Chapter Twenty One - My Dear Sister

Ronald Weasley was sat in the corridor, he had just left his mom and dad arguing, apparently he had tried to stitch up the snake bite using some muggle technique - his father never did learn much. Ron had gotten away from the twins and Harry, wanting some time alone. He hated this building, it was so blank and boring, and a constant reminder of his failure, the price of his selfishness. He walked blindly through the corridors though he knew exactly where he was heading, he had promised himself this time he would do it. Ronald had never visited Ginny alone, ever year he went with Neville and would send most the time looking after Mr and Mrs Longbottom, and he did this because - he couldn't bear to look at her, but this time it would be different he said to himself, the near death of his father and the rising conflict had been bearing down on him lately, and the one thing he needed to do was make peace with Ginny and before he knew it he found it he found himself in front the double doors which held the permanent residence ward.

12 year old Ronald Weasley was sat eating breakfast with Harry Potter, both were talking about the one topic which was being talked about more than any other, the chamber of Secrets - the teaching table had just announced that the petrified victims would soon be awoken, and they would hopefully had answers

"Good thing we don't have to follow the spiders!" Ron laughed, he had been dreading doing so ever since Hagrid had told them the night Granger was attacked but he hadn't found the motivation for it, and kept putting it off until it was necessary, and he was right to do so, since it turns out it wasn't - the problem would be solved without them. Harry just returned the smile, knowing he felt the same way as Ron, he might not be afraid of spiders, but following them into the forbidden forest was not to his liking either.

It was then the moment that would change Ron's life forever happened.

Ron's younger sister sat opposite him, she looked pale, thin and was plucking the hem of her robes.

"Hello" she muttered, not looking at either Ron or Harry. Harry was looking at her as if he had just recognised her.

"I need to tell you something" she muttered and Ron learned in as did Harry, Ron felt curious but also slightly worried, he had never seen her look so bad.

"What?" he asked and she still refused to look at him - what was the point of coming over if she wasn't going to speak.

"Ginny" Harry said suddenly "does this have anything to do with the Chamber Of Secrets?" and at those words Ginny's face shot up and paled even more, Ron also felt physically sick at the sight off her, and his worry increased

"Ginny tell me what's wrong" he said, and she opened her mouth and suddenly Percy appeared "I'll have that seat if you're not eating Ginny" he smiled and Ginny quickly got up, grabbed her bag and left, Ron watched her go - but no, he wouldn't let her go.

"I'll see you later" he told Harry and Percy and quickly left the great hall after his sister.

The doors were unmoving and so was Ron, fear had eloped him, fear greater than anything he had seen or done on his adventures, the flashbacks tortured his mind and he could feel his eyes watering - but no, he would not cry, he would not cry in front of Ginny he had promised himself that, he would bring her nothing but joy, leave all burdens behind when with her, it would be nothing but the two of them having fun and enjoying the moment. He took a deep breath and was about to take a step when the door opened and his brother Percy walked out, stopping when their eyes locked onto each other.

"Hello Ronald" Percy said after a awkward silence, Ron just gave him a small smile, things between the family and Percy Had not been good lately, with Percy siding with the ministry, however they were determined to move past the bad blood and remain a family, they couldn't afford to lose Percy after everything, it would destroy them - especially mom who had pulled them all closer than ever after what had happened three years ago.

"You heard about Dad?" Ron asked

"Yes. I'm on my way to visit him now"

"I'll give it a minute. He tried doing some muggle medicine and mum's not happy"

Percy looked like he was about to smile as he shook his head and said "that father of ours". A awkward silence emerged over the two brothers. Percy simply held out his hand and Ron awkwardly shook it, Percy smiled and walked past the way Ron had came. Ron turned his attention to the double doors and without hesitation he walked inside. The corridor was similar but yet it felt so much longer on the other sides, as if the walls would close in on him and trap him here forever. He shook his head and cleared his mind of the thought, smiling at a passing nurse he knew his smile must have seemed fake and his legs were becoming heavy as if they didn't want to move, he didn't want to see her - but he had too, it was Christmas, Christmas was a family time and she no matter what would always be his sister. He turned the corner and walked into the ward.

Ron walked quickly into the great hall where he found Ginny heading up the stairs, Ron quickly ran, jumping the stairs two at the time until he reached her

"What's up Gin?" he said - well shouted, but he didn't mean too. Ginny seemed to notice his accidental tone and her face turned hard "nothing" she spoke before turning away.

"Don't give me that, look at you - you look terrible!"

"Oh gee thanks!. Sorry I'm embarrassing you by being so ugly!"

It wasn't the words that surprised Ron but it was the anger in his sister's voice.

"I was only saying that -"

"It was pretty clear what you were saying Ron!"

"no…you're doing that thing…..you're twisting my words"

Ginny however had stormed off hallway down the corridor, Ron quickly followed but he noticed Ginny was picking up the pace

"Ginny will you stop!"

"No. I got work to do!"

