Chapter 27: Dumbledore's Office

He landed with a painful thud on his chest, his arms captured beneath him. Ron lay there a moment in the itchy, vomit ridden straw, hoping that they would leave him be if he just lay there still enough. While his captors spoke in hushed voices behind him, presumably discussing what torture to use on him next, he adjusted his body just enough that his hand could slowly work its way up to his pocket undetected. He slipped his hand inside and tightened his fist. Behind him he heard Lucius give Draco the order to search him before he turned on his heel and walked out of the dungeon like room.

Ron waited, body tensed, for the right moment. He felt Draco draw near and grip his arm, forcefully truing him over onto his back. He let his hand fall out of his pocket and sink deep within the straw praying that the blond boy hadn't seen the small movement. If he had Ron's last weapon and means of escape would be gone.

Draco made quick work of searching his entire person, taking special care to poke and prod him where his flesh was tender from being gauged and beaten. Finally satisfied that the tormented boy had no means of escape he gave him a final kick in the back before he turned and walked toward the door calling over his shoulder. "Get some rest weasel. You're going to need it tomorrow." The door closed with a loud bang and the locks turned into place. The light seeping through the crack under the door faded along with the sound of Draco's retreating footsteps, his malicious laughter trailing earily behind him. Finally the sound stopped and Ron was left alone in the pitch black darkness of his cell.

Sunlight had long since faded from dusk into darkness. Torches lit the halls and the corridors of the castle. The hospital wing was dimly lit by torches periodically placed along the length of the wall, casting the most gentle of glow on its few occupants. Mr. and Mrs. Granger were still in a comatose state with the affects of the school nurses sleeping draft, and Hermione sat stiffly in the same uncomfortable chair, her body curled into a tight ball. She tried to force her eyes to remain open but found it nearly impossible. Her rioting emotions and the lateness of the hour proved intoxicating. Her head would start to nod forward and her eyes would drift shut, but just as she was about to slip into slumber she would jerk herself awake, visions of Ron lying dead on her bedroom floor filing her brain. She would not, no… could not sleep until she knew what had happened.

Hermione glanced at the wrist watch she had taken from her father's nightstand while he slept. A little after nine. Three and a half hours and Dumbledore hadn't returned nor had Ron been brought to the hospital wing.

In frustration she pressed the pads of her hands to her eyes. She couldn't take it any longer. The uncertainty and the guilt were eating away at her insides making it hard to breath. She tried to convince herself that Ron had been brought to St. Mungo's and that in the confusion the adults had forgotten to come and tell her. But the longer she went without word the more certain she became that Dumbledore had been too late. Something had happened to Ron and once again it was her fault that someone in the Weasley family had been harmed. If she hadn't asked him to come and see her he wouldn't have been at her house when the Death Eaters attacked and he never would have sacrificed himself like he had.

Tears leaked from the deep pools of her eyes as guilt and despair once again washed over her. She wrapped her arms tight around her knees and pressed her eyes into them, soaking the soft fabric of her trousers with her tears. Her shoulders shook violently as she tried to hold in the desperate sound of her sobs, but it was useless. They came out in horrible loud gasps of breath.

She pounded a loan fist against her shin, cursing silently. Damn Voldemort. Damn Voldemort and his mindless, heartless drones. It was their fault, all of it. And she hated them. She hated them with a fire and a vengeance she never realized she possessed. Her loathing for the man that was less then human and more like serpent scared her. All these years, despite everything she had been through, she never thought she would be able to commit the act of murder. But in that moment when she realized how much the evil bastard was trying to take from her, she knew that she could if it came down to it. She finally understood what Harry had been going through all the years; why he felt that it was his responsibility and right to take Voldemort out. And the sick bastard hadn't taken nearly as much from her as he had Harry.

Drowning in despair and grief and completely oblivious to the world around her, it wasn't until she felt a hand on her shoulder that she realized that someone else had joined her. "Hermione?" her head snapped up to see Harry's emerald green eyes looking down at her questioningly. "What's going on?"

"Harry!" Her body protested in pain as she unfolded her limbs and threw herself at him, wrapping her arms around his neck and tucking her head into his shoulder. Harry stumbled back in surprise, wrapping his arms protectively around her as he regained his footing.

"God Hermione, what happened?" He rubbed a hand comfortingly up and down her back as she soaked the front of his jumper with tears. "The castles being flooded by students and one of the paintings said they saw you with your parents and that you were headed to the hospital wing." He slowly rotated his head to the right and then the left, expecting to find his other best mate keeping Hermione company. When he didn't see him he turned back to the sobbing girl in his arms. He was almost afraid to ask but despite himself found the words falling out of his mouth. "Where's Ron?"

