The first chapter in months…I know LOL. I've been both busy and lazy. My bad.

He's Ready

Ron didn't have time at all to relax when he came home from the hospital. The Order, excited with ideas, met with him after dinner to explain the details.

"Ron, what happened before was something to learn from," said Remus. "We now know that invisibility will be no trick, nor will Severus work at all. What we need to do now is go on the offensive again."

Moody growled across the table. "I say we bombard the lot and get it over with."

Ron rolled his eyes and Tonks did the same. Bitter as he was, Moody was still a puzzle when it came to fighting the dark arts. Remus ignored him as well.

"You will have to do this on your own still, Ron, we cannot help you with that curse. Harry designed this plan only for you, so it must be able to work somehow."

He felt the dread burn inside his chest, but Ron shoved it off. He had to get accustomed to discomfort now. There were no more excuses. The Order began to discuss a plan as his mind tuned them out. There had to be something that Harry wanted him to do…something that he could figure out. If Harry had given him dreams to help him, was he also hiding any indication that would lead to the downfall of Lord Voldemort? He had the curse, what else was needed? Where was he to go?

Remus' voice came back slowly as Ron realized where he was… "…he has less followers now. Protection would be weak, but he would also realize this."

"The Dark Lord uses evil spells and enchantments," Moody grumbled to him. "What he uses needs to be understood by us first. You can't fight Inferi will simple defense tactics."

"Would he really use that for defense?" Ron asked, sickened at the thought.

Moody laughed, but became serious at once. "He loves psychological weapons as well, young Weasley. You're fortunate you and Lupin got rid of Potter or he could have used him as Inferi."

Ron couldn't believe what he heard…there was a pause…so small, yet noticed, and Ron exploded in anger. "TAKE THAT BACK!"

"Ron, NO!"

He had three people restrain him from attacking the crippled Mad-Eye: Remus, Tonks, and his father, whom he hadn't noticed was in the room. He didn't care. Rage fueled his blood and terrible thoughts came to him thinking about Harry like a zombie trying to kill him.

"That was uncalled for, Alastor!" Tonks screeched, giving the man a shove. "You fail to remember it has barely been a month since it happened. Open your eyes!"

"Fools, the lot of you!" the man roared. "You think sensitivity will gain you a victory?" He glared especially at Ron. "Do you think you will lose only one of your closest brothers? NO! None of you understand Potter in the manner that I do! He died knowing he would. Potter fought, not for fame or for hatred, but he did it because it had to be done. And here you are, still moping around. You can't even treat his sacrifice with dignity!"

"What about you talking like that?" Ron retorted, steam blowing from his bright red ears. "Always thinking the worst of every situation, treating Harry's memory like dirt. What friend and admirer are you?"

Ron turned to Lupin for a word, or even a reaction. The man did nothing but glance with a blank stare to the ground.

"Weasley, you know nothing yet. One day you will understand why accepting the most terrible truth is a comfort."

Ron seethed. "I hate all of you! And I hate you, Remus!" The man appeared startled and confused. "I'll never forget that night we 'got rid' of him. Never!"

"W..what did I do?"

"You don't even realize it! He was alive that day…he was our friend, but it changed the moment he died for you. When we got to the place to burn him you dropped him. Just DROPPED HIM!!!!" Ron couldn't cry anymore. He was too numb. "What was he to you after that, because he was still my friend!"

Ron wanted to run like his heart told him to. 'Escape to your room,' it said. 'Flee from this pain.' But he didn't. He stared Lupin down for an answer, and the man's face refused to show any more emotion than it already had.

"He...," Remus whispered painfully. "He just didn't feel real to me, and it hurt me too much to think that. So I let him go in disgust to myself. Why did he not feel real? Why?"

He broke down, and Ron felt his anger shrivel into guilt. Tonks embraced the broken man and led him out. Ron could say nothing and neither could Moody. Back to the beginning.

Ron couldn't sleep much that night. He laid on his side staring out the window and watching the light of the moon haunt Harry's empty bed. Something must be wrong with what they were doing. All the Horcuxes were gone, what more did they need to do? Voldemort still seemed to have his powers, weakened or not, so what did Harry want Ron to do? The curse, that was obvious, but there just had to be something else. Something that Ron was missing. Voldemort's weakness was lust for greatness, valuable items and pride. It seemed as if the only way to get rid of the Dark Lord was to have him destroy himself, not a curse. Ron pondered as hard as his weariness allowed him. He drifted in and out of sleep…and he had a dream again.

He was at Hogwarts in front of a door where only he could see. The hallways were empty and silent without a soul in sight. He acknowledged none of this. The door seemed to draw him in, coax his curiosity to its peak, and Ron had no sense of danger at all. He felt an odd gesture of peace and excitement standing where he was, and he knew that he had to find out what was behind this secret passage no one could see. Ron's hand gently grabbed the handle and twisted with careful movements so he wouldn't make a sound. His excitement suspended higher, eager to discover a secret and claim it his! Nothing crossed his mind to think he was in possible danger, or if what he found would bring him happiness. Ron just did it without thinking. He gasped suddenly at what he saw, and for a moment, he was about to flee. In front of him stood an exact replica of himself, copying his actions like a shadow or a mirror.

