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Harry Potter And The Game of Death
Level 1
Chapter Seven: An End to the Trio
Harry had a headache. A massive headache. And it was all he had spent the last ten minutes doing nothing else but staring at the text for the Horcrux trait and thinking what it might mean.
A rumble echoed through the air, and hearing it caused Harry to sigh. He placed a hand on his protesting stomach and closed the page of text. After all the stress, revelations, physical exertion, and magical expenditure of yesterday Harry felt as though he could eat a horse.
So he shoved aside this latest bit of bad news in his life, left the bathroom, and returned to his bed. There Harry dressed in his black school robes, trimmed in Gryffindor's colours, before making his way to the Great Hall for breakfast.
To his great surprise Harry was one of the first to make it down. Other than a few older Ravenclaws going over some last-minute pieces of O.W.L. prep, and a pair of giggling Hufflepuff girls who kept throwing glances his way for some strange reason, Harry was virtually alone within the massive stone chamber. After having lived on Ron's rather slow morning clock for three years the sight of the massive stone hall being nearly empty was… unfamiliar.
There was no sign of Seamus either, even though the other boy had left the bathroom and dressed before Harry. The other boy's absence was a mystery, but not one which piqued Harry's interest. Thinking of Ron's habits had brought the ginger haired boy to the forefront of Harry's mind. Especially as Harry had been unable to visit the other boy to check up on him after the events of the previous day.
He resolved that once he had finished eating his breakfast and met up with Hermione that the two of them would visit the hospital wing to check on their injured friend. Since between his broken leg, Scabbers being revealed as an Animagus Death Eater, and Professor Lupin's unplanned transformation… well, it was very likely that Ron would still be in shock whenever he woke up.
As he ate, Harry made sure to snag a couple of hot blueberry muffins and stuff them into his robes. Having a full stomach always put Ron into a better mood and he would probably appreciate eating something other than Madam Pomfrey's hospital approved fare.
After finishing a heavy breakfast consisting of bacon, oatmeal, sliced fruit and scones, Harry looked around. Seeing that the Great Hall was still mostly empty, he finally did what he had been putting off since the moment he had first woken up and turned his attention to a softly glowing set of text just at the edge of his vision.
The glow signalled all of the many notifications Harry had received yesterday but had ignored. They were still there, waiting for him to go through them, and now would be as good a time as any to look at them. Because by Morgana and Merlin's names there were probably a ton of them.
Harry raised a finger and gently tapped on the glowing text.
Ding!
Quest Completion Notification
Tutorial Session has Been Fully Completed
You Have Managed to Successfully Cast the Patronus Charm and Have Sent the Dementor's Flying
Quest Rewards:
Continued Life
Continued Life for Hermione and Sirius Black
+50000 Reputation with Both
Quest Alert Notification
Prove the Innocence of Sirius Black
Sirius Black is an Innocent Man Whose Good Name Has Been Tarnished
Do What You Can to Help Him
Quest Rewards:
A Family
A New Place to Live
+10000 Reputation with Amelia Bones
Quest Completion Notification
Prove the Innocence of Sirius Black
You Have Managed to Keep Sirius Black Alive and out of the Hands of the Inept Minister Fudge
The Ball is in Amelia Bones' and Albus Dumbledore's Court and Things are Looking Good
Quest Rewards:
A Family
A New Place to Live (Once Sirius Black is Exonerated)
Main Quest Alert Notification
I, Horcrux
You Have Discovered that You Are a Horcrux
This Horcrux is Linked to the Dark Lord Voldemort
Find a Way to Destroy all of Voldemort's Horcrux' Before your Final Confrontation
Quest Rewards:
Title: Reaper of Souls
Trait: Former Horcrux
Continued Life
Possible Death of Lord Voldemort
Progress:
1/7 Horcrux' Destroyed
Quest Alert Notification
Save Your Teacher's Job
Professor Lupin is in Danger of Quitting his Job Due to the Influence of a Horcrux Powered Curse
Find the Horcrux located in Hogwarts and Destroy it Before Lupin Leaves
Quest Reward:
Lupin Remains your DADA Teacher
+10000 Reputation with Professors Lupin and Dumbledore
Progress Toward Main Quest
Harry grunted at the avalanche of dings. Though not as bad as he had feared, it still had not been pleasant to experience. It took some time, but as the room continued to fill up Harry was able to read each and every one of the Game's notifications.
The first was well within Harry's expectation and came as no surprise. While the notification about there being a quest to prove Sirius' innocence – one that Harry had already completed – was stunning. For more reason than one, but mostly because Harry was used to being the one to solve things. It was what he did. And to know that Game of Death thought that the rest was out of his hands was a bizarre feeling.
