Disclaimer: I do NOT own the Harry Potter series. That credit goes to the brilliant mind of J.K. Rowling. Go Jo! I also do not own some of the material used. Again, that belongs to Jo and Warner Brothers.

Chapter 9 The Visit

Ever since that night, Ron had been going back to the mirror for the past week. He sat there with his arms wrapped around his legs, watching the two figures in the mirror. Right now, it was of him and Hermione after leaving Hogwarts by the way they looked.

"Back again, Mr. Weasley?" a voice asked.

Ron turned and gasped. He quickly got up and stared at the elderly man in front of him.

"Professor Dumbledore…" he muttered.

How had he known he was there? Ron wondered for a second if Harry had told the Headmaster.

"Men have driven themselves mad in front of this mirror," Professor Dumbledore said.

Ron was thankful that the Headmaster did not seem upset. He turned to the mirror as Professor Dumbledore's long finger pointed to it.

"What exactly does the mirror show? I know it doesn't show the future. Harry saw his parents, but they're gone," Ron said.

Surprisingly, Professor Dumbledore smiled. This seemed to calm Ron some.

"You're quite right, Mr. Weasley. I would've thought, however, that you would've figured it out. The mirror shows the deepest, most desperate desire of our hearts," Professor Dumbledore said.

And then something came to Ron.

"Can it switch between two?" Ron asked.

"Naturally it does," Professor Dumbledore said.

Ron looked down.

"Right," he said.

Professor Dumbledore smiled as Ron glanced back at the mirror.

"I must tell you that this mirror will be moved from here to a new home tomorrow," he said.

Ron turned in shock. He wanted to protest this decision, but ended up just nodding.

xxx

Even after a week, Ron still couldn't get his mind off the mirror. He was walking alone in the halls when two students went sprinting past him. Turning, he recognized the pair was Hermione and Harry.

"What's the rush? Hey," Ron called.

They were so far ahead of him Ron doubted they could hear him. Ron finally caught up with them as they ran into Professor McGonagall's class. She was sitting at her desk, going through some paperwork.

"We have to see Professor Dumbledore, immediately," Harry panted.

Professor McGonagall looked at their frantic expressions.

"I'm afraid he's not here at the moment," she said.

Harry and Hermione looked at each other in horror. Ron, who was still catching his breath, just stared at them.

"Gone?" Harry asked.

"He received an owl from the Ministry and left for London," Professor McGonagall said.

Hermione looked down, knowing what Harry was going to say next.

"Snape's going to steal the Sorcerer's Stone," Harry said.

Professor McGonagall and Ron's eyes grew.

"I assure you, Mr. Potter, that the stone is perfectly well protected," she said.

With their heads down, Ron followed Hermione and Harry out. Ron stopped alongside Hermione as Harry turned.

"What do we do now?" Hermione asked.

"We go down the trap door. Tonight," Harry said.

Ron finally caught his breath.

"Are either one of you going to tell me what the bloody hell is going on?" he asked.

Harry and Hermione looked over at Ron, noticing him for the first time.

"We're going to get that stone before Snape does," Harry said.

Ron looked down.

"I… I want to help," he said.

Ron did not know why he had said it. But as the words came, he realized how much he did want to help. Harry and Hermione gave him a weird look.

"Why? Snape's your Head of House," Hermione said.

Ron gave a small smile.

"It's like you told me, Harry. I'm not your normal Slytherin," he said.

Hermione looked over at Harry, clearly confused. Harry could not help but laugh.

"Right then," he said.

Hermione smiled as Harry began walking away.

"Meet us outside our Common Room at eleven tonight," she told Ron.

Ron smiled as Hermione bit her lip before turning to join Harry.

"I'll be there," he said.

His eyes grew as Harry turned.

"And, Ron…" Harry began.

"Yeah?" he asked.

"I think this is the first time the Sorting Hat has gotten it wrong," Harry said.

Ron gave a nervous smile.

"No, it didn't. I'm just a Pureblood with a different way of thinking," he said.

Ron was dying inside. He had fooled Harry and Hermione for so long now. Now that his intentions were changing, would he be caught?

"See you later," Harry said.

"See you," Ron waved.

With that, they went to their separate Common Rooms.

AN:

Oh boy, poor Ron. With one more chapter left, what will Ron do?