Her grip tightened on his clothes. She started to speak but her face was still pressed tight against his shoulder and her words were incoherent and muffled at best.

A feeling of dread settled in Harry's chest. "I'm sorry, Hermione," his voice cracked a bit as he spoke. "I didn't quiet catch that. What did you say?"

Hermione pulled away so that she could speak without being muffled, but refused to relinquish her comforting hold around his neck. Her body shook uncontrollably as she took several shuttering breaths. "Death Eaters attacked my house, Harry." Her voice quivered with tears. She released him and wrapped her arms around herself as she stepped away. "It's my fault...I…" her eyes lowered so she wouldn't have to look at him. "I asked him to come…an…and now…"

"Hermione," Harry place both hands firmly on her shoulders and turned her towards him. Terror and pain rose inside him like an inferno. "What happened? Where is Ron?"

She shook her head in confusion. "I don't know what he was thinking!" she cried abruptly, angrily turning and breaking Harry's hold on her. "We had a… a portkey. He… he could have come with us. I…I…I don't understand why he…I don't understand."

Harry's eyes widened with comprehension. He took a dazed step back. "The Death Eaters have him, don't they?"

Hermione coward under the glacial glower in his eyes. "I don't know." She stammered, shaking her head. "Dumbledore went to get him and… and he hasn't come back yet." She looked down at the oversized watch and found that another twenty minutes had past. "I thought they would be back by now."

Harry's emerald eyes narrowed. "How long has he been gone?"

"Al…almost four hours." She replied hesitantly.

"Four hours!" Harry shouted irately, surprising Hermione with the vehemence of it. "They've been gone for four hours and you didn't come and tell me?"

"I…"

"Why didn't you go after him?"

"I tried but…"

"Bloody hell!" Harry spun around on his heel and marched away from Hermione without waiting for her answer.

"Harry!" She called, scuttling after him. "Harry wait... Please!" he ignored her and kept marching toward the door. "Where are you going?"

"After Ron." He called over his shoulder, not bothering to turn around.

Hermione quickened her pace to catch up with him. "Harry, you can't."

"Yeah?" He snapped bitterly. "Try and stop me."

"Harry!" Hermione wailed as she put herself in-between him and the door. "You mustn't. Don't you see?" She pushed firmly against his chest, trying to dig her heels in the floor but to no avail as her feet skid across the smooth, flat stones. Harry was determined to leave and her meager attempts were not going to stop him. "That's exactly what they want, Harry. They want you to go after him."

"Don't you think I know that?" He shouted as he flung her hands off of him. "I'm well aware that they took him to get to me."

"Then please don't do this." She pleaded. "Don't let them lure you out of the castle. It isn't safe."

"Hermione!" Harry cried in desperation. "Please don't try and stop me. They could be killing him right now." He tried to step around her. "I have to go… I have to..."

"Harry," she put herself in his way again. "If they wanted to kill him you would be too late." Her eyes widened as if she had just comprehended the truth of her own words. Her eyes misted with fresh tears at the tormenting truth of her next thought. "He'll already be dead."

"Stop it." Harry snarled. She looked up to see the tears gathering behind Harry's eyes. "J…just stop it."

"It's true." She wiped furiously at her pale cheeks. "He's probably dead already and it's all my fault."

"Hermione…"

"No," she shook her head, stepping away from his outstretched hand. "It's true… If I hadn't asked him to come, he never would have…"she sank down onto the foot of the nearest bed, thrusting her fingers deep into the locks of her hair and fisting them so that she could tug at it in frustration. She rocked back and forth slightly her entire body trembling. "It's all my fault." Harry watched stunned as the strong and powerful girl he knew came apart before his eyes, scaring him more then any encounter with Voldemort ever had. "The Weasley's are going to have real cause to hate me this time… and I…I don't blame them." She let go of her hair to wrap her arms protectively about herself and turned away when Harry moved closer. "Ju…just go away… Harry. I'm bad luck."

"Hermione, stop it." He forced his voice to remain steady and strong. "This is not your fault."

"It is." She protested, refusing to look at him. "If I hadn't…"

"Enough already!" Harry interrupted angrily. "It's my job to play the aggrieved teenage hero. There can't be two of us."

"Harry," Hermione moaned through her tears. "That's not funny." She tried to glower at him but found herself chuckling haltingly as tears continued to run down her pale cheeks.

"I myself, found it quiet amusing."