But, if leaving things in the hands of Dumbledore and Amelia Bones led to Sirius getting free, then Harry was willing to give it a shot. The Game of Death had been pretty good thus far about things, and he still trusted in Dumbledore.
While Harry was ruminating on this, an unexpected notification from the Game of Death jolted him out of that train of thought.
Ding!
Party Member Hermione Granger Has Awoken
Would You Like to Send a Message?
Yes or No
Harry blinked at the notification. Then he grinned to himself. Though not usually one for mischief, this was too good of an opportunity to miss.
After a quick question to the game's 'Help' feature, Harry learned how to type messages to a 'Party' member silently. This function of the 'Party' Feature apparently only worked when a member was within a ten-mile radius of another 'Party' member. So while it was incredibly useful within a small to midsize area, like Hogwarts castle, it was not good over long distances.
Harry spent a minute on crafting a message that was sure to get Hermione moving. After rereading it one final time to make sure that he had entered it correctly, Harry sent it off with a big grin. The message would certainly earn him a deserved slap or two, but the amusement he gained would be worth it.
His rare bit of mischief having been managed, Harry used the relative quiet of the empty dining area to plan how he could accomplish Lupin's quest. Idea after idea was discarded until eventually his mind eventually got stuck on the quest's mention of a Horcrux.
Perhaps it was related to his own trait. A terrible thought, as it would mean that a piece of the Dark Lord's soul was stuck within Harry. And boy did that cause a shudder to go through him. Then, while he was trying to think of alternate explanations, a hard knock to the back of his head brought Harry crashing back to reality.
"Harry James Potter! That was not funny!" Hermione hissed at him as she sat herself down beside him. "I screamed so loud when I saw your message this morning that I caused Lavender to fall out of her bed!"
Raising his hands in an attempt to mollify her, Harry tried to speak up for himself. "But Hermione, just look at you! You're all bright eyed and bushy haired right now, just like a –"
"If you continue speaking, Harry, then I swear your title as the Boy-Who-Lived will be invalidated before this morning ends!"
Laughing, Harry decided to give in to his fate and surrender. He had already succeeded in brightening the morning and starting things off on the right foot. "Yes yes, it was my bad, Hermione. I promise not to do it again."
"I would hope so! I swear, the twins' tomfoolery must be contagious or something if even you're doing things like pranking me in the morning." Still eyeing him warily, Hermione sat down next to him with a huff. Her beady brown eyes glared at him while she spread strawberry jam on top of some toast. "Anyway, Harry, what on Earth are you doing up this early? I thought for sure you would sleep past noon."
Harry shrugged his shoulders. "I got hungry. And once I was awake, I thought I should probably look through my you-know-what a little more in-depth."
"Oh! Yes, of course. Good on you for being proactive too." The girl beamed happily as she gave him a one-armed hug, her earlier anger seemingly forgotten. "Getting a quick start on things in the morning is wonderful. I looked through part of it myself last night before bed, but, um, I got distracted by a certain, erm, description, before finishing your traits."
Harry frowned at that. "Which one? I might be able to help clarify it by asking the 'Help' feature."
"No! There's, uh, no need for that. It was nothing important," Hermione hurriedly answered. A light blush suffused her cheeks as she gestured for Harry to continue. "Well, erm, go on now. What have you discovered about your stats?"
Shaking his head at his friend's evasive reply, Harry wiped off several crumbs from his robe. "I've discovered a lot. But there's so much that it'd be better if you just read it for yourself. The main ones to pay attention to are A Mother's Protection, Heir Apparent to the Potter Family, and Horcrux; once you finish them, we can start planning."
"Ah. Yes. I read the Heir title last night – it's an interesting one, and it brings up some bigger questions which we'll need to look into at some point – but I hadn't gotten to the other two yet." Hermione said as she bit into her piece of toast. The girl then brought up Harry's page and used her free hand to tap at the traits Harry had just mentioned.
Harry smiled as he watched her read. Other people might have been annoyed at the possibility of sharing their secrets with others on such an intimate level, but not Harry. To him, being able to do so was something new and exciting. He had grown up shunned and often alone. So the knowledge that Harry could forge a connection with someone he cared about, know what that person was doing at all times, and have that person know the same about him… was a truly pleasant benefit the Game had given to him.
Sure, the Game had been forced upon him by an omnipotent deity or force of nature without giving Harry full knowledge of what he was getting himself into. And it might have connected him to a long line of mythological and historical figures for a reason that was yet to be determined. But it had done so much good that Harry was willing to overlook his concerns for the time being.
