A/N: Hi everyone! Wow, I haven't written anything for a long while now! But oh well. Life happens, and I've been crazy busy. However, when Takara Ravenheart contacted me asking for a Character's Read, well, I found myself accepting! I thought this would take me forever to write because of my writer's block issues, but it only took like a little over a week, which isn't . . . too bad, I guess. But it's been really fun to write, and I'm glad I'm writing it!
Anyway, I hope you all enjoy, especially Takara! The main ship with be Harry/Ron; Takara and I are not sure about future ships, so you'll just have to wait and see! Happy reading!
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, anything relating to that world, or Takara Ravenheart's story. Only the Character's Read is mine. And I do not own the cover art for this story either.
The last place Harry and Ron wanted to return to was the girl's bathroom that the notoriously miserable Moaning Myrtle inhabited. It was bad enough having to frolic around in a lavatory meant for girls; having Myrtle sniveling down their necks sent both spasms of chills and wretches that would rack their bodies violently.
Although they both protested heatedly with Hermione, they knew it was a hopeless endeavor. Once Hermione made up her mind on something, it was immensely challenging to persuade her against her plot. Sometimes such a trait was honorable and impressive; other times, such as this, it was downright infuriating.
"I don't see why we have to come with you, Hermione," Ron complained, trudging after her. He seemed to be trying to convey a sense of rebellion to Hermione's instruction by his rather sluggish gait, but his lanky frame and flapping robes gave him the demeanor of none other than a confused Sasquatch.
Harry, who had his pouting face trained on the dragging of his feet, heard Hermione say from in front of him, "You know perfectly well why I've brought you boys along. I'm not facing her alone, and I most certainly will not leave until I've gotten back the missing page from my book."
Groaning, Ron protested, "It's been three years, Hermione! Someone's bound to have found the page by now! It's probably long gone!"
Hermione rolled her eyes. "You'd be surprised at how many people in this school have an aversion to anything academic. You and Harry aren't the only slackers attending Hogwarts."
Harry whipped his head up to glare at the back of Hermione's bushy-haired head. "Hey, I'm not a slacker! Compared to you, everyone's an illiterate caveman!"
Ron burst out laughing and bumped shoulders with Harry, something that caused him to beam with pride.
"I'm not sure if that was a compliment or an insult," Hermione muttered, but before Harry could expound on his comment, they were at Myrtle's bathroom, and Hermione had pushed open the door with forced confidence.
Myrtle's low sobs echoed inside one of the stalls, acting as the bathroom's signature soundtrack. Hermione tiptoed gently past her cubicle, steadying her breathing to avoid interrupting Myrtle's state of mourning. As Hermione dipped her head under stalls and around stain-splattered toilets, Harry and Ron ambled over to the sinks, where the entrance to the infamously menacing Chamber of Secrets dwelled.
Pretending to be searching, the boys ducked under the sinks and inspected the pipes, furrowing their eyebrows for added effect. Thankfully, Hermione was too distracted to look at them for more than a second, so every glance she stole showed her two very dedicated, hardworking boys.
When Ron was checking the sink that held the entrance to the Chamber, running his long fingers over the eerie snake engraving on the side, he spied what looked to be the corner of a piece of parchment poking out of the edge of the mirror.
Highly doubting that he'd found the page Hermione was searching for, Ron hesitantly pinched the parchment and gave a small tug. It didn't rip, for which Ron was very grateful, but it barely budged. Harry had just then noticed Ron's strange change in enthusiasm and went to see what the distraction was.
Not wanting to speak for fear of upsetting Myrtle, Ron pointed out the page and motioned for Harry to help him remove the mirror. Looking skeptical, Harry pressed his lips tight together and proceeded to wedge his fingers beneath one side of the mirror, Ron following suit.
With surprising quietness, they managed to pry the mirror off the wall; to their astonishment, not just one page fell out, but a whole large wad of them, showering down onto the damp floor.
Myrtle's wails froze abruptly. Over in the corner on the other side of the bathroom, Hermione shot the boys a threatening glare; a worn page was being crumpled in her clenched fist.
Gathering the pages as fast as possible, Ron and Harry made haste to follow Hermione out of the lavatory, where Myrtle had struck up a chorus of newly enraged shrieks and curses to accompany the pieces of pipes she had just hurled their way.
