Author's Notes at the end of the chapter.

***

Neville sat staring at the painting on the wall.

It had been funny when Ron first told him the story. Horrid Mrs. Black, who filled the house day in and day out with her evil shrieks. Neville had only heard them once for a brief moment, and that had been enough.

And then Fred and George had perfected their silence potion, and now with one daily spray Mrs. Black was rendered silent.

She wasn't taking it well, either. She would scream and bellow and rail against anyone she saw, her mouth moving grotesquely in fury, made cartoonish by the fact that no sound came out.

They had taken to leaving the drapes over the painting open, laughing at her mute anger.

Neville used to find it funny. Now he sort of understood how she must have been feeling, screaming with no voice. And it wasn't funny anymore.

"Neville?"

He looked around and spotted Mrs. Weasley coming from the kitchen. She held a steaming mug that smelled like orange and honey. "Drink this, dear."

He took the cup when she offered it, but guiltily. She was pale and wan, and looked as if she could use it more than he could.

She nodded at him, though, and he lifted the cup of tea and sipped.

"You didn't sleep last night at all, did you?"

Neville would have laughed, but the tea was making his stomach churn unpleasantly. "No."

"Dumbledore and the best aurors we have are looking for Ron." She spoke as if trying to convince herself more than him. "We'll have him back before you know it."

Neville nodded, because it would have been cruel to voice any of his more morbid thoughts to her.

Her eyes drifted off to stare at nothing.

He wondered if there was something he should do. She was very…motherly, and he really had no idea how to handle mothers. Not the way he would have handled his Gran, who was calmly asleep somewhere in the house.

Well. She told him what she wanted to believe herself, so maybe he should do the same.

He cleared his throat slightly. "Ron's really brave. He's done a lot of dangerous things before. He's going to be fine."

Her chin wobbled a bit, but she nodded stiffly.

"Mrs. Weasley?" A new voice spoke from the stairs.

Neville recognized Harry's voice, so he didn't bother turning to look.

Harry moved up to them slowly, looking as if he also hadn't bothered trying to sleep. He sat down on the chair nearest the couch Neville and Ron's mother were sitting on. "Neville's right. Ron will be okay."

Again someone spoke words they themselves wanted to be convinced of. Neville almost smiled. Instead he looked over at Harry.

Harry smiled wanly at him.

Mrs. Weasley looked to Harry suddenly, then back to Neville. "What is it you were talking about before? When you said there were bad things that happened to Ron that no one noticed."

Neville looked away from Harry instantly and down at his mug of tea. "I…"

She reached out and touched his arm. "I want to know what's been going on in my son's life that he hasn't told me about."

Neville swallowed, wondering if he and Ron's strange new relationship was one of the things she would want to know.

She went on after a moment of silence. "What are these dangerous things he's done? He doesn't tell us much of anything. Except what you've done," she looked at Harry suddenly. "Brag about you for hours, he will."

Harry hesitated. "You know about our first year? The chess game he won?"

She smiled tiredly. "Professor McGonagall sent a letter home telling us all about it. His first time in hospital, wasn't it?"

Harry nodded, his eyes going distant as he remembered.

"Not his last, though," Neville said with all the humor he could manage.

Harry choked out a laugh. "No. Not at all. He had to go back our very first day second year."

Mrs. Weasley scowled a bit, half-heartedly. "When you boys stole our car. Yes, I remember."

Harry was too lost in memory to be properly contrite. "Then there was that curse he tried to…" He trailed off, shutting his mouth.

"Curse?" Mrs. Weasley looked at him sharply. "What curse?"

"Nothing. He didn't even go to hospital for that. Just to…Hagrid." Harry couldn't hold back a smile.

Neville remembered then. Everyone who had been there had gone on to laugh long and hard about that curse.

Harry explained finally. "He tried to curse Malfoy. He called Hermione a…" He hesitated in deference to Mrs. Weasley. "A Mudblood."

She gasped faintly. "A child used that horrible name?"

Harry nodded. "Ron was right furious. But his wand was broken. His curse backfired and he ended up spitting out slugs for hours."

Mrs. Weasley looked shocked, but her mouth turned up at the corners. "Fred and George taught him that curse, no doubt."

"No doubt," Harry agreed. "And there was something else first year. His hand. He got bit by a baby dragon. He wasn't going to go to Pomfrey, to protect Norbert and Hagrid, but his hand swelled up so big we all got a bit scared."

Neville nodded. "He was almost lucky with that, though. He didn't have to go into the Dark Forest."

Harry smiled. "No. You did."

Neville smiled back faintly.

"He did go, though. To find Aragog."

"Aragog?" Mrs. Weasley asked, looking back and forth between them.

"This huge spider Hagrid has kept in the Dark Forest."

