Through The Eyes Of Ron
Chapter Fifteen
Ready To Run
Disclaimer: I don't own anything but the plot to this story. This is just fan fiction, I'm writing this for fun and for free. Any characters you recognize belong to J.K. Rowling, and all them smart, rich people.
Author's Note: This is fan fiction, a story idea from the brain that's mine entangled with J.K. Rowling's world and characters. I'm writing this for me, and posting it on Fanfiction.net so I have it saved. I'm not trying to impress anybody I'm just writing and saving that's all. Don't flame me if y'all don't like it, but if somebody should happen to enjoy it, please feel free but not obligated to leave a review. ~*Carey*~
Thank You: I would like to thank Sugar Girl, lalalalalaaaaa, curly29, Jenny, lordoftherats, Karlei Shaynner, rw fan, Sara, Angel cookiez, and Juicy Blueberry Baby for reviewing. Thanks so much for the reviews they really brighten my day! Also to lordoftherats and curly29: I like all of your ideas, and I'll try to use them, but if not I'll try and get as close as I can to want you want to happen. I hope you enjoy! ~*Carey*~
"Harry, are you mad? You need to go back to Hogwarts." Ron said.
"You really want to turn yourself in already?" Harry asked with disbelief.
"You are mad. I said you, not we, you. You need to go back to Hogwarts." Ron said.
"Well then if I'm mad, you must be deaf. I asked you where we are headed. I'm going with you." Harry said.
"Harry, I'm not deaf. I told you, you are going up to the school. I on the other hand go wherever the wind takes me." Ron said.
"So then where is the wind taking us?" Harry asked.
"Harry…" Ron said annoyed.
"Ron, shut up. I'm going with you all right? You don't get to have all the fun by yourself." Harry said.
"Yes, because running away is so much fun." Ron said rolling his eyes.
"Well, it will be, because I'll be with you." Harry said.
"So not only will I be chased by my Headmaster, I'll have to worry about you getting caught by You-know-who, or Sirius, or everybody else in the wizarding world who might be looking for you. And you know that will happen, because as soon as they realize your gone, they'll have your picture on the front page of the Daily Prophet, and then You-know-who and the wizarding world will be searching for you, and if somebody finds you, they'll find me as well, though I'm sure nobody will realize, so I may have a chance of getting away, but if its Sirius who searches for you, he'll kill me on the spot, because no matter what you say it will have been my idea for you to come along and risk your life, because you have more sense than I do, and I'm a manipulative prat according to everybody who knows me. And I think it's a better idea for you to go back up to the school, before you get suspended." Ron said.
"I have as good of a chance now of getting suspended than being gone for a week or so. I might as well earn my suspension, right?" Harry asked.
"Harry, you might not be suspended if you go back now. You'll probably be lectured a lot, but you won't be suspended. And as much as I would enjoy your company, I don't want the company of Sirius when he finds you. He could find you easier than anybody else, because he can turn into a dog, and they have the best sense of smell." Ron said.
"And if he doesn't find me?" Harry asked pulling a container of salt. "I had a feeling he'd come after me, but I'd rather be a runaway with my best friend than a wizard with no friends, but Hermione. Hermione's a good friend, a great friend, one of my two best friends-"
"Who's first?" Ron asked.
"Definitely you, but anyway I can't help but want to burn or accidentally lose my books because she keeps nagging me to study. She's obsessed, but anyway, I want a break." Harry said. "But you have to bring you. I have money for the Knight Bus and food and rooms at the Leaky Cauldron."
Ron looked at Harry with his eyebrows raised. "Please tell me you're not serious. My Headmaster will have alerted the Knight Bus, and if we go to buy food somebody will spot us, and the Leaky Cauldron? Did you not just hear me tell you your picture will be on the cover of the Daily Prophet? And you reckon Tom, the innkeeper, won't ask Dumbledore if it's all right that we're off of school property? You know nothing about living on the streets." Ron said.
"So you reckon we starve, get sick with pneumonia when it rains because there isn't a roof over our heads, and run to wherever we're headed?" Harry asked.
"I never said it was easy or fun. That was you." Ron said.
"All right, then what are we wasting time for? Sirius will find out any minute now." Harry said.