"That was a bloody pain," Ron grumbled as he plopped down into one of the more comfortable chairs in the common room, the pieces of parchment he had gathered resting on his lap.
"Well, at least I got my page back," Hermione said from the chair opposite Ron's. "And you found something worth looking into, so it wasn't a total waste, was it?"
Harry shrugged from his spot on the couch next to Ron. "You've got a point there, Hermione. What are the pages for, Ron? Does it say?"
"Does what say?" interrupted a voice coming from the portrait hole. Ginny Weasley was beaming at the trio, flanked by the equally jovial Weasley twins.
"Finally cheating on your homework, Ron?" Fred asked with a wide smirk, ignoring Hermione's scandalized expression. "I mean, copying Hermione is always a safe bet, but there's nothing like reusing a prefect's old essays."
Hermione turned more crimson than the Weasleys' hair. "How dare you—"
"Relax, Hermione," George interrupted, joining Fred and Harry on the couch. "We're only joking. We wouldn't expect Ron to tarnish his pretty prefects' badge with a bad record, now would we?"
As Ron's face mimicked the color of Hermione's, Ginny came to his defense.
"Lay off him, guys," she insisted, smiling in spite of herself and sitting on the arm of Ron's chair. "Anyways, Ron, what've you got there?"
"You guys are never gonna believe this," Ron murmured; he had been skimming over the pages while the others made their entrance. "But I think these pages are a recollection of events from our second year."
"What?" everyone said together, looking dumbfounded.
"Why would someone write about stuff that happened three years ago?" Harry questioned.
Ron shrugged. "No idea. But the title says, 'The Serpent's Trap by Takara Ravenheart'. What do you think this is all about?"
"Well, there's only one way to find out, obviously," Fred said, nodding at Ron. "Go on, read it, then."
And so Ron did.
Chapter One: Only One Who Understands You
"Sounds mysterious," snickered George.
"Sounds romantic," giggled Ginny.
"Shut up," snapped Ron.
Ron looked around, bewildered at how bad the toilet looked and went forward to search around the fallen equipment along with Harry.
"I would normally wonder why you and Harry are creeping around dirty bathroom stalls," Fred said, "but that answer's fairly obvious."
"What?!" they both shrieked, blushing fiercely.
Fred chuckled. "Calm down. You were both drawn by a most compelling, almighty force . . ." He nodded at George to continue.
"Mischief," he finished. "A most noble calling."
Hermione groaned. "You two are unbelievable."
"Why, thank you, Hermione." George placed his hand on his heart. "That means so much."
"I repeat myself—shut up!" Ron hissed.
Everyone went silent.
He got a hold of a battered looking diary. As soon as he grabbed it, a strange feeling circulated him, as if something were physically crushing his heart.
"Aww, Ron," cooed Ginny, "that's the same feeling you get when Fleur rejects you!"
The group laughed for a good while after that, save for Ron, who flushed and grimaced until everyone had caught their breath again.
"Ron, are you okay?" Hermione asked.
Ron snapped out of his thoughts, seeing Harry look up from his searching as well to look at him.
"Y-yeah I'm fine," Ron said. "I found this diary." He held it out. "There's something strange about it."
"You always were especially observant, Ron," Harry teased, prodding Ron on the shoulder.
For once, Ron didn't seem too annoyed at the jest; he just muttered, "Whatever," and resumed reading.
Harry reached out to it but Hermione made an alarmed squeak.
"Harry, I don't think you should touch that," Hermione said and Ron noticed she looked very alarmed.
Harry looked puzzled. "Why? It's just a diary."
Hermione crossed her arms and gave Harry a pointed look.
"There are two lessons to learn from this experience," she said. "One, that you never touch suspicious mysterious objects found in Hogwarts, and two, that I'm never wrong."
The group—minus Ginny—erupted into a small shouting match that sometimes the boys could be right when Hermione was wrong; but, as Ginny pointed out, since none of them was able to recall a time that such an event had occurred, her point was only proven more firmly.
"Someone tried to get rid of it," Ron said, looking around at the mess again. "I'll ask Percy or the twins, they'd know more than I would, mate."
