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The group then went on their way to the stadium. A few people ran into them and greeted Mr. Weasley, and some of the Aurors Blair had trained with even greeted her.

Hermione, who was standing beside her, looked at her with confusion. "How do you know them?"

"Well, you know, Granger. I trained over the summer." Blair smirked at her. "If I show you a trick I've learned, will you go out with me?"

"No thank you." Hermione rolled her eyes and started walking faster to leave Blair behind.

"Worth a try." Blair muttered to herself with a chuckle as she caught up with Hermione.

The group went on up and kept on climbing till they finally reached a staircase. They went up the stairs and reached the Top Box. Blair looked around in amazement. They got really good seats and had a good view of the game.

While Harry had been talking to a house-elf named Winky and the whole debacle with Mr. Weasley, the Malfoys, and Fudge were happening, Blair was looking around the pitch, waving at Seamus and Dean when she saw them a few seats below. A pang of disappointment hit Blair when she once again remembered that she should've been with them and Neville on this day.

Hermione, who had been sitting beside Blair, noticed the way she seemed down. So, she gave the Chaser a nudge and cleared her throat. "So, who are you rooting for, Wood?"

Blair had evidently brightened up immediately at Hermione's attention and sudden interest in Quidditch, knowing that the other girl would rather read a book all day than even learn the rules of the game. She rambled on about the plays she thought both teams would use, the players of each team and their strengths, and how the Irish Chasers were set to lead their team to victory, but Krum would surely beat Lynch at getting the Snitch.

"Wait, the Snitch is worth 150 points, right? How will Ireland win if Krum gets the Snitch?" Hermione asked in confusion. Despite not being a hardcore Quidditch fan like everyone there, she still had the urge to understand the game. Luckily, she had a patient mentor in the form of Blair.

"You see, Granger, Seekers might be the most glamorous role in the eyes of people." There was a glimmer in Blair's eyes as she spoke, her passion for Quidditch shining through. "But the Chasers keep the game going. Even if you have the best Seeker on your team, if the opponent has a great trio of Chasers, the game's finished at that."

"Well, I guess that's why Gryffindor always wins. I don't know much about Quidditch, but I know you are an amazing player, Wood." Hermione had to stop herself from rolling her eyes when she noticed how Blair's cheeks flushed at the compliment. She was such a flirt, but when Hermione complimented her, it was like all the pick-up lines and words had flown out of her mind.

"I... Thank you, Granger." Blair smiled genuinely at Hermione before looking away to let herself calm down. For Merlin's sake, she was a Prancer, a Chaser, and though she didn't know it, the certified Hogwarts Heartthrob. But that all came undone when it came to her lovely Granger.

Finally, Ludo Bagman took the microphone and spoke into it, signifying the start of the games.

"Ladies and gentlemen... welcome! Welcome to the final of the four hundred and twenty-second Quidditch World Cup!" Cheers and applause erupted from all over the stadium.

"And now, without further ado, allow me to introduce... the Bulgarian National Team Mascots!" And there stepped out the Veela. All the boys around Blair were trying to get out of their seats to reach them, but surprisingly, even if one of them smiled and winked at Blair, the Chaser just waved at her, unaffected.

The Veela looked surprised, but when she saw Blair smile softly at Hermione, she understood why and let a chuckle leave her lips. Hermione saw the whole interaction and looked questioningly at Blair while Blair just grinned at Hermione before turning her attention back to the stadium.

After the Veela, the Leprechauns soon came and danced. Tons of gold came pouring down. Ron even got some and gave it to Harry. "There you go, for the Omnioculars. Now, you've got to buy me a Christmas present, ha!"

Soon, the leprechauns and veela went to opposite sides of the stadium.

"And now, ladies and gentlemen, kindly welcome - the Bulgarian National Quidditch Team! I give you - Dimitrov!" A scarlet-clad figure on a broomstick, moving so fast it was blurred, shot out onto the field from an entrance far below, to wild applause from the Bulgarian supporters. "Ivanova! Zograf! Levski! Vulchanov! Volkov! Aaaaaaand - Krum!"

"That's him, that's him!" yelled Ron, following Krum with his Omnioculars.

"Seeker, right?" Hermione muttered to Blair while watching the blur of scarlet fly by them.

