"We'll have to think of something with Kreacher!" said Ron anxiously, barely stepping out of the Floo onto the carpet.
Harry and I looked at each other and Ginny rolled her eyes.
"Don't you think it's better not to discuss such things in a house where Kreacher hears every word?"
Ron immediately looked so guilty that I felt sorry for him.
"It's all right, Ron," I said. Harry already took care of him.
"Kreacher is at the Hog's Head now," Harry said. "Aberforth just needed an elf for tonight. Kreacher agreed, on the condition that "Master would keep an eye on Mr. Weasley and not allow him to offend the Mistress."
Ron blushed.
"That long-eared elf can't stand me, that's all. Well, if he doesn't show up today, that means one less problem.
"That's enough of that," Ginny cut him off. "Since you've already arrived, go with Harry to the dining room. And we'll wait for Snape and come down to you.
Ron chuckled and followed Harry out of the room. At the door, he turned and winked at me, and I managed to squeeze out an answering smile. From the very morning I began to feel feverish, as before an exam, and when I got to Grimmauld Place this feeling only intensified. Everything was mixed up in my mind: the anticipation of Snape, the fear for Ron, the desire to finally feel my own magic, the understanding that tomorrow I would be in Australia ...
"Hey!" Ginny snapped her fingertips in front of my face. - "How are you?"
"Adequate to the circumstances," I tried to calm my breathing. - "I'm a bit nervous".
"You look fine," Ginny said. "Also…you've actually gotten prettier in recent months".
Her remark was so inappropriate that my excitement receded slightly.
"Really?"
"Well, yes. Someone has to tell you this. And you know ... I just feel that everything will go great. It'll go by so fast. And in Australia too".
"I'd like to have your confidence..."
" Think about it! If Snape doubted that all this mess would return your magical abilities, would he have brought you a potion in advance?"
I had another explanation, but I preferred to keep it to myself. Ginny nodded triumphantly at my lack of objection.
The clock struck six. Against them, the knocker of the knocker from the front door was barely audible, but Ginny jumped out of her chair at once.
"And here's Snape. It is strange that he did not go through the Floo. Let's go?"
"Go. I'm coming now..."
Ginny gave me a sympathetic look and fluttered out the door.
I exhaled slowly. I need to concentrate. It's easy to tell myself to concentrate! The Occlumency Shield was disappearing before I could create it. So ... We need to digress ... The environment didn't contribute to this at all. Everything in the room was reminiscent of the events of recent months. This is where Snape brought me when Karkaroff planted the letter. Here we waited for Harry and Snape all the next day. And then, when Karkaroff was caught. Also, Snape sat in that chair at Christmas and pet Crookshanks…
Reminding myself about Snape doesn't seem to be the best way to concentrate.
Today the room seemed strangely empty. Kreacher fulfilled his duties right on time. The Christmas decorations are gone. The holidays are over.
Snape hasn't visited me or the Potters since January 1st. It was only last night that owls brought me and Harry identical notices of the time of his arrival at Grimmauld Place. Dry. Short. Official...
That's! I can forget about Occlumency. Resigned to this fact, I descended the stairs with a pounding heart and an absolute mess in my thoughts.
Snape - black-on-black - stood at the door to the dining room, talking to Harry. Very quiet. It seems they spoke non-verbally...
" Good evening!" I said.
"Good evening, Miss Granger," Snape said, flickering his gaze over me. "We'll join you in a minute. Repeat for me, for now, Mr. Weasley's actions".
I nodded hollowly and walked into the room. Furniture, like last time, was moved to the walls. An unexpected detail of the interior turned out to be a structure of chairs next to the sideboard. Ron teetered precariously in the top chair.
"Here, take a look," Ginny flew up from nowhere and showed me a long red scratch on her arm. - "Crawled into the far corner, hisses, scratches. We explained it to him: now there will again be dark magic with subsequent destruction. You should stomp out of here with your Kneazle sensibility..."
"Crooks, here, kitty, kitty, kitty," Ron called in a falsely affectionate voice, "come here, you fat snout! I'm trying to help you, fool!"
Crookshanks responded with a menacing hiss.
"No use," I sighed. "He didn't leave last time either. Don't touch him. If he wants to, he'll run away".
Ron jumped up. The rickety structure collapsed behind him with a crash.
"Then we are ready. How are you, Hermione?"
"Fine," I lied. - "And you? Do you remember everything?"
"I've only repeated it for two weeks. Of course I remember".
Suddenly, Ron pulled me into his arms and blew gently on the top of my head.
