A STRANGER AND HER SYMPATHY
CHAPTER ELEVEN
A BROTHER'S BETRAYAL
Hours quickly crept away, betraying everyone of their day. Darkness loomed the now calm skies as the moon once again set ready to take over the heavens. Harry waited in the Room of requirement for the final time as the preparations for his departure took place.
He had no clue on where he was going or what was going to happen. All that he knows is he won't be here in Hogwarts with the two people he ever cared for.
It needs to be this way. He can't keep anybody around for Voldemort to kill. Now that the Dark Lord has regained his sanity back, his shadow is as good as death itself to anyone close to him.
He sat on the couch waiting for Hermione as Professor McGonagall instructed him to stay put. She didn't have to say anything… it's not like he has anywhere to go. He glanced at the clock perched on the wall of the room and saw that it was way past six in the evening. It looks like they were waiting for the shroud of darkness for his journey.
He was about to get up and add more firewood on the fireplace when he heard the sound of the door open. Harry turned his head and saw Hermione, Ron, and Professor McGonagall march inside the room. He thought that they would be carrying a luggage or two for him, but he scanned at his two friends and saw them without any packs and clothed for travel.
His eyes narrowed at them. Hermione, being intuitive as always, realized what the look on his face was.
"We packed everything for you." she said conjuring a travel bag out of the air.
"How…?"
"Charmed it of course." she replied shaking her head as though Harry was a child.
Harry gave her a sarcastic smile that made her laugh.
"Take it easy on him, will you. He just got his memory back." said Ron passing Hermione.
Both of them already dressed up leaving Harry to wonder.
"You're both coming?" he asked.
"Of course!" she claimed, "Who do you think is going to help you out?"
"But—"
"NO! We're coming with you and there's nothing you can do." Ron interrupted.
It was pretty unusual for Ron to act like he did. Harry surrendered at the finality of Ron's tone. On the back of his mind, he couldn't help thinking that he's luck having friends like these two. But putting them both in peril is something that he can't ever do. He loved them too much.
"Miss Granger, please wait for us at the end of the hall outside." said Professor McGonagall "Warn us if there anyone coming. I need to talk to these two."
"Yes, Professor." she replied before going heading out of the room.
When Hermione was finally out of earshot, Harry finally faced the Transfiguration teacher.
"They can't go with me!" he told her.
He expected Ron to answer back but it never came. He looked at Ron who had some sort of stoic look on his face. He kept scratching his knuckle which he realized he was doing for quite a while.
"I know, Mr. Potter. As Headmistress of this school, I cannot allow any student to be put in harm's way." she told him putting a warm hand on his left shoulder.
She felt very mother-like to him. Her warmth gave him a sense of joy which he thought he would feel if his mother was still alive. He knew that she was also concerned for his well-being, but she now carries the burden of keeping the students left in Hogwarts safe now that Dumbledore is gone.
"What about Hermione?" he asked, gazing at the bushy-brown haired girl from through the open door.
"Don't worry about her, mate." said Ron "she just think she's coming with you."
"There are Auror's waiting for you somewhere in Hogsmeade. Mr. Weasley here will take you where it is. Once there, they will take you somewhere safe. They have been instructed to take you and only you by any means necessary." said McGonagall.
Harry breathed a sigh of relief.
"She'll never forgive me for leaving her again, Ron." he told him.
"I'm sure she'll understand." Harry's red-haired friend replied.
"Both of you better be off." said McGonagall "We don't want to waste the night."
"Thank you, Professor." said Harry as he hugged her "For everything." he was pretty sure he saw a tear ran down her right cheek as he let her go and left with Ron.
He walked along that hallway towards Hermione with Ron. It felt like only yesterday they met on that platform on King's Cross. He was his first friend…NO! He's not just a friend, Ron is his brother.
"Funny isn't it?" Ron said.
"Hmm?"
"Right now, while we're walking, I keep thinking about those days when we ran around this school looking like idiots." said Ron.
"I remember the running around part. Not so sure about the idiots part, though." said Harry.
Ron sniggered.
"Remember when Hermione ran out of that obstacle course Lupin made for his class?" asked Ron.
"How can I forget? She was practically screaming when we saw her." Harry laughed.
"And then we had to calm her down right after." said Ron.
"I think it took us about an hour or two before she finally settled down." said Harry.