"Yes. Can you believe he's only eighteen? And that he's accomplished so much?" Blair gushed in excitement while watching him go with his Omnioculars.

Hermione couldn't help but let out a snort. "Sounds like you have a crush on him."

But the teasing had backfired as a smirk came onto Blair's face, and she leaned in close to Hermione and whispered in her ear. "My eyes are on you, Granger. Only you."

Hermione couldn't help but blush at Blair's words, but she still let out a scoff and shook her head. "Just focus on the game, Wood."

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

Seven green blurs swept onto the field; Blair clapped loudly for them and cheered for Troy. He was one of the best Chasers in this century. Having studied his plays since she was young, Blair could only hope to match his skill.

The referee was soon introduced, and with the blow of his whistle, the game started. "Theeeeeeeey're OFF!" screamed Bagman. "And it's Mullet! Troy! Moran! Dimitrov! Back to Mullet! Troy! Levski! Moran!"

This was the kind of Quidditch Blair liked to play. It was hard to keep up, but it increased the hype. It was the type of game only Quidditch players would understand. Blair gave up on using her Omnioculars and instead watched the game real time. She loved the dynamics between the Irish Chasers and couldn't wait to get back to Hogwarts and try those moves.

Blair nudged Harry. "We better try these stunts when we get back."

"Oh, you bet." Harry grinned at her.

Then, the Wood noticed Hermione having a hard time watching on her Omnioculars and tapped her on the shoulder to get her attention. "Come on, Granger. I'll explain what's happening."

Her heart warmed by the gesture, the Muggleborn expressed her thanks to the Blair before they both focused on the match again without using their Omnioculars. True to her word, Blair walked Hermione through the entire game even as the match's pace became faster. While she cheered and rejoiced with the Irish Chasers' goals, she stayed patient and answered Hermione's questions.

The Bulgarian Beaters kept on attacking the Irish Chasers, and Bulgaria got its first goal through Ivanova. Suddenly, Krum and Lynch went through the chasers as if they were chasing it. Blair's breath hitched. Have they seen the snitch?

"They're going to crash!" Hermione cried out, and she was right. Just as they were about to crash, Krum had pulled out and soared off. Lynch wasn't that lucky as he hit the ground.

"That, Granger, was a perfect Wronski Feint. It's a move Seekers use to lure the other team's Seeker into thinking they've seen the Snitch, and then, they pull out at the last minute to get their opponent to crash."

"This... This is barbaric!" Hermione shook her head in disbelief. "How do people enjoy this?"

"It's exciting, Granger. Being in the air makes you just feel alive." Blair grinned cheekily at the Granger who looked as if she wanted to say anything but simply chose to stay silent and nod.

After a few moments, Lynch got back onto his broom and the game was back on. After fifteen minutes, the score soon turned to 130:10 with Ireland in the lead. A foul went to Bulgaria, and the boys all stuck their fingers into their ears.

Despite not knowing why, Blair was about to do the same when Hermione pulled on her arm and giggled, making the Chaser blush again at the contact. "Look at the referee!"

Blair looked down to see Hassan Mostafa had landed right in front of the dancing veela, and was acting very oddly indeed. He was flexing his muscles and smoothing his mustache excitedly, making the two girls laugh at his antics.

"Now, we can't have that!" said Ludo Bagman, though he sounded highly amused. "Somebody slap the referee!"

The game went on, and it went dirtier and dirtier. Blair winced at the thought that that could happen to her one day but shook it off. Her eyes widened to see the veela turn into birds with scaly wings. "Bloody hell."

With frightened eyes, she turned to Hermione and thought about the possibility. Seemingly understanding her thoughts, Hermione glared at her and smacked her on the shoulder. "What on earth are you thinking, Blair? I'm not a veela."

Everyone laughed as Blair smiled at Hermione while messing up her hair unknowingly. "Sorry, Mione. I could've mistaken you for one with the way you make me fall for you."

Hermione opened her mouth, only to close it and roll her eyes. Blair just grinned at her before turning back to the game and continuing on in explaining.

Now, the score has gone to 140:10, and suddenly, Blair caught sight of the Irish Seeker diving down.

"Look at Lynch!" Harry yelled out.

"He's seen the Snitch!" Blair muttered in excitement. "He's seen it! Look at him go!"

Half the crowd seemed to have realized what was happening; the Irish supporters rose in another great wave of green, screaming their Seeker on... but Krum was on his tail.

