Chapter 21 – last chat
Word count 4,053
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Ron now stood in the clock tower, facing the courtyard and the stone bridge, The DE during a series of costly frontal attacks had 'forced' Ron's wards to retract. Half of the bridge was now in DE hands. The enemy found great encouragement in their so-called advance – and had presses forward with eagerness - but the cost had been heavy compared to the gains. Five DE had died outright for every - one in the resistance wounded or killed, and this butcher-bill had transformed the battle into a conflict of attrition that Voldemort could not afford to prolong. Ron obviously cared for his people's health - far more than Tom did for his - - and each one of his people that fell - cut into Ron's soul like a knife. Victory or Death was apparently the DE creed – baring your shield or on it, like the Spartans.
After each attack the DE had withdrawn to regroup, abandoning their wounded on the bridge to die or crawl back to their lines without assistance. From the astronomy tower had come word that The DE appeared to have made little organized effort to deal with their wounded until just recently. Just for the last two assaults had a pavilion tent been set-up near the Pitch for their wounded. With the universally recognized white coats of healers – probably press-ganged from St. Mungo's - rushing about tending the injured.
During the lulls in the fighting Ron would release four or five of his remaining prisoners, for two reasons, one) to help carry DE wounded back to their own lines and relay a message to Tom. An offer of a one-on-one duel …between Harry and Tom …winner take all – to take place in no man's land - at the center of the stone bridge - - and secondly) to free his walking wounded from guard duty. Up to now there had been no response either way to this repeated duel offer.
So far - - Ron's modified plan was working far better than he had ever expected; the DE casualties had been to this point - simply appalling. Tom's lieutenant's led from the rear – killing anyone who retreated - too soon …that is. The attacks were not coordinated, lacked origination and discipline. They were a mindless mob; thrown randomly against his trained defenders, again and again - without any realistic plan of assault.
The attacks from the trenches in the first Muggle global – 'Great War' - of 1916-18… must have been like this - - a huge blood bath …just to gain a few yards. The butcher-bill count from the tower had the attackers down by slightly over half of their original peak numbers. Some of this was from desertion certainly, but most was due to piss-poor leadership. Generations of pure-bloods were dying out right in front of Ron's eyes. Only a massive importation of foreign-born …blood-bigots could maintain Tom's power now.
Suddenly from behind him - Neville softly interrupted the musings of his Caesar. Without turning Ron asked.
"What is it Neville?"
"Potter wants to speak to you,
"So Super-wizard has emerged from the fortress of solitude, well it's about time… says I." Ron said with dripping irony.
"Fortress of what? – Super what? – what are you going on about; chief," Neville replied sounding tired and confused.
"Never mind, old friend, go ahead and show up the Chosen One," - Ron said sadly. "By the way - - how many of the DA / Order have been killed so far?"
"About ten total; – among the DA dead is; Padma Patil, Terry Boot, Lee Jordon, Lavender Brown, Katie Bell and Anthony Goldstein - Among the Order dead - is Remus Lupin, Hestia Jones, Sturgis Podmore and your brother Fred. Among the evacuated wounded was George Weasley with a shot off ear, Hannah Abbott, Michael Corner, Susan Bones , Zacharia Smith, Ernie Macmillian, Cho Chang and Alicia Spinnet. I'm sorry about Fred – Ron, he was a good bloke.
"They were all good people,"- Ron in an Occulmency induced monotone to hide his inner pain - which was all that kept him from breaking down completely, "Add in the resistance dead and that brings the total up to forty three so far. Dirk is dead and Dean now commands what left of both teams.
"Those newly arrived volunteers have been a God send for our side," Neville exclaimed. "Otherwise the DE would be standing where you are now."
"Yes, that's true. How did the second raid on Azkaban go?
"Wasted trip, chief, no-one was there - except for the dead," Neville said in a deeply pained monotone. "Tonks told me she found two hundred prisoners killed in the courtyard before the garrison was withdrawn to fight here, - women and children mostly - - slaughtered in the name of blood purity.
"I waited too long to send them," Ron said blaming himself.
"Don't you crack up on us now - chief," Neville countered fiercely. "We didn't have the spares to send until that volunteer company showed-up from France and Tonks said the Azkaban prisoners were long dead by then."
"Does she know about Remus?"
"Yes, chief" - Charlie Weasley told her.
"He's here?"
