Suddenly, the woods erupted into an opera of horrified screams, and Anna assumed it was the skull, and while it was unsettling, she couldn’t imagine how such a thing could make people screams sound like that. Full of undiluted fear and agony.
“Who’s there?” Harry roared as Hermione gripped him by the collar of his jacket, dragging him backwards. “Harry, come on! Now!” Hermione shouted. “What’s the matter?” Harry asked, and as Hermione stepped into the light of the moon, Anna saw how terrified she really was. “It’s the Dark Mark, Harry!” She breathed. “You-Know-Who’s sign!”
It was Anna’s turn to go white. Did that mean…
“Harry! Come on!” She shouted again, and then the four of them were sprinting across the clearing, but before they had made it, there was a series of popping noises and shouts, announcing the arrival of at least twenty wizards appearing into thin air - surrounding them.
“DUCK!” Harry shouted, and Anna had just enough time to pull her body to the ground as the wizards began shooting spells at them. “STUPEFY!” They roared, and a blinding series of flashes began, and Anna began to wonder if the kitten would’ve had a better chance of surviving if she had just left her by the tree.
“Stop!” A voice suddenly yelled that she recognized. “STOP! That’s my son!”
The air above Anna head went still once more as she cautiously looked up to see the wizard in front of her lowering his wand, and then turned to see Mr. Weasley racing towards them - his face pale.
“Ron..Anna..Harry..Hermione - are you alright?” His voice was shaking. “Out of the way, Arthur.” A cold voice said, and Anna was face to face with Mr. Crouch, his face taut with rage. “Which of you did it?” he snapped. “Which of you conjured the Dark Mark?”
“We didn’t do that!” Harry defended them, gesturing up at the skull. “We didn’t do anything!” Ron said, rubbing his sore elbow which must’ve hit the ground first as he looked indignantly at his father. “What did you want to attack us for?”
“Do not lie, sir!” Mr. Crouch shouted, his wand directed at Ron’s face. Mr. Crouch’s eyes were practically popping out of his head, his veins bulging. “You have been discovered at the scene of the crime!”
“Barty,” Whispered a witch in a long woolen dressing gown. “They’re kids, Barty. They’d never have been able to-”
“Where did the Mark come from, you four?” Mr. Weasley asked quickly - clearly wanting to whisk them straight back home. “Over there,” Said Hermione shakily, pointing to where Anna had seen the shadowy figure. “There was someone behind the trees...they shouted words - an incantation-”
“Oh, stood over there, did they?” Mr. Crouch said. “Said an incantation, did they? You seem very well informed about how that Mark is summoned, missy.” He said angrily, and Anna glared at him angrily. She was disliking this man more and more.
None of the other Ministry wizards seemed to think it was likely that Harry, Anna, Ron, or Hermione had conjured the skull, and had their wands pointed to the direction that Hermione had indicated.
“We’re too late.” said the witch in the woolen dressing gown, shaking her head miserably. “They’ll have Disapparated.”
“I don’t think so,” said another wizard - Mr. Diggory. “Our Stunners went right through those trees...There’s a good chance we got them..” He reasoned. “Amos, be careful!” Another wizard warned him as he marched across the clearing, disappearing into the darkness. A few seconds later, Mr. Diggory shouted. “Yes! We’ve got them! There’s someone here! Unconscious! It’s..but..blimey..” Mr. Diggory finally emerged from the trees, carrying a limp figure in his arms. Winky.
Mr. Crouch didn’t move a muscle as Mr. Diggory dropped Winky at his feet. He only stared at Winky for a few long moments before coming back to life once again. “This...cannot..be.” He said. “No,”
He went around Mr. Diggory, striding to the place where Mr. Diggory had discovered Winky as he rummaged around the bushes. “There’s no one else there!” He shouted, but Mr. Crouch didn’t seem to be listening. He turned around to Mr. Weasley. “Bart Crouch’s house-elf...I mean to say..”
“Come off it, Amos. You don’t seriously think it was the elf?” Mr. Weasley said quietly. “The Dark Mark’s a wizard’s sign. It requires a wand.”
Anna tuned herself out of the conversation - her earlier fears calmed, but not completely soothed. The Dark Mark did not mean that Voldemort had returned - but hearing that it was his sign…
She looked back up at the Mark - still hovering in the sky like a bad omen. She could still see it in the darkness of her eyelids - burning in her memories. Seeing his sign made her consider the very real possibility that Voldemort could return. The only question was when.
YOU ARE READING
Lillian 'Anna' Potter || Goblet of Fire
Fanfiction"YOU'VE PLAYED ME FOR A FOOL AND STRUNG ME ALONG LIKE A FIDDLE. THE LEAST I DESERVE FROM YOU IS AN EXPLANATION!" It was revealed by J.K Rowling that when Lily Potter originally died, she was with child. What if Lily had her second child before Volde...
