Hello Hello Hello lovely readers! Yesterday was our boy HP's birthday and today is the start of Halloween which we all know is very important in the Potterverse. We're starting to get into it now! Things are gonna get tougher for our Trio from here on so buckle up. We're in for a bumpy ride.
Happy Reading!
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Everyone was tense.
Platform Nine and Three Quarters was quiet, which was extremely abnormal considering all four Marauders were there at the same time.
Not that they were all speaking to each other, but that was another issue entirely.
"Do be good this year, won't you boys?" Dorea asked, both her hands cupping James' face. "It's your last one, what good would it be spending it all in Detention?"
"Don't worry, Mrs. Potter," Sirius said, "I've had enough of mischief for a while."
James snorted loudly. "I'll believe that when I see it."
"Don't fight boys, at least wait until I finish telling you goodbye." Dorea admonished.
"Yes Mum."
"Yes Mrs. Potter."
Dorea moves on from James to stand before Harry, and something in her eyes made his already somber mood plummet even further.
"My strong boy." She whispered, her voice almost lost in the hustle of the platform. "Keep them safe, will you? And don't forget about yourself, either. I expect all of you home for Yule."
"I try my best, Mrs. Potter. I'll do everything that is within my power." Harry replied softly. He glanced over at James, and Harry stood taller. "I won't let anything bad happen to them, Gran. I swear it."
Dorea's eyes welled up with tears at the affectionate term, and she pulled Harry into a tight embrace. Another arm draped itself over his shoulders and squeezed. Harry looked and saw Charlus smiling at him. They were the same height now, but Charlus still ruffled his hair affectionately.
"It's been a good two years with you here, son. I hope we get to spend some more together."
The look in Charlus eyes bellied his words. He looked as if he didn't believe he'd make it to Christmas.
Harry suddenly didn't want to leave, but he was pushed along with all the rest of the students, twisting his body to try and get a final glimpse of the grandparents he never got to know.
Everyone on the platform was tense, and Harry couldn't blame them.
The tense mood of the platform continued onto the Express. It seemed as if the train was evenly split between two opposing sides. Light and Dark.
Harry, Ron, and Hermione didn't exactly fall into either of those categories, and so they found seats in the middle of the train. The Marauders didn't sit with them, which suited Harry just fine, as he wanted to talk about things they weren't privy to.
He slid the door shut and pulled down the blinds, giving them some semblance of privacy. Ron and Hermione has already seated themselves on opposite sides of the compartment. After stowing his trunk, Harry plopped himself next to Hermione, swinging his leg over hers so they were crossed at the ankles.
Hermione smiled up at him, and they both looked over at Ron. He was staring blankly out the window, and Harry and Hermione's faces morphed into expressions of concern.
"You alright, Ron?" Harry asked.
The other boy startled and smiled sheepishly at them. "Sorry," Ron said, "I was just thinking about how we never did this."
"What do you mean? We've ridden the train before." Hermione said.
"No I know that." Ron shook his head and looked back out the window. "But we never rode it on our way to our Seventh Year of Hogwarts."
He was right, Harry thought. They never got the chance, nor had they ever intended on returning for their seventh year. There had been too much to do, too many Horcruxes to find.
They had heard about that train ride, from Ginny and Neville and Luna. How scared everyone was. How the train had been stopped-
As if his thoughts controlled it, the Hogwarts Express began to slow down, until it jerked to a stop.
Ron, Harry, and Hermione stood so quickly it was like they had never been sitting at all, their wands gripped tightly in their hands.
Harry gripped the door handle, and turned his head to look at the others.
"You ready?" At their nods he turned back to the door and took a deep breath. "Okay. Three, two, one!"
He threw the door open and the Trio spilled into the hallway, wands at the ready.
Only to be met with spells already flying their way.
Harry blocked a particularly nasty looking curse from hitting Hermione, but wasn't quick enough to dodge the cutting hex he took to his leg. He dueled figures in black cloaks and silver masks, and Harry almost fended them off.
He could have done it too, had more Death Eaters not come from the other direction.
Harry heard Ron cry out, and turned to see him trapped in the hold of a Death Eater.
Hermione was still dueling frantically beside him, and Harry was torn. Hermione was holding her own for now, but he didn't know how long that would last.
He didn't know if he'd be able to get to Ron in time either.
The Death Eater holding Ron lifted his hand, and took off his mask.
Dolohov.
He grinned.
"The Dark Lord wants an answer. He has not taken kindly to be kept waiting." Dolohov's voice was coated in amusement, and Harry felt sick.
