Ron + Deatheater = The Imperius Curse
The Imperius Curse quickly took effect. Before he could figure out what happened, Ron could feel a pleasant warmth encircling his body, and he almost forgot about everything. Almost. Although he wasn't as good as Harry in fighting the Imperius Curse, he didn't take Professor Moody's class for nothing. A warning bell went off deep inside his head. But Ron couldn't do anything...he heard something else, much stronger...
"You will obey me. Bring me Harry Potter. Now." It was his captor, the controller of the Imperius curse put upon him. Now he was controlling Ron. The realization of that jostled Ron into tempoary awareness. In the midst of the smoke, there was a a hooded figure. A Deatheater. But it wasn't just any Deatheater. It was-
"Bring Harry Potter to me now!" The harsh voice commanded ruining his train of thought. The curse blinded his mind, if that's possible.
Pain covered his whole body, forcing him to obey. The Deatheater laughed a horrible laugh. "Go. Now. Bring him down here for me to kill him."
Ron tried to scream. But the curse was much stronger. He couldn't resist it any longer. And he fell victim to the curse.
After Ron walked out of the dungeons, he left an unconscious Snape. The Death Eater performed anther spell. "Ennervate," he ordered.
*****
Although the explosion was faint, Harry and Hermione definetly heard it. But it seemed as if no one else had. The rest of the Gryffindors were cheerily talking to each other. Seamus and Dean were talking to Lavender and Parvati; Neville was looking for Trevor, his Toad; Fred and George were selling Elephant Eclairs.
"What happened?" Hermione said worridly.
"I don't know," said Harry. "Did anyone hear anything just now?" Harry asked the rest of the common room. No one heard him. They were all too busy.
"Come on," Hermione said. "It sounded like it came from downstairs." Hermione grabbed Harry's hand and they ran out of the portrait hole.
*****
Ron walked along the corridors. He paused at the stairs, as if trying to decided whether to go up. He went up. As he was about to round the corner, he walked into Malfoy.
Malfoy took one look at him and sneered. His nose was mended, and it looked normal (for him anyway).
"What did you get Weasley? Two detentions?" Malfoy said, waiting for Ron to shoot something back.
Ron didn't even look at him. He just walked straight ahead.
"Weasley! Are you deaf or something?"
Ron kept walking.
"Weasley! What the hell's wrong with you?" Malfoy yelled. Usually, if he treated Ron like this, Harry and Hermione would have to hold him back from beating Malfoy up. But this time, Ron didn't even care, thought Malfoy increduosly.
Ron turned around. He doesn't look mad, thought Malfoy. Quite the opposite actually. Ron had a look of determination and he looked at Malfoy quite strangely. He had a foreign glint in his eye.
"Nothing's wrong with me." Ron said. "I feel fine. Just fine." He grinned at Malfoy, then turned around and walked away, leaving a stunned Malfoy gaping at him from the corner.
*****
"Ron! There you are! We've been waiting for you in the common room and then we heard an explosion from down here!" Hermione ran to Ron and leaned against him. She put her head on his shoulder. But Ron just shrugged her away.
"Where's Harry?" Ron demanded.
"Back down the hall," Hermione said, looking hurt. She tried to catch Ron's eye to tell him that, but Ron avoided her gaze and looked straight down the hall.
Why was Ron acting like this? It's not like him. And even if he was mad, he would've told her why, and probably shoot some sarcastic remark at her. So he was clearly not mad. Hermione tried again.
"So..Ron...what did Snape do to you? Did you get some kind of horrible punishment for socking Malfoy for me?" She grinned flirtatiously, which was a bit out of style for her. But it looked as if Ron needed a big hint.
"Harry!" Ron yelled, as he say Harry come down the hall. Ron ran down to him, leaving Hermione standing alone.
"Hey! You survived a meeting with Snape, congrats!" Harry smiled. Then, he said, "Did you hear the explosion? I don't think anyone else has, the whole castle's too loud and busy. The teachers aren't even investigating."
Ron looked at him strangely. "You heard it?"
"Well yeah, but I think me and Hermione were the only ones who did." Harry looked around for Hermione, who glared at Ron's back.
"Well, Snape was just brewing a potion and he added to many horned toads," said Ron in a casual voice.
"Well that explains it," replied Hermione testily.