The two laughed as they kept walking.
"It was hilarious." said Ron, "—don't tell her I said that, by the way." he added.
"Well in your defense, it really was."
"How about back in second year when—"
"Gilderoy Lockhart? That guy was an idiot."
"He was funny!"
"He's still an idiot."
"Oh, I forgot that he hugged you that time at Flourish and Blott's."
"He didn't hug me, Ron! He just put his arm around me."
"You'd make a cute couple, I think."
"Shut up!" said Harry punching Ron on the shoulder lightly.
"Perfect example of child molestation, right there." said Ron.
"Well, I guess that's another permanent scar I have to live with." said Harry.
"Oh, you'll be okay." Ron snorted.
"My inner child won't be." Harry grinned.
"You know what."
"What?" asked Harry.
"I still remember the time we met." said Ron.
"Are you talking about when we actually met or when we first talked to each other?" Harry asked.
"What?"
"When we first met, we didn't talk. I was busy talking to your Mum. When we first talked to each other, it was inside the train compartment." Harry explained.
"Oh, yeah. I was thinking about the second one." said Ron.
"We learn something new everyday." Harry teased.
"Well at least I wasn't molested by a grinning idiot when I was twelve." Ron replied.
Harry sighed with a smile.
"I'm going to need some mind soap." Harry muttered.
The two burst out laughing.
"What are you two laughing about?" Hermione asked sternly when the two reached her.
Her arms were crossed on her chest as she looked suspiciously at Harry and Ron.
"Nothing!" the two quickly said in unison.
She raised an eyebrow unconvinced with their pathetic attempt of lying. Ron seeing this quickly convinced them to be on their way.
They made their way through the cloak of night. Hermione told Harry that they won't use as much as magic as they can to avoid any detection. This resulted to a long hike through the forest and rocky hills to their destination.
Unfamiliar to this territory, Harry still managed to make his way safely aside from a couple of scratches and cuts from tripping on rocks. Hermione laughing at him didn't exactly help. They managed to chat as they went.
"I wasn't screaming! I was just surprised, but I did-not scream!" said Hermione as she defended herself as the subject of her and Lupin's exam came up.
"Sounded like a scream to us." teased Ron.
"Yeah, I can still hear it in fact." Harry followed making Ron burst out laughing.
"Shut up, Ron." Hermione snapped at him, "You too, Potter!" she added shooting Harry a glare.
"Yes mam." said Harry suddenly sounding like a person on the side of his friend's death bed.
"Honestly." she exclaimed.
"By the way, I have question." said Harry.
"If it's another one about me and that darn obstacle course, I swear I'll—"
"—No! I promise." said Harry quickly.
Ron quickly covered his mouth as he snorted.
"You never told me what the reaction was when I busted through the Great Hall." Harry told them.
"Imagine a big train of chaos slamming into a big train of bedlam and anarchy… it was hilarious." said Ron.
"That's not funny, Ron." said Hermione.
"It was to me." said Ron.
"I was too dazed to notice." said Harry.
"I honestly don't know what McGonagall is going to do about it." said Hermione.
"What about when he surprised us during class?" said Ron.
"The spell Dumbledore used instantly broke when everyone saw Harry again." Hermione answered.
"But didn't you say that he can't use that same spell again?" Harry asked her.
"Not on me and Ron. Our ties with you are much stronger than others." Hermione replied.
"I think he used that again on them before… you know…." Ron trailed off. It was clear that he was referring to Dumbledore's death.
Harry realized that this might have factored on Dumbledore's death. He knew that the greatest wizard of all couldn't be killed just like that… even if it was Voldemort.
"What's wrong with your hand?" Harry heard Hermione say.
She was talking about Ron's constant massaging of his left hand.
"I wish I knew. I didn't exactly get a chance to get it looked at." Ron replied.
"Is it alright?" Hermione asked.
"Yeah, just itchy." said Ron.
About an hour of hiking, the three finally arrived… somewhere. Where was this? Harry asked himself. What he saw was a small town in ruins. Houses burned down, homeless, and wandless wizards sat miserably on the litter-filled streets. Some of them huddled around a couple of campfires showing how desperately they needed warmth.
"Where are we?" Harry asked them.
"Hogsmeade." Ron replied.