"That's so true." Fred grinned. "Except for the Percy part—the big git can shove his so-called knowledge up his—"
"Fred!" Hermione squealed, cutting him off in the nick of time as two curious-looking first years passed by on their way to the dormitories.
The rest of the gang had to suppress giggles; Ron was still snickering as he continued to read.
Harry nodded. "Okay, just be careful ok?"
Ron smiled, shrugging. "I'll be fine."
...
That afternoon, despite Hermione's warnings earlier and Harry's worry about him, Ron opened the diary. It was a diary, what harm could it do?
Everyone snorted simultaneously.
"Shut up," Ron mumbled.
Ron, it could do plenty of harm, put it down and go ask your brothersHermione's voice scolded in his head.
Ron, be careful ok?Harry's concerned face floated at the back of his mind.
"Isn't that cute," George said. "Harry and Hermione are Ron's guardian angels."
Fred and Ginny laughed; Harry and Hermione just looked confused whether to laugh or roll their eyes. Ron chose to do the latter.
His friends, mostly Hermione were worried about the diary. Hermione was the brightest witch of her age, Harry was pretty smart too, at least in his opinion. If both his smarter best friends were advising against it, he should listen right? However, before he could close the book, writing began to appear. Hello Ronald Weasley, I am Tom Marvolo Riddle.
Harry shook his head. "You were doing so well, Ron. You were this close"—he held his thumb and index finger close together—"to avoiding everything."
Ron just shrugged.
"You were so close, Ronald," the twins echoed, shaking their heads.
"Shut up!" Ron snapped yet again.
"How come Harry can say it but we can't?" Fred demanded; George looked equally vexed.
Flustered, Ron just hissed another "Shut up!" and went back to reading.
Ron stared for a moment at blankly at the diary. It had written itself! Not to mention, it had written his name. Without thinking more on it, he wrote what was on his mind.
"Not a word!" Ron seethed as everyone opened their mouths to chastise his naïveté.
"Real clever," George mouthed, earning smiles from the group.
Hi Tom. How do you know my name? I mean, you're a book and this is bloody confusing.
As soon as Ron wrote the text, it disappeared causing the redhead to blink. He had never seen anything like this. It was brilliant. Either he was losing his mind or a book was talking to him by name. This was messed up however he drummed his fingers, wishing the reply would just hurry up and appear in front of him.
"I have to admit, I'd be pretty curious too if I found a diary like that," Ginny said.
"Yeah, but I doubt you'd keep it for long," Hermione chimed. "Keeping a diary doesn't really seem like something you'd get into."
Everyone chuckled to think of Ginny keeping and confiding in an enchanted diary. As if that would ever happen.
I'm not a book. I am a memory of a person locked inside this book. I have been trying to reach you for awhile.
"That's not creepy at all," George mumbled.
Why me? I mean, I'm nothing special. That's Harry, he's the Boy Who Lived or Hermione, she's really smart.
"You are special!" Harry and Hermione shouted.
"Uh, thanks, guys." Ron sheepishly scratched the back of his head.
I disagree with that. I think you're more special than them both. You have a stronger heart, a stronger sense of loyalty. Yet, still no one ever sees that. Not even them.
"We do!" they shouted.
That isn't true! Harry and Hermione appreciate me.
"We do!" they repeated.
"I get the idea, you two," Ron said as Ginny and the twins withheld snickers.
Do they? They always look to one another for answers. You're not smart enough to help them plan. The third member, the sideling, the unneeded one, that's all they think. And your mother, who was so disappointed at your birth. Wanting a little girl instead.
"That's not true!" the Weasleys piped in, taking their turn to assure Ron of the diary's lies.
Ron just nodded, his face tense.
Ron felt his hands tremble as he tried to close the diary but it wouldn't close. This wasn't true. He needed to throw this diary away. He couldn't listen. Images of Harry and Hermione laughing together, being happy while he was no where. He saw Hermione assisting Harry with his homework, brushing him off to talk to Harry. The images then changed to his mother, holding Ginny close, whispering and gushing about how proud she was, laughing at the twins, praising Percy for being the perfect son he was. But where was he? He wasn't anywhere on that list. Maybe...maybe Tom was right. Maybe he was unneeded.