"Professor McGonagall wants to see you now, something about your Transfiguration essay. I'm supposed to fetch you and then go back down to the dungeons again to start serving my detention." Ron said to Harry, again ignoring Hermione.
"Um, ok, I guess I'll go see her." Harry started to walk down the stairs to Professor McGonagall's office with Ron.
"Hold on, I'll walk with you," said Ron, "I need to go back to Snape's anyway."
"I'll come with you and wait, Harry -and Ron." Hermione started to follow them.
Ron looked over his shoulder at Hermione. Finally! she thought.
"I don't think you should Hermione, you should wait in the common room until I get back."
At this, Hermione almost lost her temper. What gave Ron the right to order her around like that? Harry was already at the far end of the hall so he didn't really hear what Ron said to her. As she watched Ron and Harry's retreating backs, she stood there and silently fumed.
Oh Ron, what happened? I thought that you loved me! You just told me today! Like an hour ago! At this, Hermione realized something was so obviously wrong. Ron could not have lost his memory in just one hour, he wasn't the forgetting type. Hermione tip-toed after them, her suspisions arising.
*****
Back in the dungeons
Snape was concious again. He groaned as he tried to get up, but the pain in his back was too much. He slowly opened his eyes and saw what lay before him.
"You!" Snape croaked, coughing for clean air, as the dungeon was oblilerated with the stone wall in pieces of the ground.
"Me," replied Lucius Malfoy. "You have quite a good memory, although I must say, I was hoping that the rock that hit your head caused permanent damage." Lucius had his wand outstretced, in a line with Snape's nose. Snape looked around, his wand lay useless 20 feet away.
"Next time Dumbledore's gone, you shouldn't be in the dungeons by yourself. Wait, I forgot, there was someone here with you. The muggle-loving Arthur Weasley's son. I thought I'd never see the day where a Weasley was useful, but in this case-let's just say that Lord Voldemort will be VERY pleased."
Snape glared at Lucius. He winced as he sat up. "Dumbledore's comming back soon, he's looking for any remaining Deatheaters."
Lucius laughed softly. "I don't think that will be a problem Severus. After all, you left your fellow Deatheaters at Lord Voldemort's height. Am I right? After Corinna's death?"
Lucius struck a nerve. Snape narrowed his eyes. Corinna. The name brought back painful memories. "You b*stard! You knew before anyone about what Voldemort had in store for her!"
Before Snape could say anymore, Lucius seemed to have lost his patience. Using his wand, he conjured up ropes to tie Snape with. His back screamed with pain. Snape opened his mouth to yell, but Snape cursed his mouth shut.
"Stay over there," commanded Lucius. "Although I doubt that you'll be going anywhere. The show's about to begin."
*****
After Ron and Harry rounded the corner, Ron motioned for Harry to keep on going down the stairs.
"Why? Professor McGonagall's office isn't there." Harry said.
"She's helping Professor Snape clean up the mess in the dungeons. You know, the idiot can't do anything worthwhile." Ron answered.
Harry sniggered, even though it wasn't completely true. He hesitated though, before going down to the dungeons. "I don't really want to go down there with Snape around, listening to Professor McGonagall critiqing my essay. He'd probably think that I'm stupider than he thinks I am. I'll wait 'till later when Professor McGonagall comes up."
"No! You have to come down know!" Ron cried.
"What's with you? Do you just want the meeting to be over so you can see Hermione again?" Harry winked.
"Yeah I am actually." Ron looked surprised with himself. "Hurry up Harry, I want to spend some *quality time* with my girlfriend."
Ron sprinted down the remaining steps to the dungeon and motioned for Harry to follow him.
Harry, expecting to see some kind of disgusting spilled substance littered with dead frogs all over the ground was actually surprised at what he saw- Lucius Malfoy, wand pointed at Harry.
*****
A/N Snape bound and gagged (sorta in a corner), Ron under the Imperius Curse, Harry is about to die, Lucius Malfoy about to kill him, and Hermione at the top of the stairs. Dun-dun-dun!!!! What will happen? Who will be the first to go (where?), stay tuned for The Fifth Year: Part 6. p.s. I'm sorry at how slowly this is moving, but I needed to write this stuff for the future installments! Forgive me, Review please, or i'll be sad :(.
disclaimer: i don't own anything 'cept this story. everyone else is jkr's cept Corinna, whoever she is (wink).