"Homework can wait Ginny!. I want to know what's wrong!, what do you know about the Chamber Of Secrets!" he yelled and she stopped in her tracks and Ron's worst fears were confirmed. He quickly approached her

"What is it Gin?" he said, forcing his voice and temper to lower "tell me Gin, I'm your brother, whatever it is, I can help you"

Ginny seemed to be on the verge on speech for a second but then just shook her head and turned to walk once more, Ron followed her but as he did a large crowd of Hufflepuffs blocked his way, pushing his way through not too gently he finally made it to the other side - but Ginny was nowhere in sight. Ron was left staring at the empty corridor before him unaware off how this moment would haunt him for the rest of his life.

It was that night that as Ron was sat in the Gryffindor common room with Harry that he found out, McGonagall entered the common room looking pale white and deeply upset and she told everyone that Ginny Weasley had been kidnapped and taken into the Chamber Of Secrets - if Ron was ever to face a Dementor then he knew this would be in his mind the second its effects took hold - nothing was worse than that, it was too much, he couldn't even hear the cries of shock or anything happening around him. Fred, George and Percy all looked the same as Ron, dead to world and isolated in their grief. It was almost a hour later that his mind returned to him, he had to save her - that's all there was for it, but how?, all his worst fears had come true, this was worst than a room full off spiders - spiders!, follow the spiders!. He quickly turned to Harry who agreed at once and less than a minute later they made their excuse to go upstairs, thrown on the clock and whisked off into the night.

Ron quickly walked past the beds that bore Frank and Alice Longbottom and soon made his way to the final bed, the one closest to the window. The chair was out and Ron guessed Percy had forgotten about putting it back, it was a testament to how much the family was effected by this that Percy himself forgot to clean up after himself and show proper manners. Ron turned to look at the bed. The figure of a fourteen year old girl was lay silently asleep - but it was not the fact that he remembered his sister. Her red hair had thinned and turned darker into maroon. Her once pretty face was shrunken and her eyes slightly bulging, her skin was almost as pale as her sheets and as Ron stared at her his hatred for Tom Riddle grew. He often wondered if he or Harry hated that monster more. Sure Harry had lost his parents, but he had never knew them and they were at peace, it may sound cruel but its true. He however had watched his sister grow up, be happy and then because of Riddle all that was gone, and all that he left off his innocent victim was a shell off what once was - and Ron hated him more than he could ever fully think. His mother had told him that what had happened was terrible, but anger and revenge always lead to more pain, but he couldn't help it, the thought of what he did was too much, the anger inside him raged and sometimes he felt that he was as bad as Riddle - the anger was too much for a good person to have, that he was bad for wanting to murder, wanting to cause pain, to kill a man - but he wanted it more than anything, Riddle and all those who claimed him as their lord and master - people like the Malfoy's. Now he knew Harry would be the one to kill Riddle, it was destiny he was sure, but Lucius Malfoy was his for the taking, and he would regret the day he ever gave the diary away, he just needed the chance - just to meet Malfoy in a place, a situation where the murder would be just, and then he would do it - cold blooded calculated murder.

Ron sat down and took his sister's hand, stroking it softly as he stared at her, all the anger disappeared and was replaced by pain and grief, she seemed so peacefully and yet so pained as she slept. He wondered when the last time she woke was, sometimes she slept for months, sometimes for minutes, it was always so unpredictable - which was one trait she had held onto Ron smiled to himself thinking back before her Hogwarts year.

Ron and Harry raced back into the Entrance Hall, the spiders had told them nothing!. Something about not speaking off whatever the bloody hell was doing this and telling that a girl had died in a bathroom - Ron however was not in the mood for talking about girls being killed by this thing!. Suddenly they heard a sound and both spun around, the clock flying off them and Harry quickly hit in his robes and they both stared at Gilderoy Lockhart who seemed to be in a hurry, his trucks floating behind him - he was leaving.

"Where you going!" Ron shouted, the anger off the nights events reaching breaking point. Lockhart turned to them and seemed disturbed. Ron didn't hear the talk that followed, his rage blinded him, Lockhart - the defence against the dark arts teacher was leaving when they needed him most - when Ginny needed him most. He tired to bring himself back into the present but it was a mistake……he had lied, about everything!, they didn't even have a actual teacher!.

Ron lost it.

He threw himself forward and did the unthinkable - he physically assaulted his teacher. He screamed curse words as he hit him again and he felt Harry wrap his arms around him, pulling him back. He then he heard McGonagall screaming and shouting in rage.

"He's leaving!" Ron bellowed to everyone and no one "He's running away, when my sister needs him most!". He didn't know what happened next but he was on his way to his common room with Harry, his brain was trying to fit the jigsaw together, to find something but it was hopeless Ginny would die, if she wasn't already dead. It had been hours, it was sunrise and they were no closer to finding her. It was over and suddenly when he thought nothing could get worse, he stepped into the second floor corridor and saw the blood written on the wall

HER SKELTON WILL LIE IN THE CHAMBER FOREVER

Ron felt his feet disappear and he fell to his knees in disappear, he couldn't breathe. This was too much, he felt Harry try to pick him up, he could feel Harry shaking, he looked at his friend and behind the glasses his eyes were wet and his face was so pale.

