Agronna

Chapter One. "I'm just another kid like you, George Weasley."

George followed closely after Fred and Ginny. He was barely aware of his surroundings, where he was, or where they were going. All that he cared about was putting as much distance as possible between themselves and the campsite.

"Blimey, where'd the other three get to?" said Fred, glancing around.

George looked behind him. Ron, Harry, and Hermione had disappeared. There was another loud bang, and George saw a nearby tent go up in flames.

"I'm sure they're all right," he said. "They're not stupid. They know to keep their heads down and stay in the woods."

"Yeah..." said Fred, turning back to the direction in which they were headed. "C'mon."

George heard more screams. He hurried after Fred and Ginny.

They came to an opening in the woods that was flooded with fleeing wizards and witches. George was pushed, shoved, and bumped as people rushed past him to get away from the group of masked wizards. A large group ran by, separating George from the other two.

"Fred -- Ginny -- !" he yelled over the crowd.

"George!" he heard Fred shout from somewhere.

People continued to push and shove, and try as he might to fight the current he was cast away. His foot caught on a tree root and he hit the ground hard. Everything went black.

George awoke with a start. He crawled to his feet and whipped around, scanning the area for Fred and Ginny, but they were nowhere to be found. George cursed. Then he realised that it had gone strangely quiet. There were no more sounds of people screaming or any bangs and explosions.

He also realised that he was completely turned around. All that he could see around him were trees, and he didn't know from which way he had come. He tried to see if he could recognise anything, but he had been following Fred, and hadn't examined his surroundings.

He heard a rustle behind him, and he jumped around, drawing his wand.

In the distance, a figure emerged from behind a tree. Squinting in the darkness, he saw that it was a girl a couple of years younger than himself, probably around Ron's age. From what he could discern, she was short, stocky, and dark-haired. He heard her gasp when she spotted him.

"Who're you?" she said, quickly pulling a wand out of her jacket.

"Who are you?" asked George.

"I asked you first," the girl said.

"I... I'm lost," said George, knowing he wasn't answering her question.

"Lost, that's a peculiar name," said the girl. "How do I know you're not one of them?"

"One of who?" asked George. "The... the people levitating Muggles?"

"Yes," said the girl tersely.

"My father works for the Minstry," said George, bridling a little at the indirect accusation.

"That doesn't mean bollocks," the girl replied. "There've been loads of Death Eaters who worked or work at the Ministry."

"Death Eaters? Those people are Death Eaters?"

"Of course, what else would they be?"

The girl stiffened and looked around.

"Hear that?" she whispered.

"Hear... what--?"

"Shh!" the girl snapped. "Listen."

George obeyed. Then he heard it, a swooshing sound, coming from overhead.

"Run," said the girl.

She began to sprint in one direction, and George followed.

"Stupefy!" a deep voice shouted.

The girl grabbed George's wrist and jerked him to the right, just out of the way of a Stunning Spell, which instead hit a stump. She dragged him on, weaving in and out through trees.

"Where're we going?" he panted.

"Tents," she said.

"You mean back where the Death Eaters are?" cried George.

"No!" said the girl, pulling him around again as another spell was sent their way. "They're--gone--"

"They're--apparently--not!" said George back. "If they're--chasing us!"

"Some people are back there! Ministry officials," said the girl. "Come on!"

"Avada Kedavra!"

The girl swore loudly, yanking George's arm so that he was swung around.

She shoved him into a tree, sandwiching him between herself and the trunk. George winced as the wind was knocked out of him and the back of his already sore head whacked against the tree. The girl, gripped his arms tightly, and George could feel the handle of her wand pressing into his skin. She looked him in the eye and pressed a finger to her lips. George nodded. She slowly released his other arm. She backed slightly away from George and the tree and looked around the tree and up. Suddenly, she raised her wand and yelled, "Stupefy!"

George heard a thump somewhere behind him.

"Avada Kedavra!"

The girl ducked behind the tree again, cursing under her breath.

"Stupefy!" she yelled again, sending the spell to the other side of the tree. George heard another thump.

The girl slumped against George, breathing heavily.

"That's it," she whispered.