"You seriously want to come?" Ron said.
"When I said we, I meant we. We are going to leave, now. So get up, let's go." Harry said.
"I swear you better not be setting me up to go back to Bridgeton, because I swear..." Ron said.
"See for yourself." Harry said rolling his eyes.
"Harry, if we leave now, I won't be coming back. All right? If you go with me, you'll be giving up your whole life as a wizard. That includes Quidditch." Ron said.
"And it includes Voldemort, and I'm all right with that." Harry said.
Ron paled at the mention of the name. "Look, Harry, you're the only one whose ever survived Voldemort, and you've done it nearly four times now. The wizarding world is safe or at least feels safe because you're still alive. You're a fifteen-year-old wizard who survived the darkest wizard ever. Maybe you should stay." Ron said.
"Ron, it won't make a difference whether or not I, a wizard in his fifth year is at Hogwarts or not. Voldemort will kill whomever he wants, whenever he wants, whether or not I'm at Hogwarts. Only now I'm not going to be at Hogwarts, so he won't know where I am at all times." Harry said.
"Which means, everybody will be looking for you, including him." Ron said.
"I can forget about the Dark Lord, all right?" Harry asked.
"You say that now, but in all honesty you can't runaway when you're you. If you want to go back whenever, I'll understand, and I won't hold it against you." Ron said seriously.
"Ron, I'm not going back until you do." Harry said.
"Yes you will, and I mean what I said. I won't blame you or hold it against you. If I had the chance to go back to Hogwarts, I would." Ron said.
"Let's get going already otherwise Sirius will find us." Harry said.
Harry and Ron ran quickly through an opening, where anybody who might've been looking could've spotted them, and over a hill towards the mountains.
"So, why don't you want to go back to Bridgeton?" Harry asked.
"Bridgeton isn't an option anymore, now that I think about it. They throw murderers in Azkaban, don't they?" Ron asked.
"Yes, but Ron you didn't murder anybody." Harry said.
"You don't know why everybody wants to find me, do you? I killed Malfoy. This morning. Well, I don't imagine that's the only reason everybody wants to find me. I proved Bridgeton wrong about being able to escape, and my parents trusted them when they signed custody over to them, but they're supposed to come for a conference some time this month. They can't exactly tell them I'm well if I ran away and murdered somebody, can they?" Ron asked.
"Ron, you didn't kill Malfoy. Snape was seething mad though, he said you nearly killed him." Harry said.
"Well as long as he keeps his hands off of Ginny. I hope he learns something from that. Do you know that that little git said that he beat my ass last time? Well, even if he did, which he didn't, he certainly came off worse this time. I wrecked the dungeons too it was great! I can't believe what an idiot he is. He believed my handwriting was Professor Snape's." Ron laughed.
"Well at five o'clock in the morning, what did you expect?" Harry asked.
"It was four." Ron said grinning as they began to climb the mountain.
"So why don't you want to go back to Bridgeton?" Harry asked.
"Which reason do you want to hear? The fact that I'm locked inside my room all day, I have no privacy, they put tracer on my clothes, they took my stuff away from me. The only things I have are my shoes, uniform, and pajamas that they made. They locked my trunk away, but I found it obviously. Anyway, I'm never allowed outside. I can't be locked in a room all day studying without having a bit of fresh air. I wasn't meant to be locked up. I'm not Hermione, who would love that school, because there's only schooling, sleeping, and eating, unless you're on punishment, and that's the main reason I don't want to go back. I might've considered going back earlier, but then I'm there longer. For every stunt I pull, I have to stay there a week longer than my year is up, oh and get this, I'm not there for a school year, but a whole year. I'm there in the summer, because my parents gave custody of me over to them. But, no, I won't go back to be punished. All I did was hurt Malfoy, I didn't even kill him, and I'll be punished just as if I had. And I'm not escaping for an hour just for business reasons. I haven't been outside in days Harry, and there are a lot of hours in days." Ron said.
"Yea, twenty-four." Harry said.
"Exactly, twenty-four very long hours. That's eighty six thousand, four hundred very long seconds or fourteen hundred and forty extremely long minutes. Anyway, you didn't stop me." Ron said.