"They're going to crash!" shrieked Hermione.

"They're not!" roared Ron.

"Lynch is!" yelled Harry. And he was right - for the second time, Lynch hit the ground with tremendous force and was immediately stampeded by a horde of angry veela.

"The Snitch, where's the Snitch?" bellowed Charlie, along the row.

"He's got it - Krum's got it - it's all over!" shouted Blair. Krum, his red robes shining with blood from his nose, was rising gently into the air, his fist held high, a glint of gold in his hand.

The scoreboard was flashing BULGARIA: 160, IRELAND: 170 across the crowd, who didn't seem to have realized what had happened. Then, slowly, as though a great jumbo jet were revving up, the rumbling from the Ireland supporters grew louder and louder and erupted into screams of delight.

"IRELAND WINS!" Bagman shouted, who like the Irish, seemed to be taken aback by the sudden end of the match. "KRUM GETS THE SNITCH - BUT IRELAND WINS - good lord, I don't think any of us were expecting that!"

Blair continued cheering for the Irish and smirked at the thought that Oliver lost the bet. Then, she thought about it. Maybe, one day. She could play professional Quidditch too if she wasn't an Auror. Be a chaser like Troy, who kids her age now would look up to. Blair smiled at the witch beside her. Hopefully, she'd achieve all this with the one person she loved so much by her side.

"Well, you were right!" Hermione turned to Blair and clapped. "No one knows Quidditch more than you do."

"Well, if you ever need another Quidditch lesson, I am right here, Granger." Blair gave her a lopsided grin. "We can even have a romantic broom ride off into the starry sky."

"In your dreams, Wood." Hermione just chuckled before sending Blair a genuine smile. "But thank you. I enjoyed and understood the match because of you."

That made Blair's flirty grin turn into something more sincere, more soft. Something akin to adoration. "Anytime, Granger. Anytime."

"Blair!" Oliver's voice called out from the stands below, catching the attention of Blair and Hermione as they finally made their way down the stairs. "Oh, and hello, Hermione."

"Hey, Oliver." Hermione smiled at the older Wood before turning to Blair. "I'm going to catch up with Gin and the others."

"Okay." Blair could only utter out with the most lovestruck smile on her face as her gaze followed Hermione, but her feet stayed rooted to the ground in her spot beside Oliver.

"Well, well, well. Still making the moves on Hermione Granger, huh, Beebee?" Oliver whispered to Blair, wrapping an arm around his sister, while they finally started walking after the Weasleys and Hermione.

"Can't help it, Olli." Blair let out a dreamy sigh and grinned at her older brother. "The more I get to know her, the more reasons I have to just love her."

"Whatever makes you happy, Blair."

"Also, don't think I forgot. Ireland won, so I won!"

"Yeah, yeah, I'll get you your Treacle Tarts." Oliver just ruffled his sister's hair as they turned their attention to the noise Fred and George were making due to Ron's admiration for Viktor Krum.

The twins started flapping their arms. "Krum. Krum. Krum."

"Think you're in love, Ron?" Ginny teasingly said.

Fred and George started singing. "Viktor, I love you. Viktor, I do!"

Harry, Hermione, and Ginny joined in. "When we're apart, my heart beats only for you."

Blair and Oliver laughed along with them as Ron blushed in embarrassment. An explosion sounded from outside.

Fred shrugged. "Looks like the Irish have got their pride on."

Mr. Weasley came in, looking alarmed. "Stop! Stop it. It's not the Irish, we've got to get out of here. Now!"

The group rushed out of the tent and saw people panicking all around them. Mr. Weasley turned to them. "Get back to the portkey, everybody, and stick together. Fred, George, Ginny is your responsibility."

Mr. Weasley rushed into the chaos. A crowd of wizards, tightly packed and moving together with wands pointing straight upward, was marching slowly across the field, but Blair couldn't see their faces as they were hooded and covered with masks.

"Blair, stay with me." Oliver grabbed his sister's hand and put a brave face on despite the fact that he was scared out of his wits. He remembered his father's plea to him before he left - to take care of Blair. And so, the group navigated their way through the chaos and followed after Fred and George who knew where the Portkey was.

