"I hope that real love and truth are stronger in the end than any evil or misfortune in the world."

Charles Dickens

LUCY:

I was jerked from a lovely dream by a gentle but persistent whisper.

"Lu, time to get up. You slept through your alarm, Dad's nearly ready to go."

I opened my eyes slowly and realized Cedric was hovering over me. He smiled when he saw I was awake.

"Come on, Lu. Harry's waiting."

"Oh, shut up," I mumbled, blushing nonetheless as I pushed my blankets aside.

"Were you dreaming about him? You were smiling in your sleep."

My embarrassed silence answered his question, and he laughed. "Go ahead and get dressed. I'll meet you downstairs in three minutes."

When he disappeared from the room, I reached for the outfit I had spent a solid ten minutes trying to put together the night before. It was just a light blue sweater with white polka dots and a pair of black jeans, but Harry never really got to see me in Muggle clothes --- I had to make it count. I placed his charm bracelet around my wrist with hands that were trembling from excitement and quickly braided my hair as I ran down the stairs.

I soon realized Cedric had the same idea I did, knowing he'd see Cho today for the first time in nearly two months; I could tell his light grey polo shirt had been newly pressed, and it was obvious he'd taken extra time brushing his hair. I made a mental note to tease him about that later, knowing full well he could easily tease me back for the exact same reason. Merlin, it was so nice to have my brother back.

"Well, there you are, Lucy," Dad said, checking his watch. "Ready to go?"

"You bet!" I exclaimed, quickly tying off my second braid and smoothing down my sweater. "Stoatshead Hill, right?"

He nodded, and a still-sleepy Mum approached to give me a hug.

"Have a great time, you three!" she said through a yawn. "I, for one, will be happily returning to my warm bed."

"Sleep well, Mum," Cedric replied, kissing her cheek.

With that, we stepped out into the frigid morning. My mind ran rampant with thoughts of the magic that had been obviously sewn into the fabric the night before.

Those Weasley twins would be the death of me --- they had obviously told me the wrong time for Harry's arrival, hoping I'd embarrass myself in my surprise when I saw him three hours sooner than I was expecting him. But I reckoned I'd done alright... it wasn't as if I'd dropped the basket and spilled cookies everywhere, anyway.

For all of their teasing, though, the twins were excellent wingmen. I appreciated Fred for ensuring that Harry and I were on the same Quidditch team, and I probably wouldn't have thought twice about sitting between the twins like I always did if George hadn't pointed out that there was an empty spot between Harry and Charlie. Cedric had been the key to finally getting a moment alone with Harry, when he offered to get the picnic basket and meet me at the gate.

I had meant to ask Harry if he'd heard back from Sirius, really I did, but I'd just been so distracted by how happy I was in that moment. The way the stars were just beginning to show themselves to the nighttime world, the fact that Cedric was home early, the knowledge that we'd all be together at the Quidditch Cup in a matter of hours, the nearness of Harry. I couldn't bring myself to think of anything unpleasant, like the fact that Harry's scar had hurt lately or the fact that the full moon was exactly a week away or the fact that Professor Lupin wouldn't be at Hogwarts when we returned. All that mattered was that, in that moment, everything was as close to perfect as I'd ever known.

I drew myself out of my reverie and bumped my shoulder against Cedric's arm. "Hey, have I told you yet that I'm glad you're back?"

He chuckled. "Only about ten times now."

"Is that a new shirt?" I asked, raising my eyebrows teasingly.

"Er, yeah," he replied, suddenly flustered. "It is. I got it in London before I left. My flatmate was Muggle-born, and he offered to help me figure out what to wear today so I looked as much like a Muggle as possible. Does it look okay?"

"Don't worry, Ced, you make a fantastic Muggle!" Dad piped up before I could respond.

"Yeah, you do," I echoed, lapsing into silence.

Soon enough, we reached the hill. I used my eyes --- well-adjusted to the darkness at that point --- to my advantage, warning Dad and Ced of rabbit holes and protruding roots they couldn't see. (Again, one of the tiny, tiny benefits of being a werewolf. My eyes were sharp, especially in the dark.) I silently thanked Oliver Wood for all of the long practices that built up my endurance; the hill was steep.

I spotted the boot that was the Portkey as soon as we reached the top, and Dad hurried over to pick it up.

"Wonder where those Weasleys are," Dad muttered. "They live a bit closer than we do."

"Oh, there they are!" Cedric said a couple seconds later, jerking his chin toward the other side of the hill. "See them, Dad?"

"Good spot, Ced! Putting those Seeker's eyes to good use."

I was the one who spotted the boot, Dad, I thought bitterly to myself, clenching my jaw. Just as soon as I did, though, I released it. I wouldn't let anything ruin this day, not even Dad.

Dad raised his voice to call to the group. "Over here, Arthur! Over here, son, we've got it!"

"Amos!" Mr. Weasley called, leading the others over to where we were standing. I tucked my cold hands into my pockets, offering Harry a smile as my dad shook hands with Mr. Weasley. "This is Amos Diggory, everyone. He works for the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures. And you all know Cedric and Lucy, of course."

"Long time no see," George commented with a grin.

"Though some of us are used to seeing Lucy this hour of the morning before Wood's awful practices," Fred added, bumping Harry's shoulder a little harder than necessary so that Harry lost his balance and had to take a step toward me to steady himself. Godric, those twins would be the death of me...

Dad took in the scene with an amused and bemused expression. "All these yours, Arthur?"

"Oh no, only the redheads. This is Hermione, a friend of Ron's, and Harry, another friend-"

"Merlin's beard! Harry? Harry Potter?"

I felt my face grow bright red with secondhand embarrassment even in the pre-dawn chill. Please, no, Dad, no, not here, not now, not Harry...

"Er, yeah," Harry said, nodding.

"Ced's talked about you, of course. Told us all about playing against you last year! I said to him, I said, 'Ced, that'll be something to tell your grandchildren, that will. You beat Harry Potter!'"

I fought the urge to bury my face in my hands. Dad, please, stop, no, not here, not now, not here, not now...

Cedric was flustered now, too. "Harry fell off his broom, Dad, I told you. It was an accident."

