's got to be! When you're not here, who's supposed to handle it?"
"Anyone else, but not you!"
"You of all people shouldn't have a problem with me running in to fix it myself! You practically invented the concept!"
"And look what it did!"
By then, Ginny was lost. She had no idea about what they were talking, but used the following silence to try to work it out. When had Rose run in without thinking? Rose was the best, apart from maybe Hermione. Was it when she saved Ron and Hermione from Sirius? Or the Chamber of Secrets? She hadn't had a choice then.
"Remember that story I told your cousins?" Rose asked.
"What story?" Ginny asked.
"It was about her friend Bowie," Hermione said to Ginny. "Bowie and his brother Arytiss. They ran in without thinking, and they nearly died." She turned back to Rose. "I was surprised you told a story with that moral, especially now."
"Exactly, but that's not it. It's… I don't want you to turn into me, because part of who I am is what Valignatiejir did to me. And that…" Rose motioned out of their tent. "If you ever do that again, I'll kill you."
No one spoke after that. Ginny listened to people talking outside; no one had caught the Death Eaters. That man that hurt Hermione was still out there.
I'm gonna get stronger, Ginny thought as she drifted off to sleep. I'm gonna get stronger, and I'm gonna find him, and I'm gonna kill him.