"Ow!" The unmistakable voice of Hermione made Blair's ears pick up as she looked back, her heart dropping when she noticed that Hermione wasn't behind her anymore. She was swept up into the chaos, along with Ron and Harry.

"No. Mione!" Blair let go of Oliver's hand and rushed back in, ignoring Oliver's calls for her. She had nothing else in her mind but Hermione, this scene taking her back to the moment she found out Hermione was petrified.

"Hermione!" Blair yelled out amongst the crowd, but with the chaos and the noise, she knew it would be hard for Hermione to hear her. She pleaded to Merlin above that he'd lead her right to the Granger and keep the love of her life safe and sound. "Please, please, where are you, Granger?"

Then, there was a bang from the trees, and while the sane person would think to run away from the noise, Blair was not in her right mind, filled with worry for Hermione as she ran into the trees, shouting out. "HERMIONE! HERMIONE, WHERE ARE YOU? HER - Harry?"

Blair let out a gasp when she saw the Boy Who Lived, unconscious on the ground. She got down on her knees and started shaking him awake. "Harry, Harry!"

Then, Blair heard it. A rustling from behind her. Blair, who didn't have a good feeling about it, shook Harry again. She just wanted to find Hermione and go back home. "HARRY!"

Then, Blair felt movement from behind her, and she saw the figment of a man moving and pointing his wand at her. "Crucio!"

"Ventus!" Blair called out while outstretching her hand, the spells hitting their targets at the same time. In the back of her mind, Blair imagined Moody reprimanding her for using her wandless magic in front of an enemy as according to them, that power was not to be seen by anyone else. Especially not the Dark wizards.

While the man was blown away a few feet from Blair, the Wood found herself under the most excruciating pain she had ever felt, screaming and crying out harder than she had ever done in her entire life. It felt like the pain was consuming her entire being as she fell to the ground and clutched at her chest, hoping to ease the pain even just a little bit.

"Blair? Blair!" As the curse was finally lifted, Blair heard the voice that she had been wanting to hear for the past few minutes. The voice of the woman for whom she willingly ran into chaos and death, just to make sure she was alive.

Right at that moment, Harry began stirring awake as well. Blair moved closer to the Seeker on the ground, and in a weak voice, called out his name. "Harry. Wake up."

"B-Blair?" Harry slowly opened his eyes and looked at the Wood who was still on the floor, weakened by the curse. "W-What happened? What's going on?"

But before Blair could say another word, there was shuffling behind them again, the darkness of the forest making it impossible to see the man's face. Blair put her hand in her pocket and took out her wand, being ready to defend themselves at any moment.

"Damn it." The man muttered in the quiet of the night before he shouted out a spell. "Mosmorde!"

A large ghostly skull forms in the sky with a snake crawling from it. Blair and Harry exchanged glances at the unfamiliar sign in the air then heard footsteps and the sound of Ron and Hermione's voices coming nearer.

Hermione ran faster than Blair had ever seen her run before as she kneeled down beside the Wood, wrapping her into a tight hug. "Are you okay? W-We heard your screams."

"A-A-Are you okay?" Blair asked instead of responding, the worry evident in her eyes as she pulled away slightly to look over Hermione from head to toe.

"I asked you first, but yes. We're okay, Blair." Hermione smiled gently though the worry was still evident in her eyes. Despite Blair not saying anything, it was obvious how she was still in distress with her body shaking. "And you? How are you?"

Once Blair was sure that the only damage done to Hermione were merely a few stray hairs, she finally let herself relax with her shoulders dropping. "I feel better now."

"There you are." Finally catching up, Ron let out a sigh of relief and bent down to give Harry and Blair a tight hug. "Harry, we've been looking for you for ages. We thought we lost you. Then, Blair, we heard your scream, we were worried sick."

"Well, I lost my wand." Harry looked around for it.

"And I lost you. I came back for you." Blair spoke in a small voice, her eyes focused on Hermione. She remembered the fear she felt at the thought of losing Hermione Granger. No, never again did she want to experience that fear or even think of that. A world without Hermione Granger. That hurt her even more than the curse that was placed upon her a while ago.

Then, Hermione's gaze uncharacteristically softened as she looked at Blair. "You shouldn't have. But... thank you, Blair."

Blair gave her a lopsided smile and was just about to respond when she felt presences around them and pushed them all further into the ground while nonverbally casting the Shield Charm around them.

