I'm back! This chapter switches back to Ron, Hermione next! Please take a minute to review if you can it means so much!
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"It's him." Harry says for the second time in such a brief amount of time as he wiped the sweat off his brow.
Ron stands from his own bed and hurriedly makes his way to his friend, desperate for answers.
"Was she there? Did you see Hermione?" He asks before he can help it, mentally kicking himself for not checking to see if Harry's alright. "Are you alright mate?" He hopes it doesn't sound like an after thought.
Harry waves him off, moving to swing his legs off the bed, "Hermione was there." He admits after catching his breath for a moment.
"And?" Ron asked impatiently.
The chosen one shakes his head frantically from side to side, "he got angry with her. Really angry. I," he pauses, "I felt it."
"Why? Why was he angry?" Ron's becoming panicked as well, his hands roughly grasp Harry's shoulders as he rocks him back and forth.
The dark haired boy closes his eyes as an attempt to remember, "half blood," he breathes, "she called him a half blood."
And they both know Hermione's the last person to have problems with such a thing, after all, Harry is one himself. It's Voldemort who'd snap at such a statement.
"Blimey." Ron says, hands slipping and going slack from their place on Harry.
They fall into a tense silence. The pair of them are breathing roughly as the consequences their best friend must've paid for such a thing. Harry though, looks as if he wants to say more.
"Ron." He starts rather shakily.
With round petrified eyes, the ginger looks to him, already afraid of what's to come.
"She tried," Harry pauses to clear his throat, "Hermione, she spoke to me." It comes out more even then before.
"What?" He asks bewildered, unsure what else to say.
The Boy-Who-Lived, exhales, trying to calm himself down before speaking. "This thing between me and him, whatever it is, it works both ways." It's hard to explain something you don't understand yourself.
"Meaning?" Ron's voice doesn't sound like his own.
"I didn't even mean to," he begins but Ron still looks puzzled. "Tap into his mind I mean, it was a theory really. Earlier when it happened, I was just concentrating so hard on Hermione about what he wants from her and suddenly I was there like I was in the room. I thought maybe if I tried again, it might work."
"And it did." Ron breathed, sounding hopeful, thinking that this could be a good thing, maybe Harry could figure out where she was.
"Ron listen," the chosen one begins, seeming to have caught his friends train of thoughts, "it was hard enough the first time, when it was an accident. It was near impossible the second time, Vol," he pauses, "he could sense it, he tried blocking me."
"So you can fight it." The ginger argues, "wouldn't be the first time, right?"
"I'm not an expert, I'm not even a legilimen. I only got through cause he was caught off guard, I doubt he'd let it happen again." Potter was skirting around the real reason he wasn't willing to try reaching out again. He wanted to spare the other boy the details.
"He wouldn't expect you to do it again so soon,"
"Ron,"
"Maybe if Dumbledore or someone like Snape,"
"Ron!" Harry snapped, finally shutting him up.
Wide blue eyes meant guilt ridden green ones.
"Hermione, she paid for what I did. He didn't like that I did it, made it worse when she figured it out and tried to take advantage of it."
There's a tense silence for a moment as Ron stumbles back and begins pacing the expanse of his room. "Paid for it?" His voice is shaking.
Harry sighs, "sometimes it's like I'm in the room watching, but sometimes, sometimes it's like I'm him," their eyes meet before The-Boy-Who-Lived looks away in shame, "this time I was seeing it from his eyes. I could feel him, he was angry, more angry then I've ever felt, even before Hermione said something."
"What did she say?" Ron asks desperately.
"She called out my name, said she didn't know where she was then, Ron," he paused nervously, "She said your name, told me to tell you something, she never got to say what."
Tears stung the corners of Weasley's eyes.
"It was so blurry but it was like I was him and one minute he was reeling from what she had said, the next thing I know, he was looking down at his foot. When things focused again Hermione was in a ball, crying in pain. That's when I lost it."
Tugging roughly at his hair, Ron flopped back onto his bed, resisting the urge to punch something. Instead, he buried his face in his hands trying to think of something, anything, to prevent him from being irrational.