It also occurred to Harry that he should probably question why Hermione was still in his 'Party' since he had not invited her back into it after they had fallen asleep. But he guessed that it was just how the Game's 'Party' feature worked. He would be sure to ask the 'Help' feature later just to confirm, but maybe anyone who was invited would stay in it unless otherwise removed? Probably. At least, that's what he would go with until he knew for sure.
A mild choking sound from his best friend caught Harry's attention. He looked over in concern and slapped her back a few times before handing her a glass of water. Hermione gratefully took the glass from him and downed it. Once the glass had been emptied and she could breathe again, the bushy-haired girl stared at him with tears in her eyes.
At first Harry thought that it was because she had been choking on her toast. But when her hands raised to cover her mouth it only took him a second to figure out why. She had just read the Horcrux description.
Before she could do anything further, Harry struck pre-emptively and wrapped Hermione up in a loose hug. One that the bushy-haired girl returned with crushing force as she began to sniffle.
"It's okay Hermione," he said softly, rubbing a comforting hand on the small of her back. "My life's never been easy before, and knowing the truth about my connection with Voldemort just means I now know how to hit him where it'd really hurt him."
"I get that. I do. But it's not okay, Harry. It's not okay at all!" Hermione cried into his chest. "You have a piece of someone else's soul inside of you. And it can't be from anyone else other than him! So… so… ugh! Why is it that such terrible things always happen to you?"
Harry shrugged his shoulders. "Probably because of the Dark Arts Magnet trait that I have. Or maybe because Voldemort was jealous that I would become a super handsome and powerful wizard that all the witches would love. Y'know, like you said last night."
He chuckled when Hermione punched his chest with a closed fist. "Yeah, that was a pretty lame attempt at humour. It wasn't nearly as funny as my morning message, right? Oof!"
This time Harry could not give a chuckle as he lacked the air in his lungs to do so. Hermione had buried her closed fist in his stomach with as much force as her slim arm could generate. Her normally sweet features appeared rather dangerous as she wagged her finger at him. "That topic is now forbidden, Mr. Potter. You are never allowed to mention that message to me ever again. Am I understood?"
"Yes!" Harry wheezed out as he held his hands up in surrender. He had deserved that last hit, but at least his best friend was no longer crying over something that neither of them could change. "Whatever you say, Hermione."
"Good. Now understand this," she said sternly while planting a finger in his chest. "No matter whatever else we find out about your circumstances; no matter what terrible revelation comes at us in the future; I meant each and every word I said to you yesterday." Her big brown eyes blazed with determination as she stared into his own. "I will be with you until the end, Harry. Not matter what that end might be and whatever might happen to us along the way. Got it?"
"Got it, Hermione."
"Good. Now grab those hashes of bacon next to you and get up. It's past time for us to visit Ronald so that we can fill him in on every he's missed." Hermione hesitated for a moment, then leaned in to whisper. "Also, before we go, have you tried using 'Observe' on any of the other students or teachers?"
Harry smacked his head with one of his hands. "Nope! I forgot to. But I'll do it as we leave so we can talk about them while we walk."
"In that case I'll grab the bacon while you do that. Just keep your wand hidden in your sleeves while you work your magic. We don't want you to start scaring people who see you pointing your wand at them while muttering what sounds like a spell under your breath."
Harry's lips twitched at her phrasing – Fred and George would've had a field day with it – but he managed to restrain himself from commenting.
A few whispers of 'Observe' later and Harry had captured all the people currently in sight. There weren't many, just a few Ravenclaws and Slytherins of various years, as well as a dozen students from Hufflepuff, but it was a start.
As the two of them made their way out of the Great Hall, Ginny emerged from the stairs with a pair of other second years. The girl's freckled features lit up when she saw them. Not wanting to appear rude Harry gave her a friendly wave. "Hey Ginny, we're on our way to see your brother in the Hospital Wing. Do you have any idea how he's holding up?"
Ginny shook her head in response, causing her short ponytail of red hair to sweep along her shoulders. "Nope, but from what Madame Pomfrey told us last night he should be able to leave later this afternoon. She managed to heal his leg and head injuries but wanted to keep him around in case he displayed any other symptoms."
"Gotcha. Thanks Ginny! I'll let you know if she tells us anything different." Finished, they waved goodbye to one another and went along their respective ways.
Hermione shot him a look as they parted from the redhead. But when he raised an eyebrow at her in confusion all his best friend did was sigh and shake her head at him. Which only served to confused Harry even further. He had been perfectly nice to Ginny just now and nothing she had said to him had been weird or strange. But when he brought it up, Hermione only gave a haughty sniff and refused to talk about it.
The halls began to fill with students as they walked. As students began to make their way to the Great Hall or somewhere else, the previously sleepy atmosphere of the castle began to change. Harry could feel his magic begin to sing as Hogwarts seemed to wake alongside its inhabitants. It was a wonderful feeling that he had only experienced since coming to the Wizarding world and was probably one of the things he missed most during the summers.
