After HP shared the dream, Lao Fu was conquered by me

Chapter 224 The Dark Mark (2)

Lamia was so decisive in what she said that all the wizarding officials in the Ministry, except Mr. Crouch, believed that Lamia, Harry, Ron and Hermione could never conjure up a skeleton.

After listening to Hermione and Lamia, they raised their wands again, pointed them in the direction they pointed, and squinted their eyes to peek into the dark bushes.

"We're too late," said the witch in the woolen coat, shaking her head. "They've already Disapparated."

"I don't think so," said a wizard with a short, stubbled brown beard—it was none other than Amos Diggory, Cedric's father. "Our masters of terror must have gone into these bushes... We have a good chance of catching them..."

"Amos, be careful!" Several wizards warned. Mr. Diggory straightened his chest, raised his wand, strode across the open space and disappeared into the darkness. Hermione covered her mouth with her hands nervously, looking at his disappearing back.

Lamia didn't think he could find it. Those people had left long ago, and Tom would not show up at this time.

A few seconds later they heard Mr. Diggory's cry.

"It's done! We've got him! There's someone here! Unconscious! It's—oh my—oh my God…"

"You've got a man?" cried Mr. Crouch, in a tone of sheer disbelief. "Who? Who?"

They heard the snapping of twigs and the rustling of fallen leaves, then the crunching of feet, and Mr. Diggory emerged from behind the bushes with a small, limp body in his arms.

It’s Shanshan.

Mr. Crouch did not move or speak as he watched Mr. Diggory place his house-elf at his feet.

The other officials of the Ministry of Magic were all staring at Mr. Crouch. For several seconds, Crouch stood motionless, as if frozen, with his flaming eyes on his pale face staring fiercely at Twinkle on the ground.

Then he seemed to come back to his senses.

"This—impossible—impossible," he paused, "impossible—"

He scurried past Mr. Diggory and strode toward the spot where Winky had been found.

"It's no use, Mr. Crouch," Mr. Diggory shouted after him, "there's no one else there."

But Mr. Crouch seemed to take no notice of him. They could hear him moving about, and the leaves rustling as he parted the bushes in his search.

"It's a bit embarrassing," said Mr. Diggory sternly, looking down at Winky's delirious form. "Barty Crouch's house-elf... I mean..."

"Come on, Amos," whispered Mr. Weasley. "Do you really think an elf did it? The Dark Mark is a wizarding symbol. It requires a wand."

"Yes," said Mr. Diggory, "she has a wand."

"What?" said Mr. Weasley.

"Here, look," Mr. Diggory said, holding up a wand and handing it to Mr. Weasley, "that's what she's holding. This is a clear violation of Rule 3 of the Laws of Wand Use: No non-human creature may carry or use a wand."

At that moment, there was another puff, and Mr. Ludo Bagman Apparated beside Mr. Weasley, breathless and dazed, spinning in circles and staring at the emerald skull in the air.

"Dark Mark!" he gasped, turning to look questioningly at his colleague and almost stepping on Winky.

Mr. Crouch returned empty-handed. His face was still horribly pale, and his hands and toothbrush moustache were twitching.

"Where have you been, Barty?" Bagman asked. "Why didn't you come to the match? Your house-elf saved a seat for you—oh my goodness!" Bagman then realized Winky was lying at his feet. "What's wrong with her?"

"I've been terribly busy, Ludo," said Mr. Crouch, still enunciating his words with his lips barely moving. "My house-elf has been put under a Stunning Charm."

"Under a Stunning Spell? By you, you mean? Why—"

A look of sudden realization crossed Bagman's round, shiny face. He looked up at the skull, then down at Winky, and finally his gaze rested on Mr. Crouch.

"Impossible!" he said. "Winky? Made the Dark Mark? She doesn't know how! First of all, she needs a wand!"

"She does need a wand," said Mr. Diggory. "I noticed she had one in her hand, Ludo. If you're all right with that, Mr. Crouch, I think we ought to hear how she defends herself."

Mr. Crouch made no response, as if he had not heard what Mr. Diggory had said, and Mr. Diggory seemed to take his silence as acquiescence. He raised his wand, pointed at Winky and said, "Wake up!"

Shanshan moved weakly, her pair of brown eyes like copper bells opened, she blinked hard, her expression was blank.

Under the silent gazes of the wizards, she trembled and sat up. She saw Mr. Diggory's feet, then slowly and tremblingly raised her eyes to his face, and then, even more slowly, cast her eyes up to the night sky.

Harry could see the floating skull image reflected in each of her large, glassy eyes, and she gasped and looked dazedly at the people gathered in the clearing, then suddenly began to cry with fear.

"Elf!" said Mr. Diggory sternly. "Do you know who I am? I'm from the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures!"

Winky began to rock back and forth on the ground, her breathing punctuated by violent sobs, the same way Dobby did when he was frightened by disobeying orders.

"You saw it, goblin, just now someone created the Dark Mark here," said Mr. Diggory. "And a moment later we found you, right under the mark! Please give us an explanation!"

"I—I—I haven't, sir!" gasped Winky. "I don't know how, sir!"

"You were found with a wand in your hand!" roared Mr. Diggory, waving the wand in front of Winky's face, and Harry recognized it when the green light the skull had shot into the clearing caught on it.

"Why—that's mine!" he said.

Everyone in the clearing turned to look at him.

"Excuse me, what did you say?" asked Mr. Diggory incredulously.

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

"You lost it?" repeated Mr. Diggory doubtfully. "Are you confessing that you threw away your wand after you made the Mark?"