This wasn't Hogsmeade… No! There was no way that this could be the jovial town that he knew. It looked more like a warzone than the place he spent those happy moments with Hermione and Ron.
"What happened here?" he asked the two not taking his gaze from the impaired town.
"It was Voldemort during one of his rampages." said Hermione.
Harry's insides spun, right before his eyes is another reason to blame himself of his existence. He felt angry… of Voldemort… of himself. It was getting old and his heart was getting weary of it.
Harry suddenly saw Hermione flick her wand.
"What did you do?" Harry asked.
"Concealment charm." she silently replied.
Harry took one last look upon the poor outcasts before walking away. He wished that he could do something… anything to help. But he didn't even have a wand… there was nothing else he could do.
"Hey!"
Harry was startled by the person who accidentally walked straight at him. He looked at the fallen person who bumped into him and saw a pale, blonde young man. He looked pretty scrawny from hunger. Filth now covered what looked like his once white skin. His unclean, unkempt hair covered his face. He wore torn robes which once looked like it was once part of an expensive ensemble.
"Watch where you're bloody walking!" the man weakly barked.
Hearing the man's voice again, Harry realized that it was familiar. Did he knew this man from… Wait! This wasn't any man.
"Draco!" exclaimed Harry.
The rich heir to the Malfoy family staggered along the rocky ground. He didn't seem to have fallen too hard but it seems that he was having trouble getting up. But there was something else wrong with this picture. As Harry leaned down to help Draco to his feet, he finally realized why Draco was having such a hard time getting up.
Through his shabby hair, he saw the black of the Malfoy boy's eyes missing. He then noticed the area around his eyes burnt. He can only imagine a curse shot straight to Draco's eyes. Harry looked back at Hermione and saw her covering her mouth in shock. Ron, however, just stood there with disbelief on his face. They must have lost word of him for some time after he disappeared from Hogwarts.
"Who's there? Who's there?" Draco repeatedly asked. Nervous as he felt vulnerable to the unseen strangers.
"Don't worry. We're not going to hurt you." said Harry.
"R-really?"
"It's okay. It's all going to be okay." Harry reassured him.
"Your voice… I think I've heard it before." said Draco.
"Let's go." Hermione urged him. He knew that she pitied the horrible state of the Malfoy boy, but like Harry, she was helpless to do anything.
Harry reluctantly agreed, but before he continued forward, he reached inside his backpack and imagined wizard money on his hands. He pulled his hand out and sure enough, a pouch full of coins appeared. He knew McGonagall well to put money in there in case he'll ever need it. He then hurried to Draco and emptied half the pouch's contents to the young Slytherin's hands
"What are you doing?" Ron whispered.
"I can't leave him alone like this… not like this." Harry told him.
Harry may not have liked Draco Malfoy… but he felt leaving him like he did is an act worthy of Voldemort himself.
"Thank you! Thank you! Bless you, sir." said Draco over and over as he thanked the stranger with his charity. It must have been a long time since someone gave him some sort of help as Harry saw tears of gratitude from the young Slytherin's eyes.
"These are all Galleons. Make sure you don't show it around alright. I don't know how this can help but this is the only thing I can to right now." He whispered to Draco's ears.
Harry then felt Ron's hands on his shoulder telling him that they must move on. He didn't want to leave Draco like this but if he manages to kill Voldemort in time, he promises to return for the fallen Malfoy heir.
The three continued forward as they followed Ron's lead. Wherever they're going his escorts, it must be close.
As they turned another corner, Harry somehow recognized the street as the one where the Three Broomsticks was located. Harry figured that that must be the meeting place.
Sure enough, Harry proved to be was right when Ron stopped in front of the now ruined pub. To his surprise, the inside was not as destroyed as the outside. It must have been a protective spell that caused this. There were little burns on the ceilings and walls, but other than that, it didn't too bad.
"I guess they're not here yet." said Hermione as a nearby table.
"I sure hope they don't take too long." said Harry following her footsteps.
"They won't be coming." came Ron's voice.
"Did you say somethi—"
BANG!
Hermione suddenly collapsed after a jet red light hit her square on the chest.
"The sudden events took Harry by surprise. He turned to Ron who now pointed his wand at his direction.
"Don't move, Harry" Ron ordered firmly.
"WHAT ARE YOU DOING!"
Ron didn't answer. He just looked into Harry's eyes with great loathing.