He threw a curse at the Death Eater, but he blocked it easily. He threw another, and another, and another, but nothing went through.
Harry also was cautious. He didn't want to hit Ron.
"I think I'll take this one, to give you a little incentive. He is waiting for an answer. You best give it to him. Or your little friend, well." Dolohov's grin grew wider and meaner. "Who knows what will happen to him."
Ron struggled against the other man's arms and the hold of his magic, but it was no use.
He turned his eyes to Harry, and all he could see was panic.
A fire lit in Harry's stomach, and he leveled his wand at Dolohov. "I won't let you take him."
Dolohov laughed.
"You don't have a choice."
A spell hit Harry square in the back and he crumpled, Hermione already down next to him.
Ron's desperate scream was the last thing Harry heard before darkness claimed him.
When Harry regained consciousness, the train was moving again.
Hermione was propped up on the bench next to him, and Lily was kneeling in front of him, a concerned look on her face.
"Oh thank Merlin, you're awake."
He heard a shuffling by the door and saw Remus and Peter standing awkwardly by the door, both looking frightened.
"Harry, what happened? We heard fighting, and people are saying students were taken from the train? Is it true?" Lily asked, taking his hand.
Harry closed his eyes, wishing for unconsciousness to take him once more. Then he wouldn't have to think about how he failed Ron. He felt Hermione reach over and take his hand, subtle tremors wracking her body.
He squeezed her hand.
"It...it was Death Eaters." Lily's hand came up to cover her mouth, muffling her gasp. Harry continued. "They wanted an answer we couldn't give, they didn't give us any time to think. It was...Lily it was Dolohov."
She shook her head. "But then why didn't he come after me? If he's been following me, why did he go after you?"
Remus and Peter made disbelieving noises at the door. "What do you mean, he's been following you, Lily? Why didn't you tell anyone?" Remus asked, his eyes wide.
Lily shot a look over her shoulder. "I did tell someone. I told Harry."
"But what was Harry meant to do about it?" Remus' voice was incredulous, as a teenager asking another teenager for help seemed absolutely ludicrous to him, despite the fact that he himself had been getting help from teenagers for years.
"Remus is this really the time?" Lily snapped. She turned back to Harry. "Please continue."
Harry took a fortifying breath.
"Dolohov, he...well. He came up behind us and he-he grabbed Ron and he must've cast some sort of binding spell on him because he couldn't get free. I tried to hex Dolohov but I was so afraid of hitting Ron, it was useless." Harry's grip on Hermione's hand increased and he squeezed his eyes shut. "Dolohov took him."
"No…" Lily whispered. "But why Ron?"
"It's Voldemort, Lily." Hermione said, softly. "He wants something we won't give to him, so he tries to hurt the people we care about."
"But why you three? Why did...You-Know-Who single you out?" Remus asked.
"Didn't-didn't Lily day people all through the train were taken?" Peter asked. "He must've just went after whoever was in the corridor."
"Peter's right. At least five students were taken, maybe more." Lily confirmed.
"We have to do something."
Harry tried to stand up, but Lily pushed him back down. He was so weak from whatever he was hit with that he didn't fight back.
"You're in no condition to go anywhere, Harry. Except maybe the Hospital Wing." Lily said firmly.
"You don't understand, Lily. It's Ron, we can't just, I can't just-"
"I know." Lily murmured. "But you're no use to him in your condition. We can talk about it again when you're better."
"She's right, Harry. We shouldn't do anything until we're healed. Ron'll be alright." Hermione scooted closer to Harry and he put his arm around her shoulders. "He has to be."
Their Seventh Year began in the Hospital Wing.
Madame Pomfrey fussed over them as usual, but nothing else about this situation was usual.
Harry was very used to being a patient in the Hospital Wing, and Hermione had spent her fair share of time there as well. But they felt Ron's absence clearly.
It's hard to know how big of a void someone can leave in your life, until they're gone.
They had experienced an absence of Ron before, but it hadn't been like this.
No one chose this.
"We have to get him back."
It was dark in the Gryffindor common room, the fire almost dead. Harry and Hermione sat on one of the big squashy couches, pressed close together.
"We don't even know where he is." Hermione replied, resting her head on Harry's shoulder. They stared into the dying embers and Harry set his resolve.
He wouldn't leave Ron out there alone.
His heart couldn't bear it.
"We'll just have to find out, then." Harry replied.
Harry's heart belonged to two people. He wouldn't survive without both of them.
"The hunt for Ron Weasley begins."
