CHAPTER 21 Second Chances
Ron had not walked more than five steps down the alleyway, before he stopped and spun around.
"This is stupid!" Ron cried into the cool evening air, looking around him to see if there was any other life but his own. There was not, and with every passing second he knew he had to take action. To hell with what Hermione thought about him staying out of it, he wasn't going to let the only girl he ever loved get killed by those monsters. She needed his help whether she knew it or not. And one day she would thank him for it. Ron turned around and walked back to the doorway, determination ringing in his every step, as he reached the door, muttered the unlocking charm and went inside. It did not take him long to gather his directions in the cool evening air, knowing that more than anything they would be heading to that old cave below where he had rescued Hermione from. He didn't know why he knew they were there, he just knew and without even stopping to think about it, Ron quickly made his way to the changing rooms, his long feet taking him there in record time. His wand was now deposited in his right hand, and as he entered the changing rooms and rounded a corner, he found that the entrance to the cave was not blocked up, as it had been earlier that day, but a small pile of rubble and dirt was lying at the foot of the passageway. They had gone down there. Ron stepped over the pile of rubble and made his way down the stairway, his wand showing him the way. When he reached the bottom, he made his way along the narrow passageway, until he reached the mouth of the cave and the sight he saw there astounded him. Even during the second war and the final battle he had seen some amazing and haunting things, but even this still had the ability to astound him. The scene looked like something out of a muggle horror movie Hermione used to make him watch. A large bonfire was burning in the middle of the cave, its flickering light sending ghostly shadows across the walls and onto the fighting people. Cloaked men of black and purple mingled with the many different colours of each robe as they were mixed to form a watercolour of diverse effects. The Aurors were over-powered by the many Dark Wizards of the Blood Kindred, their numbers being quickly depleted. From the outset it was clear that the Aurors did not have much of a chance of stopping the over-whelming amount of Dark Wizards that were still pouring into the cave. Ron knew he had to help and soon, before the battle took a turn for the worse. His prime objective was to find Hermione and make sure she was alright. Hermione was a brilliant witch who knew more curses and dark spells than him and Harry combined, but he was afraid. He was afraid she would not be careful and get herself seriously injured or worse...killed.
Ron quickly darted through the crowd, sending stunning spells at those Dark Wizards that dared approach him. He zigzagged past the Aurors, all the while scanning the crowd in front of him, for the familiar sight of bushy brown hair that could only be Hermione. Then he spotted her, through a gap in the crowd, standing over a man with white blonde hair and pointing her wand at him. Ron did not have enough time to register who the man was, for another Dark Wizard was creeping up behind Hermione, his wand pointed directly at her back.
"Hermione!" Ron cried running towards her, his long legs taking him there in record time, but at that same moment he heard the fatal words being uttered by the Dark Wizard.
"AVADA KEDARVA!"
Ron sped towards her, wishing with all his might to reach her before the curse would. Ron knew he had a bit of a head start, but at that moment it did not recognise in his brain as he sped towards her, with time itself seeming to slow down. Ron felt like he was running in slow motion and he saw the world around him slowing down. His movements seemed slow and sluggish, but still Ron ran on. As soon as he reached her, he grabbed her arm and threw her down with him, her weight putting him off balance so that he fell painfully on his right shoulder and Hermione came falling on top of him, landing on his chest. The green curse shot over their heads and when Hermione saw the blinding green curse pass over her, her eyes widened in shock. She clung to Ron, her nails digging into his shirt as she started trembling and the revelation of what had just occurred hit her. She buried her face in his chest as she trembled and Ron, wincing at the pain in his right shoulder, hugged her tightly, rubbing her back to calm her down. Hermione lay like that for a minute, before she looked up into Ron's eyes. Ron could still see the shock in her eyes, but she had calmed down considerably and she wasn't trembling as violently anymore. She lifted her head and as she gazed into Ron's crystal blue eyes and she saw the love and affection swimming in their deep blue pools, a revelation came over her. Her eyes widened as this revelation hit her with full force and her mouth dropped open. How could she have been so stupid. It was right in front of her eyes and she never saw it. It was as if Hermione had only seen Ron behind a veil of cloud and mist and she felt like someone had moved that mist aside so she could see Ron properly for the first time. And what she saw delighted her senses. He was more handsome than she had ever imagined with his fiery red hair still sticking out all over the place, his freckles on his pale skin and his beautiful clear blue eyes. But along with that she realised something new as she gazed into Ron's eyes. She loved him, and oh God, she realised exactly how much. She had always loved Ron and she couldn't remember a moment when she didn't. All their petty squabbles seemed insignificant and trivial compared to the love they felt for each other, and Hermione was amazed at this.