"What needs to be done." said Ron before conjuring a stunning spell toward his friend.
Harry flew back and hit the pavement jaw first when the spell connected to his chest. He completely thought he'd be out after that, but somehow, he managed to quickly regain his consciousness back.
He opened his eyes as he lay still on the dust-filled floor. There, he saw him rush to Hermione's side to see if she's hurt. His face was full of concern and regret. It was if the person who attacked him was just a figment of his imagination.
Ron gave his wand a little flick to in order to levitate Hermione on top of the same table she approached earlier.
Meanwhile, Harry mustered all the strength he could to sit himself up. He may have avoided being stunned but his body still suffers the effects of being stupefied. But being hardly mobile proved to have its consequences as Ron realized that Harry was still conscious.
Harry sat there at Ron's mercy. He was vulnerable to any attack as the ability to move is beyond reach… having no wand didn't exactly help.
"Why….?" Harry said in difficulty.
It was strange, but Ron's lowered his wand which was pointed at him.
"Of all the people I know, I thought you'd be the one who'd understand." Ron replied.
Harry didn't quite get what Ron was saying. But being in a position like his, he just sat there in caution and paid attention at his best friend.
"I did what I have to, to protect everyone I love. I'm willing to sacrifice every chance of happiness so no one I care about will die… I'm just like you."
"Attacking Hermione? Attacking me? YOU'RE NOTHING LIKE ME!" Harry spat.
"IT'S EASY FOR YOU TO SAY THAT! I'M NOT A COWARD LIKE YOU ARE! You get to have a choice! I was the one who stayed behind! I was the one who stood by Hermione like a bloody idiot hoping that one day she'd just realize that I care about her more than you ever did!"
"So what part of you caring about Hermione did you decide to sell me out?"
"You think I want to do this? You think I want to betray my friends?"
"You tell me."
"You had a choice, I didn't. You were at Privet Drive playing 'forget' while I stayed here and watched everything fall apart. It was bad enough the girl I love, fall for someone who never existed. But then… you had to come back." Ron told him as he massaged his hand.
Harry quickly pictured Ron's fist smashing the wall outside the room of requirement. He pictured Ron entering the room only to find him and Hermione at an awkward state. Ron must have tried to heal his wounds on his own, that must be why it kept itching.
"But don't get me wrong. I really was happy when you came back. I finally got my friend back. I just wish you were when... my dad died, Bill, Fred. We're still looking for George's remains!"
Harry's eyes widened in surprise at Ron's revelation. He had no idea what Ron went through the past two years. The Weasleys were a family that showered Harry with so much love, but now they lie in shambles. Most of them are dead. How did Ron and the rest of the surviving Weasleys ever cope with such great tragedy like that?
"I couldn't tell Hermione because I didn't want her to worry." said Ron. "I didn't tell her because I couldn't stand the idea of looking in her eyes and see pity. But I wish… I wish… I wish my best friend was there for me."
"Ron, I…"
"That's why I'm doing this. I don't care if the whole world hates me. Hermione… my whole family... Myself. As long as they're all alive, I don't care if I sell my soul." said Ron pointing his wand at Harry once more.
"Don't."
"Keep in mind that you were never a friend to me." said Ron looking straight at Harry's eyes. A single visible tear runs down his cheek.
"Don't do it, Ron." Harry pleaded.
"…Because you've always been my brother."
BANG!
And with that, Harry was fell back into the darkness of unconsciousness.
ooo000ooo
A/N Alright, I'm just going to go ahead and say it I'M REALLY SORRY. You guys don't how embarrassed I am right. I promised back then to post the final chapter today. Problem is my computer crashed. That is why I took so long to post another chapter. I promised I'd post it before the showing of Deathly Hallows 2, but I just couldn't. I hope you guys can forgive me for that. Anyway, I will post the next chap as soon as I can. Hopefully, nothing happens before that.
pawsrule: ahh, my avid reader. thank you for keeping up with this story. i hope you enjoyed reading it. please tell me what you think.
LMStruchen: thank you for caring lol, i\ll be sure to be careful nex time.
pratt6700: wow, that's probably one of the highest compliment i\ve gotten as a writer. thank you so much. the last chapter will be up when i'm done.
Arthur Hawking 1: save your tears, the story's not over yet.