"Yes, but you didn't fall off, did you?" I didn't need to look to know that Dad was thumping Cedric on the back. "Always modest, our Ced, always the gentleman. But the best man won, I'm sure Harry'd say the same, wouldn't you, eh? One falls off his broom, one stays on, you don't need to be a genius to tell which one's the better flier!"

Mr. Weasley spared us all from further comment. "Must be nearly time. Do you know whether we're waiting for any more, Amos?"

"No, the Lovegoods have been there for a week already and the Fawcetts couldn't get tickets. There aren't any more of us in this area, are there?"

"Not that I know of. Yes, it's a minute off, we'd better get ready."

"Why don't you show Harry and Hermione how to use a Portkey, Lucy?" George asked, looking from my dad to me to Harry with an expression on his face that I couldn't quite read.

"Oh, um, sure," I replied. Cedric subtly nudged me forward so I stood in between the two people there raised by Muggles. "The boot my dad's holding is the Portkey. You just have to be touching it somehow, a finger would be enough. Just as a word of warning, it's a bit of a jolt..." My voice trailed off when Harry's hand grazed mine as we reached forward to touch the boot, but nobody else seemed to notice, because at the same time, Mr. Weasley began counting down.

"Three... two... one..."

I ricocheted back and forth between Harry and Hermione as the Portkey swept us up in a swirl of wind and color. I managed to land on my feet when the spinning stopped, but Harry wasn't quite so lucky.

I grinned as I extended a hand to him. "Don't worry, it gets easier the more you do it."

"I sure hope so," he muttered with a sheepish smile, pulling himself to his feet.

Ron pulled Hermione to her feet, and we all looked around. A low-hanging fog swirled all around us as everyone else rose to their feet.

"Seven past five from Stoatshead Hill," a voice announced.

Two wizards appeared in front of us, one with a watch and one with a piece of parchment and a quill.

I handed Mr. Weasley the boot, and he passed it to the man with the parchment. "Morning, Basil!"

The man sounded exhausted as he replied. "Hello there, Arthur. Not on duty, eh? It's all right for some, but we've been here all night. You'd better get out of the way, we've got a big party coming in from the Black Forest at five-fifteen. Hang on, I'll find your campsite... Weasley... Weasley... ah, there you are. About a quarter of a mile's walk over there, first field you come to. Site manager's called Mr. Roberts. Diggory... Diggory... same, actually."

"Thanks, Basil," Mr. Weasley said, and we all followed him through the mist.

I fell into step between Fred and George, who seemed uncharacteristically serious.

"D'you bring the toffees?" I asked, sure that would cheer them up.

To the contrary, George sighed. "Mum confiscated them all."

"All?"

"Every last one," Fred said with a sad nod. "Stupid summoning charm."

"That's why they gave me the truth or dare gummies!" Ginny reported happily.

"I hope you know that I hate you all," I laughed.

"But you have to admire our dedication, don't you?" Ginny asked, batting her eyelashes.

I laughed again. "I suppose."

Fred and George still seemed troubled by something as we continued on silently. I was about to ask what was bothering them when Dad opened his mouth again.

"I'll sure be glad once you pass your apparition test, Ced," he panted.

"That's how my older boys are arriving," Mr. Weasley said.

"Which one was Head Boy this year? I remember Ced mentioning him."

"That would be Percy. He works for Barty Crouch now."

"That's excellent! Ced is hoping to be Head Boy next year. Granted, he's already got both feet in the door at St. Mungo's, but being able to say he was Head Boy at Hogwarts in addition to prefect and Quidditch captain will make it all even easier! Now we just need to add Quidditch Cup to that list, and maybe even... ah, that must be the cottage! That's certainly a Muggle on the front porch, at any rate."

I slipped out from between the twins to go stand with my brother. I knew how much he hated it when Dad was... well, Dad. I glanced up at him to try to read his expression, but he was staring straight ahead with his jaw clenched. Something about what Dad had just said really set him off. I took another step closer and watched as Mr. Weasley approached the man.

"Morning!" the ever-cheerful Mr. Weasley said.

"Morning," the other man replied.

"Would you be Mr. Roberts?"

"Aye, I would. And who're you?"

"Weasley, two tents. Booked a couple of days ago? And Diggory-"

"One tent, also booked a couple of days ago," Dad finished.

"Aye. You've both got spaces up by the wood there. The Weasley tents are closer, the Diggory one is just a bit further down the way. You'll all be staying just the one night?"

"That's it!"

"You'll be paying now, then?"

Mr. Weasley faltered. "Ah... right. Certainly." He turned to Harry and Hermione, who quickly reached forward to help.

Cedric took a step toward Dad. "I can take care of it," he said softly, flipping through the wad of paper and extracting a handful of bills. He went to help Mr. Weasley, too, so I followed and tried to understand what was going on. About thirty seconds later, both parties had the right amount.

"You foreign?" Mr. Roberts asked.

"Foreign?" Dad repeated, sounding offended.

"You're not the first one who's had trouble with money. I had two try and pay me with great gold coins the size of hubcaps ten minutes ago."

"Did you really?" Mr. Weasley asked, scratching at his ear nervously.

Mr. Roberts continued as he gathered up our change. "Never been this crowded. Hundreds of pre-bookings. People usually just turn up."

"Is that right?" Mr. Weasley sounded worried now.

"Aye. People from all over. Loads of foreigners. And not just foreigners. Weirdos, you know? There's a bloke walking 'round in a kilt and a poncho. It's like some sort of... I dunno... like some sort of rally. They all seem to know each other. Like a big party."

Before any of us could come up with an excuse or explanation, a wizard apparated right behind Mr. Roberts and hissed, "Obliviate!"

I felt as if I'd just been drenched in cold water, and I might have even shivered as I watched Mr. Roberts's face change. His confusion disappeared, replaced instead by an almost-dreamy look. He handed out two maps and two piles of change, which Dad and Mr. Weasley grabbed quickly.

He showed no emotion as he waved us off. "A map of the campsite for you. And your change."

