Chapter 470: An Acquaintance
The past hour or so had been tough for Cedric and the others, cooped up in the suitcase with a dragon. But that ordeal was nothing compared to what Kreacher had endured.
The poor House-elf had only stepped out to fetch water, unaware that when he returned, everyone in the tent would be gone. Then chaos erupted in the camp as witches and wizards began dueling, and all sorts of dangerous spells were flying around. When the Killing Curse appeared, Kreacher had nearly fainted from fear on the spot.
It wasn't that he was particularly attached to Kanna, but Regulus still needed Snape's help...and to ensure Regulus looked more like himself again and less like a creature, Kanna couldn't come to any harm—not even a scratch.
So, despite his terror, Kreacher had frantically started searching, calling for Kanna as he went. For more than an hour, he checked nearly every tent, even fending off a dozen witches and wizards who got in his way. The poor House-elf, nearly in despair, was on the verge of overturning the entire camp when he finally heard Kanna's voice.
Overwhelmed with relief, Kreacher wasted no time. He immediately Apparated Kanna out as soon as he reentered the tent, determined to keep her safe from any further dangers. The whole thing happened so quickly that Kanna didn't even have a chance to say goodbye.
"This..." The others exchanged uncertain glances, still processing what had just happened.
"Well, we should probably head back too," Mr. Weasley said. "A Dark Mark has appeared over the camp, and I'm sure news will spread quickly. It's best we get home as soon as possible, so your parents don't worry."
With that, Mr. Weasley stood and headed out of the tent. "I'll see if I can arrange an early Portkey. You all stay here."
...
"The Dark Mark?" Harry asked, puzzled, after Mr. Weasley had left. "Is that the skull in the sky? What exactly is that?"
"It's the mark of You-Know-Who," said Bill. "A decade ago, it was the thing people feared most. Wherever the Dark Mark appeared, it meant You-Know-Who had been there."