Ron made it through the next few days without serious incident. He still did not have a clue as to how he could reunite himself with Harry and Hermione. He was beginning to think he might do best to settle in here and hope things would just bypass him. Maybe he could find work and blend into the local populations. But such was not to be.

In the morning, four new faces were sitting at a table eating breakfast as Ron came to the top of stairs leading down into the dining area. He stepped back into the shadows and watched the men with focused curiosity. After several minutes, Ron started to relax. They gave the impression of being nothing more than four muggle travelers. Then one of them reached across the table for the salt shaker and a wand fell out onto the table.

"Snatchers!" screamed his mind as the snatcher quickly grabbed it and shoved it back up into his sleeve as his associated cussed his carelessness. "I've got to get out of here."

The men finished their food and drinks. After paying, they got up and went outside. Ron cautiously made his way down while making certain he was not going to be seen through the window.

"Who was that lot?" he asked the waitress as he sat down. "I haven't seen them before."

"Can't say," she replied. "Just four travelers looking for a meal. Weren't very chatty about their business."

Ron decided it was time to move out of Crickhowell. This was the fifth time he was in need of avoiding snatchers. They seemed to fancy this village. He gathered his belongings into his backpack and made his way outside and down the road out of town. He had no idea where he was going, but it had to be away from here. Staying here was too dangerous.

He made his way into another village that seemed removed from the regular world. He went into a place called The Cod Wallop Inn. Carefully scanning the other patrons for anyone looking like they might be a snatcher, he sat down to order dinner.

After a decent dinner of fish and chips with a pint of ale, he inquired about rooms. The proprietor took him upstairs and showed him a small room with a bed, chair, light and not much else. Ron paid him for five nights and settled in.

The bed was not a good as the one at The Stolen Lamb, but it was still better than the cot in the tent. His thoughts were filled with Harry and Hermione as he tried to get comfortable and drift off into sleep. He still could not shake the guilt of what he had done under the influence of the locket. It had damaged his friendship, perhaps permanently. And it may have cost him any chance at building a relationship with Hermione. This was the most painful part of all.

The next morning he enjoyed a hot breakfast and then went out to inspect the village. He expected…hoped…he would be able to spend a lengthy amount of time here unhampered by snatchers. He took no joy in having to be constantly looking over his shoulder like a common thief.

By dinner time he had seen pretty much all there was to see. It was quite a pleasant place, very peaceful. Everyone seems friendly and decent. He could see living here in the future after things settled down.

Ron was most of the way through a dish of Shepherd's Pie that reminded him of his mother's when the door to the pub opened. In walked five rough-looking men. He immediately got a bad feeling. He did not like getting that feeling so soon after arriving in this village.

He slid his chair around so he had his back to them but could see them in the large mirror over the bar. As the waitress walked up to them, he watched to see if she treated them like locals or strangers. Within a few seconds, it was quite clear they were not from around here.

Ron quickly finished his food and made his way to the stairs without showing them his face. Once he made it to the top he stopped and watched to see if they were interested in him. When the waitress arrived with their drinks they started ordering food. It appeared he was safe for the time being.

He stayed upstairs for a while hoping they would leave. When he finally decided to go back to the shadows atop the stairs that is exactly what they were doing. Once they had left he went back downstairs. He ordered a drink and sat down.

"That was a strange-looking lot," he said as the waitress brought him his drink.

"I agree," she said. "Never seen 'em 'round 'ere. One of 'em said to rest this place looked full of—uh—muggles. Least that what I think 'e said. When they left they were talking about looking 'round a bit."

"Damn," thought Ron. "Haven't been here a day and snatcher already. Now, what should I do?"

The following morning he was very careful to be on the lookout for the snatchers when he went down for breakfast. The waitress brought him a bowl of porridge and sausage along with some coffee and a large glass of tomato juice.

"That same bunch from last night was in 'ere again," she said as she sat down his drinks. "You just missed 'em. Not the friendliest lot. Actin' like they might be up to somethin'."

"Yeah. I thought the same. Probably need watchin'," replied Ron.

However, in his mind, he was saying "I need to get out of here. Where do I go? now. These snatchers are everywhere."

Ron went upstairs and gathered his belongings into his backpack. "What do I do? What do I do? What would Hermione do?" kept running through his mind. Finally, on a leap of faith, he apparated to Shell Cottage. He prayed Bill and Fleur would take him in and no tell anyone. It was the only thing he could think to do.

Harry and Hermione had been having several more talks over time with the less than pleasant, overtly snoopy portrait of Phineas Nigellus Black. They were never friendly, and Phineas often tried to pry hints at their location out them. However, they did learn occasional bits of new that bolstered their spirits.

Winter was approaching, and along with it Christmas. Harry and Hermione could occasionally see Christmas lights twinkling on the streets and buildings of nearby towns and villages. The lack of progress was tormenting all of their minds.

One night following a better than average dinner prepared by Hermione after she had slipped into a nearby town and gathered the makings of spaghetti adorned with bottled Bolognese sauce paired with a tin of pears using the invisibility cloak for cover, Harry tried to start a conversation with her. She was curled up rereading The Tales of Beedle the Bard for the umpteenth time.

At first, Harry tried to start a conversation about his desire to go to Godric's Hollow, but Hermione turned it into a discussion on the symbol in the book that they would eventually learn represented the Deathly Hallows.

Eventually, Harry managed to tell Hermione of his wish to go to Godric's Hollow. She readily agreed with him. But in classic Hermione fashion, she demanded they plot and plan the trip down to the minutest detail.

A week later…a short time by Hermione's typical planning time…they were ready to leave for their trip. All of their gear was packed, the routines rehearsed and goals identified.