Author's Note: Hey everyone who was wonderful enough to stick around until the end of this particular project. All I have to tell you about this story is that the ending has been planned since before I wrote the first word of the prologue. That said, thank you for reading, I hope you enjoy the last chapter of fearing simple. Don't kill me.
Fearing Simple Chapter 5
All around him, Ron could hear the sounds of battle. The fortress of Voldemort had not been prepared for the surprise attack. Harry had been right of course, Ron relented to himself; it had been the best idea to strike as soon as possible. Voldemort's troops had been unprepared and the side of light had suffered only two casualties breaking into the stronghold. Once inside however the battle had increased in intensity as Voldemort's Death Eaters raised their wands against the onslaught. When the order and the side of light had reached the foyer of the old Malfoy mansion, they had not been prepared for the sight that reached their eyes.
Instruments of torture lined the walls and the windowsills and comprised huge piles lying on the floor. Ron Had choked back the urge to vomit as a crimson puddle below a pair of sharp tong-like instruments caught his eye. In that moment, the calm had passed and hexes began coming from all directions. Draco had been shouting orders above the screams of agony and violent curses. That was how Ron came to be in the dark tunnel he was following desperately.
Ron held up his hand to halt the progress of his small unit, cautiously scanning the dim light that had appeared in front of him. The foundations of the house shifted under the immense strain of the hatred raging within its walls. Deciding the area was secure, Ron turned to face his comrades.
"Alright, this corridor splits into three not far from here," Ron began, hastily scanning the group, 'Two veterans and two seventh years, Merlin.' "Padma, you and Justin take the left corridor; Dean, you and Daniel take the right corridor. I'll go straight." Ron paused briefly while the others signaled their understanding.
"Good, follow me out then. Take care of each other; don't do anything stupid." Ron cast a pointed stare at Dean.
"Same to you, Ron." Padma retorted.
"We'll toast to our victory later at Hogwarts." Dean piped up with a grin; slapping Daniel, a pale determined Ravenclaw, on the back. "No liquor for you young'uns yet though, not even out of Hogwarts." Dean sobered up as the words left his mouth; a hush fell over the group.
"If you find anyone badly injured, remember the portkey." Ron tapped the small fleck of color, the mark of light; ingeniously designed with a protection spell and emergency portkey to Hogwarts' infirmary. "Don't let those filthy death eaters find out about them either!"
"Sir." The group replied in unison.
"For Harry," Dean said, checking his wand was securely stashed in the sleeve of his robe.
"For Pavarti," Padma whispered.
"For Freedom," Ron turned his eyes away from the crowd to scan the hall. "All clear."
With that, the group found themselves sprinting in opposite directions down poorly lit corridors.
Ron followed the dark dusty corridor as it twisted and turned, slowly declining further into the ground beneath the Manor. The air around him was becoming damp and hot. 'How far down have I gone?' Ron wondered. He paused to listen, only the muffled sounds of tremors in the earth hinted at the battle he had left behind. His tip priority was to find any prisoners being held in the mansion. The he was to find Draco and help him fight the dark lord. 'Not that Draco feels he needs help against Voldemort,' Ron huffed internally. There was no way Ron was going to leave Draco alone in that fight. 'Who knows what he'll do, he doesn't care if he lives or dies after this fight.'
Ron continued walking again, determined he would reach the dungeons soon. 'Where else would the Malfoy's put them, than as far underground as possible? All the better for torture when no one can hear you scream.' Ron thought bitterly.
Ahead the corridor split into two, Ron veered left, following the dim flicker of light he could see dancing among the shadows about 500 yards in front of him. His relief at finding a glimmer of light in the oppressively dark, damp, musty hall was quickly dispersed as the overwhelming stench of fear and death slammed into his nose; stopping him short.
The stench of fear and death assaulted his senses, triggering his gag reflex. Ron stopped walking as the sound of talking filtered through the blackness around him.
'No!' Ron thought, shaking off the memories of the dream. Pausing he used all his concentration to focus his senses on the area around him. There was no sound other than the quiet scrapping sound o the rats as they scurried around near his feet. His nose was choked with the smells around him, and his skin was damp from the heavy air. Ron stopped the feeling of relief that was trying to creep into the back of his mind as he began moving silently towards the light source.
Just ahead of Ron loomed a doorway with a curving staircase. Below him, Ron could hear the soft clinking of a hard object against metal. 'Perhaps chains?' Ron thought. Sensing his objective was within reach, Ron pulled his wand slowly out of his sleeve; carefully and silently winding his way down the stairs with his body pressed tightly against the inner wall.