"Oh Ron" was all that Hermione could utter as she looked into his eyes and Ron smiled back at her. Without even thinking Hermione leaned in and kissed him. Caught completely off guard by this gesture, Ron sat there in shock for a second, before his mind kicked in and he pulled Hermione closer to him, deepening the kiss. An arm of his snaked up to Hermione's hair, entwining itself with her bushy hair, as the other held her protectively around the waist, afraid she would slip away from him. Hermione wrapped her arms around Ron's neck as she kissed him deeply feeling the lust swell inside her. Ron's tongue ran across her mouth demanding entrance, which she gave readily and the feel of her tongue inside his mouth was enough to make his knees buckle, were he standing at that moment. A groan was reverberating deep in her throat as Ron pulled her ever closer to her, loving the feel of her body against his.
Unbeknownst to them right at that moment as they kissed each other like their was no tomorrow, the book that was lying on Hermione's left, completely forgotten about during Hermione's revelation started to shudder. It was nearing the end of the countdown, but Hermione and Ron were too busy kissing to realise this. They also didn't realise that the energy in the book started to change. The book shuddered even more, as if trying to expel some unknown force. It floated a few inches of the ground, still shuddering as the world around Hermione, Ron and the book seemed to slow down. The black aura that had surrounded the book began to change as the countdown raged on. Both Aurors and Dark Wizards stop fighting as they heard the ticking of the countdown, that had been magically enhanced so all could hear the countdown.
"Ten", the magical voice coming from within the book boomed. All Aurors and Dark Wizards turned to watch the book as it floated a few feet above the ground still shuddering badly. "Nine".
The book shuddered even more seeming to expel even more black energy. "Eight".
The book began glowing, still shuddering a bit as the book began glowing brighter. "Seven".
The book began glowing a bright silver as more black energy was expelled from it. "Six".
Still it shuddered on and the cave that had been filled with noise only a few seconds before was deathly quiet.
"Five".
Ron and Hermione pulled away from each other, their faces mirroring the shocked emotion they both felt. Hermione clung to Ron, as Ron wrapped a protective arm around her, holding her tight.
"Four".
The book stopped shuddering, hanging stilly in the air a few feet above the ground. All was quiet.
"Three"
Hermione held on tightly to Ron, never letting go, trembling as Ron clung to her afraid of losing her forever.
"Two"
The Aurors and Dark Wizards alike held their breath, waiting...
Suddenly the book began jerking about in mid air once more as it expelled the brightest white light imaginable. Hermione and Ron closed their eyes, clinging tightly to each other as the white light spread out from the book engulfing all in a blinding white light. Hermione felt as though someone had sucked out all her oxygen from her lungs as she struggled to breath, the energy having passed through her body, having winded her badly. All around her she heard screaming though the voices sounded far of and like they were from a different plane of existence. And then as quickly as the book had expelled the blinding white light, the light was gone and Hermione took in a deep breath, breathing in sharply filling her lungs with sweet oxygen and easing the dizziness that had sprung up from the lack of air. She opened her eyes at the same time as Ron and they looked at each other uncertainly, before their eyes scanned the eerily quiet cave around them. Everywhere they saw bodies lying on the floor. Ron and Hermione scrambled up, still clinging onto each other as they made their way to the nearest body lying on the floor, both holding their breath praying the worst hadn't happened, though each secretly fearing it had. The first body was wearing robes of a deep red with a gold mask on his face.
"A Dark Wizard from the Blood Kindred", Hermione said shakily as Ron bent down beside the body examining it and throwing their wand out of reach. He slowly lifted up the mask and saw the look of pure terror that was on this man's face. Ron checked his pulse and stood up. "Dead", Ron said as Hermione turned away.
"Oh god no. Please God don't them all be dead!" Hermione cried as she hugged Ron tightly, shaking in his arms.
But Ron couldn't reply as he looked across the cave and saw the sea of bodies lying on the ground, fearing that all were as dead as the man at their feet. His hearing switched off and he did not hear Hermione sobbing into his chest or feel her shaking. All that registered was that they were all dead, and Ron didn't think anymore.
