Ambush in the Dark
The forest had grown quieter with each passing day. Ten of us left now. The thought made my stomach churn as I watched Hermione dig through the underbrush for anything edible. We'd been surviving on berries and roots for days, but even those were becoming scarce.
"Harry, look at these," Hermione whispered, holding up some mushrooms. "They match the safe ones from training."
I was about to respond when a crack of lightning split the sky, making us both jump. Dark clouds rolled in unnaturally fast – another Gamemaker trick, no doubt. Within minutes, the forest plunged into premature darkness.
"We should make camp," I suggested, gathering wood while Hermione cleared a small space. The tiny fire we built cast dancing shadows through the trees. It was dangerous, but we needed the warmth.
It happened in an instant.
One moment, Hermione was beside me; the next, a figure materialized from the shadows, clamping a hand over her mouth and yanking her backward. I leaped up, but strong arms seized me from behind. My wand had been knocked away in the struggle.
Our attackers wore dark masks covering the lower half of their faces. As they forced us into the firelight, I recognized them – Justin from District 8 and Michael from District 11. Justin pressed a knife against Hermione's throat while Michael did the same to me.
"Nothing personal," Justin said, his voice muffled behind the mask. "Draco made us an offer we couldn't refuse. Food, water, protection."
"We can help you," I tried negotiating, catching Hermione's eyes. She was shaking her head frantically, fury and fear mingling in her expression. "We have skills, we could-"
"Shut up," Michael growled, pressing the blade closer. "Draco's been hunting you two for weeks. Left us little choice."
Hermione struggled against Justin's grip, but they quickly bound our hands with rope and sealed our mouths with tape. The next few hours were agony – being marched through the dark forest, exhaustion and thirst making every step torture. Our captors chatted casually ahead of us.
"Draco's got quite the setup," Justin was saying. "Been tracking these two forever. Every tribute they've allied with, every cave they've hidden in."
Michael laughed. "Can't wait to see his face when we bring them in. Said he wants to make Potter watch while they finish the girl nice and slow."
My heart thundered in my ears, rage building with each step. The ropes bit into my wrists as I strained against them, but it was useless. One wrong move and they'd kill us both. I had to wait, had to find the right moment...
"Home sweet home, my fellow allies."
The drawling voice cut through the darkness like ice. We'd reached Draco's camp.