"Spider? Ron hates spiders."

Harry laughed. "I know. He made sure to remind me of that as often as possible."

She seemed taken aback. "He's petrified."

Harry nodded and his face creased in a frown. "He broke his leg that next year."

"We got a letter about that as well. Madame Pomfrey said it was a nasty break."

Harry swallowed suddenly, his frown deepening. "He got dragged off by…Sirius. But Sirius didn't mean to hurt him. We just didn't know the truth back then, and Ron fought him hard. He was just using Ron to get me somewhere where he could tell me the truth."

Mrs. Weasley looked pinched suddenly, as if she didn't approve of Sirius much. Still, she didn't say anything.

"Sirius felt bad for hurting Ron. Really he did. He kept trying to get Ron to be still and lay down, but Ron…" Harry looked at Mrs. Weasley, his eyes bright. "Ron stood himself up on that leg and got in front of me. He told Sirius that he'd have to kill him to get to me."

Mrs. Weasley studied Harry, her eyes alight with shock. "He never said…"

Harry went on, sniffing quietly. "Everything that happened after…I guess I just sort of forgot about that. And fourth year we were fighting and…and I didn't even want to talk to him when he tried to apologize."

Mrs. Weasley instantly touched his arm. "Harry. Boys your age fight all the time.'

Harry ignored her words. "When Dobby told me about the second task, and told me it was Ron they took…I didn't know what to think. I think part of me was surprised that they thought Ron was the most important thing in my life. But they were right, and I was stupid not to know."

"Now, Harry, dear…"

"Last year I practically ignored him, Mrs. Weasley." Harry looked at her, then turned sorrowful eyes to Neville. "I was mean to him, and to Hermione, because of things that weren't even their fault! And she told me all the time to stop picking on them, but he never said anything. He just stood there and let me…" Harry swallowed. He reached up and wiped under his eyes roughly.

Neville looked at his tea again. The last thing his fragile self-control needed was to watch someone cry.

Harry's voice shook. "He never argues with me anymore. Not once after the fight we had in fourth year. He just lets me say and do whatever I want, even if he doesn't like it. And I'm such an ass to him."

"There was a lot going on last year," Mrs. Weasley spoke sympathetically.

"I know, but…"

Neville spoke up before he could stop himself. "But you didn't once bother helping him, the way he helps you all the bloody time!"

"Neville!"

He ignored Mrs. Weasley regretfully. He did lower his voice a bit. "He was scared to death of being a prefect. Thought he would mess it all up. And he was terrified of playing Quidditch once he got on the team. Then, of course, he was humiliated every single day after that first game. And he was so guilty after you got thrown off the team. What was worst, though, was that no one even noticed, except to laugh at him. Because there was 'a lot going on'." He glared at the mug in his hands.

Harry's voice sounded hushed. "Then you were…he told you that?"

"No!" Neville looked up finally. "I saw it happening, Harry. I paid attention. It isn't as though he tried to hide anything. That's not how he is."

"I know." It was Harry's turn to look away.

Neville drew in a breath. "He's really upset about Percy. But no one talks to him about that. And he's really scared about his OWLs, because he was such a mess last year he didn't do that well. And yeah, Harry, he's really scared of having some row with you and losing you as a friend, because he knows how it feels now. And you're so hostile lately he thinks just a word will set you off. He tried to talk to you when you got here, you know that. He wasn't running away anywhere with me. He just needed a break from trying so hard."

"I know, I know." Harry's shoulders shook.

Mrs. Weasley stood instantly and went to his chair, crouching down. "Harry, dear…"

"I'm sorry," Harry mumbled. "He's my best friend, and he's too scared to talk to me."

"He's too scared to talk to anyone," Neville replied, feeling tired.

Mrs. Weasley stroked Harry's back soothingly, but her eyes went to Neville in something like alarm. "My Ron? My Ron is hardly scared to…"

Neville shrugged. "He doesn't tell you the good things because he assumes some brother of his has already topped it. And he doesn't tell you the bad because you've got too much to worry about as it is."

Her hand stilled. She seemed at a loss for words.

Harry wiped his eyes again. "Does he talk to you?" He seemed almost hopeful.

Neville frowned. "Not really. He doesn't think it's important enough."

Harry let out a breath.

Mrs. Weasley looked to be in shock.

The front door opened.

Neville turned to see Dumbledore had returned. At his side was Professor Snape. In Snape's hand was a strange cloudy globe.

***

Ron woke up for the fifth time since he'd been left alone. He rolled on his other side, but that was no more comfortable than any other position.

There was no way to relax tied up how he was.

Stupid woman could have taken the rope off. He was a prisoner in a room with no doors; it wasn't like having his hands free would change that.