Harry spun around and Hermione's head snapped up to find Dumbledore standing in the entrance to the hospital wing looking warn and tired and more then a little battle weary. He took a few steps into the room as Hermione stood up and she and Harry rushed towards him. "It is in times like these we need laughter more then ever. Without it, I believe, life would become unbearable."

"Professor," Hermione took another step forward, ignoring the professor's words in her desperation to know what had happened to her friend. "Where's Ron? What happened?"

The old wizard looked past her to where Mr. and Mrs. Granger were lying peacefully in their beds. "Your parents?"

"They're fine." She snapped, quickly loosing patients. "Where's Ron? What's going on? What's taken you so long?"

Dumbledore's proud and commanding demeanor seemed to dwindle before them until he looked tired, old and defeated. "Perhaps you should come with me. Both of you."

"Sir…is Ron…" Harry couldn't finish the question but it hung in the air like a grave omen.

Dumbledore sighed, his soft blue eyes loosing even more of their luster. "Come with me and I'll explain everything to the best of my ability."

"But…"

"Please Harry," the old wizard stopped him before he could make any more protest. "Come with me."

The young man nodded and he and his friend silently followed the old wizard from the room and through the many corridors of the castle to the entrance of his office. The stone gargoyle jumped aside at his murmured password and they climbed onto the spiraling staircase.

Hermione fidgeted anxiously from keeping quiet so long. She was going mad with her need to find out what had happened to Ron, but wisely remained silent knowing that the headmaster would not speak until they reached his office and that it would only waist more time for her to stop and ask him now.

When they reached the top of the stairs Dumbledore opened the door and Harry and Hermione followed him inside. They moved toward the chairs stationed in front of Dumbledore's desk. Hermione came to a quick stop when she saw the bright gleam of copper hair out of the corner of her eye. "Ron!" she cried automatically turning about, ready to throw herself at him, but the moment she took a step towards the shiny beacon she knew it wasn't him.

"Ginny." Hermione stammered as she came to a halt. "Oh Ginny, I'm so sorry." She rushed forward and wrapped her arms around the younger girl.

Not entirely certain what was going on, Ginny looked over her friends shoulder to Harry who was still standing where Hermione had left him. "Harry? What's going on?" Her astute eyes glanced questioningly between him and Hermione, "Where's Ron?" She released the unsteady girl so that she could better look at the Headmaster. "Professor, what's going on?"

"Please," he waved his hand gracefully, summoning another chair to sit before his desk. "Would you take a seat? I fear that this explanation may take some time." He waited until his three students had seated themselves comfortably, Harry on the far left, Hermione in the middle and Ginny on the right. He stood there a full minute staring at them still debating with himself over the best course of action.

"Please, sir," Hermione begged when she couldn't stand the silence a moment longer. "Where is Ron? Please…" She begged. "What's happened?"

Dumbledore lowered himself slowly into his seat, pulling it closer to his desk. He folded his hands lightly on the surface. He stared intently at his twiddling thumbs a moment as if they magically held the answer to all his woes. "Are you aware," he began almost unsteadily, "that our Mr. Weasley is a master strategist?"

The three friends shifted in varying displays of surprise. Harry straightened in his seat, Hermione's brows furrowed together in thought as she leaned slightly forward, and Ginny crossed her arms in front of her chest as she tilted her head dubiously to the side to better observe the aged wizard.

"A master strategist?" The young red head voiced the question they were all thinking.

"Yes, Miss Weasley. A master strategist." Dumbledore pinched the bridge of his nose a minute to ward off the beginning of a headache. "I'll have you recall if you will Professor McGonagall's chess board from your first year." Harry's and Hermione's eyes widened with understanding while Ginny frowned with puzzlement, not having been at Hogwarts at the time. "There are very few adult wizards who could have won their way across that board. The fact that your friend Ronald was able to do so at such a young age is…quiet remarkable. Your friend has a talent for strategy… a talent I believe that has only grown stronger over the years." He raised a white brow suggestively as the young wizard and witches nodded their agreement. "I believe Ronald and I would be fairly evenly matched if we were to test our skills against each other. And please don't think my vain in saying that that truly is saying something. There are very few witches or wizards alive, I am proud to say, that can best me in chess… and I do believe Ronald may be one of them."

"Forgive me sir," Ginny interrupted, quickly loosing patients with Dumbledore, "but what has this to do with anything? Why have you brought us here? And where is Ron?" She brushed her hair over her shoulder in aggravation. "What is going on?"

"What is going on, Miss Weasley, is that I have spent the past two hours interrogating Miss Pansy Parkinson and Mr's Crabbe, Goyle and Dolhove."

Hermione started with surprise. "You mean you caught them? All four of them?"

