Obliviate

"I get it. You choose him."

Hermione glared at Ron angrily. Couldn't he understand what was at stake? He was fighting against them over food? Didn't he see what Harry and she had seen? Hadn't he understood what they she and Harry had when they heard what they had all heard? Couldn't he see what she and Harry were fighting for?

In that moment, her outlook changed diametrically. She and Harry were fighting against Voldemort. She and Harry were trying to extrapolate and understand. Ron, she realised, was lagging behind. In that moment of absolute clarity, her anger melted into pity, and her rose-tinted glasses came off.

On the larger scale, they were fugitives, fighting against a seemingly insurmountable enemy. The Chosen One was the beacon of hope, and she, the cleverest witch of her generation, muggleborn, the symbol of defiance against everything that the enemy stood for. In their hands was a part of the soul of the most evil, if not the most powerful Dark Lord ever. Security, secrecy and good morale were not necessities – they were massive understatements to describe what they needed.

Ron, poor Ron, was left behind once more, unable to adapt to what the times and his friends needed him to be. He also was willing to abandon them when they could be tortured, killed, or worse.

On a personal level, the proud witch that was Hermione Granger, rebelled against whatever it was that the boy might once have meant to her, if ever. Here was a boy, who had never asked her out; who had spent the previous year chasing skirts; and who had claimed her like chattel and in his thoughts at least, had marked her as his territory. She had allowed herself to be swept by that chauvinism, if only because she wanted to have a normal year like any other teenage girl.

And she hated what she saw. Ron constantly questioned her commitment to what wasn't even a formal, if fledgling, relationship yet. He questioned her honour and her character. He questioned whatever relationship she had with her best friend. And frankly, not only was it none of his business, but she too was tired of it.

Coming to a sudden decision, and grim understanding, she snapped her wand at him and stunned him.

"Hermione!" protested Harry.

"No. He is surplus to requirements and is now a risk. He knows too much." She glared at him daring to oppose her on the matter.

Harry raised an eyebrow at her.

"Yes. I am sure."

Harry simply took stood by her side. "Thank you. I am sure it hurts again, but I appreciate the sentiment."

She knew what he was hinting at. "It is no bother. At least I had a lot of emotional connection with them. You will apparate him as near the Burrow as you can?"

"Of course, though it might be worth it to change how he looks...or a selective disillusionment, perhaps?"

Hermione nodded. She first tied up, and then divested the redhead of his personal effects, before reviving him.

Ron, who had been angry, was now looking at her in fear.

"I am sorry Ron. But this is how it has to be. Obliviate!"

Molly was looking at the family clock in worry as she did nearly every waking moment. There were two people whose hands were not on that clock, but she worried for them just as much she worried about the one with them who had one. They were not her blood, but they were hers, just the same.

Suddenly Ron's hand moved to travelling, from the default setting of Mortal Peril, and a couple of seconds later, pointed at home. The wards, connected to the very clock, blared at the same time. It seemed her three had returned home – or at the very least, Ron had company, fair or foul, in which case, he would need help.

Arthur, Bill (who always visited at least once a day) and she hurried out at the same time to see a man vaguely resembling Arthur's Uncle Bilius ambling through the gates. Bill stunned him. One could never be too sure these days. After a lengthy procedure, that her eldest son promised her was de rigueur at Gringotts, they ascertained that it was indeed Ron, and no, he wasn't under any foreign spell or the Imperius. He was however acting very strangely.

As they led him in, Molly saw an envelope jutting out of Ron's pocket. She took it as Bill led Ron to his room instead of the orange clad bedroom housing the ghoul. Ron was put under a sleeping spell. Something was wrong, and Molly was sure that this was a way to protect Ron. She feared what had befallen the other two.

Opening the letter at her husband's request, her fear turned to dismay and resigned understanding.

Dear Weasleys,

We are very sorry for this intrusion. However the situation called for such.

As you know, we are completing the mission given to us by old Mr Sparkles, who loved the gaudiest colours ever. We have been slightly successful. Unfortunately, Ron has run into some difficulties with Harry and I. We have absolutely no resources, and Harry was in such a condition that he couldn't perform even his Patronus Spell, due to the effect of a dark object belonging to Tom Riddle. It is one of the keys to defeat him, and it tried to possess all of us. The morale is pretty down, therefore. Obviously, we had a row.

Molly gasped. Harry had taught several other students, including her children. He had a powerful Patronus. She worried about the situation they might be in, if he was that badly affected.

There is no way to sugar-coat it. Ron intended to abandon us. While we understand that you may not believe this, it is true. It is also not the first time, as you very well know. As it stands – and we understand that it may hurt him, and you – he has become deadweight for us. We are all at our wits' ends. That would not have been reason enough. However, he has been routinely picking fights with us over nothing, and went so far as to attempt to attack Harry. So we had to come up with this drastic solution.

Ron, currently, will have regressed to the level of a fourteen year old. He will have no memory of our mission, or of much of last year. He will still remember everything regarding all the defensive spells he knows, so he can defend himself. This, I believe, can be explained away as an after-effect of Spattergroit. Harry has personally side-along apparated him to the Burrow.

Do not attempt to overcome the spell. It is of my own creation. I alone hold the password. Mrs. Weasley, I request you to not scold him.

We understand if you are angry with us about it, and also because of our bluntness. However, we are at war. We truly don't have the time for such pettiness.

I have used a few drops of his blood to draw runes on the envelope, so that only those, whose names I have written below by the same ink, can read it. If we come out of this war alive, you shall have both our oaths that we did not use his blood for any other reason.

We have nothing against Ron, and we sincerely hope that eventually, we may become friends again. As for you and your family, we wish you all good luck. Stay safe. We both love you all, and I can say this for Harry – you are the closest thing to a family he has ever known. So please, please stay safe. We are fighting.

With all our Love and Best Wishes,

Hermione and Harry.

Letter Access List:

Arthur Septimus Weasley,

Molly Muriel Weasley

William Arthur Weasley

Charles John Weasley

Fredrick Gideon Weasley

George Fabian Weasley

Ginevra Molly Weasley.

Molly couldn't help the fat tears that rolled down her cheeks. "Oh Ron!" she sobbed. "What have you done?"

By MG1. Can't truly see Hermione sending her parents away, but not taking precautions when Ron abandoned them.