Chapter Ten: Black Widow

Grimmauld place

Harry dove to the ground to avoid Ron's next blasting curse. The spell blew a fist sized hole in the wall next to his head. He reflected that Ron had gotten a lot better with his aim over the last few years. Looking over his shoulder, Harry could see Ginny pulling Remus into another room, and out of harms way. Harry scrambled to his feet. He had to try and talk to Ron. He had to know if his family knew he was here or not.

"Ron," he said cautiously, "Why are you here."

"What are you deaf," Ron roared, spittle flying from his mouth. "I'm here to avenge Hermione. You framed her for murder, and then let her die. You must pay for that sin."

Harry flicked his wand, sending a banishing spell towards Ron, hoping to knock him into a wall, but Ron dodged the spell, with a quickness Harry wouldn't have thought possible of him.

"I didn't kill Hermione," Harry said calmly, an idea was forming in his mind. "Hermione committed suicide in Azkaban. I don't know why she killed Umbridge, but I won't shed any tears over the death of the toad."

"Liar," Ron shrieked, "I know you did it. You always had dark tendencies, like when you set that snake on Justin in our second year."

"I didn't do that Ron," Harry said in a calm tone he knew would drive Ron mad. "I was telling the snake to leave Justin alone, remember?"

Ron sneered at him, his eyes still flashing with rage. "You would say that wouldn't you. You're always trying to pretend that you are the helpless victim, but I know better. You're nothing, but another dark lord in training. I bet you really did kill your cousin, and planted evidence to get you exonerated."

Harry snorted. "Exonerated? Ron, I didn't know you knew such big words, but to answer your accusation, I did not kill my cousin or his friend. I know you won't believe me, but it's the truth."

Ron raised his wand. "You're right, he said in a cold voice. "I don't believe you, Avada Kedavra."

A jet of green light flew from Ron's wand straight at Harry. Harry ducked and the spell flew over his head and destroyed the wall behind him.

Harry waved his wand, and the pieces of the wall rose into the air, flying at Ron's face. Ron tried to dodge, but a piece of wall tore open his right cheek.

Ron howled in pain, clutching the ugly gash in his cheek. Harry could see blood leaking through Ron's fingers, and he could see Ron's teeth through the ragged cut. He smiled. It was time to finish this. He stepped forward raising his wand to point at Ron.

Ron lifted his wand, and pressing the tip to the cut on his face, he murmured a quick healing spell. He sighed in relief as the cut healed, and the pain faded. He looked up to see Harry leveling his wand at him. "Bugger," he yelled, as he rolled out of Harry's line of fire.

"Exustio!" he screamed, pointing his wand wildly in Harry's direction.

A wall of flame exploded from Ron's wand, roaring straight at Harry.

Harry shot a spout of water from his wand, and watched it evaporate into steam as the wall of flame continued to rush towards him.

"Glacius," Ginny yelled from the doorway. An icy blue light hit the wall of flame, freezing it solid. The frozen flames fell harmlessly to the floor and shattered. Ron turned on his sister, glaring angrily.

"Stay out of this Gin," he snapped, "This bastard murdered Hermione."

"No he didn't Ron," Ginny said tiredly, "Hermione committed suicide."

Ron looked despairingly at his sister. "I'll free you from his control Gin, I promise." Before Ginny could respond, Ron had flicked his wand, binding her in ropes.

Harry watched as Ginny was bound and fell helpless to the floor. "You'll pay for that Ron," he said softly.

Ron just stared at him. "Let's get this fight over with. I'm going to save my sister from your control." He fired another killing curse at Harry as he finished speaking.

Harry was expecting such a trick and side-stepped the deadly green light. He had to end this soon, but how? Ron was a lot more skilled than he'd been in the past.

Harry fired a cutting curse at Ron's eyes. Ron tried to dodge, but the curse sliced across his left eye.

Ron yelled in pain, clapping a hand to the injury. Blood and a clear jelly poured from the damaged eye. Not giving him a chance to recover, Harry hit him with a stunning spell, knocking him out cold.