Being in a magical place like Hogwarts, or even the Weasley household, was different than living in a Muggle residence. All homes and buildings had a rhythm to them, but magical ones just had something extra. Something… more.
Harry had no words for it. And the only time he had mentioned it to them, both Hermione and Ron had looked at him like he was crazy. So he kept quiet about this feeling, and chose to simply enjoy it.
It was, however, quite distraction. At a nudge and whispered word of admonishment from Hermione, Harry made sure to keep casting 'Observe' as they continued to walk.
By the time they had reached the hospital wing, Harry had been able to capture nearly seventy students of varying ages, years, and house affiliation. He made sure to hide their windows and did his best to ignore the constant dings that signalled the feature's usage.
Seeing Madame Pomfrey awake and seated at a nearby desk, the two young students made their way over to her. The older woman noticed them once they had arrived in front of her desk. "Ah, Mr. Potter and Ms. Granger. It is a pleasure to see both of you here as guests rather than as patients, I must say. Am I correct in assuming that you are here to visit Mr. Weasley?"
Both students nodded their heads.
"Wonderful! The boy just woke up a short time ago and may see visitors. Just walk towards the back and you will see him, but make sure to keep your voices down so as not to disturb the other patients."
With a quick 'thank you' and 'yes ma'am' to the kind lady, Harry and Hermione followed the woman's instructions to the letter. Harry tried to cast 'Observe' on the cheerful matron, but only shook his head when the resulting notification was filled with question marks.
After a few seconds they came upon their redheaded friend. Ron was yawning sleepily while looking outside of the nearby window. The boy had an unusually contemplative look in his eyes, and as he approached the bed Harry wondered what his friend could be thinking about.
"Ron!" Hermione shouted out, giving their surprised friend a hug as he turned to look at her. "Oh, I'm so glad to see you doing well."
Harry smiled as he watched her try to strangle the life out of the startled ginger. Rather than follow her example, he took a seat on the other side of the bed and patted the other boy's shoulder. "Don't worry Ron, dying from asphyxiation isn't the worst way to go. You could've been cooked alive in one of Snape's cauldrons. Or maybe been eaten and digested alive by one of Aragog's kids."
Ron managed to get Hermione to loosen her grip enough to draw in a few breaths. When he did, the redhead fixed them both with a glare.
"Bloody hell Hermione, can't you give an injured guy a break? It feels like you're tryin' to finish off what Sirius bloody well started last night! And Harry, mate, don't even joke about that stuff. You know I have nightmares about both o' them happening."
"Oh, don't be such a spoilsport, Ronald, and mind your language," Hermione chided as she settled into a nearby chair. "My hugs aren't that bad. Besides, Professor Snape would never boil you alive."
"You know, that's probably right," Harry added with a grin. "He'd probably say you'd contaminate his cauldrons and ask to borrow Malfoy's instead."
Hermione's swat was quickly becoming one of Harry's favourite things to instigate and he gave a laugh as he ducked to avoid it. The girl glared at him from the other side of Ron's bed, promising retribution for his terrible jokes the moment they were free from the Hospital.
Ron shook his head as he watched their antics before speaking up in what sounded like a faux huff. "You two are in a surprisingly good mood considering what happened last night. Was nearly causing our deaths really that much fun?"
"No, Ronald, it was not. Harry's just being a bit of a prat today, so please do your best to ignore him."
"Oh, is that it? Then maybe he should try breaking a leg next time something like this happens while I make the jokes."
Ron said it with a smile and Hermione gave a soft laugh at his words. But Harry noticed that the smile failed to reach the other boy's eyes and found himself unable to laugh along.
After a furtive glance towards Madame Pomfrey, Ron leaned closer to them and lowered his voice. "Did you, uh, you know, manage to save Sirius and catch Scabb- I mean, that bloody, traitorous rat? Pomfrey didn't say anything about it, and I was worried that asking might cause something bad to happen."
Harry and Hermione shared a look before Harry answered. "A lot of stuff happened last night after you were taken out. But the quick and simple version is that Professor Lupin went off into the woods, Snape got knocked out again, the traitor escaped, and Sirius is being held by the Aurors."
Ron's eyes widened. "Bloody hell, mate! That sounds terrible! How can the two of you be in a good mood if that's what happened?"
"Simple. Because even though that happened, there's a big silver lining to it all. Think you can keep another secret?" Harry watched closely as Ron nodded his head. "Good. Then let me tell you about something called 'The Game of Death' and how it changed everything last night."
Harry gave his friend a brief overview of the Game. About when it had appeared, how it had helped him so far, and what Dumbledore thought it might mean.