The wizard who obliviated Mr. Roberts stepped forward, pinching the bridge of his nose. "I'll walk you all to the gate." He lowered his hand, and when he spotted Dad, he went rigid. He scanned the rest of the group, eyes landing on me. It was Mr. Midgen. I recognized him from Dumbledore's memory.

He quickly snapped out of it and began walking. I remained frozen for a couple of seconds, looking from Mr. Roberts to Mr. Midgen, as everyone else except Cedric followed him.

My brother laid a gentle hand on my shoulder and prodded me forward slowly. "Are you alright?" he asked in a voice low enough I would be the only person who heard him.

I nodded, feeling numb from head to toe. "We can talk about it later," I whispered. I shook his hand off of my shoulder and followed the rest of the group.

"Been having a lot of trouble with him," Mr. Midgen was saying. "Needs a Memory Charm ten times a day to keep him happy. And Ludo Bagman's not helping. Trotting around talking about Bludgers and Quaffles at the top of his voice, not a worry about anti-Muggle security. Blimey, I'll be glad when this is over. See you later, Arthur, Amos."

He glanced my way one last time before disapparating, and I silently took a deep breath to steady myself. This was the Quidditch World Cup. Cedric was back. I was with my friends.

Nothing is going to ruin this day, I told myself firmly.

I jogged to catch up with Harry and Hermione and Ron as we walked through the tents.

"They do realize Muggle tents wouldn't have chimneys, right?" Hermione wondered aloud, making us all snicker.

"Or weather vanes, or windows?" Harry added.

I laughed, pointing at a suspiciously tall tent. "Or, you know, three stories?"

Mr. Weasley smiled. "Always the same We can't resist showing off when we get together. Ah, here we are, look, this is us."

"This is where we leave you, Arthur," Amos said, shaking his hand heartily. "Perhaps we'll meet again as we all leave in the morning-"

"Or maybe we'll be able to shout at each other if someone forgot a change of socks," I cut in, pointing at our campsite no more than twenty meters away.

Ginny slapped her hand to her forehead. "That's what I forgot. Hey, Lucy, can I borrow a change of socks?"

Everyone laughed at that, and I told Ginny I'd bring a pair of socks over once our tent was assembled. Cedric and I managed to put the tent together while Dad went to fetch water, and the sun was up by the time we stepped inside. It wasn't three stories, but it was quite comfortable --- three bedrooms that stretched down a narrow hallway, and a massive den. I opted for the room at the far end of the hallway, because, to my delight, a nice window seat with a view of the Weasleys' tents

"Is it alright if I go find Cho and Henry, Dad?" Cedric asked the second he had tossed his bag into his room.

"Of course, of course!" Dad exclaimed. "I'd quite like to find Mr. Furls myself."

"I'll build the fire, just the way Brandon taught me," I offered. "We can have lunch when you're back."

"Very well," Dad said. "Let's go, my boy."

Firewood was already neatly stacked inside the tent, so I grabbed the best pieces I could find and stepped outside. I hadn't been outside more than thirty seconds before Fred and George came over.

"Wotcher, boys," I greeted with a smile. "Long time, no see. Miss me already?"

"Always," Fred replied, taking a seat next to where I was kneeling on the grass.

"Need any help, Cub?" George asked.

I shook my head. "I learned how to build a fire without magic in America."

"Maybe you can help our dad next, then," Fred said, chuckling. "He's trying now, but it's not looking too promising."

George sat on my other side, glancing at the tent. He still seemed troubled. "Where are your dad and Cedric?"

"Cedric went to find his friends, and my dad tagged along. Why?"

"Lucy, your dad does remember that he has two kids, right?"

I set the wood down and sank back onto the grass. "I think so."

"Yeah, what was that all about?" Fred asked. "Prefect, Quidditch captain, Head Boy, Quidditch Cup? We won the Quidditch Cup, you won the Quidditch Cup!"

"Especially the Harry thing," George continued. "Does he not realize that you play Quidditch on the same team as Harry Potter and not just against him? And bloody hell, you fell off your broom too, does he think that makes you a worse player than Cedric? I mean, Fred's right, we won the Quidditch Cup this year!"

"Is that what's been bothering you?" I asked. "I was going to say something, then he mentioned the Apparition thing."

"Yeah, it bothers us. Does it not bother you?"

I shrugged. "It's always been this way. Cedric's the perfect child, and I'm... I don't even know what I am in my parents' minds."

"But why?"

The true answer was that Dad technically didn't have two kids. He had one golden child, Cedric, and then I crash-landed into his life and ruined it. That much I understood now. But the twins couldn't know that, for obvious reasons. So I offered the next best answer I could think of.

"I think he still wishes I were in Hufflepuff, at least partially," I said. "And I cause more problems than Cedric does. That's why I never mentioned the falling off my broom thing, by the way. The last thing he needs is one more thing to worry about as far as I'm concerned. But it's fine, really, tt's always been this way. I'm used to it."

"You shouldn't have to be," George muttered.

"Yeah, Cub, it's one thing when Georgie and I cause trouble in our family," Fred said. "We're just different, and we know it, and most of the time, it doesn't bother us when Mum gets upset. But you're just as good as Cedric. Better than him, as far as we're concerned, but we're probably biased because we know you so well. And you're in the right house as far as we're concerned, too."

I felt my face reddening. "Well... thanks, boys. It's good to know at least you two think of me that way. But hey, that's enough of that." I sat up and grabbed a piece of firewood. "I'm not going to let anything ruin this day, my dad least of all. Let me teach you boys how to build a fire like a proper Muggle would."

After building our fire, I helped Mr. Weasley with theirs, and it was roaring by the time the last three Weasleys showed up. I returned to the Diggory tent just as Dad and Cedric were arriving. Cedric looked happier than he'd looked in years, no doubt due to a combination of Cho Chang, Henry Furls, and Quidditch --- nothing in the world made him happier than those three, especially when combined.

By the time we started making our way to the stadium, my dad's comments that morning and the obliviation of Mr. Roberts were the furthest things from my mind. We found our seats relatively quickly, which offered a brilliant view of the stadium. Not quite as incredible as I knew the Weasleys' seats were --- they were in the bloody Minister of Magic's box, for Merlin's sake --- but I was still absolutely ecstatic to be there in the first place.