"Well I figure maybe in a week you might want to go back." Harry said.
"Would you want to go back to a dementor any day?" Ron asked looking pale.
"No, what do dementors have to do with anything?" Harry asked.
"That's my punishment, it touches me, and all I see is hate aimed at me. I wanted to kill myself last time, just to get my parents' faces out of my head, but they're still there, and I had business to take care of, so I'm still here, but Harry they'll use them again on me, and I'm afraid I'll kill myself. Though maybe that would be better than that school. Everything was all right though, because Remus is a good teacher, and I don't have to learn with kids who hate me and want to kill me, and teachers who I've knocked out won't have to teach me, but I just had to do this. I needed to apologize to Ginny, and to let her know that I'd always be there for her, and I will always be there for her, no matter what. I was mad at her for giving the Headmaster of my school my letters to her, but I came through for her, I hope." Ron said.
"Don't worry Ron, we'll never go back." Harry said.
"So how's Hermione been?" Ron asked.
"I don't know, Ginny was mad at her that she told you about Malfoy. She didn't let Fred or George know, because Malfoy threatened her about them going to Bridgeton and her being all alone. If I had known, I would've hurt him, and protected her, but I didn't realize anything was wrong until recently, and I'm sorry." Harry said.
"That's all right, it wasn't your responsibility. She's not your sister." Ron said.
"But I haven't really heard her say anything but study for my O.W.L.S. ever since you left. She was crying when you left, but in the end she insisted it was all for the best, that you prevent me from studying for the O.W.L.S." Harry said.
"She hasn't changed a bit. I only pity her. She needs somebody like me there for her to shut her book and annoy her so that she gives it a rest. Books will only drive her mad." Ron said.
"You mean books only drive you mad." Harry laughed.
"That's true too." Ron laughed.
Very surprisingly, it wasn't until Friday evening that everybody realized Harry had gone missing.
Professor Dumbledore entered the Gryffindor Common Room that evening at nine o'clock.
Everybody, who appeared to be studying for exams, O.W.L.S., or their N.E.W.T.S. looked up at the Professor who seemed to be searching for someone.
"Has anybody seen Mr. Potter?" Professor Dumbledore asked.
Everybody shrugged or shook their heads.
"Ms. Granger?" Professor Dumbledore asked.
"What?" Hermione asked. She had been the only student to not look up at the Headmaster's entrance.
"Have you seen Harry?" Professor Dumbledore asked.
"Yes, he's up in his dorm getting something." Hermione said.
"Then he's been up there an awful long time, and we haven't seen him." Seamus said looking at Hermione.
"Ask Ginny, he was telling us- Oh! Oh no!" Hermione cried looking up in realization. "He wasn't in any lessons today!"
"Or the last two days, either. Remember? Snape- I mean Professor Snape took a hundred and fifty points for him skipping Wednesday and today. I haven't seen him, since the morning that Ron was here." Dean said.
"Did all of the teachers fail to notice this?" Professor Dumbledore asked with disbelief.
"No sir, I just told you Professor Snape took a lot of points from Gryffindor for dodging. Professor Trelawney said she understood why Harry wasn't in class. Binns doesn't notice anybody missing, and-"
"Professor McGonagall didn't say anything?" Professor Dumbledore asked.
"Yes. She said she was going to take points from her own house if Harry slept in again on Monday." Dean said.
"Oh dear." Professor Dumbledore said.
Professor Dumbledore went back to his office. Sirius sat in his Animagus form growling at Professor Snape who was picking up a copy of the Daily Prophet and rolling it up.
"Severus, drop it now." Professor Dumbledore said.
Professor Snape made to step forward as to move closer to Dumbledore's desk to drop the desk, but stepped hard on Sirius' right front paw causing Sirius to whimper.
"Severus, you will respect Sirius in the same way he respects you, or you may leave my office." Professor Dumbledore said.
Sirius transformed back to his wizarding form.
"Where's Harry?" Sirius asked.
"Excuse me, you can ask about him later. I need to speak with the Headmaster for a moment, and then I will be out of your presence." Professor Snape said.
"Fine." Sirius said massaging his bruised hand.