Ron had not walked more than five steps down the alleyway, before he stopped and spun around.
"This is stupid!" Ron cried into the cool evening air, looking around him to see if there was any other life but his own. There was not, and with every passing second he knew he had to take action. To hell with what Hermione thought about him staying out of it, he wasn't going to let the only girl he ever loved get killed by those monsters. She needed his help whether she knew it or not. And one day she would thank him for it. Ron turned around and walked back to the doorway, determination ringing in his every step, as he reached the door, muttered the unlocking charm and went inside. It did not take him long to gather his directions in the cool evening air, knowing that more than anything they would be heading to that old cave below where he had rescued Hermione from. He didn't know why he knew they were there, he just knew and without even stopping to think about it, Ron quickly made his way to the changing rooms, his long feet taking him there in record time. His wand was now deposited in his right hand, and as he entered the changing rooms and rounded a corner, he found that the entrance to the cave was not blocked up, as it had been earlier that day, but a small pile of rubble and dirt was lying at the foot of the passageway. They had gone down there. Ron stepped over the pile of rubble and made his way down the stairway, his wand showing him the way. When he reached the bottom, he made his way along the narrow passageway, until he reached the mouth of the cave and the sight he saw there astounded him. Even during the second war and the final battle he had seen some amazing and haunting things, but even this still had the ability to astound him. The scene looked like something out of a muggle horror movie Hermione used to make him watch. A large bonfire was burning in the middle of the cave, its flickering light sending ghostly shadows across the walls and onto the fighting people. Cloaked men of black and purple mingled with the many different colours of each robe as they were mixed to form a watercolour of diverse effects. The Aurors were over-powered by the many Dark Wizards of the Blood Kindred, their numbers being quickly depleted. From the outset it was clear that the Aurors did not have much of a chance of stopping the over-whelming amount of Dark Wizards that were still pouring into the cave. Ron knew he had to help and soon, before the battle took a turn for the worse. His prime objective was to find Hermione and make sure she was alright. Hermione was a brilliant witch who knew more curses and dark spells than him and Harry combined, but he was afraid. He was afraid she would not be careful and get herself seriously injured or worse...killed.
Ron quickly darted through the crowd, sending stunning spells at those Dark Wizards that dared approach him. He zigzagged past the Aurors, all the while scanning the crowd in front of him, for the familiar sight of bushy brown hair that could only be Hermione. Then he spotted her, through a gap in the crowd, standing over a man with white blonde hair and pointing her wand at him. Ron did not have enough time to register who the man was, for another Dark Wizard was creeping up behind Hermione, his wand pointed directly at her back.
"Hermione!" Ron cried running towards her, his long legs taking him there in record time, but at that same moment he heard the fatal words being uttered by the Dark Wizard.
"AVADA KEDARVA!"
Ron sped towards her, wishing with all his might to reach her before the curse would. Ron knew he had a bit of a head start, but at that moment it did not recognise in his brain as he sped towards her, with time itself seeming to slow down. Ron felt like he was running in slow motion and he saw the world around him slowing down. His movements seemed slow and sluggish, but still Ron ran on. As soon as he reached her, he grabbed her arm and threw her down with him, her weight putting him off balance so that he fell painfully on his right shoulder and Hermione came falling on top of him, landing on his chest. The green curse shot over their heads and when Hermione saw the blinding green curse pass over her, her eyes widened in shock. She clung to Ron, her nails digging into his shirt as she started trembling and the revelation of what had just occurred hit her. She buried her face in his chest as she trembled and Ron, wincing at the pain in his right shoulder, hugged her tightly, rubbing her back to calm her down. Hermione lay like that for a minute, before she looked up into Ron's eyes. Ron could still see the shock in her eyes, but she had calmed down considerably and she wasn't trembling as violently anymore. She lifted her head and as she gazed into Ron's crystal blue eyes and she saw the love and affection swimming in their deep blue pools, a revelation came over her. Her eyes widened as this revelation hit her with full force and her mouth dropped open. How could she have been so stupid. It was right in front of her eyes and she never saw it. It was as if Hermione had only seen Ron behind a veil of cloud and mist and she felt like someone had moved that mist aside so she could see Ron properly for the first time. And what she saw delighted her senses. He was more handsome than she had ever imagined with his fiery red hair still sticking out all over the place, his freckles on his pale skin and his beautiful clear blue eyes. But along with that she realised something new as she gazed into Ron's eyes. She loved him, and oh God, she realised exactly how much. She had always loved Ron and she couldn't remember a moment when she didn't. All their petty squabbles seemed insignificant and trivial compared to the love they felt for each other, and Hermione was amazed at this.