"You are not unneeded," Ginny assured him, wrapping him in a small hug. "We all love and appreciate you, Ron, no matter what."
The gang all nodded, even the twins, who looked sincere for once.
Beaming, Ron said, "Thanks, everyone. It really does mean a lot."
"Don't get all sappy on us," Fred teased. "C'mon, keep reading. I'm curious."
You are unneeded by them. But I can understand you. I can give you the recognition you so desperately desire. I can give you power to be loved, to be feared. I understand how you feel. Been there once myself.
"Voldemort's so dramatic," Harry said, rolling his eyes.
The others laughed at the same time as they cringed at the mention of his name; the result was a very weird sequence of uncomfortable expressions.
Ron exhaled at those words. They didn't disappear. At least, they didn't disappear from his head even if they didn't from the diary. He wanted his mother to see him, not Ginny, not Fred, not George, not anyone else! Him. It was wrong.
"Love you too, Ron," George grumbled.
"Uh, sorry," Ron said awkwardly.
'This could all be a trick, turn back now' he could hear Hermione saying in his head.
'Ron, don't listen, you're my best friend, you're the most important, don't give in' Harry's strong but firm voice revolved around his head.
"Always right," Hermione reminded them.
As they groaned, Harry added, "Well I helped too. That was some pretty deep stuff coming from my imaginary self."
Ron nodded. "Very true."
He almost listened to his friend's voices when those images returned. Harry and Hermione laughing together, having fun together in a place where he didn't belong. His heart clenched. Which was the truth and which was the lie? He didn't know what to think. Who to believe. Harry had been so concerned for him when he had been about to sacrifice himself in the Chess game and Hermione looked near tears.
"Good point," Hermione commented.
Just an act. Give me control of you, your mind, everything and I'll make things better. I'll do what arealfriend should do.
Ron closed his eyes. His mind wavered a little, thinking of his friends but the thought that they'd be better off without him, the thought that his mother would be happier if he had never been born, pierced through his heart as if someone had cast the world's most painful curse on him. Unable to handle this pain, he wrote back.
Take control. Take it.
No one bothered to make jokes now. Ginny and Hermione both had their hands over their mouths; Harry was looking away with a pained air about him; and the twins had gone a shade paler. Ron fidgeted with the papers, appearing a bit guilty.
It was almost as if he had signed some sort of contract then as a dark feeling enveloped inside him and the redhead felt as if he were going to puke. His heart seared with more pain then ever as it felt like he was being bitten repeatedly all over. Then just as suddenly as the pain had come, it ebbed and a numb feeling enveloped his mind, darkness pulling him in and he knew no more.
The group all let out the collected sigh of breath that they'd been holding since the mention of Ron giving up control.
As Ron nervously lifted his head to his friends and siblings, they did something most unexpected: Everyone, even the twins, got up and hugged him tightly, all murmuring words of affirmation and relief that he was with them now.
Finally, everyone broke apart and sighed again, acting as one entity of a sort.
"Well," Hermione said, breaking the silence, "I suppose it's time for bed." With that, she and Ginny gave Ron two more hugs and scurried out of sight.
Fred and George rose to leave as well.
"Don't expect any hugs from us," George said, stretching along with Fred.
"But maybe you can convince Harry to go in for another one before bed," Fred continued. "I'm sure that'll brighten up this lovely night for both of you."
Harry and Ron both blushed terribly dark and looked away from each other, wildly uncomfortable.
While the twins were ascending the stairs to their dormitory, Ron, fuming, threw a pillow after them and shouted, "For the love of Merlin, will you two ever just SHUT UP?!"
I hope everyone liked it! I apologize if it got confusing telling the difference between Tom's words and Ron's when they wrote in the diary; I didn't really have any alternatives to use to specify, so . . . sorry.
So I'll update as soon as I can once Takara updates! And I'm a beta-reader if anyone needs one; I'm much quicker at beta-reading than doing Character's Reads. Speaking of which, I already have another person who's asked for a Character's Read, so I'm sorry to say I'm just sticking with Takara and this other author for now. So if you want one, I'd recommend asking someone else, unless you don't mind waiting for a long time.
Again, hope you enjoyed! :D