Ron inched forward, trying to hear what the man was saying; he paused at the sound of shifting chains. Another voice joined the conversation…
'Stop it! You're going starkers!' Ron cursed himself. 'If anyone is alive they're going to need my full attention; not some blimely loony who is confusing his nightmares with reality.'
Turning right at the bottom of the stairs, Ron entered a poorly lit, spacious room. The room was the picture of a dungeon. The left half of the room was lined with cells guarded by thick cast iron bars. The dark stone walls were dripping from the excessive moisture in the air; the cracks between blocks were teeming with moss. Along the right wall, manacles on long rusting chains hung down towards the floor.
Ron's eyes were drawn to the cellblock closest to him. Located directly across from a pile of decomposing corpses, the cell contained a small blonde girl with blackened eyes and dried blood on her lip. She was staring wide-eyed in horror at an object across the room. Had it not been for the shallow rising and falling of her chest, Ron would have dismissed her for dead.
…a small cell in the corner that contained a small, badly beaten little blonde girl…
"No." Ron whispered.
Ron ran forward, his scream mingling with the terrified scream of the young girl in the cell…
Ron's eyes refused to follow the path of the child's gaze. Instead he looked directly across the room from himself. There he spied another archway. An archway that would, if a person were surveying the room, place the cell in the far corner of the room. His eyes still refusing to move to the right side of the room, Ron inched towards the blonde girl. As he reached through the bars to lay his hand on her arm, the girl spooked, her eyes snapping to Ron's face, mouth opening in preparation for a scream. Ron raised his wand quickly, preparing to mutter a silencing charm; it proved to be unnecessary as the tension faded from the small child's lithe form and recognition lit behind her tired gray eyes.
"What's your name?" Ron whispered, wincing as the low tones echoed in the cavernous room.
"Loki," the small girl whispered back, leaning forward as a ghost of a smile flickered across her face.
"What's your last name Loki?" Ron rubbed her back in a slow circle, reaching for the wand he had lowered to the ground movements before. He was pointing it at the locks as she answered.
"Malfoy."
Ron looked up startled, "but …"
"My mommy said that the man living in our house was crazy. He killed my daddy, but I wasn't sad, cuz daddy locked mommy an' me in the dark. Mommy got taken away when he came." Loki motioned with a nod of her head to the side of the room Ron's eyes were actively avoiding.
"He 'uld sing to me, so I wasn't ascared, but he wo'n do it no more; he wo'n smile at me too. Is he mad at me?" Loki's voice wavered with the tears that sprang to her eyes. Ron choked, hurrying to open the cell door; he pulled Loki's tiny body into his arms.
Accidentally, Ron allowed his eyes to find the body hanging from the manacles on the wall in the far right corner of the room.
Ron heard a sickening crack as Harry's neck broke. Harry's head lulled unnaturally and his blank eye stared unseeing into the corner where Ron hid
Ron flinched and threw his head to the side as his stomach heaved, expelling its contents onto the dirty stone floor; silent streaks of tears streamed from his eyes. 'No it can't be! Wake up Ron, wake up!' An insistent tugging on his robe interrupted Ron's inner panic attack. Ron turned his eyes to the child in his lap.
"He's coming." Loki whispered, the fear returning to her eyes.
Ron jumped to his feet, raising his wand to chest height and placing Loki between the wall and himself, as the sound of rapidly approaching footfalls reverberated through the doorway across the room. He felt of surge of rage boil up in him as Voldemort entered the dungeon. Ron didn't notice the mark on his arm pulse as he drew himself up to full height to face the dark lord.
Voldemort's eyes quickly found Ron's form. After giving him the once over, Voldemort's eyes flickered to Harry's body, a venomous smile appearing on his lips. "Such a beautiful sight isn't it?" Voldemort rasped cruelly, "I couldn't bear to take it down; much more expressive than a tapestry wouldn't you say?"
Ron fought the urge to be sick again. "You're deranged Riddle."
"My name is Lord Voldemort." Voldemort rasped, eyes narrowing into red slits.
"You're not my lord, Tom. You're nothing but a filthy mudblood looking for power." Ron threw back, anger dominating his brain.
Voldemort raised his wand, rage twisting on his face. "How dare you? You weak, sniveling excuse for a wizard!"