"More like Mr. Weasley did." Dumbledore corrected. "When Remus and I arrived Mr.'s Crbbe and Goyle were still trying to find a way to stand up without being tripped once again while Mr. Dolhove and Miss Parkinson were in no state to help them seeing as one was bound by ropes and the other was under a full body bind. Like I said before, your friend and brother is a master strategist." The old wizard stroked his chin thoughtfully. "According to the accounts of the four apprehended, Ronald single handedly took them out of the fight."

"Sir," Harry interrupted when the headmaster stopped for breath. "You still haven't told us where Ron is."

The pale blue eyed wizard sighed heavily. "No Harry, I haven't." Dumbledore rose from his seat and moved to pace the length of floor behind his desk. "I must confess for sometime I considered telling you that we had been on time. That Remus and I were able to reach Miss Granger's house before any serious damage could be done." He looked away from the wide eyes of the three teenagers watching him. "I considered telling you that we had Ronald tucked safely away at St. Mungo's..." he stopped and faced Harry, looking him directly in the eye. "But I made a promise to you last year, Harry. No more secrets."

Moving with the agility and grace of a man twice his age, Dumbledore lowered himself into his seat once again, moving it close to his desk. He threaded his fingers and placed them palm down on the desks shinny surface. "We were too late. Vincent Crabbe was able to call out a warning to Draco and Lucius who were upstairs with Ron." He shook his head." By the time we reached your room, Miss Granger, they had already taken him."

The room went silent in the wake of his words. Ginny felt an intense cold invade her heart, Harry froze as pain and anger rushed his body and Hermione went empty inside. It was true. Ron was gone and it was entirely her fault. Suddenly the emptiness was gone, pain and anguish hit her so strong it was hard to breath. Hermione gasped for breath as she doubled over in pain.

"Miss Granger." She cringed away from the old wizards touch.

"It's my fault." She looked up at him with tear soaked eyes. "It's all my fault." She rose frantically to her feet and clutched at Dumbledore's robes. "Why didn't he come with us? We had a portkey. There was enough room. Why?"

"Hermione," Harry pried her fingers loose of the headmaster's robes. "Hermione, let go." He said softly when her fingers still clung.

Finally her fingers loosened there hold and she turned and buried her face in Harry's chest. "He could have come with us. Why didn't he come with us?"

"I'm not certain Hermione," Dumbledore shook his head. "As I wasn't there nor am I privy to his thoughts. But I must assume that Ron was taking into consideration the fact that the portkey was meant for one person travel only."

"What?" Hermione pulled slightly away from Harry in order to look at Dumbledore.

"Hermione," the blue eyed wizard placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. "I need to ask you what happened. I'm afraid my sources were only able to give me half the tale."

Hermione pushed her matted hair out of her eyes before covering her face with her hands. She took several breaths as she tried to force the crushing weight of her chest so that she could clear her mind. But it was hard. All she could see was the way Ron had turned to face the Malfoy's alone.

"Umm…we were talking…" she tried to swallow past the lump in her throat but the harder she tried to force it down the more firmly it stuck itself. "and the doorbell rang…and I remember thinking that it was strange because my parents and I weren't expecting anyone…And…the next thing I know there is crashing and screaming, and I knew…I knew Death Eaters had my parents."

Ginny gasped with horror. Unlike Harry she hadn't known that Hermione's parents were tucked away in the hospital wing recovering from attack. She rose to her feet and wrapped an arm around her friend, hugging her to her side, needing the comfort just as much as her friend did, for Merlin help her she already knew what was coming.

Hermione lowered her head, unable to meet anyone's eyes. "He stopped me. I was just going to go and try to help them, but he stopped me." She shook her head. "I don't even now what all he did. He told me to stay behind the wall or I would be blinded. All I know is that he brought my parents to me and he told me to take them and go." She bit painfully into her lip. "But I didn't," she looked up into Dumbledore's sympathetic eyes. "He asked me to go, no he told me to and I waited. I thought he needed to come with us… and he told me to go but I fought him." She shook her head vulnerably. "I still don't understand. Why didn't he come with? There was time?"

"No, Hermione." Dumbledore shook his head sadly. "I don't believe there was. You imperviated the door, yes?" she nodded. "How well was it holding against the Malfoys' attack?"

Hermione's eyes misted as comprehension took root. "It wasn't…and he knew that."

Dumbledore nodded. "I suspect that Ronald was trying to gain you more time so that you and your parents could coordinate the activation of the portkey. You would need to touch it simultaneously in order for it to work."

"But my parent's didn't touch it. They were holding my hands and they were brought with."