Ludo Bagman's voice suddenly rang out through the stadium. "Ladies and gentlemen, welcome! Welcome to the final of the four hundred and twenty-second Quidditch World Cup!"

Cedric and I cheered loudly, and even Dad (who was only moderately fond of Quidditch) seemed excited by the energy pulsing through the crowd.

"And now, without further ado, allow me to introduce the Bulgarian National Team Mascots!"

The spectators clad in scarlet and black erupted as dozens (if not hundreds) of veela poured onto the field.

Dad leaned forward as they began to dance to the music now filling the stadium, but Cedric didn't budge.

"How are you actually keeping your head right now?" I asked, glancing around as men and women alike started moving toward the veela as if pulled by a magnet.

He grinned sheepishly. "I think I made it pretty clear from the way I kissed Cho earlier that she's the only girl I ever want."

"You kissed her?!"

His grin widened. "After I formally asked her to be my girlfriend, of course."

I smiled. "So that's why you looked so happy coming back. And why you're wearing this thing," I added, flicking the collar of his nice new shirt.
"And... good Godric, Cedric, is that cologne?"

"Just a bit," he said, his cheeks reddening as he turned back to the field. The veela were leaving, and angry shouts were filling the stadium. It seemed nobody was happy to see them go.

Ludo Bagman shouted over the jeers, "And now, kindly put your wands in the air for the Irish National Team Mascots!"

Multiple zigzagging rainbows streaked through the sky, and soon, gold began to rain down from a giant floating shamrock.

"Leprechauns!" I exclaimed, reaching my hands forward to catch the falling coins. I knew they'd disappear eventually, but I wanted to keep at least a couple as souvenirs until they faded. Maybe once I get back to Hogwarts, I can figure out how to undo the charm that makes them fade...

The leprechauns eventually sat opposite the veela on the field, and the Bulgarian players began to enter the field.

"And now, ladies and gentlemen, kindly welcome the Bulgarian National Quidditch Team! I give you --- Dimitrov! Ivanova! Zograf! Levski! Vulchanov! Volkov! Aaaaaaand Krum!"

"Ron's crazy about Krum," I explained to Cedric with a laugh.

"So am I, quite frankly!" he replied. "He's brilliant!"

I nodded enthusiastically as the Irish team took to the skies.

"And now, please greet the Irish National Quidditch Team! Presenting --- Connolly! Ryan! Troy! Mullet! Moran! Quigley! Aaaaaand Lynch!"

"They all have Firebolts?" Cedric asked incredulously.

"Nothing but the best for the professionals, I guess!"

"And Harry, it would seem! Did you ever find out who sent it to him?"

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you!"

"What? Who?"

"Tell you later!" I shouted as the referee took the field.

"And here, all the way from Egypt, our referee, acclaimed Chairwizard of the International Association of Quidditch, Hassan Mostafa!"

"I hope he's good at staying out of the way," I commented to Cedric. "He's half the size of the players, at best!"

"A third their size at worst," he agreed. "You're probably... a quarter of their size? A fifth, even?"

I punched Cedric's arm in protest, and he grinned. "Just you wait, I'll grow eventually," I said loudly.

"I know, I know."

Our banter came to a screeching halt as the game began. I watched everything in reverent silence at first, the smile on my face never once faltering. It was the best match I had ever witnessed; it was clear that these players were the best of the best. I couldn't look away.

It was as if the Irish Chasers could read each other's minds as they passed the Quaffle player to player with perfect precision. I thought Angelina and Alicia and I had good teamwork --- these players were insane.

It was clear that Ireland had the superior Chasers, but the Bulgarian Beaters showed no mercy. The Bludgers they sent in the direction of the Irish Chasers were unfortunately very effective, breaking up even their best plays.

Just as the game had settled into a rhythm, both Seekers were suddenly diving toward the ground. The stadium shook with the crowd's screams as they got closer and closer to the ground, but at the last second, Krum pulled up. Lynch, however, was not quite quick enough, and ran himself into the ground.

Cedric and I winced in unison, then I realized what we had just witnessed.

"Cedric!" I screamed. "That was a Wronski Feint! A real Wronski Feint!"

His jaw dropped. "You're right! That was incredible! A real Wronski Feint, in person!"

When Lynch rejoined the game, Ireland seemed to catch their second wind. Before I knew it, the score was 130 to 10, and Bulgaria was not happy about it.

"They play dirtier than Slytherin," I muttered to myself as Zograf, the Bulgarian Keeper, mercilessly cobbed Mullet, one of the Irish Chasers.

That wasn't the only trick the Bulgarians had up their sleeves, however --- the veela were an even more effective weapon than Bludgers or Beaters' bats. It wasn't until the referee himself was ensnared by their charm that they were sent away, and the fight the Bulgarians waged to try to keep the veela on the field led to two more penalties for Ireland.

Penalties occurred left and right as Bulgaria got more and more desperate. I winced at every bit of contact, knowing much of their pain all too well. I winced especially hard when Krum took a Bludger directly to the face.

Cedric looked at me with a sympathetic smile. "Been there, done that?"

I nodded, rubbing my nose. "You bet. It's not fun."

Krum, however, seemed unaffected. When Lynch dove, he did too.

This was no feint; I could see the Snitch this time.

It was Krum who came up with the Snitch, but it wasn't enough. Ireland had won, 170-160.

"He wanted the game to end on his terms," Cedric said, half to himself and half to me. "You know what, I respect that."

I nodded. "Me too."

The stadium seemed fit to explode from all of the sound. Ludo Bagman's voice could be heard over the chaos, shouting, "IRELAND WINS! KRUM GETS THE SNITCH, BUT IRELAND WINS! Good lord, I don't think any of us were expecting that! And as the Irish team performs a lap of honor, flanked by their mascots, the Quidditch World Cup itself is brought into the Top Box!"

Just then, the Top Box glowed with brilliant light as the Cup itself was handed to Cornelius Fudge.

"Let's have a really loud hand for the gallant losers, Bulgaria!"

One by one, the players shook hands with the Bulgarian minister, then Fudge.

