Uglier Than It Sounds
Arthur led the group inside where they could sit down and give Ron and Harry a chance to explain what had happened. They sat, mostly in stunned shock, at the retelling.
"We finally found him and approached him," started Harry. "Vertimus started to talk to him, just talking…"
"Vertimus Odinson?" inquired Arthur.
"Yes, he was one of our trainers, along with Annalphus Tillerman," replied Harry.
"Two of the best," commented Arthur.
Harry could only give a downcast look as a response. Arthur suddenly looked very concerned, which also stirred concern in the rest of the assembled group.
"He said we were from the Ministry and had been looking for him. Herpo responded with this slashing move. You know how that septumsempra spell I found in Snape's potions book cuts things like a knife stroke?" Ginny and Hermione nodded a yes, remembering the incident with Draco in the bathroom. The others kept listening.
"This was like a hundred times worse. He just went swoosh," mimicking Herpo's stroke, "and it nearly removed Vertimus' head."
"Merlin's beard," gasped Arthur. The others reeled back, not knowing what to say.
"There was blood everywhere. There was not much more still holding his head on than Nearly Headless Nick's," said Ron. "It was bloody ghastly."
"Then his staff turned into a giant, green snake. It was kind of like Nagini. It came after me," who looked a bit frightened just thinking about it. "I knew our magic didn't do much against Nagini."
"What did you do, Ron?" said Hermione as she took his hand.
I tried serpentsortia against it. I kept making more and more snakes. They kept attacking it. They finally killed it. I wish I had thought of that when Nagini was after us back in the castle," he said, adding a second hand to his hold on Hermione's.
"That was brilliant, Ron. Truly brilliant. I know, always a total surprise," she said, cutting him off with a kiss before he could say it. "Not really, anymore. Kind of expected." That drew a laugh from the group as Ron blushed, now at a loss for what to say.
"Annalphus and I were dueling with Herpo while that was happening. At first, we were exchanging hexes, then our wands locked up and it was the two of us against him. My cherry wand was really powerful. So was Annalphus' wand, but his was pushing back against us. I have no idea what it is, but I have never seen or felt anything like it, other than the Elder Wand. It is something very special, evil, but special."
Everyone was on the edge of the seats listening. The cookies and punch on the table were being ignored. Other than Harry and Ron, you could hear a pin drop.
"I looked over at them after the snake died. They were losing. I shot in a spell to join in against him. There was an explosion, like a ball of fiery light. Everyone was on the ground. I passed out," said Ron.
"When I started to come to," said Harry, "I saw Annalphus getting up. His wand was smoking. All I could find of mine was a burnt handle. Then I saw Herpo coming forward. Annalphus moved to fight him, but he used that same spell he used against Vertimus. He cut him bottom to top. All of his guts kind of just came falling out of him as he fell. It was the ugliest thing I ever saw in my life. I really saw his eyes just die in his face."
Everyone grimaced, just imagining the ugliness of the scene. It was unimaginable to think of actually witnessing it.
"Then he started coming at me. My cherry wand was gone. I started digging down in my gown for my holly wand. I asked him why he was doing this. What did he want? I needed time to get out my other wand," said Harry as Ginny moved over and wrapped an arm around him in a tight embrace. "He went on about Antioch Peverell having once killed him. I think he is on a mission to wipe out the Peverell family heirs. Antioch's line is gone. I am the last from Ignotus' line. I don't know much about Cadmus Peverell."
"Cadmus has heirs, including the Weasleys, if you want to go far enough out on the family tree limbs," injected Arthur.
"He seemed most concerned with finding the Deathly Hallows. He thought I had them. I told him I disposed of them after the war. He didn't believe me. I think he paused to consider his next move. That's is when Ron saved me," he said looking at Ron.
Everyone's eyes turned to Ron. "I saw him pointing his wand at Harry and going on like he said. I was really boggled, but I managed to get up on an elbow and launch a disarming charm at him. It was all I could think of. It hit him in the legs and toppled him" said Ron as Hermione squeezed him tight. "I scrambled at Harry and we grabbed each other and I disapparated…and here we are."
"You a hero, Ron," said Ginny, jumping over to give a second hug for having saved Harry.
"If you say so. I am just amazed we are still alive. The Battle at Hogwarts was horrible, especially when Neville killed Nagini when it was coming at Mione and me, but this felt even worse, more hopeless. I was seeing two of the four of us butchered, and was about to see the third. I had nothing to beat him with on my own. I felt totally helpless, in a way. I never want to feel that way again."
"But you didn't quit," said Harry. "You fought that snake and won. Then you rose out of the darkness with enough senses to attack Herpo and save both of us. That is real hero stuff."
"Yes, Ron," said Hermione. "You are a real Gryffindor."
They started trying to divert the conversation onto other things. Everyone needed to step away from this for a while, just for the sake of mental health.
George opened a box of one of his newest items. Weasley's Wheezes Wacky Wizardpop. It was a container of self-popping popcorn. The catch was it would just explode out of the container into the open room and you had to snatch it before it ran off under tables and chairs, or out the door. Sometimes, the piece you caught would burst into more pieces when you bit it, causing your cheeks to puff out like an overindulgent chipmunk. That provided a great amount of fun to everyone. It was planned to come in many flavors if it caught on.
Predictably, chaos reigned over the room for several minutes. When the last of it had either escaped or been eaten, everyone was exhausted.
When bedtime finally arrived, everyone was more than ready. Ron and Harry knew they had a long day ahead of them at the Ministry being debriefed on what happened, how the others had died and how Herpo ultimately escaped without killing them in the process. Then they were going to get into a battle about whether or not they were going to be part of the return hunt for him. They felt especially strong about that aspect.
Herpo was actively hunting Harry. He was not the sort who wanted to sit back and wait for Herpo to sneak up on him. He was the kind who walked into the Dark Forest to face Voldemort. He wanted an active role.
Ron felt similar. After all the group had been through over their years at Hogwarts, he was not going to be content with becoming a spectator, especially with what he had just been through in recent times.
They had tracked Herpo from Hogsmeade across what seemed like half of the United Kingdom. He was not ready to pass the wand after almost getting killed a day ago. He wanted to press through to the end.
"What are we going to say to them at the Ministry?" asked Ron, being very serious. "I don't want to get killed, but I don't want to do nothing, either."
"I don't know," said Harry. "I know you know how I feel about this. I am not quitting, no matter what. This is personal. I am not going to sit back and have others fight my fight."
"Right, mate. I am with you. I am not stopping, either," agreed Ron.
"Let's get some sleep, then," said Harry. "We need to be rested to face them back at the Ministry. They aren't going to go easy on us. They are going to be more like Snape and Umbridge on a bad day."
The girls were having a similar discussion in the other room. They knew Harry and Ron were not going to quit, no matter what. It was not their way. It never was. And they were not fine with Harry and Ron going back without them. It was too painful to be stuck sitting back home.
Hermione had some personal time left available to her at work. She was taking it, if necessary, no questions asked. She was in all of the way.
Ginny planned to have a very private, very personal conversation with her team owner, coach and captain. She was going to make concessions, if necessary, to smooth the deal. No matter what, she was part of what was going to happen. Not being part of it was not an option.