"My mother used to do this as a child," he explained. - "Drives away bad thoughts. Do you feel better?"
"I feel better," I smiled.
Ginny chuckled but didn't comment, for which I was very grateful.
"Let's get started, ladies and gentlemen," Snape appeared at the door.
Ron unclenched his hands.
"Yes, let's. Should I drink the potion first?"
" You will. Later," Snape spoke in a matter-of-fact, curt voice. I was glad not to hear the flat tone of Occlumency in his voice. — "Albus!"
"Good evening!" - Professor Dumbledore, who immediately appeared on the canvas, was also businesslike and serious. "Take it, Severus".
Professor Snape reached over to the portrait, took out the wand case, and carefully placed it on the table. Then he turned to us:
"Mr. Weasley, come here! Mr. Potter - there. Miss Granger... "
For a fraction of a second, his gaze lingered on me. I felt a mental touch. Or did I just want to believe it? In any case, my hysteria subsided, giving way to concentration.
" You are ready?"
"Yes, sir," I answered almost honestly.
Ron walked up to the table, showing indifference with his whole appearance. Freckles showed brightly on his pale skin.
"So, Mr. Weasley. From the moment you drink the potion, you will have about five minutes. Try to be on time. By the way, the dose is large and after a few hours you will feel symptoms similar to alcohol intoxication".
Snape removed the cork and handed Ron the vial of the potion.
"I feel like a drunk beforehand," Ron muttered, and drank the liquid in one gulp. "How do you know if it's already active?"
Snape shrugged, abruptly drew his wand, pointed it at Ron, and ordered:
" Legilimens!"
Ron recoiled.
" What was that for?"
"It's working," Snape stated, stepping aside. - "Get started".
Ron pulled Bellatrix's crooked wand out of its case with two fingers. I felt nausea rise up in my throat.
Meanwhile, Ron began to speak, confidently and seriously:
"I took this wand in battle. It belongs to me and must obey me. I take possession of it. I am the master of this wand!"
The answer was a shower of red sparks.
The ringing in my ears made it difficult to concentrate. As if from afar, I watched as Ron tested the last spells cast by the wand. Here is the necessary "Stupefy" and ...
" Reditum!"
Ron's fingers gripped the hilt tightly, his hand trembling. It took all my will not to swerve and expose my shield charms to the bright white beam. The touch of the spell was almost imperceptible, but waves of heat rolled through my body. No, it wasn't warm, but very hot! It burned, boiled and spread through the veins and nerves. A familiar sensation pulsed at my fingertips. Ron smiled and lowered his hand.
"Check if your magic is back".
But I already knew: it worked! It seemed that now I can conjure with any piece of wood, with a simple touch of my fingers, with the power of thought ...
Ginny jumped up to me and held out her wand.
"Try mine!"
The buffet opened. The Black family china flew into the air and whirled around the ceiling. Ron whistled. Harry and Ginny laughed.
"Well done, Hermione! Now try with this one! " Harry handed me a holly wand.
I replaced the tea set in one motion, set Ginny's wand down on the table, and looked around the room for an interesting idea. The faces of my friends shone. Dumbledore winked at me before disappearing from the portrait. Even in Snape's eyes, there was something akin to triumph.
"Try some Transfiguration," he suggested.
The heavy carved chair crumpled like a sheet of paper, stretched out, acquiring new forms, color, reliefs... Letters appeared on the leather binding: "A Guide to Advanced Transfiguration." I hurried to pick up the book from the floor, but Ginny was faster.
She leafed through the textbook and looked at me almost in fear:
"Is there text?"
I shrugged.
"Not all of the pages, I guess. Only up to Page 680. I haven't studied it further".
"That's... just... something..." Ginny, who couldn't find words, looked very unusual.
" Magic?" ' said Harry, smiling gleefully. "The magic of our Hermione!"
I looked at Snape. He just nodded briefly. Yeah. Just the usual thing. We return magic to all Hermiones in batches, every day! Isn't that right, Professor? What did Ginny say? Saving anyone who ends up in this place? I wanted to go up to him, touch him, force him to throw off the mask of equanimity from his face, smooth out the eternal crease between the eyebrows, say ... yes, make him say something! Today I had the right to do so!
Snape closed his eyes and shook his head slightly.
My cheeks felt hot for a moment, and then...
" Severus!" Dumbledore's voice sounded like an order. Snape's gaze darted around the room, slid over the clock face, and settled on Ron...
On Ron, who was staring at Bellatrix Lestrange's wand with childlike delight. Crookshanks on the sideboard hissed softly.