"Did I look like that?" I asked Cedric when I saw the mess that was Viktor Krum's face. When he nodded, I slapped my forehead. "You mean Harry's seen me looking like that?"

Cedric laughed. "Don't worry about that now, Lu. Here come the Irish!"

Surely enough, the Irish were coming. Lynch looked worse for wear after smashing into the ground twice, but their ecstasy was palpable. I couldn't help but smile. What a game that had been.

It took quite a while to get back to the tent; by the time we had wrestled our way through the crowds, the half-moon was high in the sky. The energy in the stadium translated to the campground --- we could hearing singing and fireworks and all kinds of other sounds that seemed to suggest a full-scale Irish celebration.

The Weasley crew was arriving to their tent around the same time we were, so I sprinted over.

"Harry!" I shouted, spying his messy dark hair easily in the sea of redheads. "Harry, did you see that Wronski Feint?"

He whirled around, initially startled, but he smiled when he saw it was me. "I did! It was brilliant! I definitely see what everyone's been talking about, with that reverse Wronski you pulled the first time I saw you on a broom."

"A reverse Wronski?" Charlie asked, cocking an eyebrow.

"More or less," Harry explained. "She was on the broom, and an unexpected Bludger started chasing her, so she took off literally straight up into the sky."

The twins overheard Harry talking and started laughing.

"You should have seen it, Charlie," Fred said, "it was hilarious. She was eleven, mind you, and even shorter than she is now. Everyone was so impressed with this tiny first-year."

I felt myself beginning to blush as Charlie studied me with new interest. "Yeah, well, I kind of panicked," I said. "I thought I was just taking a little joyride on a Nimbus 2000, then all of a sudden there was a Bludger riding my arse."

"Did you laugh when you saw Krum take that Bludger to the face?" Ron asked, also joining the conversation.

"No, I was horrified! I think it's funny now," I said with a laugh, "but bloody hell, did I look like that?"

When everybody participating in the conversation nodded, I slapped a hand to my forehead --- again. "Thank Merlin for Lockhart, then, who made sure I couldn't see my own face for the better part of a month! Who knew he was good for something after all?"

Everyone laughed, though Charlie looked a little more confused than anyone else.

"What's taking everyone so long? Oh, hi, Lucy!" Mr. Weasley said, smiling. "Want to join us for some hot chocolate?"

"I should probably head back to my own tent, but thank you for the offer," I said. "See you all in the morning?"

"See you, Lu," Harry said, sending a smile my way that made me a little weak in the knees. Being around Harry didn't make me nervous anymore, not really, but from time to time, I'd have to admit I still got butterflies. Everyone else said their goodbyes, and I returned to the tent and disappeared into my room with a quick "Night!" to my dad and Cedric.

I grinned from ear to ear as I closed the door behind me. What a magical night, again.

I hummed to myself as I danced around the room getting ready for bed, undoing my braids and changing into my nightgown. The next morning, I'd be heading back home, and Harry would be just a thirty-minute walk away. Even at that very moment, he was a thirty-second walk away. And then at Hogwarts, I'd be with him nearly every waking minute of nearly every day. Now that was too good to be true.

I had blown out the candles lighting my room and was just about to take off my charm bracelet when I heard Dad shout something incoherent. I silently made my way to my door and pressed my ear against it. Dad never raised his voice unless it was at me --- something had to be wrong.

"I have all that I need, Dad," Cedric was saying. "I'm happy. I'm ready to be content with my accomplishments, at least until I graduate. I've taken every opportunity I've been given and done my best to make you happy-"

"But you could do even more, my boy! Don't limit yourself with your humility! This isn't just any opportunity, Cedric, this is the Triwizard Tournament!"

Cedric sighed shakily. It sounded as if he were about to cry. "Dad, I have a girlfriend now. I promised her that this year and next, I'd give her everything I couldn't give her last year. Dad, I love her, and I don't want her wondering why she waited all this time for me..." His voice trailed off. "I don't want her wondering why she waited all this time for me, only for me to turn around and throw myself into something else. And Quidditch... I've spent every spare minute all summer making plans and plays and practice schedules so Hufflepuff has a chance at the Cup this year. And Henry... I really wanted to spend this year rebuilding the relationships I let slip last year because I was so busy studying for O.W.L.s, and I don't think I could do that if I had the tournament to worry about, too. Haven't I done enough, Dad?"

"Of course," Dad said, backpedaling quickly now that Cedric had decided to stand up for himself. "It's just... consider it, will you? Mull it over, talk to your friends about it. You have about two months, I reckon, before you'll have to make your decision. Don't rule it out yet."

"Okay. I won't."

Now it was Dad's turn to sigh. "It's late. We should head to-"

Before Dad could finish his sentence, an explosion shook the tent.

"Lucy!" Even just saying my name, Cedric's voice was more fearful and panic-stricken than I'd ever heard it.

"I'm okay!" I screamed back, scrambling away from the door as smoke poured into the room.

"Lucy, the hallway's on fire, so- Dad, where are you- DAD!"

"Get out, Ced, hurry!" Dad shouted back. "Go to the woods, you'll be safe there!"

"But Lucy-"

"Cedric, get out of here!" I yelled, groping in the darkness for my wand. "I'll be-"

I coughed as I choked on the smoke now completely filling my room. I pressed the sleeve of my nightgown to my face, trying to breathe.

"Lucy!" Cedric sounded near hysterics. "Lucy, I'm coming!"

"NO!" I shouted back, coughing again as I breathed in more smoke. I lowered myself into an athletic stance, clutching my wand tightly so I didn't lose it. "I'm coming!"

I sprinted at the door with all the strength I could muster, bursting through it and hurtling headfirst into the inferno that was once a hallway. I didn't stop sprinting until I plowed into something soft yet solid. Cedric.

"We need to get out of here! Are you alright?"

I stopped coughing long enough to choke out one word: "Go!"

He understood. Cedric grabbed me by the hand, and the two of us ran as fast as we could out the front door and in the direction of the woods.