"We have to find her Harry……even if she's……you know……I can't leave her in that place" Ron chocked.

Ron saw Harry nod, he seemed to thinking

"Ron…isn't there a ghost in the girls toilets…..Parvarti mentioned her once"

"Which toilets?"

"No idea…so lets get looking" Harry finished, determination in his voice and together they headed into every girls toilets searching for the ghost, it wasn't until what must have been half a hour later they found her…Ron kicked himself, they had gone in a circle, had they only started the other way it would have taken minutes!. Not stopping to breath, Ron stepped inside after Harry to meet the ghost.

Ron didn't know how long he had sat there, he watched his sister breath slowly, it was the only sign of life from her, not one finger twitched, not one flutter of a eyelid, there was nothing but the slowly rising of her chest and the smallest off sounds from the mouth. He cherished each moment that she took breath, but sometimes he wished she would stop and finally be at peace in the afterlife where he knew their uncles waited patiently for her to arrive. Her eyelids fluttered and Ron sat up at once as her eyes slowly opened and her brown eyes took around the scene, he analyzed them quicker, the eyes were always the first thing you looked at, too see how deep they were, how much of herself she was at the moment in time.

"Hey Gin" Ron smiled, he talked as if he always had to her, he refused to treat her differently when he didn't have too.

"Hey Ron" she smiled back and Ron's face grew bigger "how long this time?"

"No idea, few weeks at least, glad you're awake now though"

"Ahh, what I miss?"

"Well, Fred and George want to make a joke shop, mum's not happy. Percy works for the ministry now, he was in here earlier visiting, Harry and Me are still getting into trouble and Dad tried to use muggle stitching to heal himself, don't worry he's fine thought" Ron smiled, he watched as Ginny took in and processed the information as if it was precious gold, he knew that the chance to talk to Ginny like this again would be rare, usually when she woke up she could barely remember herself.

"That sounds like dad" she chuckled and Ron laughed too, hearing her laugh could take the weight of the world off his shoulders. Ginny's eyelids seemed to be becoming heavy and Ron could only wish as he watched her eyes lose focus

"Where am I?, no Tom please!" she began to mutter before crying, Ron jumped to hug her but she pushed him away screaming "Tom please don't!, somebody help me!" she screamed as she cried

"Help!" Ron screamed to anyone, where were the nurses "Ginny please calm down, you're safe, its over!"

"I want to go home!. Let me go home Tom!, please!, I thought we were friends!" she cried louder and Ron screamed for help, rushing to the ward door, he made it halfway when a nurse rushed past him to Ginny's side, Ron however didn't stop, he took one last look at his sister before rushing out the room.

Ron's head was hurting, he way lay in water and before him was the strangest site. A great snake lay dead. Harry was knelt before a diary, a phoenix on his shoulder and behind lay - Ginny!. Ron struggled, his head was bleeding, he remembered being thrown back into the pillar by a spell, but couldn't see who had cast it. Slowly he stumbled his way past the snake's uncoiled body as Harry looked up and saw him, he saw the tears running down his face and he looked past him at the lifeless body off his sister and he understood, but no - Harry was wrong, she would be fine, he stumbled past Harry who made no attempt to stop or distract him and painfully fell to his knees before his sister.

"Gin" he cried, shaking her slightly, but she made no movement, her eyes were closed but she was so pale and cold, and he knew that she was dead - but no she was breathing!, he could see her chest move, she was alive!, the tears came down thick and fast, he needed to get her help, they're might still be time to have her!.

"Harry!" he said, grabbing his friend who turned "I need you to go get help" and Harry just nodded, he seemed like he dare not disagree at the moment and without another word he walked slowly before breaking out in a run and before Ron knew it, him and the bird were gone. Ron stared back down at his sister and stoked her cheek hoping, praying that she would be okay….that she'ld make it through this and it'll be a forever a distant memory and as he waited for Harry to return all that remained in the chamber was a dead snake and a boy cradling his sister so tightly that it seemed he was afraid to let go.

Ron didn't stop running, he was at the ward entrance, the double doors, st mungo's entrance and before he knew it he was in the streets off London. He raced to the nearest alleyway, he needed to be alone, completely alone. He didn't stop running, he came out the alleyway, another street, he kept running and he ran and he ran and he didn't think he would ever stop, he could outrun his demons, leave it all behind if he kept running, but then he was alone, he was in some woods, trees surrounded him, and he slide down one tree, hugs his knees tightly and it was there that Ronald Weasley broke down into tears.

A/N - So what you think? Obviously this chapter didn't even feature Hermione but it was all about Ron and Ginny. I hope you enjoyed it and let me know what you thought in your reviews which I appreciate so much and am grateful for. Next chapter should be up in a few days.