"I think that's enough, Mr. Weasley," Snape said softly. His wand slipped from his sleeve into his palm. - "Put it in the box and move away".
" Hm?" said Ron. — "Is that really necessary?"
"Ron, don't joke like that. You remember what happened to Hermione," Harry said worriedly, moving closer.
" Don't be afraid. It can't hurt its master! Look how strong…" Ron waved his wand and set the window curtains on fire, "…and obedient this thing is," he finished, extinguishing the fire with an almost imperceptible gesture.
Harry froze in place. Silence hung in the room, broken only by the mournful meow of Crookshanks.
Ginny cast a desperate glance at the table where our wands lay. Thoughts in my head frantically swept in search of a way out of the situation. Why didn't we foresee this? Harry and Ginny were unarmed. Can I beat Ron with Harry's wand? In a battle - no ... In a battle? Fight Ron?
I looked carefully at Snape. He stood with his eyes closed, calm, relaxed, as if the situation had nothing to do with him.
"What should we do, sir?"
The Professor responded immediately:
"Don't attack him. Talk with him, but don't argue. Distract him. Don't make sudden movements. Don't come closer."
"Do you… know the Fire Illusion Spell, Ron?" I spoke, hoping my voice wasn't trembling.
"No," Ron smiled, and his look made me think of dragons. - "But she knows".
The air stirred. Snape's spell broke on the invisible barrier that separated the corner of the room where Ron stood.
This is a dream. Just a dream. It can't be true. My legs became like jelly, and I leaned against the wall so as not to fall.
Ron laughed in satisfaction.
"Well, look at these faces! Think poor Ronniekins is in trouble again? I'm fooling around, okay? When else will the opportunity come up? Imagine, she's saying that I could become great, invincible, and ... in general, all sorts of twaddle".
" She says? Ron, are you mental?" Ginny rushed over to the table.
Ron shook his head. In the next moment, two wands were in his left hand, and Harry's wand flew out of my hands and fell somewhere on the table.
"See how fast she is?" said Ron proudly.
Ginny turned to him.
"Ronald Weasley! Give me back my wand right now!"
"Take it," he shrugged.
" Ginny, no!" Harry lunged forward, but lost his balance and almost fell face down on level ground. Crookshanks yelped heart-rendingly.
"Come on, mate!" Ron looked at Harry reproachfully. "I said I was kidding".
Ginny stepped over the iridescent edge that marked the barrier, and hesitated as she stared into Ron's face.
"I've never had such a wand," Ron continued. "Harry got the Elder Wand. And I got her. It's fair, isn't it?"
Ginny sucked in a breath through her teeth.
Ron glanced at his left hand.
" Ginny. I've been thinking... I'll get your wand back a little later. It's in your own interest. You see, she's too touchy. If you try to attack me, you will become a squib. And you'll try, I know..."
He dropped our wands on the floor and with a careless movement of his foot sent them under the sideboard.
My heart skipped a beat.
"Talk to him," Snape reminded me.
"Is that possible, Ron?" I asked. "Is the wand capable of taking away the wizard's magic without direct contact?"
Ron cocked his head to the side, as if listening to someone.
"She says wands interact in complex ways during battle, and wizard's magic can flow through them in any direction. Sounds like the truth, doesn't it, Harry?"
Ginny at that moment reached out, touched the wall of air ripples, and cried out in pain.
" Get back to the wall, little sister!" Ron grimaced as he barely glanced at her. - "Don't hesitate! I wouldn't want to harm you".
Ginny glanced at Harry, took a step back and leaned against the wall.
What was happening was like a strange, unbearably slow performance, where each character says his line with a motionless face, and then freezes in anticipation of an answer. Wake up. I want to wake up...
Stop. Don't whine, but think what to do next.
It's obvious that Ron is under the influence of Bellatrix's wand, whatever that really means. According to Ollivander, the wand can't directly possess someone, so it plays on Ron's pressure points. Looking for similar thoughts and motives. Power? Strength? Uniqueness? But what if you find a point where the motives will conflict?
"Tell me, Ron, how exactly does she talk to you?"
Ron narrowed his eyes.
"Do you think I've moved on? No. I just know the answer. There's room enough for two in this head".
"Can't you ask her why she tried to come between us?"
Ron's eyes glazed over for a moment. Then a look of surprise appeared on his face. He paused and said uncertainly:
"She says that's not true. She cannot lie to her master".
"All right," Snape approved, "go ahead. The impact is waning."