Our tent wasn't the only one on fire; fortunately, I saw that the Weasleys' were untouched. Orange flames dotted the hillsides around us, and people were fleeing in every direction. I soon saw why: a group of wizards with masks over their faces and wands held high were marching across the field. All of their wands were pointed at... the Roberts family, high in the air and being magically contorted into horrific shapes.

"Cedric," I wheezed, pointing in that direction.

"I know," he replied, squeezing my hand tighter. "I know. Just keep going, there's nothing we can do right now to help. The Ministry will take care of it. We need to get to the woods, it'll be safe there."

I nodded, tearing my eyes away from the horrific scene. As soon as we reached the treeline, I collapsed to the ground, coughing and clutching at my throat. Cedric dropped to a knee next to me, propping me up.

"Sitting up will help," he murmured, his grey eyes flickering over every millimeter of exposed skin on my face and neck and hands. "Are you hurt at all? Burned?"

I shook my head, still coughing.

"Cedric? Is that you?"

Cedric's head snapped in the direction of the voices, and he pointed his wand into the darkness. "Who's there?"

"Just us," Fred said, stepping into the clearing with Ginny clinging to his hand and George on his other side. All three of them rushed forward when they saw me pathetically gasping for breath. "Bloody hell, what happened?"

"Our tent was attacked," Cedric explained. "My dad and I were in the den area, and Lucy was in her room on the other end of the hallway. The entire hallway was on fire, and she had to run through it to get out."

"I'm okay," I managed to say, coughing a few more times. "Just a lot of-" I doubled over coughing again, my abdomen beginning to ache with how much I was coughing.

"Smoke," Cedric finished for me, brushing my hair away from my face.

George dropped to a knee, too, being the twin not holding Ginny's hand. His brown eyes were wide with concern.

"Where are..." I started to say, but another coughing fit racked my body.

"We don't know," George said, glancing over his shoulder. "They stopped to talk to Malfoy, but we kept going, and when we turned around, they were gone. That's when we heard Cedric talking to someone, and we hoped it was you..."

I closed my eyes, a number of horrific images flashing before my eyes. Hermione was Muggle-born... if the people torturing the Muggles saw her and knew she was Muggle-born...

A sudden blast of green illuminated the trees not ten meters away from us.

"We need to move deeper into the forest," Cedric said, jumping to his feet and pulling me up with him. He grabbed my other arm and swung me onto his back. "Come on."

I buried my face against Cedric's neck as I sucked in the cool night air. When we stopped again a couple minutes later, it was a bit easier to breathe, but I was definitely beginning to notice the places on my hands and arms where the flames had licked me in my mad dash to safety.

"Are you sure you're okay, Lucy?" George asked as Cedric set me down.

"Oh, my real name," I said teasingly. "I must have really scared you."

"If she's like that, it means she's fine," Cedric said, smiling a bit in relief.

Of course, I immediately started coughing again, but aside from that, I was definitely feeling better.

"What d'you reckon we do now?" Ginny asked in a small voice.

"Wait it out," Cedric answered, lowering himself to the forest floor. "We'll be safe here. We should just wait until it's quiet again. The Ministry will take care of it."

We all slowly nodded and sat down with him. I rested my head against Cedric's shoulder, and he wrapped his arm around my shoulder, rubbing his hand up and down my arm reassuringly.

We sat in silence, except for my occasional coughing fit. Cedric coughed every now and then, too, but I'd definitely gotten the worst of the smoke.

Suddenly, another blast of green illuminated all of the trees around us. But rather than a rogue spell, the green lingered. Up in the sky was...

"Oh, Merlin," I whimpered. "That's the Dark Mark. Oh, bloody hell, I hope Harry..."

I didn't need to finish my thought. We all knew that Voldemort's infamous symbol appearing in the sky did not bode well for Harry. Or Hermione, for that matter. I shuddered, cowering against Cedric. He wrapped his other arm around me and pulled me closer.

"Hey, Cedric," George said after a few minutes had passed. "You said you and your dad were on the same end of the tent, right?"

"Yeah, we were, why?"

"I just... can't wrap my head around something."

"Mhm?"

"We all still have the Trace, meaning we can't use magic outside of school, but your dad could have easily used magic to extinguish the fire and get Lucy out safely. So, I guess what I'm asking is... why didn't he?"

Cedric didn't have an answer for that. He shifted uncomfortably. "My dad... our dad... has odd priorities," he said slowly. "But trust me when I say Lucy always comes first for me, no matter what he says or does."

"We know," the twins said in unison.

"I know, too," I whispered, pressing into him more. The way he had screamed my name when he thought I was injured by the blast, or worse, dead... another shudder ran through my body.

Cedric nodded, exhaling slowly. "Good. I'm glad. I don't pretend to understand why my dad is the way he is, but... I want to be better than that."

"You are," I murmured, and the twins nodded their emphatic agreement.

A couple more minutes passed in silence before Cedric and the twins agreed it was probably safe to head back. We stumbled through the forest until we reached the Weasleys' tents. I was expecting everyone to sigh with relief when they saw us, rushing toward us and asking why we had taken so long, but nobody else was there when we stepped inside.

My heart dropped to my toes. Harry, Ron, Hermione. Where were they? What had happened?

"They'll be okay, Lu," Cedric said, as if he'd read my mind.

"Yeah, don't worry, Cub." Fred nudged me forward in the direction of a couch. I took the hint and sank down into it, looking at my singed nightgown in the glow of the candles. It was scorched in a couple different places on my arms, exposing a couple of mild burns. Cedric settled next to me on the couch and examined them with his healer's eye.

"They'll heal just fine," he reported. "I know where Mum keeps a burn cream at home, without dittany. We'll apply that first thing in the morning, as soon as we're home."

I nodded, toying with the charm bracelet on my wrist. It was blessedly undamaged, and I thanked my lucky stars that I hadn't taken it off yet when the tent was struck. If I had lost it, I never would have forgiven myself.

The next people to return were Bill, Charlie, and Percy.

"Lucy!" Percy exclaimed, rushing over to where I was sitting. "Are you alright? What happened? Why are you covered in... is that soot?"

"She's fine, Perce," George said. "Their tent burned down, but she's alright."

"You don't look much better. None of you do, really, no offense," I said sympathetically.