"Yes," Dumbledore agreed, "But I don't think Ron considered that an option. I think he believed that all travelers would have to touch the portkey in order for it to work."

"Why do you keep talking of him in the past tense?" The other three occupants of the room turned to see Harry standing a few paces off, fists clenched, muscles tensed and eyes blazing with fury. "Is he dead?"

"No." Dumbledore assured him. "He's very much alive…though suffering greatly I fear."

"Then don't speak as though he is."

Feeling a great swell of anger and vengeance Harry turned and began to march toward the door, disregarding Ginny's and Hermione's calls for him to stop. His fingers had just circled the handle when the door sealed closed before his eyes.

He spun around, his breath rapid and heavy. "Let me out." He demanded.

Dumbledore straightened to his full height, looking down at Harry imperiously. "No."

Harry pulled his wand and trained it on Dumbledore. "Let me out!" He demanded again, directing his anger on the old wizard.

"I can't do that, Harry. Not until you stay and listen to reason."

"What reason? They have Ron. There torturing him. You can't expect me to just sit here and do nothing."

"What can you do that the Aurors and members of the Order can not?" The old wizard asked reasonably, moving around his desk to sink stiffly into his seat. "Harry do you realize what's happened today?" The dark haired boy said nothing but continued to stair unseeingly ahead while Hermione and Ginny brought their two chairs together so that they could sit and hold on to each other, and offer comfort while they cried. "For some time now we've known that an attack on Muggle-borns was eminent, we just weren't certain as to when it would happen. When you arrived in my office Hermione, I knew it had begun. As Harry and Ginny may have noticed, many of the students have returned to school early. It is no longer safe in their homes."

He leaned back in his chair, hands folded in his lap. "I do not think you realize how many lives you have saved today through your actions." Harry reluctantly turned from the door. "With Ronald's quick thinking, you Hermione were able to alert me and I was able to send out forces to rescue those families." Dumbledore turned his pale eyes on Harry. "And it was because of you Harry, and your DA meetings, that students like Dean Thomas and the Creevey brothers were able to fight off their attackers long enough for Order members to come to their rescue. They are now recuperating in St. Mungo's."

"What has this got to do with me going after Ron?"

"I want you to realize, Harry, that nothing Ron has done has been done in vain. He has saved more lives today with his quick thinking then just the Grangers. Don't lessen what he has done by putting yourself at risk." Harry lowered his head as the begging's of shame began to creep into his consciousness. "You will be playing into the Death Eaters hands."

"I know that." he spoke through tightly gritted teeth. "I still have to go for him. He would do the same for me."

"One of the reasons it took me so long to return was that I had to stop and speak with Arthur and Molly. They had a right to know the fate of their son." Harry turned back to Dumbledore, his attention once again obtained. "And they made a request Harry. I am to gain your promise."

"My promise?"

"Yes. Your promise. That neither you, Hermione or Ginny, leave this school. Molly said it was difficult enough loosing Ron, she couldn't bear to loose another son as well."

Harry's eyes unwillingly misted over. "She said that?"

"Yes." Dumbledore nodded. "She did. As did Arthur. I know they're not your real mother and father Harry, but they think of you as one of their own. And I do believe it would break their hearts if you so readily disregarded their request." Harry felt the heavy weight of guilt settle on his shoulders. "So I'll ask you, do I have your promise, Harry, that you will not leave Hogwarts?"

"I…"

"Please, Harry. If you leave I will be forced to pull Order members away from looking for Ron to search for you. You will be a hindrance to the process, not a help. Do I have your word?"

Harry's innards coiled tight as he wrestled with two very strong desires. His need to go for Ron and his need to follow Dumbledore's and the Weasley's wishes. Feeling almost as if he were betraying his best friend he nodded. "All right. I'll stay. But I don't know for how long." He met Dumbledore's pale blue eyes with his intense green ones. "But I will for as long as I can. That's the best that I can promise."

"And yet, I can't help but wish it were more." Dumbledore slowly rose from his seat and waved his wand at the door, releasing it from the impervious charm. "I think it is time that you three got some rest. It's been a long day and I am sure you are all thoroughly worn out. Hermione," the curly haired raised her head to meet his eyes. "would you like a bed to be brought to the sixth year dorm or would you like to join Ginny in the fifth?"

The two girls' eyes caught and an understanding was reached. When they turned back to Dumbledore there was no need for words. He already understood. They rose from their seats and joined Harry who was waiting at the door, holding it open for them.

"We will find him." The three teenagers stopped and looked at their headmaster. "I promise you that."

Harry turned away from Dumbledore and wrapped his arms around his two friends, drawing them close. "But what kind of state will he be in when you do?"