"What is it Severus?" Professor Dumbledore asked.
"I just wanted to let you know that Mr. Potter hasn't been to my class for the last two lessons now." Professor Snape said.
"I wonder why." Sirius said sarcastically.
"As do I. I fear he may be off the grounds. I wished you would've told me this on Wednesday." Professor Dumbledore said.
"Wait, what? You mean he's missing? You asshole, why didn't you tell him? Voldemort probably killed him by now!" Sirius said outraged.
Snape rolled his eyes.
"No, I don't believe that happened, however he is in danger if Voldemort catches him. Hopefully, Voldemort is unaware of his absence of the school, and as much as I would like to have a picture in the papers, I'm afraid Voldemort will read it and search for him as well." Professor Dumbledore said.
"But what if he's gotten to him already?" Sirius asked paling at the thought.
"He didn't Black." Professor Snape spat.
"How can you be so sure?" Sirius asked.
"Potter is with Weasley. I guarantee it." Professor Snape said rolling his eyes.
"How is that possible when Ron is in Bridgeton?" Sirius asked.
"Weasley escaped from Bridgeton, came here and harmed my student." Professor Snape said.
"Good." Sirius said.
"On the same morning that Harry went missing." Professor Snape said.
"What if he didn't find Ron, what if Voldemort found him first?" Sirius asked.
"He didn't." Professor Snape said irritably.
"How do you know?" Sirius asked.
"If Voldemort had captured him, he would've wanted his followers to see that he could indeed kill the famous Harry Potter, and therefore the marks on our arms would've burned clearly, and it has yet to burn. Therefore, he doesn't need his followers there, because he doesn't have Potter." Professor Snape said.
"Unless all of his followers are with him, did you ever think of that? Did you ever think that he knew you betrayed him? The people in Azkaban sure as Hell knew it." Sirius said outraged.
"Sirius!" Professor Dumbledore said standing up as both Sirius and Severus made moves toward each other as if to strike.
"Here's an idea Black, you can turn into a dog. Find Potter's scent and find Potter." Professor Snape said.
"Good idea! The only good idea you've ever had. The next one would be to use Shampoo." Sirius said before transforming into a dog and leaving the Headmaster's office.
An hour later Sirius returned with tears in his eyes.
"What's wrong, is he dead?" Professor Snape asked looking hopeful.
"Sirius?" Professor Dumbledore asked.
"I swear to God, if Harry's not dead or hurt really badly, I'll murder him myself!" Sirius said.
"What's wrong lost his scent?" Professor Snape asked.
"He covered his tracks with salt, and that screws up a dog's nose, as well as mine." Sirius said.
"I'd praise him, only I hate him as much as I hate you." Professor Snape said.
"Shut up." Sirius said.
"Harry, c'mere. Look at this." Ron said smiling excitedly two weeks later.
Harry ran over to the edge of the mountain where Ron was standing. He looked over and saw nothing but mountains, but they were beautiful. Even in the middle of April, the mountains still had a layer of snow at the top.
"Wow." Harry said looking out. This would be a great picture, and Harry would've enjoyed being out there, but he knew that they'd have to get across them as well, and he had a stitch in his side as it was.
"I say we stop here for tonight." Ron said.
"I don't have a problem with that." Harry said gratefully.
Harry fell asleep quickly, but Ron couldn't sleep. He hadn't slept well in days, in fear of somebody catching them, while they slept. He looked at his best friend. His friend was exhausted, and tired of running. Ron knew that Harry wanted to go back. The only problem was that Harry wanted Ron to go back with him. It was like old times, their running away being an adventure, but the only person missing was Hermione. Ron missed her, but he knew that the next time he saw her, she'd scream at him for letting Ginny know that she told him about Malfoy, but how else was a brother to find out and do his job? She'd also scream at him for hurting Malfoy so badly, but deep down, he knew she was glad he had done it. She'd also yell at him for making Harry follow him, for not making him go back, and even for running away himself. That was if he ever saw her again.
"Harry, Harry wake up." Ron said shaking him awake.
Harry woke up. "What?" Harry asked.
"You need to go back." Ron said.
"You did not just wake me up to argue did you?" Harry asked grumpily.