"Oh Ron" was all that Hermione could utter as she looked into his eyes and Ron smiled back at her. Without even thinking Hermione leaned in and kissed him. Caught completely off guard by this gesture, Ron sat there in shock for a second, before his mind kicked in and he pulled Hermione closer to him, deepening the kiss. An arm of his snaked up to Hermione's hair, entwining itself with her bushy hair, as the other held her protectively around the waist, afraid she would slip away from him. Hermione wrapped her arms around Ron's neck as she kissed him deeply feeling the lust swell inside her. Ron's tongue ran across her mouth demanding entrance, which she gave readily and the feel of her tongue inside his mouth was enough to make his knees buckle, were he standing at that moment. A groan was reverberating deep in her throat as Ron pulled her ever closer to her, loving the feel of her body against his.
Unbeknownst to them right at that moment as they kissed each other like their was no tomorrow, the book that was lying on Hermione's left, completely forgotten about during Hermione's revelation started to shudder. It was nearing the end of the countdown, but Hermione and Ron were too busy kissing to realise this. They also didn't realise that the energy in the book started to change. The book shuddered even more, as if trying to expel some unknown force. It floated a few inches of the ground, still shuddering as the world around Hermione, Ron and the book seemed to slow down. The black aura that had surrounded the book began to change as the countdown raged on. Both Aurors and Dark Wizards stop fighting as they heard the ticking of the countdown, that had been magically enhanced so all could hear the countdown.
"Ten", the magical voice coming from within the book boomed. All Aurors and Dark Wizards turned to watch the book as it floated a few feet above the ground still shuddering badly. "Nine".
The book shuddered even more seeming to expel even more black energy. "Eight".
The book began glowing, still shuddering a bit as the book began glowing brighter. "Seven".
The book began glowing a bright silver as more black energy was expelled from it. "Six".
Still it shuddered on and the cave that had been filled with noise only a few seconds before was deathly quiet.
"Five".
Ron and Hermione pulled away from each other, their faces mirroring the shocked emotion they both felt. Hermione clung to Ron, as Ron wrapped a protective arm around her, holding her tight.
"Four".
The book stopped shuddering, hanging stilly in the air a few feet above the ground. All was quiet.
"Three"
Hermione held on tightly to Ron, never letting go, trembling as Ron clung to her afraid of losing her forever.
"Two"
The Aurors and Dark Wizards alike held their breath, waiting...
Suddenly the book began jerking about in mid air once more as it expelled the brightest white light imaginable. Hermione and Ron closed their eyes, clinging tightly to each other as the white light spread out from the book engulfing all in a blinding white light. Hermione felt as though someone had sucked out all her oxygen from her lungs as she struggled to breath, the energy having passed through her body, having winded her badly. All around her she heard screaming though the voices sounded far of and like they were from a different plane of existence. And then as quickly as the book had expelled the blinding white light, the light was gone and Hermione took in a deep breath, breathing in sharply filling her lungs with sweet oxygen and easing the dizziness that had sprung up from the lack of air. She opened her eyes at the same time as Ron and they looked at each other uncertainly, before their eyes scanned the eerily quiet cave around them. Everywhere they saw bodies lying on the floor. Ron and Hermione scrambled up, still clinging onto each other as they made their way to the nearest body lying on the floor, both holding their breath praying the worst hadn't happened, though each secretly fearing it had. The first body was wearing robes of a deep red with a gold mask on his face.
"A Dark Wizard from the Blood Kindred", Hermione said shakily as Ron bent down beside the body examining it and throwing their wand out of reach. He slowly lifted up the mask and saw the look of pure terror that was on this man's face. Ron checked his pulse and stood up. "Dead", Ron said as Hermione turned away.
"Oh god no. Please God don't them all be dead!" Hermione cried as she hugged Ron tightly, shaking in his arms.
But Ron couldn't reply as he looked across the cave and saw the sea of bodies lying on the ground, fearing that all were as dead as the man at their feet. His hearing switched off and he did not hear Hermione sobbing into his chest or feel her shaking. All that registered was that they were all dead, and Ron didn't think anymore.