"W..who are you?" Ron. The other Ron did not have a voice, but he mouthed the words just as he had. What was going on? The figure slowly faded and what replaced it was a confusion of shapes and faces. Ron swore he caught a glimpse of Harry's smiling face and himself with the same grin. It was mind boggling and he could not understand. Ron slammed the door at once, and as he did so, he awoke from this nightmare and sat up in an instant. Why must he always dream of him? But was it a dream? This was a different feeling…one that he never felt in a regular dream. Then it struck him! Ron gripped his blankets in the dark and thought, "Is this the sign I was looking for?"

What did it mean? He saw himself like a reflection but then the mass of faces confused him…what would Harry try to show him with that? Ron had no choice. He had to speak to Hermione, she was the only one who could help him now.

The clock in the hallway said it was four in the morning, but Ron didn't care. He entered the girl's room and shook Hermione awake at once.

"Ron!" she hissed, fear clouding her eyes. "What's happening?"

"Nothing bad, I just need your help."

"Can't it wait until tomorrow?"

Ron grew impatient. "Just come into my room. Leave Ginny asleep."

Groggily and with effort, Hermione obeyed and followed Ron. He rushed down the hall and closed the door after she entered and told her to sit down.

"Now what's so important?"

"I had a dream!"

She appeared greatly puzzled. "A dream? Like the ones Harry had?"

Ron shrugged. "I don't know. I mean, Harry gave me those dreams the last time with a spell, but this one seemed like he was really trying to tell me something, you know? I was asking for help and I think I got it."

"This sounds interesting!" A smile glowed on her face. "What happened?"

"That's the weird part. I was at Hogwarts and I saw this door. I didn't even care what it was, I was just so intrigued. I just HAD to open it. I did, and I saw myself there and nothing was behind me. Just blackness. But the other me just copied my actions. I couldn't understand it. Then it morphed into a bunch of faces and things like that. I saw Harry happy, almost pleased, and then I saw my face with the same face. Like I was happy he was happy. Weird, isn't it?"

Hermione's smile was gone and she got into thinking mode. "And that's all?"

He nodded.

She didn't say anything for a moment and Ron became nervous. What if she didn't know?

"This dream," she said. "It has to be from him. He's trying to tell you something that you must know about…do you know anything that maybe the two of you talked about dealing with reflection? Did you talk about something that included copying? Maybe a spell?

"No, and that's what I don't understand," Ron admitted, bummed that she didn't have an answer at once. "What have we ever done with that?"

"Well, nothing." She replied reluctantly. "But it must be something."

Ron shrugged again. He seemed to always be doing that lately. "We'll think about it tomorrow. Maybe we'll come across an answer."

Hermione smiled weakly. "Perhaps. Good night."

"Good night."

Ron watched her leave and wondered why he bothered to tell her this now. She was barely there for five minutes. But he just had to tell someone this. What was Harry trying to tell him?

The night was cold but he slept once again and awoke to the sun splashing light on this face. He was still alone in the room, but he heard noise outside the room that forced him out of bed. Maybe breakfast was being waited upon, and he was hungry. As usual.

Hermione was standing in the hallway with Ginny laughing about something and Ron wanted to know what they were talking about.

"About time," she said. "We were saying that you sleep like a troll."

Ron was insulted. "I do not!"

"Do too," Ginny protested. "We can hear you snore all the way over here."

Ron ignored her. "When is breakfast?"

"It's almost done," Hermione answered with a smile. "We were getting antsy too."

"Why aren't you two down there?"

Ginny sighed and folded her arms. "Lupin. Mum says he's a down state and he's been in a foul mood all morning. We don't want to upset him any more than he already is."

There was a pang of guilt that stabbed Ron, but he showed none of it. "I said something to him last night but I don't want to talk about it."

"Oh," Hermione whispered. "Was it about that night?"

Ron flinched. "How did you know?"

"We heard Tonks trying to comfort him last night," Ginny replied sadly. "We heard about what he did that made you angry with him."

"Well, I don't want to talk about it," he said. "I just want to eat."

Hermione smiled a little bit. "About your dream, Ron, I think it might be easier than we think. Harry was never really one to have you figuring out riddles. But I have to admit, this seems to be tricky."

"Maybe he wants you to have more confidence in yourself," Ginny suggested. "Maybe the reflection was him wanting you to take a good look at yourself."

"But why did I see him then?"

She shrugged. "To show you what to do to please him? I haven't a clue, really."

Hermione was brainstorming and stared at the floor. Ron wondered if she still remembered where she was.

"That curse, Ron," she said. "What does it do again?"

"It's designed to trap Voldemort for eternity. I mean, he wanted immortality, right? Why not give it to him?"

Hermione pondered again. "I need to do some reading. I think I have somewhat of a clue as to what Harry wants, but I don't know how to do it. After breakfast I'll go to the study. If I can't find it there…I suppose I'll go to Hogwarts and go to the Restricted Section."

"Whatever works," said Ron. "That's why I know I can trust you to get the job done right." Hermione laughed and at the same time, his mother called them for breakfast at last.

Yay, finally a chapter…I hope the days were correct because it's been awhile since I have written. Hit me up with some reviews, and what you think the dream means!