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw that Harry was now copying Snape's pose: standing with his head down and his eyes closed. For some reason, this gave me confidence.
"You gave her to me, but instead of obeying, she stole my magic, entered my head, and turned me against you. Why is that, Ron?"
Ron's hand trembled, and I thought he was about to drop his wand. Instead, he spoke in an unfamiliar condescending tone:
"You're wrong, Hermione. The wand only stopped listening to you when you betrayed me. You see, she understood everything much earlier than I did, because your thoughts were open to her. Strange…" He cocked his head to the side again. "I didn't think it was that bad".
My throat hurt. Water ... I was so thirsty ...
"And you will believe her and not me? It already happened, Ron. Remember the locket, and what it did to you!"
Ron frowned.
"Another story about a betrayal of a friend? That's just - who is the traitor here?" He drew a question mark in the air. "Has Ron become a burden again and is no longer needed?"
"You are needed," I was now not talking a stranger with a Lestrange wand, but to Ron: dear, funny, kind, touchy and easy-going. "Ron, please! I can't cope without you! Tomorrow we were going to break half the laws of wizarding Australia. Do you remember? Together, like before. Don't leave me!"
He shook his head.
"I didn't mean to. You just don't realize how lucky we are. Your parents…" Ron trailed off, moving his lips inaudibly, and continued in a different tone: "Is that so? Can't cope without me? Maybe. And then what?" A standard scheme - "Help and sod off"?
"Now, keep silent," Snape's non-verbal order hurt my temples. And got me scared.
Ron winced again.
"Why are you all staring at me like I have the Dark Lord sticking out of the back of my head? That I look disgusting".
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Snape move. Ron turned sharply to him. Snape spoke slowly, pausing, drawing out his words.
"Mr. Weasley suddenly thinks he's... the Lestrange's heir? An overly sociable thing... a crazy dead witch whispering to him... fabulous promises? How delightful".
Snape's face was not even pale now, but a dirty gray. He stepped into the middle of the room and saluted Ron.
"I trust Mr. Weasley would be willing to demonstrate his sudden newfound power and wisdom?"
Ron bowed his head to his wand again.
"No… probably not," he drawled. - "Why do I need to do that?"
"Let me think…" Snape almost hissed. "So that no one will think that Ron Weasley is a coward and a cheap loudmouth?"
"It won't work," Ron grimaced. "That's a cheap Muggle trick".
"Allow me, Mr. Weasley!" Professor Dumbledore looked at Ron from his portrait with a good-natured smile. "Forgive me for interfering with your little conflict, but it seems to me that there is a simple misunderstanding in this room".
" Oh really?" Ron pretended to be surprised.
"Exactly. You are holding in your hands an undoubtedly interesting, but very dangerous artifact, which is known to be able to influence the consciousness of the owner. Your behavior in the last few minutes seems unusual. Your friends are worried. And you just need to put down the wand and confirm that all your actions are dictated by your own will".
"If I do that," said Ron grimly, "they'll destroy her. Destroy my wand".
"Dear Mr. Weasley! Didn't you just say that if you try to destroy this thing, it can take away the magic from the one who encroaches on it? As far as I understand, touching it can be dangerous. But if you hesitate, I am ready to take it back for safekeeping. Of course, you can demand it back!"
The ticking of the clock in the stillness of the room seemed unbearably loud. Poor Crookshanks seemed to be hoarse and now showed his fear only with his rearing fur and wildly sparkling eyes.
"Why should I trust you?" Ron looked at Dumbledore frowningly and spoke rather rudely, but again it seemed to me that he was ready to give in.
"That's how the recesses in the portraits are arranged," the Headmaster explained softly. - "The thing can be taken only by the one who gave it for safekeeping. Or the one to whom the keeper entrusted it. You don't even have to go beyond this magnificent defensive spell. Just reach out and give me the wand. No trick. Us portraits don't lie".
Ron lowered his head.
The clock struck seven.
Please, please, please... Let him hear me! My heart was pounding like crazy, my throat was so dry that it hurt even to breathe.
Finally Ron spoke.
"You are mistaken, Professor Dumbledore. Portraits do lie. There is no person, just their copy is trying to imitate the original. This is a vile lie".
He waved his wand. The portrait lit up. Ginny screamed and covered her mouth with her hand. Harry lunged forward, but Snape caught him and pushed him against the wall.
The flame of by no means an illusory fire instantly devoured the canvas and set destroying the frame.
In a few moments it was all over. What happened was so incredible that I had no thoughts, no emotions.
