Chapter XVI: The Death of Ron Weasley

Darkness fled across the sands of Atlantis. Flame lit torches appeared out of nowhere on the sides of the streets, setting some dim light on the paths. A group of guards walked away from the staircase, leaving the steps completely unguarded.

Harry and Sturgis got up from their resting spot and walked around the bend. Soon, Hermione and Ron joined them, seeing their shadows from the corners of their eyes. The group of four stood in front of the stone building.

Suddenly, a guard from inside the building came out wearing a dark red robe. The guard's eyes froze, seeing the group, and he reached for his staff-like wand. But before the guard could do anything, Sturgis had stepped forward with his wand at hand.

"Don't move," said Sturgis. "I'm warning you."

But the guard foolishly stepped forward.

"Immobulus!"

The hooded guard slowly stopped in its tracks with a dazed glow in its eyes. Hermione stepped forward, looking into the shaded hood.

"I knew there was something strange," she said. "It's a woman."

Hermione took her hand and pulled off the hood, unmasking the guard. Harry gasped and flew forward.

"It's Chad's mother!" he yelled. "Mrs. Corryton!"

"You know her?" Hermione asked.

"Her husband was the one who told me to look into this whole mess… It looks like he was right."

"Didn't Chad die a few years ago?" asked Ron.

"Yeah."

Hermione looked over at Ron who returned the same look.

"Mrs. Corryton must have been there to try to bring back her son in the Mirror of Lost Souls. But Chad is no where in sight, so perhaps it didn't work…" Harry said doubtfully.

"Come on, let's hurry up before we're too late," said Sturgis.

"What should we do with her?" asked Harry.

"Leave her for now."

The stone corridor was narrow and very dark. Off in the distance was a faint voice, which the group tried to follow. It was coming from the end of another hallway. In front of the room that contained the voice was a brass door embedded with jewels.

"Look!" Hermione said and pointed a keyhole. Stuck inside it was a big, golden key.

"We're too late!" Ron yelled.

"Not if we remove it and put the right key in," said Sturgis. "Give me your key, Harry."

And Harry did just that. He handed over his real key to Atlantis, and Sturgis removed the fake one from the hole. Then, he gently placed the new one inside and turned it. The door swung open; however, somebody was inside the room already.

"Move away from the crystal," said Sturgis.

Inside the Power Chamber was a very large, greenish blue crystal. It glowed brightly, sending yellow rays of light throughout the room. The crystal spun rapidly and must have been a very old power source because caveman-like paintings were drawn on its base of antelope and deer.

Behind the crystal was the back of robe that stood before another object against the wall. The object was as tall and just as wide as the wall itself actually. It was shiny, and swirling clouds were on the other side.

"The Mirror," whispered Hermione to Ron.

The robed figure in front of the mirror suddenly jumped forward inside of it. She turned around, facing the group with a wide smile across her face.

"Mrs. Diggory!" Harry shouted, as did Ron.

But within a second, the woman was gone. In her place, a boy appeared. Suddenly, he stepped forward through the mirror and emerged standing behind the crystal.

Harry, Ron, Hermione and Sturgis all ran to him.

"Cedric!" they gasped at once.

"Where am I?" he asked confused. "Where… Harry? Are we still in the graveyard? Did you bring back my body like I asked you to? Harry?"

Harry began to tear up. "No, Cedric… I did bring back your body--"

Harry stopped, unbearable to continue, and looked at the mirror. He suddenly realized why the parents of students went to Atlantis. It was the mirror. It could bring back anyone from the dead, as long as you sacrificed yourself in that person's place. Harry stepped closer, admiring the mirror that could bring back anyone he ever lost.

"Hermione, grab him!" Ron shouted as he leapt forward, grabbing Harry's shoulders.

"Let go of me," Harry hissed. "I'm not going to jump in!"

"Sorry mate, but I don't believe you."

Hermione nodded and joined Ron in pulling Harry away from the Mirror. "We won't let you try to bring your parents or Sirius back."

