Chronicles Of Arth: Prince Of Shadows

"Damn," said Arthur, "damn."

"I know right Arth! I still can't believe it." Said Harry excitedly.

"Ireland won but Krum got the snitch! Amazing!"

"Oh I am glad I'm not on duty," muttered Mr. Weasley sleepily. "I wouldn't fancy having to go and tell the Irish they've got to stop celebrating."

Arth was about to say something else when he felt a very painful prick on his arm.

It was Scarlett in snake form biting into his skin.

Ever since the Veela incident, Scarlett refused to morph into a human and curled around his arm defensively. She would give him a bite any time she felt like it.

Arth winced and turned around to go back to his bed when he caught someone else glaring daggers at him.

Hermione was proceeding to head out of their tent and was giving Arthur a cold glare. She also seemed to be in a bad mood like Scarlett and refused to talk to Arth for some reason.

"It's sad to see how popular Arth is with the ladies."

"Indeed it is."

"So how was it?" Asked Ron with a red face.

"How was what?"

"You know, kissing a Veela?"

Arth felt Scarlett bite down harder onto his arm.

"Bloody amazing."

"It looked like you were the better kisser to me," said Harry with a cheeky grin. "I mean you did make her faint while she barely affected you."

Arth shrugged.

"I have higher mental strength. I can handle beautiful girls."

Another bite.

Arthur was about to flick Scarlett on the head when there was a sudden bout of screaming.

The noises in the campsite had changed. The singing had stopped. He could hear screams, and the sound of people running.

"What's wrong, Mr. Weasley?"

"No time to explain — just grab a jacket and get outside — quickly!"

Arthur did as he was told and hurried out of the tent.

By the light of the few fires that were still burning, he could see people running away into the woods, fleeing something that was moving across the field toward them, something that was emitting odd flashes of light and noises like gunfire. Loud jeering, roars of laughter, and drunken yells were drifting toward them; then came a burst of strong green light, which illuminated the scene.

A crowd of wizards, tightly packed and moving together with wands pointing straight upward, was marching slowly across the field. . . . They didn't seem to have faces. . . .

Then he realized that their heads were hooded and their faces masked. High above them, floating along in midair, four struggling figures were being contorted into grotesque shapes. It was as though the masked wizards on the ground were puppeteers, and the people above them were marionettes operated by invisible strings that rose from the wands into the air. Two of the figures were very small.

The floating people were suddenly illuminated as they passed over a burning tent and Arth recognized them: Mr. Roberts's family. One of the marchers below flipped Mrs. Roberts upside down with his wand; her nightdress fell down to reveal voluminous drawers and she struggled to cover herself up as the crowd below her screeched and hooted with glee.

Arth let out a growl.

"Run Harry, Ron, Hermione."

"What?"

Arth took out his wand and slowly made his way to the group of masked people.

The masked wizards saw him approach and let out a chuckle.

"Look, a child has come to stop us, what ever shall we do?"

"We should run! How can we, puny a.d.u.l.ts ever dream to fight against a student still in school?"

The masked wizards shook their wands and Mr. Roberts son started to spin sixty feet above the ground, his head flopping limply from side to side.

The man who was making the child spin fell to the floor stunned.

The kid started to fall and Arth pointed his wand at him.

"Arresto momentum."

The kid slowed down and landed softly onto the ground like a feather.

The other masked wizards were furious.

"Get him!"

"F.u.c.k.i.n.g child!"

"Kill him!"

A dozen spells came shooting towards Arthur however, Arth leapt sideways and dodged them all.

"BOY! HANG IN THERE! HELP IS COMING!" Said a ministry wizard who was trying his best to make his way towards Arthur.

As if sensing the peril, the masked wizards let Roberts family down and grabbed the two stunned wizards before apparating away.

Arthur attempted to hit a few more wizards but missed.

He stomped angrily onto the floor before disappearing into the shadows.

The ministry wizard ran to the place where Arth was last seen and let out a confused face.

"Where did the boy go?"