By the time he had finished, Ron's eyes had widened to the size of saucer plates. It was the same look of shock and disbelief that had been present on Hermione and Dumbledore's face the night before.
Once it looked like Ron's eyes would pop out of his head in disbelief, Harry gave the redhead a grin. "Don't worry, Ron. I have a way to show you that what I've just said is real."
And without waiting further, Harry invited Ron to the 'Party'.
The effect was instantaneous. Ron jumped in his bed and swore aloud, causing Hermione to give the gangly boy a swat and another admonishment on his language. Madame Pomfrey looked over, but she seemed to ignore them after she saw Hermione lecturing the redhead.
Harry, meanwhile, just ignored their antics as he proceeded to share both his own and Hermione's stats with the other boy. After which he proceeded to start looking at Ron's stats to see how they compared to his own and Hermione's.
Ronald Weasley
Ron Weasley is the youngest son of six and is often thinking of this fact. He is quick to anger, slow to forgive, and constantly doubts himself. Ron regularly wonders whether he is worthy of being friends with either Harry or Hermione, as he knows that both are destined for a greatness that he can never achieve. (See Character Page for Further Information)
Age: 14
Level 25
Stats:
STR: 27
DEX: 31
CON: 38
INT: 35
WIS: 11
CHA: 35
Traits:
Oblivious
Kind Hearted
Quidditch Fanatic
Amateur Quidditch Player
Boy-Who-Lived-Fanboy
Envious One
Large Family
Clutch Performer
Chess Master
Headstrong
Pureblood
Gullible
Some of what Harry saw was to be expected, like the Pureblood and Chess Master traits. Other ones made sense too, like the Gullible and Oblivious traits. Those traits might not be very flattering. but, well, they suited Ron to a T.
But one of the traits, Envious One, did worry Harry.
Envious One
The bearer of this trait suffers from one of the seven deadly sins, Envy. When a situation comes up where they are likely to be jealous of someone else, they are prone to taking rash action. The target of the jealousy suffers -5000 reputation points for each action that triggers the bearer's envy. This trait can be removed or changed over time with great difficulty.
The issue of Ron's envy had popped up multiple times over the years. Malfoy tweaked it constantly in their encounters, and it reared its head every time a mention of Harry's wealth or fame came up in conversation.
Harry had always thought that it was just a momentary thing, something that would get better the older they got. But if the Game's description was to be believed, then that hope was not likely to happen.
Desperate for some good news about his friend, because he knew that Ron was better than what his traits would seem to suggest, Harry selected the Character Page option on Ron's stats page. This would be the first time he looked at it for anyone and Harry hoped that it would provide something positive for his friend.
Ron Weasley
Ron Weasley is the youngest son of six and is constantly thinking of this fact. He is quick to anger, slow to forgive, and constantly doubts himself. Ron often wonders whether he is worthy of being friends with either Harry or Hermione, as he knows that both are destined for a greatness that he can never achieve.
Although riddled with flaws Ron is a kind person at heart. He holds onto a simple viewpoint of good versus evil; in his eyes, if you are not part of the 'good guys' then you are definitely one of the 'bad guys.' He is a staunch believer in the Light and hates anything to do with the Dark Arts.
Quidditch and chess are the two things Ron loves most in life. Whether it is talking about his beloved Chuddley Canons or dissecting the latest results of Chess grand championships Ron is filled with passion.
Ron is a normal teenage boy. He has sometimes risen to face the challenges in his way, but has also fallen to things which should have been easily surmounted.
Ron has ginger red hair, light blue eyes, white skin, and stands at 4'11. He has broad set shoulders, lean hips, and is of average endowment.
Allies: Molly, Arthur, Harry, Hermione, Fred, George, Bill, Charlie, Ginny.
Friendly: Neville, Seamus, Dean, Dumbledore, Remus, Sirius,
Acquaintances: Lavender, Parvati, Percy, Padma, Oliver, Angelina, Katie, and Alicia. All unnamed Hogwarts teachers and Gryffindor Students.
Hostile: Draco, Pansy, Crabbe, Goyle, Severus, all Slytherins, all Death Eaters.
Hated Ones: Voldemort.
Romantic Affections: Daphne Greengrass (high), Hermione Granger (moderate), Lavender Brown (moderate), Susan Bones (moderate), Parvati Patil (weak), Padma Patil (weak), Su Li (weak).
"Oh, thank Merlin!" Harry muttered in relief. He felt a little better after reading Ron's detailed page. The summary painted a far better picture of his friend, one that he knew to be true.
Although Harry honestly could have gone without knowing that the boy had a crush on their mutual best friend. That information was… odd. And slightly unsettling in a way that made Harry feel uncomfortable. But he pushed past it and focused on some of the other names.
