Winky struggled to open her eyes, her large, round brown eyes filled with confusion. Under the silent, stern gazes of the wizards around her, she braced herself with trembling hands and barely managed to sit up.
When her gaze fell on Mr. Diggory's feet, a flicker of bewilderment crossed her eyes. Then, slowly and shakily, she raised her gaze to his face, then higher still, until it settled on the terrifying emerald-green skull floating in the night sky.
Winky gasped sharply, her eyes darting from person to person, filled with fear and unease. She looked around the clearing, which was thick with tension. At last, all her terror and panic surged into a torrent of tears, and she began to sob in fright, her voice filled with helplessness and despair.
"Winky, is that right?" Mr. Diggory asked sternly. "Do you recognize me?"
Winky trembled on the ground, rocking back and forth. Every breath came with a violent sob, revealing just how terrified and distraught she was.
Harry's heart clenched. The sight involuntarily reminded him of Dobby, the house-elf who had trembled after disobeying orders.
"Winky, as you can see," Mr. Diggory said, trying to make his voice sound more authoritative and impartial, "someone cast the Dark Mark here only moments ago. Immediately afterward, we found you beneath it, holding a wand! Give us a reasonable explanation!"
"I... I didn't, sir!" Winky answered through her sobs. "I really don't know how... how to conjure something like that, sir!"
"But you were indeed holding a wand when we found you!" Mr. Diggory raised his voice, almost roaring as he brandished the wand for emphasis.
The green light cast by the skull fell squarely on the wand, and Harry recognized it at once.
"Wait, Mr. Diggory, the wand you're holding is mine!" Harry