Wonder // Draco Malfoy

22. Chaos and the Dark Mark

The game finishes with a massive win for the Irish. I have to congratulate the Weasley twins on their ability to guess the exact outcome. Although, knowing them, there's probably a bit more than guesswork behind the scenes. Although it is now late, everyone is still animated from the excitement of the game. It's easy to feel the happiness of the Irish. Even the supporters of the losing team are still speaking amongst themselves about the game.

As we approach our tent, I can't help but look at the crowd to find Draco or his family's almost silver hair. He's gotten taller and that gives me hope that I could distinguish him from the crowd. Either he isn't staying anywhere near us, or he is hiding from me. I can understand why - his father hates people like me and he's terrified of me ever meeting him. But won't there come a point where I'll have to? Rue and I change into our pajamas and slump into our shared beds. We already bid the Weatherbys goodnight after scarfing down a small snack, but they've decided to stay awake to celebrate the win with other families. It doesn't take long for both of us to fall asleep cuddling each other.

"Rue, Valentine, wake up!"

I shoot up in bed and look around in surprise. Marcus is pulling Rue from the bed and handing me my wand. "We have to go, we're under attack," he informs us; the panic in his tone sends chills through my body. I try to find my shoes but Rue is pulling me away before I can do anything else. "My parents are helping the ministry with the attackers and told us to stay together!"

We exit the tent and are met with screams of terror. People are running in every direction; there's no evident place of safety. Down the path, a group of masked people are laughing and flipping tents. A few have their wands raised and I look in horror - the muggle family that runs this lot is in the air.

I have no time to process anything and I just run with my friends. We constantly bump into the other wizards that are running as we flee toward the trees. Rue and Marcus are running hand in hand and it makes me think of Draco. Is he here? Is his father behind this? I can't stomach the thought of Draco knowing about this beforehand.

We are barely in the trees when I spot Harry, Ron, and Hermione talking to someone. Draco. He's smirking at them and talking. "I'd want to get her somewhere safe if I were you. They're after mud bloods." Draco's face twists in disgust as he looks at Hermione.

Marcus and Rue have also stopped next to them, despite the people running around us. Draco first looks at them in confusion, then his head turns to me, standing a few feet behind my friends in shock. They're after mud bloods? Why is he so proud of that, considering I am one?

"Valentine, what are you doing here?" Draco asks. His face is twisted in fear. "Let's go, you can't be seen by any of them."

He holds his hand out to me in urgency, but I don't want to take it. He was just so boastful about getting rid of people like me. I'm starting to feel like an idiot for trusting that I could change him. I grab Rue's arm and lead her away, Marcus following suit. He glares at Draco as we run further into the woods, with Hermione, Harry, and Ron directly after. They're whispering amongst themselves and I'm sure it's about Draco and how his father is most definitely one of those masked wizards. "Stop! Who goes there?"

We abruptly stop, knocking into each other. Cornelius Fudge is in front of us, looking confused as to why a bunch of students are in the woods. One of them barefoot. He glances down at my feet and looks back up at me. I'm sure that I'm the only one in the group that he doesn't know, considering my best friends have well-known parents. Hermione explains what has happened and he dismisses himself to aid the ministry.

When we find a clearing to rest in, we stop to regroup. My feet are cut and bruised from running without shoes on, on twigs and thorns. "Don't worry, Valentine, my mother will heal you once we find her again," Marcus reassures. He puts his arms around me and Rue and pulls us closer to him as Harry, Ron, and Hermione begin to talk with one another.

"We should get moving," Rue says. Marcus and I agree with her. "Please be safe. We'll see you at school," she bids to the trio. We all say our goodbyes as we part from one another. Marcus leads Rue and I further into the woods, towards a more secluded area. I try to ignore the burning in my feet as we continue and promise myself that the pain won't last very long.

We stop again in a smaller clearing and I sit on a tree stump. Rue continues to hold onto Marcus while we wait for safety. We can barely hear screaming and running anymore, so I feel more secure in this area than before. "Guys, look!" Marcus exclaims.

I follow his gaze to the sky and almost fall over in disbelief. A giant green marking has been made in the sky - a moving skull with a snake slithering out of its mouth. Chills run through my spine as I watch it move. "It's the dark mark. He's returned," Rue breathes. I can't look at her or Marcus; I can only see the skull above us. Rue begins to sob into Marcus's chest when rustling is heard in the woods from the direction we've come. I stand and point my wand towards the sound. Marcus pushes Rue behind him and he does the same, only for his parents to run through.

"You're safe!" His mother cries, holding her arms open as she runs toward her child. Mr. Weatherby is right behind and he nods to me as I lower my wand. I'm reminded again of the pain in my foot so I sit back on the tree stump behind me. "Your father has to stay, but I will take you back to our house."

We file behind Mrs. Weatherby and head toward our tent. It's thankfully still in tact. Many tents are shaken, burned, or worse and people are scrambling to find their belongings. "Come here, dear, let me help you," Mrs. Weatherby says. I sit on a small chair before a table and she squats in front of me. She says a spell that instantly heals my feet and makes the pain disappear.

"Thank you," I breathe. She nods her head and instructs us to pack our belongings and meet her outside soon.

We don't say another word as I put my shoes on and throw my belongings into my bag. Thankfully, we haven't gotten a chance to unpack anything so it doesn't take long.

Once we're ready, Marcus helps his mother collapse the tent and we line up behind other families to find a port key to safety.

A/N
Abrupt ending but I wanted to incorporate such an important event in the HP timeline :)