"Stupefy!" Twenty blasts hit Blair's powerful Protego, and yelps came from the wizards around them as they avoided the spells that rebounded off the shield.

"Blair! Don't hurt her!" Oliver yelled at the Ministry officials and ran immediately to his sister with the worry evident in his eyes. "Beebee, are you alright? You're shaking."

"I am, Olli." Blair sent him a grateful smile when he took off his scarf and wrapped it around his younger sister who felt guilty at leaving Oliver behind to chase after Hermione. "Sorry for taking off all of a sudden by the way."

"I'm just glad you're safe." Oliver let out a sigh and embraced his sister. He wouldn't forgive himself if something happened to her.

"That's my son and his friends!" Arthur Weasley came over and looked over them. "You four. Are you alright?"

"Out of the way, Arthur." said a cold, curt voice. It was Mr. Barty Crouch. He and the other Ministry wizards were closing in on them. With her brother's support, Blair was able to get to her feet with her entire weight leaning on Oliver. She still felt weak after the Cruciatus Curse.

"Which of you did it?" Crouch snapped, his sharp eyes darting between the Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Blair. "Which of you conjured the Dark Mark?"

"We didn't do that!" said Harry, gesturing up at the skull.

"We didn't do anything!" said Ron, who was rubbing his elbow and looking indignantly at his father.

"Do not lie, sir!" shouted Mr. Crouch. His wand was still pointing directly at Ron, and his eyes were popping - he looked slightly mad. "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?" said Mr. Weasley quickly.

"Over there," said Hermione shakily, pointing at the place where they had heard the voice. "There was someone behind the trees... they shouted words - an incantation -"

"Oh, stood over there, did they?" said Mr. Crouch, turning his popping eyes on Hermione now, disbelief etched all over his face. "Said an incantation, did they? You seem very well informed about how that Mark is summoned, missy -"

"She didn't do it. None of us did." Blair glared at the man, who dared to accuse her Hermione. "There was a man who cast the Cruciatus curse on me then put that skull in the air. He was right there."

Gasps and murmurs came from the Ministry wizards upon hearing Blair's words. The Cruciatus curse used on a youngling who was just about to turn 14? It was a good thing she was still alive.

Oliver held onto his sister tighter while Hermione placed her hand comfortingly on Blair's shoulder although with how tight her hold was, she didn't know if she was doing it to comfort Blair or herself. No wonder Blair seemed so shaken, no wonder Blair screamed as if someone stabbed her with a knife and twisted it to make it hurt even more. Hermione had to hold herself back from crying at the thought of her friend being subjected to so much pain.

Mr. Crouch, on the other hand, looked at Blair with doubt. Able to withstand the Cruciatus Curse, that powerful and non-verbal Protego. But then, it clicked in his mind. He recognized this girl. The one Moody trained over the summer, the daughter of Olivia who begged for her daughter to be trained with the Aurors. So, this was her power... For her sake, Crouch hoped the little girl in front of him would learn to tread carefully.

"We're too late," said the witch in the woolen dressing gown, shaking her head. "They'll have Disapparated."

"I don't think so," said a wizard with a scrubby brown beard. It was Amos Diggory, Cedric Diggory's father. "Our Stunners went right through those trees... There's a good chance we got them..."

As an aftershock from the curse, Blair's body gave an involuntary shiver, and before anyone could say anything, Hermione's hand slid from Blair's shoulder, down her arm, and into her hand. The Granger rubbed a thumb over the back of Blair's hand, the action seemingly small but definitely calmed down the Chaser down and eased her pain.

Mr. Diggory squared his shoulders, raised his wand, marched across the clearing, and disappeared into the darkness. A few seconds later, they heard him shout. "Yes! We got them! There's someone here! Unconscious! It's - but - blimey..."

"You've got someone?" shouted Mr. Crouch, sounding highly disbelieving. "Who? Who is it?"

They heard snapping twigs, the rustling of leaves, and then crunching footsteps as Mr. Diggory reemerged from behind the trees. He was carrying a tiny, limp figure in his arms. Blair's eyes widened in recognition. It was Winky, the house-elf Harry had been talking to earlier, with a wand in her hand.

Mr. Diggory then held up his wand to Winky's face. "Rennervate." Winky stirred shakily and started looking around. At the sight of the dark mark, she burst into tears.

