Harry Potter and the Elder Wand

Chapter 2: Steeled with Determination

Harry, Hermione, and Ginny Apparated to an alleyway in London, the very same one that Harry and Hermione had used when they were trying to break into the Ministry of Magic. Ginny led the way to the entrance to St. Mungo's, which was still an old rundown fashion shop in the middle of London. Once inside, they checked in with the receptionist, who told them to go to the first floor for Creature-Induced Injuries. They found Bill's room, only to find that most of the other Weasleys were already inside. Everything in the room was normal except that the curtains on the windows were closed tight.

When Molly saw the three of them she gave them all very large hugs, Ginny the first, then Harry and Hermione.

"Oh, Merlin's beard, I thought Ronald would be with you," she said.

"Not now, Molly," Harry warned, "we can get into it later. Something funny is going on with Ron."

"Oh, God, he's not hurt too, is he."

"No, for all we know he's fine, but―"

"For all you know? Don't you know where he is?"

"Molly, dear, it's fine," Arthur interjected. "We checked the clock, and Ron's hand was on 'traveling,' so he's okay."

"Can we see Bill now?" Hermione asked.

"Ginny first, dear," said Molly, "then you two can go. Harry, Hermione, a word outside, if you would be so kind?" Harry looked at Hermione, who gave him a stern nod implying that she would do the talking. They went outside the room and Harry transfigured some chairs for them to sit in.

"Now, what do you know about where Ron is?"

"He's away on assignment," Hermione said, and Harry was impressed with how convincing the delivery of her lie was. "It's top-secret Auror business. I don't know where he's gone or when he will return."

"Oh dear, that explains why he's been traveling. Well, I hope he's all right."

"I think he'll be fine, Molly," Harry said. "He's survived much worse than this."

"Yes, Harry dear, but the question is if I will survive it! Oh, I can't believe I'm the mother of an Auror. I wish he'd gotten a comfortable desk job at the Ministry like Percy. Even the Joke Shop was all right…"

"It's okay, Molly," Hermione said. "The worst Ron's ever gotten was that burn about a year back. He's tough."

"Well, I certainly hope you're right." Molly returned to the room and as if on cue George, Percy, and Charlie came out.

"It's been a while, Harry," Charlie said, "how are you?"

"I'm doing well," Harry said.

"You treating Ginny all right?" George said with a wink and a grin.

"Ginny's doing just wonderful," Harry said. George leaned in with a whisper.

"You'd best be shagging her every night, Harry. That girl's an animal." Harry playfully shoved George, who was now laughing at him.

"So, how's the Auror business, Harry?" Percy asked with the usual pompous manner.

"It's tough work, but it's got to be done, and I'm happy to do it."

"Good answer. I hear there are some old Voldemort sympathizers still running amok. I hope they haven't caused you too much trouble."

"No, they've keeled over pretty easily. Lucius has already tried to bribe Kingsley Shacklebolt to stay out of Azkaban, but he wouldn't have it."

"Kingsley Shacklebolt has always been a man of principle. Could I actually have a quick word with you?" Percy asked. Harry nodded, and the two walked a bit further down the hall.

"Did you see Ron yesterday at the office?" Percy asked.

"I already talked to your mother about this, Percy. Ron's been on assignment for the past couple of days, so I haven't seen him."

"Okay, it's not my business to know any further then. Just let me know when he returns. He's been avoiding the family a lot since the wedding, and I want to make sure everything's all right."

"That's very kind of you. You're a much better man than Barty Crouch, Percy." Percy beamed with a smug pride that Harry used to want to wipe off his face, but this time Harry smiled in return as they walked back towards the others. Ginny stepped outside after a few minutes.

"He wants to see you two now," she said, motioning towards Harry and Hermione. They went into the room and shut the door.

Aside from the bandages across his face, Bill looked reasonably healthy, if a bit pale.

"How are you doing, Bill?" Harry asked.

"Been better," Bill said with a chuckle. "How are you two?"

"Been better," Hermione said with a small smile. Harry was reminded of the Hermione he knew well, and was relieved to see that she was behaving like herself again. He wasn't sure what about her hit him in that particular moment. Maybe it was the way she gazed upon Bill, with such compassion and concern in her eyes.

"Harry," Bill said, "what have you been up to of late?"

"Just rounding up some old Death Eaters. Pretty standard fare, actually."

"Those blokes are still running around?"

"We still have Neo-Nazis in Britain, you know," Harry said.

"Neo-what?"

"Never mind," Harry said.

"And I've been dealing with all sorts of nasty creatures in Control and Regulation," Hermione said. "One day, somebody brought in a manticore. I thought I was going to faint."

"Even nastier than dragons, from what I hear."

"Don't let Charlie hear you say that," Hermione said. "The only person I know who's fonder of dragons is Hagrid."

"Hagrid is a bit of a nut about his creatures," Bill said with a sigh. "I really hate werewolves, to tell you the truth. I've grown quite bitter."

"But what about―?"

"Remus Lupin is an entirely different matter. He was a wonderful, if a bit tortured, human being. But that Fenrir Greyback, I swear, if I ever find him…"

"You'll want to leave that to my office," Harry said. "We know how to deal with brutes like Greyback."