Percy was bleeding profusely from his nose, and Bill and Charlie were both sporting impressive arm wounds.

"We were helping the Ministry," Percy said, straightening up and adjusting his glasses (carefully) on his nose. "I'm glad you are all alright. Where are Ron and Hermione and Harry and Dad?"

Fred shrugged. "Your guess is as good as ours."

Cedric pushed himself up from the couch and hesitantly approached Bill, who had the worst injury. "May I?"

Bill nodded, and held his arm out. Cedric examined at the wound. "An episkey should do. It doesn't look like it's a cursed wound." He glanced at Charlie and Percy. "You two as well. It's a lot of bleeding, but I don't think they're magical wounds, per se."

"I like him," Charlie said with a crooked grin. "He knows his stuff. Let's keep him around."

"He better, after two months at St. Mungo's," Fred chuckled.

Charlie poked his head out of the tent flap once he had healed his arm. "Dad, what's going on? Fred, George, and Ginny got back okay, but the others-"

"I've got them here," Mr. Weasley said, ducking into the tent. Surely enough, Harry and Ron and Hermione ducked in, too.

I squeaked and sprinted toward them, flinging my arms around all three of their necks. "Oh, Merlin, don't scare me like that," I panted as they all pressed in around me.

"Scare you?" Hermione repeated incredulously, pulling me tighter. "Lucy, all we saw as we ran away was your burning tent!"

"Are you alright?" Harry asked.

I pulled away from the hug and coughed a couple times. "I am now that you're all safe. What happened?"

"Did you get them, Dad, the person who conjured the Mark?" Bill asked.

Mr. Weasley sighed. "No. Speaking of, Cedric and Lucy, your father said you can come home with us in the morning. He had to report to work since a magical creature was involved. We found Barty Crouch's elf holding Harry's wand, but we're none the wiser about who actually conjured the Mark."

Cedric and I nodded as Percy, Bill, and Charlie all collectively shouted, "What?"

"Harry's wand?" Fred echoed.

"Mr. Crouch's elf?" Percy asked.

I coughed again, and all eyes in the room flickered over to me.

"I'm fine," I choked out, face burning with embarrassment as I returned to my spot on the couch between Cedric and George. Harry's worried gaze lingered on me for a couple seconds longer before they launched into their story. As it turned out, the three of them had escaped to a quiet clearing, and Harry realized his wand was missing. They heard the man who conjured the Mark, and once grown wizards arrived on the scene (my dad among them) they discovered Winky, Mr. Crouch's house elf, in possession of the wand, though they were ultimately convinced that she hadn't been the one to cast the spell. However, Mr. Crouch released Winky for disobeying his orders and finding herself in that situation in the first place.

Percy was the first person to speak once the story was over. "Well, Mr. Crouch is quite right to get rid of an elf like that! Running away when he'd expressly told her not to, embarrassing him in front of the whole Ministry, how would that have looked, if she'd been brought up in front of the Department for the Regulation and Control-"

"She didn't do anything, she was just in the wrong place at the wrong time!" Hermione protested, crossing her arms over her chest and making Percy take a step back.

He recovered quickly, though. "Hermione, a wizard in Mr. Crouch's position can't afford a house-elf who's going to run amok with a wand!"

"She didn't run amok! She just picked it up off the ground!"

"Look," Ron interrupted, "can someone just explain what that skull thing was? It wasn't hurting anyone. Why's it such a big deal?"

Hermione rolled her eyes. "I told you, it's You-Know-Who's symbol, Ron. I read about it in The Rise and Fall of the Dark Arts."

Mr. Weasley nodded. "And it hasn't been seen for thirteen years. Of course people panicked, it was almost like seeing You-Know-Who back again."

"I don't get it. I mean, it's still only a shape in the sky," Ron said, clearly trying to convince himself it wasn't that big of a deal.

"Ron, You-Know-Who and his followers sent the Dark Mark into the air whenever they killed. The terror it inspired... you have no idea, you're too young. Just picture coming home and finding the Dark Mark hovering over your house, and knowing what you're about to find inside... everyone's worst fear, the very worst."

Ron seemed to understand, and fell silent.

Bill broke the silence a moment later. "Well, it didn't help us tonight, whoever conjured it. It scared the Death Eaters away the moment they saw it. They all disapparated before we'd got near enough to unmask any of them. We caught the Robertses before they hit the ground, though. They're having their memories modified right now."

I tensed involuntarily, and Cedric laid a reassuring hand on my shoulder.

"What are Death Eaters?" Harry asked.

"It's what You-Know-Who's supporters called themselves. I think we saw what's left of them tonight --- the ones who managed to keep themselves out of Azkaban, anyway."

Mr. Weasley sighed. "We can't prove it was them, Bill... though it probably was."

"Yeah, I bet it was! Dad, we met Draco Malfoy in the woods," Ron said quickly, "and he as good as told us his dad was one of those nutters in masks! And we all know the Malfoys were right in with You-Know-Who!"

"But what were Voldemort's supporters..." Harry said, pausing briefly as the room flinched in unison, "sorry, You-Know-Who's supporters up to, levitating Muggles? I mean, what was the point?"

Mr. Weasley shook his head. "The point? Harry, that's their idea of fun. Half the Muggle killings back when You-Know-Who was in power were done for fun. I suppose they had a few drinks tonight and couldn't resist reminding us all that lots of them are still at large. A nice little reunion for them."

"But if they were the Death Eaters," Ron cut in, "why did they disapparate when they saw the Dark Mark? They'd have been pleased to see it, wouldn't they?"

Bill rubbed his neck. "Use your brains, Ron. If they really were Death Eaters, they worked very hard to keep out of Azkaban when You-Know-Who lost power, and told all sorts of lies about him forcing them to kill and torture people. I bet they'd be even more frightened than the rest of us to see him come back. They denied they'd ever been involved with him when he lost his powers, and went back to their daily lives. I don't reckon he'd be over-pleased with them, do you?"

"So... whoever conjured the Dark Mark... were they doing it to show support for the Death Eaters, or to scare them away?" Hermione asked.