"I won't," Harry said in a very stern voice. "Even though I want to so badly… I know I can't do that. It's not that I wouldn't give myself up for them. I just don't know whom to choose. Of course my parents, but only one of them? And Sirius? I could never choose just one." Harry stared at the Mirror and then back to his concerned friends.

"I believe him. Do you, Ron?" asked Hermione.

Ron let go, leaving Harry standing in front of the mirror, but not moving toward it at all.

"Yes. So is this it? Did we stop the enchantments from breaking?" Ron asked, turning to Sturgis.

But he was gone. Sturgis no longer stood with the group. The three stood there with Cedric trying to figure out where he was.

"Mister Podmore!" Hermione yelled.

Still, he was nowhere in the room. Suddenly, there was a faint yell from outside the power chamber. It sounded as if someone was arguing.

"I better check it out," said Harry, and he headed toward the brass door.

There, he caught sight of a body lying on the ground. It was Sturgis, and he wasn't moving at all. Then, standing to the side of him was a man he didn't expect.

"Amos?" said Harry.

"Hello, Harry," he said. "My boy, my Cedric… He's coming back."

"He's already back."

"Impossible… I haven't gone through the mirror yet, but when I do, I will have my son again."

"Your wife already did it!" Harry yelled.

"What? No… No! I put the key in! I was chased off by a raven and hid around the corner in a laboratory until it was gone… I thought I heard someone in the room, so I came over and found him… My wife? My wife?"

"She must have followed you," said Harry. "Your wife was the raven… Didn't you know she was animagus?"

"No," said Mr. Diggory. "She's gone? My son! Cedric!"

"He's in there," said Harry. "Go see him."

Amos pushed Harry aside and ran into the room. Harry couldn't believe that Amos was the one who broke the enchantments, not his wife. That is how he must have gotten the key. He worked at the Ministry. He must have gotten Harry's key and copied it.

Harry turned around and walked back into the power chamber. Cedric and Amos Diggory were hugging one another, and both were crying. Ron and Hermione stood near by, trying not to tear up themselves.

The walls shook. All of a sudden, everything in the room began to tremble horribly and chunks of the ceiling and walls began to fall down. Harry jumped underneath a metal table. Mr. Diggory leaned over his son, pressing him to the ground.

A high shriek filled the room coming from the direction of Ron. And just as quickly as the earthquake came, it was gone. Harry crawled from out of his spot and looked over toward Ron. He looked okay from the back. He was standing but his arms were shaking.

But Harry then saw who he was standing over. Hermione lay on the ground, blood gushing from the side of her head. A thick rock was beside her. Then, a horrible moan came out of Ron's mouth, and he fell to the floor. He held Hermione's limp, bloody body in his hands.

"She's dead!" Ron shouted as snot glided over his mouth.

Harry couldn't believe it. He stood across the room completely still. It was a bad dream. It couldn't be real! She couldn't be dead!

Then, Ron quickly picked up Hermione's body in his arms. Red blood dripped onto the ground as he ran with her toward the Mirror. He stopped, but didn't hesitate; he stood there shaking, his eyes fixated on the swirling clouds.

"No, Ron!" Harry shouted and reached for his wand.

Harry looked down into his pocket to see it was gone. It must have fallen out during the quake. But before Harry could look for it, he saw the back of Ron Weasley entering the Mirror of Lost Souls.

His body stood in the swirling mist, tears still streaming down his face. Then, just as Mrs. Diggory had disappeared, Ron did the same.

A bushy haired girl's body reappeared into the room, lying on the ground in front of the mirror. She was moving.

"Hermione!" Harry shouted and ran across the room. "Are you okay?"

She rolled over and looked up. "I think so." Then, she got up and looked around the room. "Where's Sturgis? Where's Ron?"

Harry stared at the mirror, and it hit him hard. Ron was dead and was not coming back unless he did something about it.