"There's one more thing." Harry says quietly, barely audible.
His blue eyes snap from where they were buried in his palms, pleading his friend to finish.
"He said if it happened again, that someone was going to die."
Fuck.
...
"Dumbledore told me you know," Ron breaks the silence that's been heavy in the hair for a half hour, "about those things," he drops into a whisper, "horcruxes."
Harry nodded, then opened his mouth to speak, until the red head stopped him.
"I don't think we should talk about it. What's the use right? Only she knows how to destroy them anyway. I don't wanna risk You-Know-Who cracking into your head and finding out we all know." He rumbles.
Ron then notices the look of guilt plastered over his best mates face at the idea of Voldemort finding out and punishing Hermione for it. Maybe even worse then punishment...
"Out of sight out of mind? That's what they say innit." Ron tries to lighten his tone but it's hard.
Harry speaks after a minute, "yeah, you're right. Good idea Ron." He praises weakly, still a little ill at the thought of that playing out.
"I reckon we should go downstairs. They've had to have come up with something and we're no use up here." Harry can tell Ron's trying to employ distraction as a tactic to keep his anger and guilt at bay.
Without a word, the chosen one stands, signaling to the door. As the pair venture from the attic, voices float up the steps, confirming the remnants of a plan being formed.
"Weasley you can get ahold of the logs down Gringotts can't you?" Mad Eyes gruff voice asked Bill.
"Yeah." He responded.
"I don't see what that would do." Molly protested.
"Those goblins down there will do anything for a shiny sickle Molly, but the magic in the building logs every transaction. It isn't by name, but if there's a big one we may be able to trace it. Could tell us if the Death Eaters are planning on moving somewhere." Moody tells the group, "just being cautious!"
At this, Harry and Ron exchange befuddled looks before descending closer to the kitchen, where the noise was coming from.
"Where's that letter that came for Granger yesterday? We better check it's not a fake." Moody said next.
Ron had just about enough. He wouldn't let them check something so personal.
"You're one to talk about fakes professor" His voice broke out angrily, causing all heads to turn.
"Hedwig's smart enough. She wouldn't bring us something like that." Harry justified his voice calmer.
"Oh dears, you're awake, did you rest? Did the potions help some?" Molly asked fussing over her son and Harry.
The two boys exchanged a quick look. Harry thought it best to not inform them about connecting with Voldemort again. He was worried Dumbledore may not let him try it again or push him too hard. Both would result in pain, especially for Hermione.
"Yeah, it kept us down for a bit." The chosen one settled for.
The Weasley matriarch offered a weak smile, "good, I'll prepare you boys something to eat." Neither had to the heart to tell her they weren't hungry.
Noticing eyes on them, Ron clears his voice, "if we found Dolohov, Lestrange, even any random snatchers, they could lead us to her. To Hermione." It took all his energy to not let his voice waiver.
Next to him, Harry nodded in agreement.
"Death eaters like Dolohov and Lestrange, they're not easy to find Ron. We've been doing double time since the Department of Mysteries, but we're no closer than we were." Kingsley informed quietly from a corner of the room.
"Well we have to start somewhere don't we?" He retorted.
"We?" Bill repeated with a cocked eyebrow.
"Yeah," Ron's voice rose with anger," Harry and I are helping anyway we can, with or without the lot of you."
"Ron," Molly turned from the stove.
"Mum, this is Hermione, so whatever you're gonna say, save it. I need to do this," he pleaded with her before turning to the aurors present, "I'll do anything." He states strongly.
Everyone stands silent for a moment until Dumbledore steps forward and eyes him carefully, "you can help by acting as if nothing has happened." The old man decided.
"What?" Several voices sounded at the same time, those consisting of more than one Weasley, Harry, and even McGonagall.
"The plan right now is for everyone in the room is to make everyone believe they are going on as they would. If Voldemort knows we are searching mercilessly for Miss Granger, he's more susceptible to use her as some sort of leverage over Harry. Panic would only ensure her importance." Albus looked to Harry, indicating to him about the Horcruxes with a simple look. "Until then, all possible leads will be checked quietly. Any snatchers or death eaters in question will be subtly investigated. From there, we can hopefully get leads on locations that may match what you saw Harry."
