Camp

At that moment, atop Stoatshead Hill, a group of people was doing something strange.

They stood in a circle around a battered, moldy old boot. It looked like three adults had brought along a group of half-grown children. Mr. Diggory and Arthur Weasley were the first to bend down and grab the boot, while Arthur checked the pocket watch in his hand.

"Quick, grab it. It's almost time."

The children reluctantly crouched down. Touching a boot that looked so utterly disgusting was definitely unpleasant.

Once everyone had grabbed the boot, Arthur swept his gaze over them, then stared at his pocket watch and began counting down. "Three... two... one!"

Eli felt as though a hook had violently yanked him upward from his navel, launching his whole body into the air.

The circle they had formed spun continuously in midair, yet no one felt as though they were about to be flung away.

The intense sensation of weightlessness filled Eli with panic. Strangely enough, though his Animagus form was a flying Phoenix, Eli seemed to be afraid of heights.

But someone was even more frightened than he was. Hermione Granger, who had ridden roller coasters without changing expression, screamed at the sudden weightlessness. Eli felt his head spin.

Glancing aside and seeing how terrified she was, Eli grabbed her and pulled her close.

The scenery around them changed violently. It was as though they had passed through a barrier, and at last the view stabilized.

No matter what, Eli was a Phoenix Animagus. He fared better in the air than the others, and he realized they were descending from midair at a steady pace.

Harry and the others were clearly using a Portkey for the first time and were thoroughly unaccustomed to it, falling toward the ground as though they had