Harry sighed in relief as Ron fell to the floor. He hit him with another stunning spell for good measure, before hurrying over to Ginny. He banished the ropes holding her, and helped her up. "Are you alright?" he asked, gripping her shoulders.

Ginny nodded. "I didn't expect him to bind me like that. Are you okay?"

Harry smiled tiredly as Ginny looked at him closely. "I'm fine love," he said soothingly, "he wasn't able to hit me with anything, but he is a lot more skilled than I remember." A thought occurred to him. "How's Remus?"

Ginny waved off Harry's concern for the werewolf. "He's just got one hell of a bruise on his chest. Other than that, he's fine."

Harry sighed in relief. "Back to Ron," he said casually, "Was he this good when you left?"

Ginny shook her head. "He wasn't that good when I left. He wouldn't have been able to duel you like that. He didn't know the spells, or have the raw magical power. What do you think happened?"

Harry shrugged. "Who knows, the question is what do we do with him now?"

Ginny walked over, and stared down at her unconscious brother. "We could kill him," she said thoughtfully, "but that would cause a lot of problems."

Harry nodded. "Your parents would suspect us of the death, but what does that leave?"

Ginny tapped a finger on her lower lip in thought. "We could take him to St. Mungo's and charge him with attempted murder."

"Would the aurors really do anything though?" Harry asked skeptically. "I mean I was in Azkaban for a year; I don't see the aurors bending over backwards to try and help me."

Ginny sighed in exasperation. "We can't just leave him here. There's no telling what he'd do when he woke up."

Harry smiled suddenly. "I have an idea."

The Burrow

Ron awoke with a jerk. Where was he? He looked around his room. He was home, but hadn't he attacked Harry? He blinked, and touched his left eye. It was undamaged, but hadn't Harry cut it during there duel? He climbed out of bed, and went to the window. He stared out at the night. Had it all been a dream? He carefully examined himself from head to foot, and found no injuries. The dream had been so real. He had been avenging Hermione. He smiled at the thought. "I'll avenge you Hermione," he whispered before turning away from the window and heading back to his bed.

Outside the Burrow, Harry and Ginny watched Ron go back to his bed. "Good work," Ginny kissed his cheek. "I knew you'd think of something."

Harry was frowning. "I don't know if that will distract him for long. He may need to be dealt with on a more permanent level."

Ginny nodded. "Maybe this would be a job for Hermione. She would be able to get close to him."

"Do you think she would do it?"

Ginny laughed. "She is loyal to us. If we asked her, she would probably try to kill Dumbledore."

Harry took her hand. "Come on then, we have a bookworm to talk to."

Headmaster's Office

Fawkes was nervous. Something was coming, and he feared he knew what it was. There was only one thing it could be, and that was justice. He feared he was about to pay for protecting Dumbledore for so long. He looked at his old friend, and wondered if it was worth what he was going to suffer.

Dumbledore could feel apprehension coming from his familiar. What did Fawkes have to worry about? He was an immortal creature of light. He didn't have to worry about accomplishing everything he wanted in a mere one hundred years. He scowled at his familiar. If only he was immortal.

Voldemort's Hideout

Voldemort stared out over the crowd of rag tag witches and wizards in front of him. He sighed. This was the best he could do? Counting them, he realized he only had about twenty new followers. He missed his old followers. At least he knew they were loyal to him. He knew that these followers wouldn't hesitate to kill him if he showed any weakness. He would have to be on his guard from now on. If he wasn't, these little creeps would eat him alive. To make matters worse, he couldn't brand his followers with his mark. He couldn't risk what had happened to his old followers happening again, but how could he guarantee his followers loyalty?

"Master," a plump greasy wizard said approaching him. "What is your command?"

Voldemort scowled, staring at the wizard. Beneath the groveling expression, he could see the calculating gleam in the wizard's eyes. He was doomed if this was the level of followers he had now.

Grimmauld place

Hermione looked at Harry calmly. "When would you like this done?"

Harry shrugged. "It doesn't matter, as long as it gets done. Will you do it?"

"Of course," Hermione said serenely. "I'll take care of it tomorrow night."