He was shivering even though it wasn't cold, and that didn't help him relax at all.

When he shut his eyes he saw a wand pointed at him, and thin lips forming a cruel word.

He sat up finally, thinking maybe it would be best if he just didn't sleep at all.

***

"A DeclamoGlobe." Snape set the globe on the table.

Mr. Weasley nodded. "We've got a few floating around the Ministry. They're handy for delivering spoken messages when there isn't a fire available and you don't want to use something embarrassing like a Howler."

"It's from whoever took Ron?" Harry asked instantly.

Neville's eyes stayed on the globe. He watched the grey fog swirl around, wondering what it held inside.

"Yes," Dumbledore answered simply. "It was delivered to Hogwart's, presumably so I could get it to Harry."

Harry nodded glumly. "What do they want?"

Dumbledore glanced at Snape and held out a hand.

Snape gave him a folded piece of parchment. Dumbledore in turn handed it to Harry.

Harry opened it and read quickly. His eyes shut for a moment, then he nodded to himself. "I guessed."

The parchment fell to the table, and Neville grabbed it.

You know who I really want.

The words were written in distinctive, jagged letters in unnecessarily dramatic red ink.

Neville felt a chill.

"That's it? No instructions or anything?"

Snape shook his head, his usual glower even more pronounced. "That parchment was delivered along with the globe. Nothing else."

"We can expect to hear more from them. Severus, please go back to the school and await any more deliveries. One can assume that since they're sending letters to Hogwarts they don't know of our location here."

"But with Ron in their hands who knows how long until they find out?" Harry spoke grimly.

Neville glared at him instantly, his emotions conflicted. "He would never!"

Dumbledore just nodded, though. "There are spells and potions that are far stronger than a young man's will, I'm afraid. We can only hope they will be content simply to hold Ron as a hostage."

There was a solemn silence. Snape stood after a moment and gathered his robe around him. "I'll return if there's any word."

Dumbledore nodded. "I shall remain here, just in case our presence here becomes known."

Neville had to stop himself from glaring at Dumbledore, and silently wondered at his courage. He would have done it – glared directly at the Headmaster of Hogwarts and the most powerful wizard alive.

Fortunately his attention was caught by the swirling fog of the globe again. It reminded him of the Remembrall his Gran had sent him first year that he had promptly lost. "Is there a message in there?"

Snape and Dumbledore looked at him, then followed his gaze to the globe.

Snape answered, his voice gruff. "Nothing that will help."

"But there is something?" Harry grabbed the globe. "How do we make it work?"

Snape gave a sigh that could have been irritation or anger, and left them to go to the door.

Dumbledore held out a hand for the globe. "If it could help us deduce anything, I would play it for you all. But it won't."

Harry frowned. He held on the globe and ignored Dumbledore's hand. "What is it?"

Dumbledore sighed. "Simply proof that young Ron is indeed in their hands."

Harry paled. "Proof?"

Neville stared at the globe. A sick feeling was churning in his stomach.

"Harry. I must ask that you trust me. Listening again will not tell us anything new."

"Professor Dumbledore, with all due respect…" Mr. Weasley stopped when Dumbledore's eyes lit on him.

But Mrs. Weasley didn't hesitate to speak. "My son's voice is on that?"

Dumbledore sighed. "He doesn't speak, Molly."

Ron's parents exchanged aghast looks. Mrs. Weasley looked to be about to faint.

Dumbledore gently took the globe from Harry and set it back on the table. He looked around at the pale faces staring at the globe.

Neville was a second away from yelling. Didn't Dumbledore realize that after all he'd said, letting them hear it would be better than leaving them to imagine?

Dumbledore must have read his mind. He pulled a chair from the table and gestured to Mrs. Weasley. "Molly. Take a seat, please. I won't keep this from you if you wish to hear it."

She moved stiffly, petrified.

Dumbledore looked around at the faces surrounding him. Harry and Mr. Weasley looked pale but determined. Mrs. Weasley's eyes were fastened on the globe. Neville himself knew he was probably white as a ghost, but there was no way he would miss what the kidnappers had sent of his Ron.

Dumbledore, face set grimly, gestured one hand at the globe. "Expedio."

Neville could only listen to a second of those horrible screams before he had to run out of the kitchen, away from it.

***

"Little boy. Little boy?"

Ron shuddered and tried to feign sleep.

"Little boy, come play with me."

A foot prodded at him. He lay there stiffly.

A giggle rang out, and a word. "Crucio."

Ron sobbed in instant despair the moment before his body was seized and ripped and burnt and shattered, and then returned to normal moments later with just the memory remaining.

LeStrange laughed delightedly when his eyes fell on her. "Little boy. You're quite good at this game."

