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This is Astray Together, a continuation to The Lion and The Serpent. If you had not read the first part of this duology, please do so. This story can be a stand-alone, yet some points may be unclear. I therefore highly recommend reading it. Unfortunately I cannot post the link to the story due to the rules. Just look through my profile, you will find the story link there. For reference here, the story ID is 9935499.

To all of my loyal readers who read my first story, thank you for reading this. As you know, this is only my second story. I do plan to keep the diction and style almost identical to the first. I may not keep the same level of secrecy/mystery in my writing.

I cannot make any promises to how often I will update, however I will try to do so every 3-5 days. If it takes longer, I do apologize. If you have any questions or comments, please PM me.

I LOVE REVIEWS. Reviews make me very happy and motivate me to write more frequently! PLEASE, PLEASE REVIEW! I just ask that you do not post any racist, homophobic or otherwise discriminating comments/reviews.

I will only post this once: I do not own any Harry Potter characters. The Harry Potter series are owned by J.K. Rowling and I thank her very much for her creativity and brilliance. Just imagine the world without Harry Potter. It would be a sad, sad place.

Anyway, let's get right into it...

Chapter 1 - The Storm and The Fallout.

SLAM. Harry felt the teapot smash into the wall of the tent. The next thing he knew, dishware was whizzing past his ears, the glass was absolutely everywhere. Hermione's books were next.

With a yell, Harry dropped on his knees and pulled the table down to protect himself. He could feel the heavy books colliding with the hard wood of the table. Harry felt pain from where the glass grazed his arm. There was something else Harry felt and it was bothering him severely. But he will deal with the fallout later. Right now, he felt the immediate need to release the white hot, pent up rage at one Ronald Weasley.

Harry's ears were buzzing with a defining sound of fury. He could feel his heart rate, it was as if his whole head was beating, his throat was dry and his chest was heaving irregularly. He could ignore Hermione's distant screams, as he did not care at the moment. Whipping out his wand, Harry thought 'Depulso!'

The table was flying, repelled from Harry. Its target was Ron, who ducked right on time to avoid it. His dodging cost him time however. His now ex-best friend pointed his wand it his face and a hex flew towards the red-haired boy.

Blood gushed from Ron's nose, mouth and ears. It was dark thick blood, Ron could not breathe and began to suffocate, his face turning the color of chalk. The bleeding boy dropped on the ground, his wand nowhere in sight.

Hermione knew that she had to step in, otherwise fatalities were inevitable. Pulling out her own wand, Hermione sent a body-bind curse at Harry and ran towards her boyfriend. One carefully aimed counterspell and Ron's bleeding stopped. 'Evanesco!' All traces of blood now disappeared.

As Hermione calmed her rapid breathing, she felt a presence behind her. To her horror, she realized that Harry was standing inches away, his wand pressing to the back of her head.

'Get up!' Harry had a hard time not roaring. 'Drop your wand!'

Hermione obeyed. No one should not comply an angry Harry Potter. Slowly pulling herself on her feet, Hermione looked at the boy she knew for the last six years. She forgot how agile he had become. Her body-bind must have been easily thrown off.

Harry looked at Ron with disgust. 'Levicorpus!' Ron was instantly hanging by one leg, upside down, supported by thin air. 'Lebiracorpus!' Harry's quick twitch of the wand was enough to bring Ron back on his feet.

'YOU ATTACKED ME?!' Harry could not suppress himself this time.

'YOU DESERVE IT!' Ron's yelling was equally loud; the blood was coming back to his face. His face was now the color of a cherry tomato. 'WE THOUGHT YOU HAD IT ALL FIGURED OUT!'

'DIDN'T I WARN BOTH OF YOU?!' Harry knew he was about to lose his voice. 'YOU KNEW WHAT TO EXPECT!'

'Harry, please!' Hermione's plea made both of the boys look at her. 'Of course we knew, Harry.'

'THEN WHY IS HE ACCUSING ME?' This was it, Harry could not yell anymore. Besides, yelling at Hermione never did him any good.

'He is just stressed Harry. Just give him a night to cool down. It will be all better tomorrow.'

'NO IT BLOODY WELL WON'T!' Ron has still not lost his voice. 'I AM NOT STAYING HERE AFTER THIS!'

'Well then leave. Leave and never come back.'

Hermione was taken aback by Harry's calm reply. 'No, you shouldn't leave Ron. We promised to help Harry defeat Voldemort.'

'I DON'T CARE!' Ron stooped down to pick up his wand. 'I AM NOT STAYING WITH THIS MANIAC. HE CAN GO TO HELL!'

'Ron, please don't shout. Harry needs us and we need Harry.'

'He doesn't need us! He'll be perfectly fine. And we really don't need him.' Ron said the last word with quite the level of disgust.

'Don't talk about me as if I am not in the room!' Harry was getting fired up again. 'If Ron wants to leave, he can.'

'Well thank you for the permission.' Sarcasm was highly evident. Ron turned around, spotted his backpack and went to grab it. 'Are you coming?'

The question was directed at Hermione, who cringed slightly. 'Ron, I...I... please just stay Ron, we can work this out!' Hermione's plea was a little bit hysterical.

'I don't think we can work this out, Hermione. Not this time.' Once again, Harry used that strangely cool and detached tone.

'Are you coming or not?' Ron gave Harry a nasty glare.

'I...I...' Hermione looked at both Ron and Harry. She was in the middle of a bridge, a bridge that was about to collapse. 'Fine, I am coming with you Ron.' Hermione's voice was very quiet.

'Well then good. Get your things.' Ron looked rather pleased with himself.

'Ron... can't you please...'

'No Hermione I bloody can't.'

Hermione let out a tiny sob. Shuffling her feet, Hermione very slowly made her way through the shard-strewn floor and picked up her little beaded handbag. She then looked at Harry, who was looking at her with an empty gaze. Letting out another sob, Hermione ran at Harry and gave him hug.

'Oh Harry!' Hermione looked into Harry's slightly surprised face. 'Please forgive me Harry. I just can't...' Hermione began to break down on Harry's shoulder.

'Hermione, it's okay.' Harry awkwardly patted the crying girl on her back. Then Harry caught the look Ron was giving them. There was pure loathing in Ron's eyes.
'Hermione, go with Ron, please. I will be alright. Don't worry.'

Shaking slightly, Hermione hiccupped slightly before letting out a gasp. Ron basically carried her out of the tent.

Harry stood for about 10 seconds, waiting for the popping sound of disapparition. When the sound came, Harry walked to a chair in the corner of the tent and sat down. He had a lot of things to think about now.

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