HP Star Shining

"That's what You-Know-Who followers call themselves," said Mr. Weasley, looking back at Bill. "We can't prove it's them."

"But Voldemort's followers..." Harry hadn't finished when he saw everyone shudder. He remembered that the Weasleys, like other wizards, had always avoided saying that name.

"I'm sorry," he said quickly. "What do You-Know-Who's followers want to do? Sending Muggles to heaven? What's the point?"

"Meaning?" Mr. Weasley laughed dryly. "That's their way of having fun, Harry. Back when You-Know-Who was on the rise, they probably killed Muggles for fun. I guess they had a few extra drinks tonight and had a little party to remind us that some of us are still out there, not in Azkaban."

"So whoever conjured the Dark Mark," Hermione thought slowly, "was it to support them, or to scare them away? After all, if You-Know-Who really comes back, he won't let go of those who have distanced themselves from him so easily."

"We've been speculating too. Anyway, I have to tell you, only Death Eaters know how to create that mark." Weasley looked at the group of exhausted-looking children. "Well, it's getting late. Mom will no doubt be worried sick tomorrow. Let's get a few hours of sleep and get the Portkey back home as soon as possible."

In the girls' tent, Su Xingchen looked at the bathtub of muddy water she had washed out in a daze, then quietly practiced two Qingchen Jue techniques before climbing onto the bed to end this chaotic night.

It was three in the morning, and Harry was still wide awake. Wide awake and worried.

He lay on the bunk bed, his body exhausted but his mind still buzzing.

Three days ago, he woke up with a sharp pain in the scar on his forehead, and today, Voldemort's mark appeared in the sky again.

What does all this mean?

He had to find a chance to ask the stars what they saw. Also, had Sirius received the letter he had written to him before leaving the Dursleys' house? When would he write back to him?

There were shouts coming from the tent one after another, and it was a long time before Harry fell into a deep sleep.

Before daybreak, Mr. Weasley woke everyone up, used magic to pack up the tents, and led everyone out of the camp as quickly as possible.

When passing by the small stone house, Su Xingchen met the administrator Mr. Roberts. He waved goodbye to everyone, looked a little dazed, and vaguely said "Merry Christmas".

"He'll be fine." Perhaps noticing her worried look, Bill explained, "Sometimes when a person's memory is altered, they can be a little confused temporarily, especially since this is such a big deal."

Su Xingchen forced a smile.

As on the previous day they crossed the swamp and came to the place where the key had been left. Basil, the key keeper, was surrounded by a crowd of people, all clamoring to get out of the camp as quickly as possible.

Mr. Weasley talked to Basil for a few words, and they all lined up and received an old tire before sunrise. In the dim light of dawn, they returned to White Ferret Hill.

Everyone spoke very little along the way because they were all extremely tired and wanted to get home as soon as possible to have breakfast.

After turning a corner, Louju suddenly appeared before my eyes.

"Oh, thank goodness! Thank goodness!" Mrs. Weasley was apparently waiting for them in the front yard.

She was pale and ran over in her slippers, holding a rolled-up copy of the Daily Prophet.

Harry gave his friends a meaningful look after breakfast.

After he and Ron returned to the room, Hermione and Su Xingchen also filed out of the kitchen and headed up the stairs.

"What's going on, Harry?" Ron asked as soon as they were in the room and the door was closed.

"I didn't tell you something. When I woke up on Saturday morning, my scar hurt again."

Su Xingchen couldn't help but clench her palms. Wasn't Saturday the morning after their dinner? So Harry also dreamed of Voldemort that night.

Ron and Hermione's reactions were almost identical to what Harry had thought in his bedroom on Privet Drive.

Hermione gasped and immediately offered a variety of ideas, listing a bunch of reference books and names, from Dumbledore to Madam Pomfrey. Ron looked stunned. "But he wasn't there. He was at Hogwarts the last time you were in pain."

"I know it's definitely not at Privet Drive," said Harry. "But I saw him in my dream. He and Peter were plotting to kill...someone."

Harry hesitated for a moment and kept the thought of "killing me" in his mind, because he really couldn't bear to see Hermione get even more frightened, she was already looking nervous enough.

"It was just a dream," Ron soothed. "A nightmare."

"Even though it was a dream." Harry looked out the window at the gradually brightening sky. "It's very strange, isn't it? I had this dream, and three days later the Death Eaters started marching, and Voldemort's mark appeared in the sky."

"Don't—say—that name." Ron sputtered the words through clenched teeth.

"Remember what I told you about Professor Trelawney?" Harry ignored Ron. "At the end of last term."

The fear on Hermione's face disappeared, and she sneered, "You don't believe that old liar, do you, Harry?"

"You weren't there. That time was different. She went into a trance, a real trance. She said the Dark Lord would return, even more powerful and terrible. He was able to do this because his loyal servants returned to him, and that night, Peter Pettigrew ran away."

No one spoke for a moment. Ron was absentmindedly poking at the holes in his Richard's Cannon coverlet while Hermione went to the windowsill and tried to push it open.

"Don't think too much, Harry." Su Xingchen walked to his side and patted his arm comfortingly, and shook his head slightly when Ron and Hermione were not paying attention.

She knew it was a true prophecy, but so what?

Before Voldemort appeared, no one would believe it. Or rather, no one wanted to believe it.

Harry's heavy mood brightened up a lot. He could tell from Xingchen's behavior that she might know something, or at least believed what he said.

"Come on, Harry, how about we have a game of Quidditch in the orchard?" Ron had indeed not noticed the two men's little tricks. "Three against three, get Bill, Charlie, George, and Fred. You can try that Wronski feint that Krum did. That way you won't have that horrible dream again."

"Ron, Harry doesn't want to play Quidditch right now." Hermione's voice was filled with a hint of "you are so tactless". "He is upset and very tired. We should all go to bed."

"All right, I'll play a game of Quidditch," said Harry suddenly. "I'll get my Firebolt."

Hermione pulled Su Xing out of the room, muttering something like "these boys".