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〃Well； with any luck； the Ministry will catch him！〃 said Hermione fervently。 〃Oh I can't believe this。 Where have the others got to？〃
Fred； George； and Ginny were nowhere to be seen； though the path was packed with plenty of other people； all looking nervously over their shoulders toward the motion back at the campsite。 A huddle of teenagers in pajamas was arguing vociferously a little way along the path。 When they saw Harry； Ron； and Hermione； a girl with thick curly hair turned and said quickly； 〃Ou est Madame Maxime？ Nous l'avons perdue…〃
〃Er…what？〃 said Ron。
〃Oh。。。〃 The girl who had spoken turned her back on him； and as they walked on they distinctly heard her say； 〃Ogwarts。〃
〃Beauxbatons；〃 muttered Hermione。
〃Sorry？〃 said Harry。
〃They must go to Beauxbatons；〃 said Hermione。 〃You know。。。 Beauxbatons Academy of Magic。。。 I read about it in An Appraisal ofMagical Education in Europe。〃
〃Oh。。。 yeah。。。 right；〃 said Harry。
〃Fred and George can't have gone that far；〃 said Ron； pulling out his wand； lighting it like Hermione's； and squinting up the path。 Harry dug in the pockets of his jacket for his own wand…but it wasn't there。 The only thing he could find was his Omnioculars。
〃Ah； no； I don't believe it。。。 I've lost my wand！〃
〃You're kidding！〃
Ron and Hermione raised their wands high enough to spread the narrow beams of light farther on the ground； Harry looked all around him； but his wand was nowhere to be seen。
〃Maybe it's back in the tent；〃 said Ron。
〃Maybe it fell out of your pocket when we were running？〃 Hermione suggested anxiously。
〃Yeah；〃 said Harry； 〃maybe。。
He usually kept his wand with him at all times in the wizarding world； and finding himself without it in the midst of a scene like this made him feel very vulnerable。
A rustling noise nearby made all three of them jump。 Winky the house…elf was fighting her way out of a clump of bushes nearby。 She was moving in a most peculiar fashion； apparently with great difficulty； it was as though someone invisible were trying to hold her back。
〃There is bad wizards about！〃 she squeaked distractedly as she leaned forward and labored to keep running。 〃People high…high in the air！ Winky is getting out of the way！〃
And she disappeared into the trees on the other side of the path； panting and squeaking as she fought the force that was restraining her。
〃What's up with her？〃 said Ron； looking curiously after Winky。 〃Why can't she run properly？〃
〃Bet she didn't ask permission to hide；〃 said Harry。 He was thinking of Dobby： Every time he had tried to do something the Malfoys wouldn't like； the house…elf had been forced to start beating himself up。
〃You know； house…elves get a very raw deal！〃 said Hermione indignantly。 〃It's slavery； that's what it is！ That Mr。 Crouch made her go up to the top of the stadium； and she was terrified； and he's got her bewitched so she can't even run when they start trampling tents！ Why doesn't anyone do something about it？〃
〃Well； the elves are happy； aren't they？〃 Ron said。 〃You heard old Winky back at the match。。。 'House…elves is not supposed to have fun'。。。 that's what she likes； being bossed around。。。〃
〃It's people like you； Ron；〃 Hermione began hotly； 〃who prop up rotten and unjust systems； just because they're too lazy to…〃
Another loud bang echoed from the edge of the wood。
〃Let's just keep moving； shall we？〃 said Ron； and Harry saw him glance edgily at Hermione。 Perhaps there was truth in what Malfoy had said； perhaps Hermione was in more danger than they were。 They set off again； Harry still searching his pockets； even though he knew his wand wasn't there。
They followed the dark path deeper into the wood； still keeping an eye out for Fred； George； and Ginny。 They passed a group of goblins who were cackling over a sack of gold that they had undoubtedly won betting on the match； and who seemed quite unperturbed by the trouble at the campsite。 Farther still along the path； they walked into a patch of silvery light； and when they looked through the trees； they saw three tall and beautiful veela standing in a clearing； surrounded by a gaggle of young wizards； all of whom were talking very loudly。
〃I pull down about a hundred sacks of Galleons a year！〃 one of them shouted。 〃I'm a dragon killer for the mittee for the Disposal of Dangerous Creatures。〃
〃No； you're not！〃 yelled his friend。 〃You're a dishwasher at the Leaky Cauldron。。。 but I'm a vampire hunter； I've killed about ninety so far…〃
A third young wizard； whose pimples were visible even by the dim； silvery light of the veela； now cut in； 〃I'm about to bee the youngest ever Minister of Magic； I am。〃
Harry snorted with laughter。 He recognized the pimply wizard： His name was Stan Shunpike； and he was in fact a conductor on the triple…decker Knight Bus。 He turned to tell Ron this； but Ron's face had gone oddly slack； and next second Ron was yelling； 〃Did I tell you I've invented a broomstick that'll reach Jupiter？〃
〃Honestly！〃 said Hermione； and she and Harry grabbed Ron firmly by the arms； wheeled him around； and marched him away。 By the time the sounds of the veela and their admirers had faded pletely； they were in the very heart of the wood。 They seemed to be alone now； everything was much quieter。
Harry looked around。 〃I reckon we can just wait here； you know。 We'll hear anyone ing a mile off。〃
The words were hardly out of his mouth； when Ludo Bagman emerged from behind a tree right ahead of them。
Even by the feeble light of the two wands； Harry could see that a great change had e over Bagman。 He no longer looked buoyant and rosy…faced； there was no more spring in his step。 He looked very white and strained。
〃Who's that？〃 he said； blinking down at them； trying to make out their faces。 〃What are you doing in here； all alone？〃
They looked at one another； surprised。
〃Well…there's a sort of riot going on；〃 said Ron。
Bagman stared at him。
〃What？〃
〃At the campsite。。。 some people have got hold of a family of Muggles。。。
Bagman swore loudly。
〃Damn them！〃 he said； looking quite distracted； and without another word； he Disapparated with a small pop！
〃Not exactly on top of things； Mr。 Bagman； is he？〃 said Hermione； frowning。
〃He was a great Beater； though；〃 said Ron； leading the way off the path into a small clearing； and sitting down on a patch of dry grass at the foot of a tree。 〃The Wimbourne Wasps won the league three times in a row while he was with them。〃
He took his small figure of Krum out of his pocket； set it down on the ground； and watched it walk around。 Like the real Krum； the model was slightly duck…footed and round…shouldered； much less impressive on his splayed feet than on his broomstick。 Harry was listening for noise from the campsite。 Everything seemed much quieter； perhaps the riot was over。
〃I hope the others are okay；〃 said Hermione after a while。
〃They'll be fine；〃 said Ron。
〃Imagine if your dad catches Lucius Malfoy；〃 said Harry； sitting down next to Ron and watching the small figure of Krum slouching over the fallen leaves。 〃He's always said he'd like to get something on him。〃
〃That'd wipe the