As Ron prepared for an attack, a loud commotion in the halls distracted him and Voldemort momentarily. From behind him appeared Draco, Padma, Dean, Justin, Susan Bones and Zacharias Smith, with the loud 'CRACK' of apparition.
"Ah, Draco!" Voldemort hissed with malicious glee. "You're just in time to watch me destroy the only remaining vestiges of your family."
Draco's eyes turned toward Harry's badly damaged body. The evidence of a long period since death obvious on the corpse. Draco's eyes filled with angry tears and hatred. But Voldemort iddn't miss the flash of confusion. "Your sister you fool of a boy."
Draco followed his stare to the trembling form peeking around the edge of Ron's robes. Draco's expression turned to surprised confusion as he stared into his father's eyes on the tiny face. His eyes moved between the open cell door and the haunted eyes.
"Ah yes, thoughtful on my part wasn't it? Giving her a front row seat for the performance! Of course, she's been there since before Potter graced the cell next to her with his presence. You can thank your traitorous late mother for that." Voldemort chuckled.
"You're finished Voldemort, your death eaters have fallen. Without them, what do you have? You're nothing now, you are your father – weak and pathetic." Draco spat the words at the shell of a man before him.
"You would be wise to watch yourself Draco! To underestimate the enemy is the quickest way to defeat." Voldemort's wand rose slightly.
"You would do well to take your own advice Tom; after all you have been defeated by an infant." Draco sneered, his eyes flickering back to Harry.
Ron could see the foundations of Draco's façade slipping. Stepping forward Ron shouted, "Stupefy."
Voldemort countered the spell with a quick, "Protego."
However, Ron's actions had broken the spell hovering over the room. Curses began flying back and forth, the dark lord greatly out numbered. Ron picked up Loki and shoved her into Susan's arms, shouting "Hermione!"
Susan nodded in understanding and activated her portkey to Hogwarts.
Ron turned back to the fray to see Draco dodge a flash of green light. The killing curse struck Justin, who was recovering from the effects of the Crucio curse. Ron yelled and stared forward. "Avadra Kedavra" A jet of green light emerged from his wand. It streaked towards Voldemort, joined by two other curses cast by Draco and Padma. Voldemort staggered with the impact of the curses before falling to the ground.
Draco moved to Harry's body; openly sobbing he fell on his knees before the love of his life. "Harry," he choked out.
Ron cast a meaningful glace to Zacharias. Zach moved towards the wall as Ron placed his arm around Draco's shoulders, activating his portkey. Draco struggled violently against his friend. "No Ron, let me go. Please!" As Ron felt the pull behind his navel, they heard Zacharias' voice, "Mobliacorpus."
Ron looked around the hospital wing as he slumped to the floor under the deadweight of Draco, who was still sobbing uncontrollably. Tears of grief were running down Ron's face as well, as he rocked the man back and forth mumbling nonsense; making a soft humming noise. There was a loud clatter and the slap of feet running toward the pair. Suddenly Hermione was there, enfolding Draco and Ron in the familiar comfort of her arms and scent. With a knowing glance at Ron, her eyes sparkled with tears, which she shoved aside for the task at hand. Slowly, Hermione maneuvered Draco's collapsed form from Ron's hold, whispering softly into his ear. She pulled him up and moved toward a bed in the second row.
As Hermione was fussing over Draco, Ron noticed Loki staring around wide-eyed, three beds down from him. Summoning a chair to her bedside, Ron pulled the curtain to block the many victims of the war from her view. 'Blimey, the things this girl must have seen.' Ron cursed to himself.
"I jus woke up." Loki's small voice filtered through his reverie. "Was that my brover?"
Ron smiled at the childlike hope he could hear in her voice. He reached out to ruffle her hair. "Yeah, it is."
"Mommy said that he uld be a hee-row one day." Loki whispered conspiratorially, "Daddy said that he was a tater, I don't know what that is, but daddy was mean. Him and tha man put me in a bars and then took away mommy. I was ascared until he came." The happiness in her voice when she place emphasis on 'he' left no doubt in Ron's mind that she meant Harry.
"How old are you Loki?" Ron asked
"I'm this much." Loki grinned holding up five tiny little fingers.
"How long did you know Harry?" Ron's smile faltered
"Since I was this much," Loki left two fingers raised. "He uld play peek-a-boo through a bars with me an tell me stories about princesses an dragons an a big squid." Loki's eyes were wide as she stretched her arms to the sides to show the squid's size. Suddenly her mood changed and she gazed at him solemnly, "He's gone like my mommy right?"