"Yes sir, - all the Weasley's are here now, Charlie and Percy lead in a second company of Brit Muggleborn volunteers about twenty minutes ago - - most in their mid-to late twenties. Looks like the adults have finally come out to play with us children. Chief; my guess at the odds - right now - put them at - two to one against us - - - With us heavily entrenched and them out in the open.
"Call in Potter and then go and get some rest Lieutenant Longbottom," Ron commanded. "Tell Dean before you sleep that I want to see him and Seamus – it's time to employ the Greek-fire catapults on the stone bridge.
"Yes Chief. " - A few moments later Harry walked up next to Ron.
"You knew – didn't you?" Harry asked.
"Yes," by the time I found you in forest of Dean, the Horcrux inside you was very noticeable. But if you remember the state of our relationship at the time – you'd never believe me - had I told you.
"Most likely not," Harry replied in a depressed tone. "The thing inside me – it's changing me isn't it?
"Yes, - Abe said that his older brother predicted that as the other Horcruxes perished, Tom's influence in those that remained would gradually grow.
"He's taking me over?"
"No, - - If I thought that for one second - I'd have you in chains and leg-irons right now," Ron replied softly. "I can see Tom's influence in your attitudes about some things – like in regards of Ginny for example - - you speak of her as any pure blood would - as if she was a mere brood-mare breeder. The Harry I remember - was a little afraid of Ginny - but you're not anymore … are you?"
"Of course not she is only a silly little girl."
"That's what I mean, your attitude toward has changed, my sister is still acceptable to you – but only because of her blood status is pure and untainted - while Hermione as a Muggleborn has fallen from your favor."
"That's Rubbish, her being a Mud had nothing to do with why I can't stand her anymore, she is an always-right arrogant bitch," Harry said his temper flaring.
"Harry, you just called Hermione a Mud – as in Mudblood, - you never use to call anyone by that term," Ron said with a sad shake of his head.
"Oh shite – I did call her that - - didn't I? Tom must be deep in my head by now."
"Not as deep as you might think," Ron replied in a reassuring tone. "It's the age old argument of genetics versus environment. That's the reason old Albus pushed you into spending so much time with us Weasley's at the Burrow. His goal was clearly to promote conflicting influences - - my families demented version of tough-love versus Tom's self-centered ambition and hatred of all mankind.
Abe believes that your mind link with Tom only goes one-way, - you can see 'a-little' into his mind but he can't see into yours. If he could find you mentally he would have found and killed you years ago during a summer-hol at the Burrow. You were only one of eight Horcruxes - if he tried to probe his physical Horcruxes he'd encounter the one closest to him first, and Albus theorized that a snake's thoughts must have mucked-up any thoughts coming from you to the point of non-sensibility."
"So no - I don't believe he can processes you – not fully anyway - - you're a-lot stronger mentally and emotionally than you were just two years ago. " Ron replied quickly. "Albus theorized to his younger brother - that the reason the sorting Hat wanted to put you in Slytherin was Tom's ambition for dominance over others that the hat saw deep inside of you. You do share many of his lone-wolf traits, which only got worse after you destroyed the diary. The fewer Horcrux that exist – the more Tom's attitudes - influenced you."
"Riddle himself took another Horcrux-bit out of the mix - when he became 'corporal' during our fourth year. But Abe believes that the real turning point in your Slytherin side coming to the forefront - was during sixth year. The destruction of the Gaunt ring meant that half of the Horcruxes were gone, and that focused Tom's negative attitudes on those that remained. That's when your desire for a casual fling became so irresistible – didn't it? I bet that Tom never had a romantic bone in his original body - -"
"And then three more were destroyed in short order," Harry pointed-out
"Yes and your attitude resemblance to Draco – the ultimate role-model Slytherin - have increased by leaps and bounds ever since. You don't really love my sister any longer – no more than Draco was capable of loving Pansy… or for that matter – Tom's so-call love for Bella. The stereotypical Slytherin with few exceptions regard women as brood-mares. Good for extending the blood-line but that's all.
"Draco was an only son – so was his father Lucius – his grandfather before him - and so on and so forth all the way back ten generations or more. All due to their low regard of women as mere breeders. But don't fall into the trap of thinking that all pure-bloods are incapable of falling in love; Greg and Pansy are two exceptions to the Slytherin stereotype model that Draco personifies so perfectly - and then there are others - - like my parents – both purebloods – who have an active love life that often embarrass to no end - their children.
"As a strong supporter of the environment theory Albus encouraged your relationship with us Weasley's as a highly effective counter to Tom's negative loner influences. Abe thinks that his brother alibied and protected me from the years of trouble – that you got me into with Snape – just to manipulate me into befriending you - - and for the most part it worked.
