MISCHIEF MANAGED// FRED WEASLEY X READER

010. The Dark Mark

Fred's Disclaimer: The author of this book does not own Harry Potter, but she does ship Hinny...so...

I was blinded by a dazzling bright light as the Top Box was magically illuminated. Bagman pointed his wand at his throat, uttering the reverse incantation. He cleared his throat, voice hoarse. 

The roars of the crowd were still echoing though the stands, and down below, the Irish team was supporting Aidan Lynch out of the stadium. Krum looked quite a mess as well, the front of his uniform covered in blood and sweat. However, he was refusing to let anyone clean it off him, his expression set with broodiness. 

"Quite a game, wouldn't you say?" Bagman laughed, stuffing his wand in his back pocket. "Like nothing I've ever seen before." 

Ron was busy babbling away to Harry about the events and Hermione was listening along. George smiled widely, holding out his hands in front of Bagman. "Right, right, how much do I owe you?" 

_

"Now George, don't tell your mother you've been gambling," Mr. Weasley urged, as George placed all his coins into a bag. "She really wouldn't like—" 

"Of course not, Dad," George said gleefully, shooting a look at a very disgruntled Fred. "I've got big plans for this money, wouldn't want it to get confiscated." He elbowed his twin. "Bet your sad that you changed your mind, eh Freddie?" 

Fred said nothing. 

"I don't know about that," I said, shaking my head. "Are you sure that money's real?" I said it half sarcastically, but once the words left my mouth I realized they weren't. 

"C'mon, Y/N," uttered George. "You really think Bagman wouldn't play fairly?" 

"I dunno," I said defensively. "I'd be careful if I were you," I raised an eyebrow. "With the amount of people he was betting with." I shrugged. "You never know." 

Fred yawned. "I'm tired." He ran a hand through his hair. "What time is it?" 

"Nearly 10," answered Hermione, checking her watch. "Ginny and I are off to bed now." 

"G'night," Ginny said, patting Harry on the shoulder before following Hermione into their room. 

"You coming Y/N?" Hermione asked, briefly turning back. 

"Oh, er, in a few minutes," I said, collapsing onto the couch.

"That was amazing, don't you think?" Harry breathed, sitting next to me. Fred sat on my other side. "The Wronski-Feint, that was really—" He got cut off by a yawn. "Incredible. Brilliant." 

"Best Quidditch I've ever seen," I said honestly, closing my eyes. Sleep tugged me deeper into relaxation, and while I only meant to close my eyes for a second, I didn't open them again for a while. 

"—take her to bed?" A quiet voice suggested. I barely heard it, drifting away into my own head. 

"I'll do it," Someone volunteered and I felt someone lifting me up. I wanted to open my eyes to protest that I didn't need to be carried like a child but—

I was only asleep for what felt like three or so hours before a panicked voice woke me up. 

"Y/N? Y/N! Wake up, you've got to wake up!" My eyes fluttered open. Fred was standing over me an anxious expression his face. 

"What is it?" I groaned, rubbing my eyes. "Why have you interrupted—" 

"It's serious," urged Fred, and that's when I knew he wasn't joking. Fred helped me out of bed, handing me a jacket from my backpack. "It's Dad—he's gone out to help the ministry. Told me to wake you up right away." 

"What's going on?" I blinked, looking around. 

Fred inhaled. "Just some people going around—doing stupid things." I could tell he was trying to downplay it. 

As I listened closer, I realized the cheering outside was no longer cheering. It was screams. The vague smell of fire crept closer to my nose. I brushed past Fred, pushing out the tent flap. It appeared that the others had already left, and Ministry officials were rushing around towards the site of the damage. 

Mr. Roberts, the muggle man who helped us get into the campsite was hanging upside down in the air a while away. His family was strung up as well, like grotesque puppets. A couple of the youngest muggle children were screaming as they rotated in the air like spinning tops. 

"Horrible, isn't it?" Fred muttered as he came up beside me. 

"Who's doing that?" I asked, my eyes wide. Anxiously, Fred looked around before taking my hand and pulling me in the direction of the woods. 

"It's not safe here," Fred told me. "The others have gone in this direction, I think." he paused as we neared the edge of the brush. "It's You-Know-Who's supporters." He explained, with a dark expression. "They've re-emerged." 

"You mean Vol-" 

"Don't say the name," Fred warned. 

"Fine," I looked closer at the campsite. Dark figures were blundering through the trees; children were crying; anxious shouts and panicked voices were reverberating around them in the cold night air. "Why've they come back tonight?" 

Fred shrugged. "Beats me." 

"Should we try and find the others?" I wondered aloud, crouching down next to a stump. I could just make out the figures of Ministry Officials trying to put out the flames and reassure people. Bagman's brightly coloured robe stood out against the crowd as he shouted instructions. 

"I dunno," Fred said, leaning down next to me. "George and Ginny came this way, but I have no idea where Harry, Ron, and Hermione are. Dad's gone to help the Ministry, with Percy, Bill and Charlie." His shoulders shook slightly. 

"It'll be okay," I said, somewhat reassuringly. "The ministry will get it all under control." 

Fred looked at me, his brown eyes evenly meeting my green. My heartbeat increased slightly, as I tried to decode his expression. 

"Y/N, I—" 

"There you are!" Ginny yelled, the small redhead making a mad dash towards us. George followed closely after, sighing with relief. "We can't find Harry, Ron, or Hermione." She looked between the two of us. "I'm not interrupting something, am I?" 

"No," said Fred promptly, standing up and brushing his hands off on his pants. "Have you seen Dad?" 

"Nope," George said, a worried expression on his face. "D'you reckon we should go back to the tent?" 

"I dunno," Fred shoved his hands in his pockets, purposely not looking at me. 

A million different thoughts swirled around my brain. 

What the hell is happening right now?