Peeta did a double take. Was he imagining things? Strolling out of the five-o-clock woods onto the beach were two girls, one a tall red-head, the other shorter, but with frizzy, out-of-control hair, and a black-haired boy.

"My glasses may be failing me, but does anyone recognize those people?" Beetee asked.

A round of "no" and "hm" resonated thorough the group.

"It's another part of the clock?" Finnick asked, unsure. "Halucinations?"

"Hey!" the red-head yelled from across the lake. The other two were waved their hands.

"Hello!" Peeta called back, adding a wave of his own. Katniss jerked his arm down.

"What are you doing?" hissed Johanna before Katniss could say it herself. "What if they're some sort of trap?"

"I don't think so. I have a feeling deep down in my gut that they're real," Peeta replied.

"Oh! Now we're going by gut feelings?" Johanna said sarcastically.

The trio on the other side of the beach were still waving. "We're coming over!" the red-head said.

Everyone exchanged glances. How were they going to get across the water or beach without being killed by one of the other tributes? They watched as the frizzy-haired girl pulled a stick from her pants pocket and locked arms with the other two.

"What in the world?" Johanna muttered as the trio turned on the spot and disappeared. A split-second later they were standing right next to Peeta.

"WHAT THE...?" Peeta exclaimed, stumbling backwards. Johanna jumped up and pulled out a knife. The others quickly arose to their feet as well.

Katniss raised her bow and pointed it directly at the heart of the frizzy-haired girl. "You have three seconds to prove to us you're not part of the Games or you're dead."

The frizzy-haired girl quickly pointed the stick at Katniss and yelled, "petrificus totalus!"

Katniss dropped her bow and fell to the ground, solid, like a rock.

The others took a step back from the trio. Peeta ran to Katniss' side and tried to lift her stiff body. "Wha-what did you do to her?" He was choking back tears.

The boy with the shock of black hair spoke up. "Your friend will be fine in a few minutes."

"Fine?" Finnick asked. He got to his knees and tried to help Peeta, but to no avail. "She's stiff...like she's been dead for a few days."

"Like Harry said, she'll be fine," reassured Hermione. Then, changing the subject, said, "we didn't know this existed in the Forest. Do you all know Hagrid?"

"Haymitch?" Finnick asked.

"No, H-A-Grid," the black-haired boy said again, only slower.

Beetee spoke up this time. "We do not know a Hamgrid. The question now is who are you? And are you new tributes?"

"What's a tribute?" the red-haired girl asked.

"You aren't part of the Hunger Games, then?" Beetee asked.

The frizzy-haired girl spoke up this time. "We don't know what you are talking about. I'm Hermione Granger. This is Ginny Weasley and Harry Potter. We were walking through the Forbidden Forest with our friends Ron and Hagrid when they strolled off. While we searched for them, the path we were on led us here to your beach. Now we're lost. Could you show us the way back?"

"Don't listen to that load of crap!" Johanna said. "Of course they're part of the games. You all saw what they did to Katniss!"

"We're very sorry," the boy named Harry said. "I suppose that spell has become reflex for all of us. We've been practicing our defensive spells for when we have to fight the Death Eaters. Or Voldemort."

"Harry!" whispered Hermione, "they might be Death Eaters."

"I assure you all that we are not 'Death Eaters' or whatever that is," Beetee said. He took a step toward the trio of strangers.

"Beetee! Be careful!" Peeta exclaimed.

"Listen, I propose we both put down our weapons. These people are too smart and advanced to be mutations or game pieces. I believe they are real. And I think they very well may be the key to winning, or at least getting out of this game!"