Harry nodded, and gave her a hug. "Thanks," he said before leaving the room.

Hermione watched him go. She would prove herself to Harry, at all cost.

Outside the room, Ginny turned to Harry. "I think it is time to take care of Dumbledore."

"When do you want to do that?" Harry asked slipping an arm around her.

Ginny grinned. "Tomorrow night."

Harry smiled back. "It's a date."

There moment was interrupted when Remus and Tonks walked over to them.

"Can we talk?" Remus asked quietly.

Harry and Ginny nodded. They silently followed Remus and Tonks to the kitchen. When they were all seated, Harry looked at Remus expectantly.

"What's going on?"

"Tonks and I have been talking, and we believe that Moody is going to try and kill you once Voldemort is dead."

Harry looked at Remus in silence. "How sure are you of this?"

"Quite sure," Tonks responded. "He was my mentor when I joined the aurors. If he views you as a threat, and I'm positive he does, after all the death eaters you killed, he's going to try and take you out of the picture."

"What would you suggest," Ginny asked placing a hand on Harry's shoulder protectively.

"We know that you and Ginny are going to go after Dumbledore tomorrow night," Remus began. "We'll deal with Moody at the same time."

"Can you deal with Moody?" Harry asked Tonks frowning. "You said he was your mentor."

Tonks nodded. "I can do what needs to be done. The old must perish, so the new can thrive."

Harry nodded. "Alright then," he said gruffly. "I want both of you to be careful. I can't afford to lose either of you, do you understand?"

Remus and Tonks nodded grimly. "Good," Harry said. He stood, and taking Ginny's hand, he left the room. There was nothing more to say.

The next night, Hermione appeared unseen at the edge of The Burrows wards. She would have to be careful. No one except Ron could know that she was here. Slowly, she made her way towards The Burrow. When she got to the steps, she cast an inavate spell up at Ron's window, and waited.

In his room, Ron awoke suddenly. He felt a strange compulsion to go to his window. He got out of bed and stared out the window. He saw a young woman outside, a young woman with long bushy brown hair.

"Hermione," Ron whispered in delight. Silently, he hurried from his room and down the stairs.

Ron ran outside and stopped in front of Hermione. "You're here," he said hugging her tightly.

Hermione smiled distantly, and hugged him back. "I thought you were dead," Ron babbled. "The daily prophet said you were dead."

Hermione snorted. "You of all people should know not to believe everything you read."

Ron nodded looking sheepish. "They said you killed Umbridge," he said after a moment, "but I didn't believe them. I know you would never kill anyone, not even Umbridge."

Hermione smiled at him. Leaning forward, she gently kissed Ron on the lips. Ron wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close and kissing her hungrily.

At first, he thought the pain in his back was Hermione's fingernails, but it got sharper, becoming a blazing agony. Ron drew away from Hermione, and stumbled backwards, eyes wide.

"What," he mumbled falling to his knees. He groped behind him and felt the handle of a knife protruding from his back. He looked up at Hermione, a betrayed expression on his face.

Hermione casually wiped the blood off her hands with a cloth she had conjured. "Sorry Ron," she said coldly, "I can't allow you to harm Harry."

"Why," Ron croaked. "I loved you."

Hermione shook her head sadly, watching as Ron fell over on his side. "You never loved me," she said in a gentle tone. "You were just infatuated with me."

Ron felt his life slipping away. "Harry has corrupted you," he managed through a mouthful of blood.

Hermione shook her head again. "He has shown me the light. This world needs to be fixed, and Harry, Ginny, and I will be the ones to do it. She paused for a moment. "By the way," she said casually, "You were wrong, I did kill Umbridge."

Ron felt his world crumble around him. He tried to speak again, but he was too weak. His vision began to blur at the edges. He felt cold, and his limbs felt like lead. The last thing he saw was Hermione smiling at him the mad gleam of a devoted fanatic in her eyes, then the darkness clamed him.

A/N

There is only about one or two chapters left. I hope you've enjoyed reading this as much as I've enjoyed writing it.