"That's--what?" asked George, bewildered.

"Two... got 'em..."

"Two... Death Eaters?"

The girl nodded, struggling to stand upright, but stumbling backward instead. George caught her around the middle before she fell.

"What were they doing?" he asked.

"They were sent to get me."

George stared at her.

"Why?"

"The Dark Lord holds grudges," the girl said vaguely.

"What did you do to give him a grudge against you?"

"As far as I know, it was something my father did. Not sure. Don't really care. I just want to stay alive. Doesn't help that I'm half-blood."

"Oh," said George.

"C'mon," said the girl, letting go of George and stumbling around the tree. "Heh, I'm getting better. Got 'em on the first try."

--

"Wha-----" George looked to where the girl was pointing. A cloaked, masked figure lay sprawled on the forest ground.

"Where'd the other fall?" the girl asked herself. She wandered past the one fallen Death Eater, wand raised.

"Careful," George warned.

"Mmm," said the girl absently. "Ah, here he is... or she. You never know."

"Let's go," said George. "Let's get back to the tents."

"Right," said the girl.

She immediately set off at a jog. George followed. His head was spinning. Why had the Death Eaters decided to make an appearance that night? Particularly at the World Cup, where there was loads of Ministry security.

George nearly bumped into the girl when she stopped suddenly, looking up again.

"Wh--" George began.

But he did not need to finish the question. His gaze followed the girl's. Hovering over the forest trees was the green, misty shape of a skull with a serpent protruding from its mouth.

"No," the girl whispered.

"The Dark Mark," George said.

"No," said the girl again. "They... they couldn't... They couldn't murder right under the Ministry's noses... they couldn't... and Harry Potter's here too..."

"Harry Potter?" said George, starting. "I know Harry!"

"He's in danger," said the girl. "Did you see him?"

"Yeah, he's my brother's best friend. The lot of us were separated though."

"We have to find him!" said the girl. "He mustn't be alone! He mustn't be caught unawares tonight! He of all people is in the most danger. We have to find him."

They ran all the way back to the campsite. They new they were close when they heard the sound of voices, murmuring anxiously. They emerged from the woods, relieved to be in the presence of more people. George saw a group of Ministry officials huddled together along the edge of the woods.

"If they made it back, Harry would be at our tent," said George. "This way."

George was now able to get a good look at the girl. She had small eyes due to Asian descent and very dark brown hair that reached a couple of inches past her shoulders. Something about her seemed strangely familiar.

"I didn't get your name," she said, noticing George looking at her.

"Oh... George. I'm George. Weasley," George replied.

"Weasley," said the girl. "You should have said so before. I'd have trusted you immediately. Your father's Arthur Weasley?"

"Yeah."

"I'm familiar with your father's work in the Misuse of Muggle Artefacts Office," said the girl. "He's an admirable wizard."

"Thanks," said George. "What's your name, then?"

Before the girl could answer, a voice called out, "Ronna! There you are! Come on, we have to go."

The girl before George turned toward the source of the voice.

"My sister," she said to George, jerking her head at a small, slightly older girl. Then she yelled, "I'll be right there!"

She shoved her wand back into her jacket and turned back to George.

"I'm Ronna..." she said. "Agronna Faramond. People call me Ronna. I've got to go. Just... make sure Harry Potter is safe. Will you do that for me?"

"Of course," said George. "But... who are you?"

"I told you my name."

"I mean... who are you that you need to make sure Harry is safe?"

"I'm just another kid like you, George Weasley," said Ronna. "Good-bye."

"Wait," said George. "Thanks... for--er--saving me from those Death Eaters."

Ronna smiled slightly. Then she waved and disappeared into the crowd.

"Oy, George!" called a voice that sounded much like Charlie's.

Indeed, when George turned round, he saw his three eldest brothers waving him over.

"Where've you been?" demanded Charlie. "Fred and Ginny got back ages ago."

"We got separated," said George.

"Well, come on, get inside," his brother commanded, steering him into the tent.

"Did the others get back yet? Harry, Ron, and Hermione?"

"No, not yet," Bill replied.

George took a seat at the kitchen table. He would just have to wait and hope that everyone got back safely.