Part Three- Falls to Climb

"You all know, of course, why we are here." Dumbledore leant forward slightly, and surveyed the witches and wizards who sat before him.

I'll take the position,
assume the missionary part,

The Order of the Phoenix.

you work by committee,
you had me pegged from the start.

"Voldemort." spat Sirius. Not one of the people around him shivered. They were all far too used to hearing that name.

I'll be pounce pony,
phony maroney,
pony before the cart.

"I was sent an owl," said Harry. He glanced around him, fully aware that he was the youngest present. "I am to meet with Voldemort, and he has vowed to destroy me. I am to go alone."

I'll be pounce pony.
this ceremony
only fills my heart.

A gasp rippled through the assembled group. Dumbledore stood up.
"There is only one way for this to work. Voldemort will obviously not hold to his part of the bargain and go alone. One other must go with Harry, hide, and distract Voldemort at a crucial moment. The Death Eaters will become confused, and we shall triumph. But there is a cost.

who cast the final stone?
who threw the crushing blow?

"Voldemort and his followers will not be so disorientated as to spare the decoy. Whoever does this, will ultimately lose his or her life." There was silence.

someone has to take the fall
why not me?

Suddenly, a single chair scraped. A tall, slightly gangly young man, with fiery red hair and freckles, stood.
"I'll do it."

a punch toy volunteer
a weakling on its knee.

It was late that night when Harry, Ron and Hermione returned to the common room. Ron had not spoken a word since the meeting. Harry sighed.
"Look, just tell us why. Please!"

is all you want to hear
and all you want to see.

"You wouldn't understand. Neither of you would." Their friend's voice was wooden.
"Try us." Ron shook his head.
"How could you? This is my dream."

romantically, you'd martyr me
and miss this story's point

"What?"
"All my life, I've been the faithful sidekick. The guy in the background. This is my ticket to the stars. I'm going to be a hero. This is my life, and I've chosen my way forward."

it is my strength, my destiny
this is the role that I have chosen.

"Ron, you're mad!"
"I'm saner than either of you. I can see my life, and I'm taking the road to heaven. Goodnight." With that he turned and walked calmly up the staircase to the boys' dormitories.

who cast the final stone?
who threw the crushing blow?

"God, Hermione, what is he doing?" She shook her head.
"I have no idea. Just let him come to his senses in time- did you see Dumbledore's face when Ron volunteered? He looked like a ghost. Or he'd seen one"

someone has to take the fall
why not me?

Albus Dumbledore stared at the wall of his office. It was past midnight, but he would not have been able to sleep that night. His dream would have returned to him.
"It's coming true, now, though," murmured the old man. "I can't even escape it waking. That poor, disillusioned boy."

gentlemen mark your opponents
fire into your own ranks.

Harry squirmed as he slept.
"No..... Ron, come back..... leave him alone!" In the throes of Harry's nightmare, a pale Ron screamed as Death Eaters dragged him away to be tortured. Hermione was sobbing beside him, but all Harry heard was his best friend's anguished cry:
"You let them take me! You betrayed me Harry! All I ever was to you was a pawn! You betrayed me!"
"No, Ron, I can help you, I - RON!"

pick the weakest as strategic
move. square off. to

He awoke, shivering and his bedsheets drenched in sweat. Around him he could see his room illuminated in the pale moonlight. Bedside table, small wardrobe, broomstick resting on a battered suitcase. Everything was cozily familiar. He shook his head again, then buried it under the blankets.

meet your enemy.

The next morning, Hermione was trudging down the stairs from her room when a hand was clapped over her mouth. As she struggled, she was dragged slowly into a tiny box room. Her kidnapper slammed the door, and spun her around.
"Ron!"

for each and every gathering
a scapegoat falls to climb.

His eyes were bloodshot, as if he had not slept for days, and there was a crazed look to his face.

as I step forward, silently.
deliberately mine

"It's been a long time, now," he said, rubbing his hands together. "I've been harbouring a secret- oh, such a secret." Hermione tried not to look as spooked as she felt. Was this her friend Ron? Keeping her tone level, she tried to exit the situation.
"Ron, I have to get to breakfast."

who cast the final stone?
who threw the crushing blow?

"Later," he snapped. "We need to talk, Hermione Granger."
"About what?"
"About us." And he stared straight into her eyes.

someone has to take the fall
why not me? why not me.

"Ron, we're friends. I'll always be your friend, if that's what you want."
"But I don't want to be friends." His gaze was boring deeper now. Hermione's heart began to race. How had she not noticed this change in him? This Ron was no longer the gawky, freckle-faced boy she had known for seven years. "I want more."

had consequence chose differently
had fate its ugly head

She grabbed the door handle and started to turn it, but his fist closed around her arm.
"If I am to die, I have to tell you. I love you, Hermione. But you don't love me. And I can't live with this." The bushy-haired girl gasped.
"Ron, I- I...... I don't know what to say. You're a brilliant friend, and you always will be, but I love Harry. I think I always have. I'm..... I'm sorry."

my actions make me beautiful
and dignify the flesh

With a harsh laugh that sounded more like a bark, Ron released her.
"So, I am thwarted," he said, and some of the old Ron seeped back into his features. "I- I wish you happiness Hermione."
"Ron, you don't have to do this. You don't have to die." He shook his head.
"I think Dumbledore once said 'it is our choices who make us who we are'. And this is my choice. This is who I am."

me. I am free. free.

Author's Notes: **blows nose on tissue.** Seriously, I am crying. All characters, places etc. are ©JK Rowling and Warner Bros. Song ©REM. Plot ©my Muses. This is the end of the songfic trilogy entitled 'Follow the Light' (name pinched off a Travis song). For further works of Maeve Cairech, see my profile.