"Harry, you have to go back, all right? You do. I need you to go back." Ron said.
"Ron-" Harry started.
"Harry, you shouldn't have to live this kind of life." Ron said.
"Neither should you." Harry said.
"I don't have a choice you do." Ron said.
"I chose this." Harry said. "I came, all right. I'm fine. I'm staying."
"No, your not." Ron said. "You need to go back. I'll leave you here, and you'll have to go back. Don't make me abandon you Harry."
"I'm not leaving you here like this Ron, this isn't fair." Harry said.
"When has life ever been fair?" Ron asked. "Look at your parents, they're dead, was that fair? Was it fair that you had to live with those muggles? Was it fair that Sirius was in Azkaban for thirteen years? Was it fair that my Grandfather died? Life's not fair Harry, you need to go back to what you do have. You have people who are worried about you, and who care about you." Ron said.
"You don't think anybody cares about you?" Harry asked.
"Yes, everybody cares that I escaped from Bridgeton, everybody worries who I'll fight next." Ron said.
"That's not true." Harry said.
"Fine, I won't argue with you, but I will tell you something that is true. You're going back to Hogwarts and now." Ron said.
"Ron-"
"Did you not hear me? I said leave!" Ron yelled.
"So much for our friendship." Harry said.
"No, Harry, this is not the end of our friendship! I'm being a true friend by getting you out of here." Ron said.
"Leave already." Harry said angrily.
Ron ran as far as he could. He turned around when he heard the sound of the Knight Bus land. He looked back and watched Harry get on safely. There was no Voldemort around. That was good.
Ron turned around and ran. He knew that this was best. He was a good friend. He tried convincing himself that Harry didn't mean what he said about their friendship. He had been the best friend Ron had ever had. He would have to believe that. He couldn't take one more person hating him.
Harry walked up to Hogwarts angry, hurt, and numb. He wouldn't care if anybody yelled at him.
"Mr. Potter?" Professor McGonagall asked, and Harry could tell without looking behind him that the Professor had tears in her eyes.
Harry stopped walking in response.
"Thank God! What on earth were you thinking? You've had us all in a terrible state." Professor McGonagall said.
"And what about Ron? He doesn't worry you? Is it because he's not in this school anymore, or is it because he's not me?" Harry asked bitterly.
"Mr. Potter, I don't appreciate that tone, but I do worry about Mr. Weasley, terribly. He just isn't here for me to shout at." Professor McGonagall said. "Come to the Headmaster's office, he'll be wanting to see you."
Professor Dumbledore had his head in the fire when Professor McGonagall entered with Harry. A big black dog emerged from behind the door. He tackled Harry to the ground and then eyed him dangerously.
"Get off!" Harry yelled pushing Sirius off of him.
Sirius growled.
Professor Dumbledore had ended his conversation in the fireplace and looked across the desk to Harry. He was looking very angry.
"Mr. Potter, where have you been? Do you know how worried we've all been?" Professor Dumbledore asked.
"I'll go let Madam Pomfrey know he's back. I trust you to punish him." Professor McGonagall said leaving the office.
Sirius transfigured back into his wizarding form and locked the door.
"What in the hell were you thinking? Are you crazy? Voldemort could've killed you! Your parents appointed me your Godfather so that I could make sure you're all right when they weren't here, as they aren't! How do you think they're looking down on me now? I'm a failure to keep you safe, because in the three days I'm gone, you disappear to go find Ron. Maybe that's why Ron isn't in the same school as you-"
"SHUT UP!" Harry yelled furiously. "Shut up! Ron made me come back! You have no right to judge him!"
"Why did he make you come back, Harry? Because he couldn't go as fast with you with him?" Sirius asked.
Harry stood up, crossed the room, and left Professor Dumbledore's office. He ran to the Gryffindor common room and to his dorm without saying hello to anybody. He lay on his bed and cried. He was never going to see his best friend again. It wasn't fair that Ron had to go through much crap, but he did, and he did it without Harry.
Author's Note: I know this chapter was rushed, choppy, and probably didn't make a lot of sense. For this I am sorry. For this you get an extra chapter in the same day. Read on! ~*Carey*~