He did feel a grin begin to reach his lips. Who would have thought that Ronald Weasley, of all people, would like a Slytherin? Sure, Greengrass was gorgeous – arguably the prettiest girl in their year or possibly any other – but Ron hated anything to do with the house of snakes. Harry could definitely see Ron liking the other girls for a multitude of reasons, but Greengrass' inclusion came as a surprise.
The information was a gold mine. One which Harry could tease the other boy over if Ron ever learned whom Harry… also…
Uh oh.
A cold feeling washed down Harry's back. If he could look up this sort of information about Ron, then did that mean that both the redhead and Hermione could do the same to him? That they could also see the person, or persons, whom Harry liked?
His face lit up like a furnace at the thought.
Oh no. Oh no oh no oh no! Harry loved his friends, and he trusted them with his life, but he had not shared that information with anybody. And he had no desire to share it with them or anyone else anytime soon either.
Harry turned away from the two friends and whispered 'Help' under his breath. Since the Character Page was an aspect of the Game, then maybe he could control it.
Ding!
Help Feature is Now Active
Please State Your Query
Knowing that both of his friends could cotton on to him any second, Harry wasted no time. "Is it possible to limit the information shared within a 'Party'?"
Ding!
It is Possible to Restrict Information Access Between Party Members
Merely State What You Wish to Have Restricted and the System Will Make It Happen
A feeling of relief swept through Harry as he read the Game's green text. Hoping that neither Hermione nor Ron had already peeked at his Character Page, Harry swiftly made so that only he could have access to his Character Page. He also made a mental note to look it up later. Just, not anytime soon. Maybe when the summer began. Or possibly even two years down the line. He was in no great hurry.
Because if what the Game said about Ron was true, then goodness knows what it might say about Harry. And there were some things he was just not yet ready to find out about himself.
With the issue taken care of for the time being, Harry turned to face his two friends once more. Ron was looking at him, a look of confusion of confusion writ on his face. The boy had his head cocked back as he waited for his friend to give an explanation as to why he had suddenly turned away and begun muttering under his breath.
But as for Hermione… Harry's face flushed once again when he saw her expression. The way her lips had come together into a little half-smile, how her eyes squinted ever so slightly as she looked at him, said it all.
She knew what had just done. Or close enough so as to make little difference. And for whatever reason, it appeared that she was entertained by it. Which, if that were true, meant that she had probably looked up her own information. Or even worse, that she had looked up Harry's information.
Oh God! Maybe that was why she had gone after him over his Oblivious One trait the night before. Hermione knew who he liked! And one of those girls – possibly the one he really liked – also liked him back.
Harry tried to ignore the distinct possibility that he was right and attempted to clear his throat. "So, Ron," he finally managed to get out while he continued to avoid looking at Hermione's bemused stare. "What do you think about the Game now that I've shown it to you?"
Ding!
Mandatory Quest Alert Notification
The Value of a Friend
Listen to Ron's Words and Make a Decision
Quest Reward:
Your Friendship with Ron Stays Intact
Quest Failure:
Your Friendship with Ron is Forever Broken
Shocked, Harry was barely able to keep himself from starting at the notification he had just received. Especially when he saw Ron's expression begin to change.
The redhead looked at both of his friends and gave them a sad smile. This time, Harry noticed that it did reach the other boy's eyes unlike earlier. And that, in turn, caused a block of ice to grow within Harry's stomach.
"Well, erm, after looking at your stuff and looking at my own, I think that the Game is saying what the three of us have always sort of known. That the two of you are… special. That you are more skilled, and talented, and stronger than everyone else our age, with some sort of incredible destiny waiting for you. While I..." Ron gave a grimace, as though he were wanted to do anything other than say the words that were about to come out of his mouth. "While I'm about as normal as they come. And if we keep going on these crazy adventures, fighting Trolls and Basilisks, Dementors and Dark Lords… well, I'll probably either slow you two down, or I'll die somewhere along the way."
For a moment it was all that Harry and Hermione could do to stare at their friend in shock. Then they both exploded.
"That's not true!" Hermione hissed angrily. "How could you say that? You're a wonderful person and a great friend!"
"C'mon mate, don't be like that!" Harry hissed as well, fighting to keep his voice from rising in volume and alarming Madame Pomfrey. "You're great! You really are. We'd never have made it this far without you!"
"And if you would just apply yourself to your studies like I ask, Ronald, then you have it within you to be a great wizard. Can't you see that?"
"Yeah! Besides, if you aren't around then who'll keep us normal? Hermione and I'd go nuts without you!"