Ron blinked eyes that filled with tears. "P-please untie me."

"Little boy. I wonder if little boys are all so much fun. I'll know the moment that brat is delivered to me."

Ron struggled weakly against the rope, but the magic held strong.

"They weren't my first playmates, you know. The brat's parents? They were just the first to go all the way to the end of the game. I want to see how far he goes."

She was insane. And she seemed to be getting worse all the time. "Leave him alone," Ron got out with difficulty.

"I wonder how far you would go. Are Weasleys better or worse than Longbottoms?" She lifted her wand and pointed it at him and rotated the tip in small circles. "Should I find out?"

"How…how long did it take?" Ron asked.

"What?" She smiled. "Oh. The game?"

Ron's mind wasn't on her anymore. It was on the vacant expressions of Neville's parents. Their sunken eyes and thinness. The emptiness on their faces. There was nothing there. Nothing for poor Neville, nothing for themselves.

How long did they have to suffer before their minds snapped? Before all the pain drained away, taking everything else with it?

"Long time," she spoke with a happy sigh. "They were the most fun I've ever had."

Ron blinked up at her. "Please. Get the rope off. I can't escape."

"You can't?" She looked around, then smiled. "No. You can't. But you could hurt me. Maybe…maybe if we play a bit longer you won't be strong enough to hurt me. Does that sound good?"

Ron shook his head fiercely. His eyes squeezed shut. "No. No. Leave the rope. It's okay. Please."

She grinned. "Well. We've got to send them another message, don't we?"

Ron felt tears leaking from his eyes uncontrollably. "Why? Didn't they get the last one?"

She looked at him as if he was stupid. "Little boy. Can't give away the whole game at once. We have to tell them where to send their brat, so I can send you home to mummy. Home to mummy, little boy. Is that what you want?"

Ron turned away from her. He couldn't answer.

It was what he wanted. All he wanted. But saying so meant Neville had to suffer in his place. He would never say that. Even if he couldn't stop his horrid brain from thinking it.

"We'll make a message, little boy. Only different from the other message. What shall we send?"

Ron sank back, moaning quietly.

She laughed. "Brilliant! We'll show them how good you are at the game!"

Ron jerked back when she crouched beside him, but she was only setting another of those globes on the floor beside him.

She stayed where she was, studying his face. "You're sweaty, little boy. Crying for mummy. Let her know you miss her. She'll be listening." Her wand came up. "Vox captivus."

Ron shut his eyes, but he could still see the tip of her wand in his head.

"Beg me pretty, little boy, and we won't play today."

"P-please." He spoke instantly, grabbing at hope. "P-please don't…" Then he realized what she meant. What she was doing. She was capturing his voice to send to Neville, to Dumbledore and his parents.

Ron squeezed his eyes shut painfully hard and dug courage from down deep somewhere, and spoke clearly. "Don't listen to her, whatever she says. It's a trap, Ne—"

"Crucio," sounded out mildly, barely reaching his ears.

He seized and burned and tried as hard as he could not to scream. He screamed anyway, bare seconds later.

***

Author's Notes.

Hi, all! Been a few days, so here I am with the next part. I'm trying to be good about posting every few days or so, because I know what it's like when you like a story but it doesn't get updated in forever.

Thanks tons for all the support! Lemme rap with you all one by one now. J

PadawanMage – as always, thanks for the support. Yes, I'm sorry, I had to have Ron kidnapped. I live for angst. I love fluff, of course, but angst is where I thrive. Sorry. Yeah, at some point I think Neville may just have a confrontation with this evil nemesis from his past. I can't go and leave things unresolved, now can I? (And thanks for the note about the wand. It never even occurred to me.) So yeah, you were right about our mystery kidnapper. Actually, Voldie's connection to this might surprise you. Wait and see. Sorry to leave the boy in distress. I guess you won't be any more happy with this chapter either. Heh.

SparkySparkles – Thank you so much! You're such a great reviewer! I'm so glad you're looking so forward to this story. Here's more, just for you. J

Jillian – I'm glad you liked Ginny. I didn't care too much for her character, actually, until OotP. She really comes into her own in that one, in my opinion. She's definitely a Weasley.

Sarah – Thanks! I'm afraid Ron isn't out of danger yet. But he will be soon, fear not.

C.L. – Yeah, angst is great, ain't it? You can hurt the ones you love, and then spend pages and pages coddling them and caring for them and making them better. LOL.

Amethyst – LOL. Thanks! Sorry for the long wait! Here you go, though this chapter probably didn't make you any happier. Sorry again. Heh.

And again, thanks everyone! Neville and Ron and I are honored that so many people are reading this and enjoying it! You're all really encouraging me to write faster, which is a good thing. Right? LOL.