"I know, I know," Bill retorted. "Forgive me if I'm a bit on edge. The full moon is coming soon. By the way, have either of you seen Ron lately? He hasn't been in to see me."

"Ron's been away on assignment," Harry said. "Otherwise he'd be here."

"Yes, but I haven't heard from him in ages, even before this. I am really starting to wonder where if he's okay."

"Me, too," Hermione said, and a small tear trickled down her face.

"Hermione, I'm sorry," Bill said. "I don't mean to upset you."

"It's fine, Bill," Hermione insisted, "just fine."

"It's hard to think about our best friend when he's away like this," Harry said. "Ginny can't sleep when I'm on assignment. But there's such relief in her eyes when I finally come back home."

"Being the wife of an Auror is not easy business," Hermione added.

"Yes, but no matter what, you have to do what you can to support them," Bill said. "We need law and order in our society, now more than ever. We can't have another Voldemort rising into power."

Harry looked into Hermione's eyes and saw them stinging with tears that refused to fall.

"Did what Bill say upset you earlier?" Harry asked. He, Hermione, and Ginny were now sitting at Harry and Ginny's home, sipping an afternoon tea. Hermione started to tear up again.

"It's so stupid, you know? Like, I feel as though last night had been a terrible dream. I completely lost control and I'm sorry."

"You've said that about a hundred times," Ginny said, "and believe me, you wouldn't be staying here if we didn't forgive you."

"I just don't know what came over me…It was like all of a sudden I hadn't a care in the world, and somebody was just telling me to…Oh God!"

"What, Hermione?"

"The Imperius Curse! I think I was under the Imperius Curse!" Harry's eyes widened as he remembered the distinct feeling of the curse when he had been under it in his fourth year at Hogwarts.

"Were you able to fight it off?" Harry asked.

"No, I wasn't," Hermione said. "It lifted after Ginny Stunned me." Ginny flushed with embarrassment.

"I'm sure that wasn't the reason it lifted," Ginny said. "The caster must have done what he intended to do and ran off."

"Yes," Harry said, "but whoever cast it had to have been in close proximity. But why would they go after Hermione…?"

"Well, it was really foggy outside last night," Hermione said. "Maybe the curse was intended for one of you."

A cold fear settled into Harry's stomach.

"Me," Ginny said. "I think it was intended for me."

"But that's impossible," Harry said. "What about the letter? If Hermione was under the Curse, why did she deliver that letter? Somebody wanted me to see it."

"So I was the target after all?" Hermione asked.

"I think so," Harry said. "When's the last time you remember being in control of your actions?"

"When…Oh, God…when I saw that letter at my house. The caster was after me. He or she made me Apparate here and confront you, Harry, and then made me do such a sick thing…"

"Let's not think about that," Harry said. "Let's focus on that letter. What if Ron's been under the Curse too? He'd never do those things to you, Hermione, on his own volition."

"I don't know, Harry," Hermione said. "Look, I know you two are like brothers, but he'd been acting strange even before we got married. I don't think you can be under the Imperius Curse for that long without one of us noticing what was going on. He's too well-trained and, frankly, I'm too witty for someone to pull that off."

Harry sighed. As much as he hated to admit it, Hermione was probably right. But that meant Ron had a lot more wrong with him than a rogue spell caster.

"Well, if we're dealing with Imperius, you can set up a claim with my office," Harry said. "I can pull some strings and get the case looked at by the Ministry. Then we might be able to investigate further, find out what's going on."

"Harry…I don't want to do that…" Hermione said. Harry waved his hand in front of her eyes when he heard that.

"Stop it, Harry. I'm not under the Imperius Curse. I'm just so ashamed of what happened…"

"Hermione, if it's about you disrobing yourself, we can leave that part out―"

"It's not about that! It's about Ron. I don't want to tell them what's been going on with him."

"But, Hermione, nobody said that―"

"It's all connected, Harry! It's just got to be. What if Ron was the one who cast the curse on me last night? What if he's been using me as a puppet…? I mean, he already RAPED ME!" Hermione started bawling again, and Harry didn't know what to do to comfort her.

"Hermione," Ginny said. "What my brother did is as bad as any Unforgivable Curse, but I don't think he would have used the Imperius Curse on you."

"Why not?"

"Because he wouldn't want Harry to see you starkers, that's why." Hermione couldn't help but chuckle at Ginny's uncouth remark.

"You have a point," she said, "Ron is awfully protective of me when he wants to be."

"But now we're at the end of the road," Harry said. "We have no leads. Whoever messed with Hermione is gone, and they left no trace behind of what they did. I know I said the Ministry could help, but I know how these investigations go. Sometimes they just get away and you have to wait for the next time."

"Let's wait then," Hermione said. "Because whatever was supposed to happen didn't."

"How do you know?" Harry asked.

"Because Ginny interrupted it," Hermione said.

"Hermione, if you think I'm going to let you fall under the Imperius Curse again―"

"Harry, I'm willing to catch whatever sick son of a bitch has been messing with my head, and I don't care what it costs."

"Are you sure about this?" Harry asked.

"Positive," she said, and her manner was so steeled with determination that Harry had to accept.