"Elf!" said Mr. Diggory sternly. "Do you know who I am? I'm a member of the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures!" Winky began to rock backward and forward on the ground, her breath coming in sharp bursts.

Feeling rage rise in her at how Winky was being treated, Blair closed her eyes and took in deep breaths. She grounded herself in the feeling of Hermione's hand in hers, in Hermione's touch. Her mother and father always told her that she had to control her emotions, especially her anger, as she might do or say something she might regret. Her eyes fluttered open at Harry's voice. "Hey - that's mine!"

Everyone in the clearing looked at him. "Excuse me?" said Mr. Diggory, incredulously.

"That's my wand!" said Harry. "I dropped it!"

"You dropped it?" repeated Mr. Diggory in disbelief. "Is this a confession? You threw it aside after you conjured the Mark?"

"Amos, think who you're talking to!" said Mr. Weasley, very angrily. "Is Harry Potter likely to conjure the Dark Mark?"

"Er - of course not," mumbled Mr. Diggory. "Sorry... carried away..."

"I didn't drop it there, anyway," said Harry, jerking his thumb toward the trees beneath the skull. "I missed it right after we got into the wood."

"So," said Mr. Diggory, his eyes hardening as he turned to look at Winky again, cowering at his feet. "You found this wand, eh, elf ? And you picked it up and thought you'd have some fun with it, did you?"

"Bloody hell, I told you already that it was a man. A human voice. It wasn't Winky at all!" Blair frowned at Mr. Diggory, appalled at the way he was treating Winky. This was the reason why

"Well, we'll soon see," growled Mr. Diggory, looking unimpressed. "There's a simple way of discovering the last spell a wand performed, elf, did you know that?"

Winky trembled and shook her head frantically, her ears flapping, as Mr. Diggory raised his own wand again and placed it tip to tip with Harry's. "Prior Incantato!" roared Mr. Diggory.

The Chaser looked down sadly as a gigantic serpent-tongued skull erupted from the point where the two wands met, but it was a mere shadow of the green skull high above them; it looked as though it were made of thick gray smoke: the ghost of a spell.

Blair wanted to step forward, to defend Winky and tell them all. It was not her. But Oliver's hold on her was enough indication that Blair needed to keep her head down. Mr. Crouch and Mr. Diggory then engaged in a tense exchange of words, but it seemed like Mr. Crouch had enough.

"Amos," said Mr. Crouch curtly, "I am fully aware that, in the ordinary course of events, you would want to take Winky into your department for questioning. I ask you, however, to allow me to deal with her."

Mr. Diggory looked as though he didn't think much of this suggestion at all, but it was clear to everyone that Mr. Crouch was such an important member of the Ministry that he did not dare refuse him.

"You may rest assured that she will be punished," Mr. Crouch added coldly.

"M-m-master..." Winky stammered, looking up at Mr. Crouch, her eyes brimming with tears. "M-m-master, p-p-please..."

Mr. Crouch stared back, his face somehow sharpened, each line upon it more deeply etched. There was no pity in his gaze.

"Winky has behaved tonight in a manner I would not have believed possible," he said slowly. "I told her to remain in the tent. I told her to stay there while I went to sort out the trouble. And I find that she disobeyed me. This means clothes."

"No!" shrieked Winky, prostrating herself at Mr. Crouch's feet. "No, master! Not clothes, not clothes!"

Blair stared at Winky with a sad look then turned to glare at Mr. Crouch. It was pitiful to see the way Winky clutched at her tea towel as she sobbed over Mr. Crouch's feet.

"But she was frightened!" Hermione burst out angrily, glaring at Mr. Crouch. "Your elf's scared of heights, and those wizards in masks were levitating people! You can't blame her for wanting to get out of their way!"

"I have no use for a house-elf who disobeys me," Mr. Crouch said coldly, looking over at Hermione. "I have no use for a servant who forgets what is due to her master, and to her master's reputation." Winky was crying so hard that her sobs echoed around the clearing.

There was a very nasty silence, which was ended by Mr. Weasley, who said quietly, "Well, I think I'll take my lot back to the tent, if nobody's got any objections. Amos, that wand's told us all it can - if Harry could have it back, please -" Mr. Diggory handed Harry his wand and Harry pocketed it.

"Come on, you five," Mr. Weasley said quietly.