Ron stared at the charred rectangle on the wall and muttered under his breath:
"Fred didn't want a portrait. Fred would be offended... Well, what are you staring at?" He glanced at Ginny with a dull look. "Did you think I would believe him? Did you think I wasn't strong enough?"
Ginny was about to say something, but she stopped short and averted her eyes.
He glanced at the wall again and shook his head.
" I didn't want to. He forced me... Did I kill him?" He stared in dismay at the wand in his hand. Then his lips moved silently, as if repeating someone's words.
Ron was going crazy and I was standing two meters away from him and just looking at it?
"No, Ron," I said. "A portrait is paint, canvas and wood. A few hours pass and Headmaster Dumbledore appears in his other frame... Ron! Stop! Look at me!"
"He can't hear you." Snape's voice, even in mental projection, was irritated and tired. "His mind now perceives only one source of arguments."
"But you have to do something!"
"We will do something. We wait".
"What are we waiting for? Until he starts firing off spells at everyone? Or until he kills himself?"
"Until the side effects of the potion make him weak enough."
"What if by then his brain is destroyed?"
"That is possible."
"But you don't care?"
"Don't get hysterical. Wait for my signal. As soon as Weasley is busy enough, you and Mrs. Potter will leave the room. Block all entrances and exits in the house and call the house elf. This is clear?"
"Yes, sir".
Ron laughed and I winced.
"Ha! Now I understand it all! Snape is brainwashing you. There you are, Hermione. You didn't write down his valuable instructions in a notebook! And Ginny argued with him about something. Can you tell me what you didn't share with me? Harry, why isn't he talking to you, huh? Or are you so quick to agree with him that I can't keep up? I'm tired of you. I'm going to leave ... Will you take me to the Burrow, sister?" He bowed mockingly, pointing with his left hand at the door. "I want to ask our mother something".
I stared at Snape in horror. Did he hear it too? Bellatrix's familiar intonation sounded absolutely perfect in the last phrase.
Ginny moved slowly, like a somnambulist, away from the wall. She looked like she was about to faint.
"Let's go, Gin!" Ron grabbed her by the elbow and pulled her towards the door.
Ginny stumbled.
"Ron, she's unwell," I couldn't help it. - "Can't you see?"
She collapsed before I could finish my sentence. Ron bent down, trying to pick something up, and at that moment, Harry had in his hands, inexplicably, someone's wand. Spells flew into the protective field surrounding Ron and Ginny. Harry's spells ricocheted and I took cover behind a chair, but Snape's spell worked just fine. At that moment, Ginny suddenly came to her senses. Judging by the growl, Ron received a painful blow from her. Ginny rolled to the side, got up and... hit the rebuilt shield.
"Nice try." Ron straightened up and slowly looked around the dining room. - "Now Gryffindors are attacking like Slytherins, four on one?"
"Perhaps I should be flattered that you assigned me to your house, Weasley?" Snape said contemptuously. "Spare me this honor".
"Ron, listen…" Harry began.
Ron shook his head.
"Shut up. For you, everything has been clear for a long time. Now I'm speaking. And for starters, let's even the odds". He pointed his wand at Ginny. "On the count of three, Ginny will ask you to disarm yourself. One. Two, three!"
Harry unclenched his fingers. His wand fell to the floor.
" Excellent, mate!" Ron lured the wand towards him without removing the barrier. "Does the honourable Professor Snape really need a separate invitation?"
Snape shrugged and placed his wand on the table.
"Accio! Thank you, sir. Ten, no, five points to Slytherin," Ron chuckled. - "And now - about the main matter at hand!"
"Stop it, Ron!" - I understood that every protest was useless, but I could not just look on and be silent. — "The wand is deceiving you. You are not the owner, but..."
"Silencio," Ron whispered almost tenderly, and I lost my voice.
He pointed his wand at the door. It slammed shut with a deafening thud.
"That's it. Stupid little Ronniekins, who was always pushed around, is gone." Ron's voice changed over the course of the sentence. At the end, he broke into unfamiliar laughter, as if he had said something inexpressibly cheerful. — "And to prove it — a little performance!"
I felt like I couldn't move.
Ron pulled a Deluminator from his pocket, gathered light from all the lamps, and the room plunged into darkness. The light of a street lamp barely illuminated our silhouettes.
"I wonder who will cast the first spell against me?" - he raised his wand, stood motionless for a second, then abruptly waved his hand ...
A shadow flickered over Ron's head. I heard a heavy blow, a scream... The room was lit up by a short green flash. There was the sound of a falling body ... And then darkness overtook me.