"Your guess is as good as ours, Hermione," Mr. Weasley replied, "but I'll tell you this. It was only the Death Eaters who ever knew how to conjure it. I'd be very surprised if the person who did it hadn't been a Death Eater once, even if they're not now. Listen, it's very late, and if your mother hears what's happened, she'll be worried sick. We'll get a few more hours of sleep and then try and get an early Portkey out of here."

"Come on," Ginny said, walking over and firmly grabbing my hand. "You're sleeping in my bed tonight. I don't even care that you smell like smoke."

"Night, everyone," I said with the most convincing smile I could muster as I followed her and Hermione to their tent.

Ginny practically pushed me onto her bed and climbed in after me, but none of us could sleep.

"Mione, are you okay?" I asked after a couple minutes of silence. "I mean, they were..."

"No," she whimpered, sniffling. I immediately jumped out of Ginny's bed and went to sit on Hermione's. She launched herself at me, sobbing into my neck. Soon enough, Ginny joined us, silent tears falling from her eyes, too.

"I'm scared," she admitted in a soft voice. "Lucy, it feels like... like... like it did two years ago. When this was all my fault."

"It was never your fault," I said firmly. "He wants you to feel that way. It's no one's fault but his, and what happened tonight is somehow his fault too, I'm sure of it."

"Malfoy in the forest," Hermione sobbed. "He said it would be bad if they spotted me. How do they know, Lucy, how do they know?"

"I don't know," I replied, feeling anxiety creep into my chest. How did they know? And if they knew about Hermione being Muggle-born... when would they know about me? What if that's why they attacked our tent? I found myself wondering. Just as soon as the thought came to me, I forced it away. It was Hermione and Ginny who needed me tonight; my own problems could wait.

"And Winky," Hermione continued, crying harder. "It's so unjust! You should have seen her, Lucy, in the top box! Mr. Crouch ordered her to save him a seat, and she's terrified of heights, but she had to do it because he told her to so she did and she was so scared, and the way she cried when he said he'd set her free..."

I had no good answer for that, either, so I continued to let her cry into my shoulder.

I never did get any sleep that night. Ginny fell asleep after about an hour, so Hermione and I left her on that bed and went to sit on the other one. Once Hermione ran out of tears, she transitioned to anger, telling me every detail she could remember about Winky. I tried to explain the house-elf system as best as I could, but it was difficult since our family had never and would never have one. Once she ran out of anger, she eventually fell asleep too. I laid down next to her at first, but when I felt my breath hitch in my throat in a way I knew meant I was about to have yet another coughing fit, I jumped out of the bed and ducked outside so I wouldn't wake either girl up.

I lowered myself to the ground and pulled my knees to my chest once the coughing had stopped, finally alone with my thoughts. I began to pick apart the details of the evening, mulling each thing over with a clearer head now that the immediate danger had passed.

The Triwizard Tournament... that must have been what Dad was talking about earlier in the day, as well as the secret Percy had been bragging about knowing. I didn't know much about it, but I (obviously) agreed with Cedric. He'd done enough. He deserved to sit this one out, and just be with Henry and with Cho and play Quidditch and be as close to a normal student as he could be. But knowing my dad... that wasn't the last I'd hear of what he thought Cedric should do.

It was a miracle, though, that the two of them had been in the den. If Cedric had been in his room, he might have been injured by the blast. So in a sense, the conversation might have saved his life. But as soon as I had the thought, George's words resurfaced in my mind. Why hadn't Dad just used a bit of magic to ensure I'd get out safely?

"Do you ever sleep?"

"It's a lot easier to sleep when lying down doesn't make me feel like I'm dying," I replied with a sarcastic laugh as Harry sat beside me. "What are you doing awake still?"

"I slept for a while, then Ron started mumbling about spiders and I heard you coughing a couple minutes later so I bailed on the idea entirely."

"Fair enough. Hermione only just fell asleep. She and Ginny were both really upset."

"And you?"

I heaved a sigh, then instantly regretted it as I began coughing again. "Bloody hell," I choked out, "this is annoying."

Harry patted my shoulder. "No worries. As Hagrid told Ron with the slugs, better out than in."

"There's nothing left in me to cough out," I said hoarsely, "but you're right." I took a slow, steadying breath and relaxed a bit. "Anyway, what was your question again?"

"How are you doing with everything that happened?"

I didn't respond right away. How did I even begin to explain how I felt everything, the good and the bad alike, that had happened in the past 24 hours?

"I don't know," I said after a pause. "You know, I told the twins earlier that I wasn't going to let anything ruin this day, but-" I coughed a couple more times, and Harry patted my shoulder again. Impulsively, I leaned into his touch and rested my head on his shoulder. "I guess if anything could ruin today, the Dark Mark would do it. Seeing those poor Muggles up in the air, and what Malfoy said to Hermione... I sure hope this isn't second year all over again."

"Well, if it is," Harry said, "we'll be ready to face it."

"Yeah. You're right. We will be." I took a controlled breath in through my nose, really not wanting to start coughing again. The nearness of Harry was so nice; the last thing I needed was to ruin that. An unfortunate thought rose to mind, though, and I wanted to address it before any more time passed without explanation. "Oh, and I'm sorry about my dad this morning," I said. "Sweet Merlin, Cedric and I were mortified."

"Oh, Lu, don't worry about that. I'm sorry for you. Is he like that all the time?"

"Er... yes and no. We don't have to talk about it," I said quickly, embarrassed, "I just wanted to... well, I didn't want to brush it off like it didn't happen, because it did and it was horribly awkward for us all. It was probably more awkward for you than anyone else, really."

"I'm more or less used to it at this point. I'm Harry Potter, after all. The boy who lived and all that." He sighed. "Maybe this year, I can just be Harry. No Stone, no Chamber, no Sirius Black after me. Just Harry would be nice."

"Just Harry, Quidditch player?" I asked, smiling even though he couldn't see it.

I could hear the smile in his voice as he replied. "Yeah. Just Harry, Quidditch player. That's a title I wouldn't mind."

A/N: Hi, everyone! Thank you so much for reading! I hope you enjoyed reading this chapter as much as I enjoyed writing it ---- I've been looking forward to this one in particular for quite a while.