"Let's go, Beebee." Oliver said quietly and started to move while still supporting Blair's weight. But Blair remained where she was when she noticed Hermione didn't seem to want to move; her eyes were still upon the sobbing elf.

"Granger." Blair spoke out in a gentle voice, an understanding smile on her face. And that was enough to coax Hermione into following them though her trouble expression was still evident.

"What's going to happen to Winky?" said Hermione, the moment they had left the clearing.

"I don't know," said Mr. Weasley.

"The way they were treating her!" said Hermione furiously. "Mr. Diggory, calling her 'elf' all the time... and Mr. Crouch! He knows she didn't do it and he's still going to sack her! He didn't care how frightened she'd been, or how upset she was - it was like she wasn't even human!"

"Well, she's not," said Ron.

Blair glared, and Hermione rounded on him. "That doesn't mean she hasn't got feelings, Ron. It's disgusting the way -"

"Hermione, I agree with you," said Mr. Weasley quickly, beckoning her on, "but now is not the time to discuss elf rights. I want to get back to the tent as fast as we can. What happened to the others?"

"We lost them in the dark," said Ron. "Dad, why was everyone so uptight about that skull thing?"

"I'll explain everything back at the tent," said Mr. Weasley tensely. It was silent on their way apart from a few wizards who kept on asking Mr. Weasley who did it, but Mr. Weasley looked done with them all as he led Oliver, Blair, Harry, Ron, and Hermione back into the campsite.

All was quiet now; there was no sign of the masked wizards, though several ruined tents were still smoking. Charlie's head was poking out of the boys' tent. "Dad, what's going on?" he called through the dark. "Fred, George, and Ginny got back okay. Oliver went back after Blair, and we don't know -"

"I've got them here," said Mr. Weasley, bending down and entering the tent.

Oliver, Blair, Harry, Ron, and Hermione entered after him. Bill was sitting at the small kitchen table, holding a bedsheet to his arm, which was bleeding profusely. Charlie had a large rip in his shirt, and Percy was sporting a bloody nose. Fred, George, and Ginny looked unhurt, though shaken.

"Did you get them, Dad?" said Bill sharply. "The person who conjured the Mark?"

"No," said Mr. Weasley. "We found Barty Crouch's elf holding Harry's wand, but we're none the wiser about who actually conjured the Mark."

"What?" said Bill, Charlie, and Percy together.

"Harry's wand?" said Fred.

"Mr. Crouch's elf?" said Percy, sounding thunderstruck.

With some assistance from Oliver, Blair, Harry, Ron, and Hermione, Mr. Weasley explained what had happened in the woods. It was all a blur for Blair, who was still feeling weak from the Cruciatus Curse and casting the strong Shield charm. She wanted nothing else but to sleep. Blair had a newfound respect for Neville's parents. She had only a taste of that spell and was already feeling like this. How were they able to withstand the endless barrage of this spell? She could only hope to become as brave as them one day. One day when she became an Auror.

"Olli, I'm tired." Blair whispered to her brother whose eyes softened at the sight of his sister - her hair messier than usual, the spark in her eyes noticeably dimmer, and the way she couldn't even walk and move by herself. It made him feel even guiltier for letting her go back into the chaos by herself, for not finding her sooner.

"I'm sorry, Beebee. I should've taken care of you better. You shouldn't have gone through that." Oliver kissed the top of his sister's head.

Blair shook her head at hearing her brother's words. "No, Olli. That was all on me. I'm the one who chose to run back and leave you there, and I'm sorry for that."

"Well, I guess, it's a fair fight then. We're both sorry and forgiven. Word of the Wood?"

"Word of the Wood."

Oliver's features eased into a soft smile, and then, he placed Blair's head on his shoulder. "Now, rest, Blair. Just rest."

The Chaser was about to close her eyes when they caught sight of Hermione who was glancing at her worriedly. So, Blair did the best thing she could do. She gave the Granger a wink and a thumbs up. Then, a snort came from Hermione, and Blair couldn't help herself from pumping her fist, successful at making Hermione laugh.

Amused, Hermione just rolled her eyes in response and mouthed, "Go to sleep, Wood."

"I'll dream of you, Granger." Blair mouthed back before finally closing her eyes.

And so, Blair fell into a slumber, her thoughts and dreams plagued by Hermione Granger in every waking moment.

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