Ron held up his hands to quiet them. "Enough you two. Just… let me finish. Please. I know that this isn't easy for you to hear, but it isn't easy for me to say either. Okay? So please, just let me get it off my chest before I start weeping like a ninny."
Harry opened his mouth to continue arguing. Hermione looked dead set on doing so as well. But the stern look Ron shot them, with unshed tears glimmering in his eyes, quieted them both.
Ron was serious. Deadly so, it would seem, if he was so set on continuing this vein of thought. And as Harry glanced at Hermione, he could tell that she, too, was worried over what that might portend.
The redhead took a deep breath. "It's something I've been thinking about all year. And maybe even before then, honestly. See, both of you are my best friends. We've been through so much already. Gone on the weirdest adventures and seen some really crazy and bizarre stuff while doing it, too. And while I'd give my life for either of you… I'd really, really prefer not to die, y'know?"
Well duh, Harry wanted to say. He didn't want to die either, he was pretty sure Hermione felt the same. But Harry kept that thought to himself and let Ron finish speaking.
"Both of you are determined. And really, really good at magic. And while Hermione's super smart, Harry's just dumb enough to not know when to quit."
Harry punched Ron in the shoulder. Hard.
"Yeah, yeah. Just pulling your chain a little, mate," Ron said with a grin. Then his eyes turned serious once more. "But seriously. You two are amazing. And I'm… not. I'm not bad. Or evil. Or stupid or anything. I'm just… me. And the person I am is pretty normal. Which makes what I have to say next incredibly difficult."
Unshed tears pooled in Ron's eyes as he spoke. Harry felt tears of his own begin to form in his own just by looking at his friend. And if both he and Ron were this close to crying, then it was a better than even wager that Hermione was well past them.
But despite his emotional state, his voice held steady as he delivered his next words. "I think that it would be best if we tried to find new friends."
For a moment, the words did not even register in Harry's brain. They were too foreign and unexpected for his brain to process them. But when they did register, and his brain did process them, it was like a bombshell went off in Harry's mind.
What was going on? Why did Ron, one of his few friends in the entire world, want to split ways? Was it something that Harry had done? Had Ron become so jealous of Harry that the boy had decided to break off their friendship entirely? Or was it something else?
The pain Harry was feeling must have shown on his face because Ron started to wave his hands in desperation. "Which, uh, just to be clear, doesn't mean that I want to stop being friends with either of you or anything, right? I mean we can still hang out during meals, talk about Quidditch, complain about Snape's greasy hair, and help each other on homework. And I'd still really like for both of you to come to my house to visit me over the summer too."
Harry glared at Ron through teary eyes. He could hear Hermione sniffing and knew that she had to be crying from their friend's words. "Then what the bloody hell do you mean, Ron? Because the first part sounded like you no longer liked us, while the second part made no sense after the first part. Which one should we believe, huh?"
"Oh, bollocks. I've really cocked it up this time, haven't I?" Ron muttered as he ran both hands through his hair. "That didn't come out right. None of it did."
"No shit Sherlock," Harry snapped. "Want to try it again?"
"Yeah. Yeah, just give me a sec though. Sorry. I need to say this right."
Ron took a deep, calming breath as he kept running his hands through his hair. Finally, he seemed to arrive at some sort of inner decision, because he lifted his eyes once again and spoke to the two angry people next to him.
"You see, the reason I'm saying this is because both of you are my friends. I like you; I respect you; heck, I love both of you like a seventh brother and a second sister. So it's not that I don't want to see either of you ever again. Or that I want to cut off all ties with you. It's just that last night put things into perspective for me. And this new ability of yours, Harry, only makes it clearer."
Ron drew a hand in to touch his chest. "Like this Game thing says, Harry, I get jealous. A lot. And I don't know if I will ever stop feeling that way either, even if you are my best mate. But that's only part of it. What last night made clear to me is that things are only going to get crazier. You've already fought a Basilisk, a possessed teacher, and now a horde of Dementors. That's the stuff of legend, mate! And it's an honour just to know that you call me your friend."
"But…" Hermione stated hesitantly, seeming to sense, as Harry did, that there was more to what their friend was trying to say.
"But that'll never be me," Ron said with finality. The redhead, so often unsure of himself, looked more certain of his words than ever. "You, Hermione, are the brains. You figure things out before anyone else does and help the rest of us see sense what's been in front of our noses the entire time. While you, Harry, do what no one else can do. You take out the bad guys before they get the chance to hurt people."
He then pointed to himself with a wan expression. "While I… I just come along and muck things up."
Harry shook his head in rejection of Ron's words. Hermione reached her hands out to closely grasp hold of Ron's, tears streaming down her face as she did.
