The Blood of Ronald Weasley
Just a few more chapters and then comes the end. I love you guys for posting such wonderful reviews and encouraging me to write a sequel. Well, here goes nothing…and oh, I'm not JKR, like you'd think that anyway…lol
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN: THE SCAR AND THE FUNERAL
After four days in the hospital wing, Ron was finally released. It was Saturday, and they had been informed by Dumbledore that Neville's funeral was to be held the next day.
"Where is it going to be held, Professor?" Hermione asked him.
"Neville is being buried in his hometown in the local cemetery. I am setting up a portkey for the students who will be attending, and of course, the rest of the teachers will be Apparating. If you wish to come, please report to the Great Hall tomorrow morning at noon. The service will be at one, but I do not wish to be tardy," Dumbldore told them.
After they finished talking to Dumbledore, the four made their way to the Great Hall for breakfast.
They took seats at the Gryffindor table and Ron engaged Harry in a discussion about their upcoming Quiddich match against Ravenclaw. They had already beaten Slytherin and were in the lead for the cup so far.
Hermione sat next to Ginny and they chatted on and off. Nobody mentioned what was going on tomorrow.
"Oh, no!" Hermione yelped. She had spilled pumpkin juice all down her front.
"Nice one, Hermione," Ginny said laughing.
"At least it wasn't my robes. This is an old t-shirt anyway. I'll just go up and change," she said rising.
Ron watched as Hermione left the Great Hall. He had been looking for a chance to talk to her in private about…everything. He wanted to talk about how he felt about being alive while Neville was dead, and how he felt about her. He had done some serious soul searching in the past four days, and he surprised himself with some of the things he'd come up with. He'd never really thought about what kind of a person he was or what his place in the world was, and he needed someone like Hermione to talk it over with.
"I'll be back," he said simply. Then he too strode out of the Great Hall.
He thought he might catch up with Hermione, but he made it all the way to the common room without seeing her. He hesitated for a minute, then climbed the spiral staircase to the girls' dormitories. The rest of the girls were at breakfast so Hermione should be alone.
Hermione had just picked out a new t-shirt to put on. She took off the one soiled with pumpkin juice just as the door opened. Since her back was to the door, she assumed it must be one of her roommates.
"Hermione!" She heard Ron's voice and quickly pulled the shirt over her head.
"For Pete's sake Ron, you might have knocked," she said indignantly.
"Sorry…but what was that on your back?" he asked sharply.
"My bra? What are you talking about?" She put her hands on her hips.
Ron flushed a little, but continued. "No, that thing." He made violent slash marks in the air.
"Oh. That."
"Yes that. What the devil is it?"
"The scar?" she asked softly.
"Of course the scar! Where did it come from?" he asked, thinking he might already know the answer. Please God, he thought, let me be wrong.
Hermione slumped down on her bed and sighed heavily. "I got it when…last year. At the Death Eater camp."
Ron wanted to rip each one of those bastards limb from limb. He settled for sitting down next to Hermione and wrapping an arm around her.
"What happened?" he asked softly, rubbing small circles on her back.
"It was like a prison, Ron. Worse. They kept us in small, cold cells. Sometimes there was a guard outside, but they hardly needed them because we had no wands and we were so weak. Ginny and I sat in silence most of the time, but then I began to think of a plan. If we maybe did push ups or exercised, we'd get strong. I forced Ginny and myself to eat everything they gave us. I'd initiate conversations about school and potion ingredients and all that sort of thing to keep our minds active, and after a few weeks I was feeling like myself again. One day, a rude guard came by and started making…lewd comments."
"What did he say to you?" Ron sounded furious.
"It isn't important. I got so made, though. I mouthed off at him and called him some unrepeatable names. He got really angry and dragged me out of the cell. Ginny was screaming, but there was nothing she could do. I thought he was going to kill me, but he made his wand turn red just like Fudge's did the other night. He slashed my back."
"Oh, Hermione."
"It's okay, Ron. I bled for awhile, but Ginny bandaged it up. When we finally did escape, I'd had the scar for awhile and there was nothing Madam Pomfrey could do about it. It'd been there too long, you see."
Ron pulled her closer and whispered into her hair, "I love you."
She started weeping. "What is wrong with the world? What could make people think they could behave the way they do, torturing and killing people?"
"I don't know, love. But not everyone is like that. Like Ginny said, we just have to be glad to be. I'm so lucky. I owe everything to Neville for what he did. I owe him my future. Our future."
Hermione didn't respond. Had Ron just said our future? She didn't know what to say. She was overwhelmed by love, confusion, grief, and a devastating sense of fatigue.
***
Sunday at noon found Harry, Ron, Ginny, and Hermione in the Great Hall with Dumbldore and a few other students who wanted to attend Neville's funeral. Parvati was there, and she had bags under her eyes and she looked pale.
Hermione spoke to her in hushed tones, and she nodded and wiped some stray tears from her eyes.
To Harry's great surprise, Draco Malfoy sauntered in. He was going to Neville's funeral?
When Malfoy joined the group, Dumbledore cleared his throat and the Hall became silent.
"I want to say that I appreciate every one of you coming today. I am devastated at this loss of innocent life, but this is a beginning. Neville ended something terrible, and I will be forever grateful. All that I ask is that you be respectful to his family. That said, will everyone put a finger on the portkey so we can be on our way?"
They did so, and soon they were transported to a cemetery.
It was a cloudless day, and the grass was perfectly manicured and the graves glared in the sun. It was chilly with a nip of winter in the air. Harry saw a man supporting a crying old woman who he suspected must be Neville's grandmother.
The mahogany coffin gleamed in the light, and it was surrounded by flowers. Neville's family stood on the left of the coffin, and the Hogwart's staff stood on the right. The students took their spot on the right, and who Harry assumed must be some type of reverend stood in front of the wooden casket.
The man spoke. "We are gathered here today to say farewell to a good and brave man, Neville Longbottom. He was young, but worthy of note. Some might say he was too young to die, but aren't they all? This man died for the protection of many witches and wizards, and we owe him a great debt. I am honored to say that he has received the Order of Merlin, First Class."
With this, the wizard flicked his wand and a shiny medallion appeared on Neville's coffin.
He continued. "This world cannot always be explained, and sometimes there is no rhyme or reason to people's actions. We may ask ourselves, why? But we shall never come up with an answer. Life, and people, are too complex. We must trust in Neville's decision, and be content with the knowledge that he has not completely left us. He lives on in our minds, bodies, and souls. He was many things to many people, and we must be thankful for the time he had with us. He gave us a precious gift, that of freedom. And he will be well taken care of for his generosity."
Harry was wondering what came next. He'd never been to a wizarding funeral before. He soon got his answer.
Neville's grandmother and what Harry assumed was his uncle made their way up to the coffin. They each laid a hand on it, above where Neville's heart would be, and the coffin shown gold.
Everyone from Neville's family did the same thing, and then the teachers. When Parvati put her hand on the coffin, it seemed to glow a little brighter. Tears were streaming down her face, and Dumbledore escorted her away from everyone to where the portkey was left.
Harry touched his had to the casket, and found it warm. Goodbye, mate. We owe you everything, he thought.
Next, Ron touched his hand to the coffin. I'll miss you Neville, and I'm in your debt. Good luck, wherever you are.
I know this chapter was short as well, but it covered a lot. I think two more chapters would end it, what do you think? Then of course this sequel I'm toying with…please review!