Ron nodded jerkily and pulled the baby girl into his arms as her little eyes filled with tears. Hermione checked in on them and gave Loki a dreamless sleep potion; smoothing her fine blonde hair away from her eyes as they fluttered closed.
It was three days later before Ron and Draco cautiously broached the subject of Harry. Draco had gathered his façade around him again, telling everyone that this is what he expected and although it had hurt, he was prepared for it. Ron was sitting next to Draco's bed in the hospital wing, listening to Draco beg Hermione to release him.
"Not just yet Draco, you've had a terrible trauma and I don't want you doing anything drastic." Hermione clucked
"I just wish I knew how it had happened, if Voldemort had destroyed the man I loved. It would be more unbearable to know that Voldemort had succeeded in taking his dignity." Draco's voice wobbled.
"He died defiantly." Ron whispered. Draco and Hermione looked at him sharply.
"Ron, he died a week before we arrived …" Hermione began gently
"No, a nightmare, I had one week prior; I saw it happen." Ron argued.
"Maybe it was just that, a nightmare." Hermione pressed.
"No, it was too detailed. I saw the room; know exactly what it looked like. I saw, I saw Loki screaming. How could I …" Ron was interrupted by a soft child's voice.
"I broughted you there."
All the eyes in the cubicle turned to Loki, standing at the foot of Draco's bed in a sleeping gown. Her bottom lip was quivering.
"I was ascared, that scary man kept doing bad things and Harry was sending me pictures of happy things, but my eyes saw past them to the scary man. So I went to look fo somebody to bring to me, so I uldn't be alone. I wanted by brover, cuz mommy showed me his aura, but he wasn't asleep. An then I a'membered the people from his pictures, a'na found him (she pointed to Ron) sleeping. Everyone inna memories looked so happy, an I was so ascared." Loki's voice trailed off as the tears began to stream down her face. Ron moved to pick her up, but Draco beat him to it, pulling her into a fierce hug.
"I didn't know about you, I'm so sorry. I would never have left you there if I had known. I've failed you both."
Ron and Hermione exchanged a glance as he mentioned Harry. Hermione nodded towards the door of the hospital wing, pointing to herself. Ron nodded and Hermione disappeared off to the library to do some research on Loki's ability.
Hours later when Loki had been put down for a nap, Hermione excitedly returned to share her findings with the boys. "Its very rare, there's hardly any books on the subject," Hermione began. Ron and Draco shared a nostalgic look behind her back.
"Like Tonks and her abilities as a Metamorphmagus, it is an ability that comes with birth. It's similar to a mixture of leglimancy and the connection that was forged between Harry and Voldemort with the scar." Hermione paused briefly but stammered on. "She has the ability to see people's thoughts, but she can also influence their minds. Anyone's mind, not like Voldemort who could only reach Harry's mind. The extraordinary aspect of it, (Ron cocked his eyebrow as if to say, 'The rest isn't extraordinary?') is that she can not be blocked out by occulumency. I think that's why the dark lord has been keeping her alive, in the hopes of exploiting her gift." Hermione finished. Draco winced.
"She'll need to be taught to control her gifts, although she seems to have a grasp on them now; but as she gets older, the person she's influencing won't need to be asleep. We'll have to notify the family that takes her in. Perhaps Ron and I could put in for her…" Hermione trailed off, lost in thought.
"She's my sister, I'm taking her." Draco's voice was quiet but firm.
Hermione looked up, startled out of her internal dialogue. "Well that's what I had hoped, but with al you've been through I didn't know if you'd be up to it."
"She's my family, she's all I've got left." Ron gave Draco an offended look and Hermione looked slightly hurt. "I mean blood family; you know how I feel about you two. I just hope I can give her a better future than her past." Draco looked past Hermione to his sister's sleeping form. "We've got a lot of healing to do. Its not going to be simple."
"When have we ever shied away from something difficult?" Ron offered a half-hearted grin. The three shared a small laugh, which echoed with loss and sadness, but held a glimmer of hope.
Ron entered his house wearily; Hermione had too much work to do at Hogwarts to return hone tonight. Slamming the door he winced as the noise cut through the silence. Throwing his cloak on the rack, he moved into the living room. "Harry?" He called hopefully, feeling foolish. 'You saw his body.' Ron's eyes were drawn to the side table. There in the soft glow from the moon; Ron saw Harry's glasses. His heart jumped and the sadness settled over him again. It was over.
Finis.