A/N: Set in DH, when Trio has argument over Horcruxes and Ron storms out. My first fanfic, if you would read and review that would be lovely! :)
Ron swore under his breath.
He slipped and stumbled along the cobbled road, still fuming over his argument with Harry and Hermione. The pounding rain was not helping his mood. Or his footing.
I can't believe Hermione would choose to stay with him! After everything...
He passed an old wizard mumbling to himself in a dark corner.
Weirdo.
Ron averted his eyes.
She agreed with me, he had nothing to go on... No leads, no new ideas, not even anything to pass on to us from Dumbledore. No CLUE as to where we could find another Horcrux. I'm sick of them, always siding together, her always choosing him over me, everyone always choosing Him over me..
As he carried on down the lane, he vaguely wondered where he should go now. The Burrow was out; he could only imagine how understanding the rest of the Weasley's would be at his running out on Harry and Hermione.
Where, then? Shell Cottage? What would Bill think? And Fleur? She was always a fan of Harrys. Damnit. Why does everyone love him?
Bill will probably try to get me to go back. Hmphf.
Ron slumped down on a wizened bench, sheltered from the rain by an overhanging rooftop.
Okay, so maybe I shouldn't have ran out. But he's always so... So...
Who am I kidding. He's my best mate. And Hermione too...
He stood up, sighed and started walking back the way he had come. He would have to go back to them. He had promised he would help Harry track down all the Horcruxes with Hermione. Promised he would fight with them until the end –
"Stop right there, vermin."
Ron looked up, momentarily surprised to see people in front of him. It took him a moment longer than it usually would have to realise the man in front of him had a wand pointed at Ron's chest. Next thing Ron knew, his own wand was yanked out of his hand.
Blimey, Thought Ron. Where the bloody hell did they come from?
At that moment, he felt someone behind him pin his arms behind his back.
Crap.
"What's ya name? Why ain't ya in school eh?"
The man was shorter than Ron by about two feet. Although he wore a pointed hat, the tip of it still did not come up to Ron's nose. Behind the small man stood three other wizards, not quite as short but twice as ugly.
"Uh..." He said, stalling for time.
A rotting stench hit Ron's nostrils, and he realised it came from the fattest one of the four in front of him. His skin was yellowing, and the few teeth he had left in his mouth were black.
Ugh, gross.
Think Ron... Don't tell them you're aWeasley... All Weasley's are blood traitors, everyone knows that. THINK Ron!
"Stanley Shunpike," He said, with as much confidence as he could muster. "I finished at Hogwarts last year, I'm now working at Borgin & Burkes down Knockturn Alley... I'm sure you know of it?"
He saw momentary shock in the short man's eyes.
"Oh.. Er, Right. Erm, well in that case, we'll er, just let ya go - "
"'Ang on a minute," Said the fat trollish one, "'Oo's ta say 'ee is 'oo 'ee says 'ee is?"
"I'm in charge here," replied the short man, "I make the decisions!"
"I don' take orders from nobody," Fat Troll retorted. "'Specially not scum like you!" And he spat at the first man, a huge gob of green phlegm landing on his cheek.
At this, one of the taller wizards who hadn't done much but grunt since Ron first bumped into them, roared with rage and charged at the troll-like one.
This momentary distraction was all Ron needed. He flung his head back, hard, hitting the man holding who was holding his arms behind him. He heard the satisfying crunch of a breaking nose, and felt the man's hold on him loosen. He yanked his arms free of the man's slackened grip and elbowed him hard in the stomach.
He spun around, saw the man crumpled on the ground in pain, his nose bleeding copiously. Without hesitating, Ron yanked the wand out of his hand and turned back to the others.
He aimed his new wand at the smaller of the five men, the one who had taken his own wand at the beginning.
"Expelliarmus!" he yelled, and his wand flew from the man's grasp and into his own outstretched hand.
This action went unnoticed by all. Three of the five were rolling around on the ground in front of him; one was crumpled on the ground behind him, and the last was so immersed in the quickly escalating scrap before him that he didn't see Ron turn on the spot and disappear.
"Ouch!" Ron swore, looking down at his hands. He was missing two fingernails.
Damn. He would have to get better at disapparating under pressure...
Crap. Where am I?
He looked around at the unfamiliar landscape and swore again. Apparating and disapparating in the dark was hard.
Okay, concentrate Ron. Riverbank where I was with Harry and Hermione... Riverbank where I was with Harry and Hermione... Riverbank where I was with Harry and Hermione...
And he turned on the spot once more, feeling himself squeeze into nothingness.
A/N: Can't decide whether to write more, Ron goes back to Shell Cottage then uses deluminator & finds them. I figured everyone pretty much knows what happens, I'm not sure I can bring much more to it. Same with this part aswell, but it's my first fanfic and you have to start somewhere :)
Please let me know what you think.
x Brinnie