At this, The-Boy-Who-Lived nodded in agreement. He even dared to spare a glance at Ron who appeared red in the face.
"It is my understanding the Granger's are to return from France after the New Year. Besides them, no one who is not within the confines of this house is to know of Hermione's true reason for absence. Not even your classmates at school." The headmaster looked at the pair of Gryffindors.
"School?" Ron spat, how was he supposed to just return like nothing happened?
"Yes Mister Weasley. If we are to keep up this guise that nothing has occurred, you are to return to Hogwarts. If anyone asks, Hermione had a family emergency so she's at her home in London."
"Rubbish!" Ron exclaimed stomping out of the room before Dumbledore could go on any further.
Instantly, Harry stumbled after him.
Albus' lips pulled into a thin line before he turned to Bill, "I feel it's best that you and your brothers are the ones to inform the Granger's. I have no doubt both Ron and Harry feel they should deliver the news and you're the best man to escort them." It was unsaid, but the Granger's would be most comfortable with Bill, having met him prior, being on occasion he'd retrieve Hermione to floo.
And to everyone's shock, Molly simply nodded in agreement, knowing Ron would want it to be this way.
"Perfect," Dumbledore said, "now shall we discuss current leads in Azkaban?"
Elsewhere, Ron and Harry had stepped outside for a breather. The air had become too stiff at Dumbledore's plan for them to return to Hogwarts.
Neither has said anything yet, instead just inhaling the cool winter chill, hoping to ease the tension working its way through them.
"Do you reckon they'll let us go to the Granger's?" Harry almost whispers.
Ron's head snaps over to his, eyes wide.
"That's what you want isn't it?" The chosen one asked. Harry knew he wanted to go, felt it was his duty.
"It's not really a question Harry, I'm going, you're going. End of story." The ginger said surely, "anyway, if they wanna ship our arses back to Hogwarts, then you can bet they won't say anything about us heading to London." Ron knew taking Harry to frolic around the city probably wasn't wise, but he also knew he could use a visit to the Granger home as a bargaining chip to agree to attend school after holiday.
"It's not a terrible thing you know, going back to Hogwarts." Harry says, not completely believing the statement himself.
"How's that?"
"Well surely we'll have more access to books, for research," the dark haired boy can't help but smile at the words, Hermione would be proud, "you'll also have time to get things sorted, so that way when Hermione comes home you're set." He said the second part stiffly.
"Get things sorted? What things?" Ron pushed, the statement bewildering him.
"Well uh," he gulped, "Lavender."
Suddenly, Weasley's entire body tensed, "right, well, I handled that on the train." He mumbled.
Harry shook his head, "I know how you feel, but Lavender she's a bit uh, persistent. I just mean now you'll have the chance to really show her it's done without Hermione scrutinizing the whole thing."
Ron pulls his lips into a thin line, Hermione's disappearance somehow weighing heavier then before, "I still wish she was around though. I'd honestly have her the way things were then not at all." He admits almost shamefully as he picks on a loose thread on his jumper.
"I know," Harry agrees softly, "it's killing both of us that we can't fix this and get her back, so what I mean is that if you can fix one thing, then do it Ron. For her."
He nods in agreement, looking at snow topped hills, eyes briefly meeting the worn oak tree. At the sight, a cry builds in this throat, but he soon swallows it.
"For her." He whispers to no one in particular.
To anyone celebrating Easter have a lovely weekend. I hope you enjoyed this chapter.
Please don't be upset that this didn't address the Hermione situation, that's to come next chapter!
Please please please review, I've been lacking in those and could use feedback.
Here's your regularly scheduled preview!
Draco gulps, "so they're trying to torture it out of her."
Reluctantly, Narcissa nods, lips pulled into a thin line.
The boy scoffs, "waste of time. Stubborn as a mule she is. She wouldn't rat out Potter or Weasley for her own life." The words tumble past his lips meant to be nasty comment, but as he finished, it hits him. She very well could lose her life over such a thing,
Until next time!
