Chapter 19
- The Shattering -
"Are you mental?" Ron panted, looking at the dripping Harry who grabbed his glasses and stared wide eyed at Ron.
"It was you?"
"Well, yeah." Ron let out a gasp. "Bit obvious, I think."
The three stood dripping, freezing and panting onto top of the lake. Teddy hadn't bothered to change out of his clothes when he dived in after Harry and was complete drenched in icy water. He rubbed his arms, but it did nothing to increase his body temperature. "And you cast the doe?" He shivered, glancing at Ron.
"No, I thought that was Harry."
"No, my Patronus is a stag."
"Right. Yeah. Antlers."
That's when the awkward silence fell upon them. Only their shaky breaths could be heard. Harry took a few steps towards Ron, who gulped nervously. But Harry didn't speak, he just took the locket from his neck and placed it down on a rock nearby. "Okay, Ron. Do it." He said, pulling on his jeans and top.
Ron turned paler than before. "I can't handle it. That thing affects me more than it affects all of you."
"All the more reason." Teddy responded, his wand still in hand. Ron gripped the sword of Gryffindor. If he wasn't so cold he would be sweating. "No. I can't."
Harry turned from the locket to Ron. "Then why are you here?" He demanded. "Why did you come back?" Teddy's green eyes swiveled between the two boys. Ron nodded ever so slightly, barely noticeable in the darkness. "Now, I'll have to speak to it in order for it to open. When it does, don't hesitate." Harry was also rubbing his frozen arms. "I don't know what's in there, but it'll put up a fight. The bit of Riddle that was in that diary tried to kill me."
"All right." Ron's voice cracked.
"One... two... three..."
Teddy pointed his wand hand at the locket slowly, his back bent slightly, ready to fight if necessary. Hisses escaped Harry's mouth and Teddy wondered what he had said. But whatever it was, the locket opened up and a dark cloud exploded from inside. The force was so strong it sent everyone flying backwards.
From within the smoke, Teddy could see many shapes forming. Then a cold chill, not from the water, slithered down his back as Voldemort's voice echoed out in a hissy whisper. "I have seen your heart, and it is mine. I have seen your dreams, Ronald Weasley... and I have seen your fears."
Spiders crawled towards Ron who shuffled backwards on his back, his bottom lip wavering in fear. "Least loved by your mother, who craved a daughter. Least loved by the girl who prefers your friend."
From beside him Teddy heard Harry shouting. "Ron, kill it!"
But Ron was too focused on the shapes coming from the smoke. Harry and Hermione. Both of them were sneering down at Ron. "We were better without you." Fake-Harry growled. "Happier without you."
Fake-Hermione giggled viciously. "Who could look at you compared to Harry Potter? What are you compared with the Chosen One?"
"Ron, don't listen to it!" Teddy shouted and two jets of smoke tossed him and Harry onto their backs. "Augh!"
"Your mother confessed she would have preferred me as a son." Fake- Harry's voice echoed.
"What woman would take you?" Fake-Hermione continued. "You are nothing. Nothing. Nothing compared to him."
"Ron!" Teddy shouted, but his voice caught in his throat. There was loud scream and a sharp metal clang! When Teddy opened his eyes again, the smoke was gone. All that was left was a shattered locket, and the long silver blade hovering inches above it. Between pants Teddy grinned. "Just think... only three to go."
Ron let out a faint laugh.
"Hey."
Thump! Thump! Thump! Smack!
"You complete ass, Ronald Weasley!" Hermione's voice cracked. Above them the sun was just beginning to rise and Arkie was standing at the entrance to the tent, staring at the scene in front of her. All three boys had returned back to camp soaking wet. Ron was holding the finally shattered locket and Harry held the sword of Godric Gryffindor. "You show up here after weeks, and you say 'hey'?"
Ron didn't open his mouth to respond, but Hermione was on a rampage. "How could you possibly think- What is that?" She finally noticed Tom Riddle's locket, destroyed at last. "You destroyed it." He mouth opened then closed and for a second she seemed to have forgotten her anger. But she soon remembered.
"And how is it that you just happen to have the sword of Gryffindor?"
"Long story." Teddy panted and watched as Harry passed Arkie's wand back to her. She took it slowly, still watching Ron.
"Well," Hermione spat. "Don't think this changes anything."
Ron cocked his head in disbelief. "Oh, of course not. I only just destroyed a bloody Horcrux. Why would that change anything?" Hermione stood still, her lips pursed and eyes narrowed. "Look, I-I wanted to come back as soon as I left." Ron stammered. "I just didn't know how to find you."
Teddy looked up whilst wringing his soaked shirt. "How did you find us?"
"With this." He lifted something from his pocket and Teddy stared at it in confusion.
"Dumbledore's Deluminator?"
"It doesn't just turn off lights. I don't know how it works," Ron turned it round in his hand once. "But Christmas morning I was sleeping in this little pub... keeping away from some Snatchers... and I heard it."
"It?" Hermione's eyes narrowed even further, she appeared to be just waiting for a chance to strike Ron down again.
"A voice... your voice, Hermione... coming out of it."
"And what exactly did I say, may I ask?"
"My name." Ron looked a little faint, yet happy. "Just my name. Like a whisper. So I took it, clicked it, and this tiny ball of light appeared. And I knew. And sure enough, it floated toward me, the ball of light... went right to my chest, straight through me. Right here." He tapped his heart. "And I knew it was gonna take me where I needed to go, so I Disapparated... and came to this hillside."
Everyone listened, but Hermione crossed her arms.
"It was dark. I had no idea where I was. I just hoped that one of you would show yourself. And you did."
Teddy had to admit, the story sounded far fetched, but he couldn't think of another way Ron could've possibly found them. He looked at the red head boy, before watching Hermione storming away.