The taller boy smiled sadly as he patted Hermione's hands. "There was a lesson that I learned two years ago during that game of Wizard's Chess setup by Professor McGonagall. An important one, and one that I had nearly forgotten. Which is that while I'm a pretty nice bloke, the both of you are too important to lose. This world, the world that I live in, that my family lives in, needs both of you working together to stop Voldemort and beat whatever other evil things are out there. So, while you can always count on my support whenever you need it in the future, I think that the best way I can help is to support the two of you is from the side-lines."
Then, as if he were spent, Ron drew back and sagged back into his pillows. The boy placed a hand over his eyes and made a quick wiping motion to clear his unshed tears.
Rocked by his friend's words, Harry and Hermione looked at each other in stunned silence. Neither of them had known Ron had felt like this. That Ron, the other member of their close-knit trio, thought that he was not worthy to stand at their side.
A surge of powerful, almost blinding, anger ripped through Harry's chest.
"Dammit Ron! What the bloody hell is wrong with you?" Harry bit out. "Don't I get any say in this? Or Hermione? What about us? What if we think that you are worthy of being our friend? And that you should stand beside us as we face whatever else comes our way? What about that?"
"Then I think you're the best mates any bloke could ask for. But my decision still stands."
Harry's anger broke like a dam at Ron's quietly spoken rebuttal. His friend was serious. Utterly serious. And there was nothing Harry could think to convince his closest male friend otherwise.
In place of the anger came a sorrow which filled Harry's entire body. He buried his face in his hands and just let the tears flow. Soon Hermione wrapped his shoulders with the gentlest hug she had ever given him. Then Ron joined in on Harry's other side, and Harry wrapped his arms around both while they cried.
The pain of accepting Ron's words sunk into Harry's breast like a knife carving its way into a hunk of meat. They could – and they would – stay friends. That much Harry knew for sure.
But if Ron was going to branch out, then Harry and Hermione would need to do so as well. Because while he and Hermione made a great duo, past events had shown Harry that another pair of hands was often needed when things really started to turn bad.
Ron's absence would cast a long shadow. Because while he was just a 'normal' bloke, he was a good and loyal friend. Something which was far more important, in Harry's opinion, than being good with a wand.
The three of them stayed in their group hug for a good while longer. And when they finally separated both Harry and Hermione each gave Ron a fierce nod of acceptance, promising with their eyes and their words that they had accepted his position. Harry pushed aside the ding notifying him about the successful completion of Ron's quest, finding the Game's notification to be rather redundant at this point.
They then spent the next hour brainstorming with each other after Harry told them about the Horcrux, and about how the Game had given him a quest to keep Lupin in the school. None of them really knew what they might be looking for, but after a quick suggestion Harry tried using 'Observe' on the items around them instead of people.
Ding!
Mass Produced Plain Linen Sheets
Comfort Level: 57
No Other Bonuses Given
Ding!
Tasty Blueberry Muffin
Elf-Made
Restores Depleted Energy and Is a Healthy Part of Any Breakfast
Ding!
Hermione's Wand
10 ¾" Long Vine Wood with a Dragon Heartstring Core
Soul Bonded to Hermione Jean Granger
Gives a + 50% Ability to Learn Spells When Used by Hermione to Learn New Spells
Crafted by Master Wandmaker Garrick Ollivander 200 Years Ago
With that little experiment completed they had confirmed that Harry was able to determine if an item was normal, magical, and what – if any – special properties that it might possess. A notable distinction because it allowed them to come up with a game plan. One that Ron, despite his initial protestations, had been convinced to join for one final time.
Sirius' situation might be beyond Harry's ability to affect, but Remus' was not. And if this was going to be the last adventure that the Golden Trio went on as equal partners, then it was going to be a success.
Harry felt his mouth harden as he firmed his resolve. They would find Voldemort's hidden Horcrux. And when they did, they would destroy it!
That was a promise. One that Harry swore he would keep.
A/N: This chapter was intended to be something of a tearjerker. I hope that it made even those who dislike Ron feel a little something.
As you can tell from Ron's stats, not every character in this fic will be overpowered for their age; just a few here and there like Harry, Hermione, and the other Tri-Wizard Champions. And while Ron isn't my favourite character in canon HP, I don't dislike him either (outside of his being paired with Hermione in canon). Ron served a good plot purpose in canon as the prototypical 'idiot' boy in canon. He could be selfish, immature, jealous, and petty, and throughout the books showcased the many flaws which are often attributed to young and immature boys. Which was a highly useful, normalizing part of the story.
Ron will be phased out over the next few chapters. But I have some nifty plans for him much further down the road (think Level 2 and beyond). So while he will never completely disappear (nor will he be 'bashed') Ron will be taking a backseat to many other characters in this story.
Until Next Time,
Elsil