Albus and Abe both knew that my mum was a celebrity groupie as a little girl, she grew-up fancying blokes like Lockhart precisely because of their fame. Ginny suffered from that as well when she was younger - - So having you under our roof as a semi-Weasley was a dream come true for both the women in my family. My Mum made dam-sure that I invited you to the Burrow, every summer which Albus was more than happy to encourage. You got us to teach you the joys of a normal wizarding family while we Weasley's have gained subtle fame in our community - just by having you live with us."
"And Hermione, Albus played matchmaker with us as another counter for Tom's anti-love …pure-blood fetish." Harry said in sudden realization
"That… and on the genuine hope that you and she would fall in love – or that's what Abe thinks now – anyway," Ron said with blunt honestly. "Albus couldn't understand how Hermione resisted the lust stirring qualities of your boy-who-lived physique. Most young witches at Hogwarts starting having masturbation fantasies about you as soon as they began to ovulate – and that Hermione didn't have you under her thumb as her permanent boyfriend by forth year and her date for the Triwizard Yule-ball - was a source of constant confusion for old Albus."
"Hermione isn't my type, Ron –," Harry said
"That amazed me too, frankly. After the way she looked for the Yule ball - I fully expected you to say the few words required for the Heroine to swoon over the Hero. That's why I didn't get all that mad or jealous when you did take her from me – last term. I fully expected it to happen – for the last two years anyway.
"Hermione was a fling, nothing serious for either of us, - where is she by-the-way? I thought you two were connected," - Harry asked looking around for the girl.
"Not anymore – she got bored following me around like a puppy. She felt useless and wanted to help; Abe came by for a bite to eat during his search for the core chamber and so shortly after we got here - Abe helped us sever the core-lines connecting us.
"You don't seem all that surprised at this separation.
"I was only surprised that it took her as long as it did for her to demand her independence,"- Ron said with a resigned chuckle. "Abe told me more than once - that to a modern feminists, like Hermione - - men like me are a necessary evil – an accessory required to occasionally kill a bug on the wall or take out the garbage. Otherwise all men – including husbands - are just a speed bump that gets in the way of their careers.
"And you don't mind being treated like that?"
"Throw me in jail - - I have a weakness for that sort of woman. Feminist Bookworms are my type - it's just that plain and simple," Ron said with a resigned chuckle. "Every bloke has a type - - Some blokes like big-busty blondes - - others fancy being tied up and dominated. My particular fetish will allow me be the primary parent of any children we might have - with loads of quality time alone with them to teach them my moral values – for feminists aren't the type to waste loads of time on children or husbands – for they always have more 'important' things to do."
"Feminists aren't the type to take your surname, either," Harry pointed out. "- They regard marriage and child-bearing as a form of barbaric slavery – My aunt use to watch shows on the 'telly' about career women, and from what little I saw - - girls like Hermione, well - - their focus is on work exclusively and are unlikely to remain faithful to any man for very long. Office affairs with co-workers in these 'soap-operas' are a frequent thing - with that sort.
"Same thing can be said of many men. 'Find them – hump them and forget them' – but that's a stereotypical Slytherin trait ...isn't it? Bare-foot and pregnant is not what I want from a woman, the days of hitting them with a club and dragging them back to your cave are over, Harry.
"So play the field – while you can."
"No thank-you – I'll pass."
"You and your hypocritical Christian morality, cheating is bad – murder is okay - - life is too short … well mine will be anyway,"
"The downside of being a child of destiny, I suppose," Ron replied not the least bit offended."
"That bastard deliberately didn't teach me to fight," Harry growled in frustration.
"That's true enough," Ron replied calmly. "Albus probably figured that teaching you anything would only prolong your agony. Old Tom has decades of wand-combat experience under his belt and now he has the elder wand
"You know about that too?
"Ollivander told me before going into exile in France. You can't beat the elder wand with another wand, especially when Tom has even one Horcrux left. You have to beat the owner, that's how that wand has changed hands over the centuries. The first owner got his throat-cut while he slept.
"So I have to die?
"With the training you've had up to this point – I'm afraid so, for as the prophecy said – "either must die at the hand of the other - for neither can live while the other survives".
"And Albus determined that I had to die.
"Yeah he did - but after all we've gone through - even I know that you can't avoid your destiny, - however - if we do this right – Destiny gets the showdown she wanted - - and I can at least avenge you – by making sure that bastard doesn't outlive you for long!
"My plan is simple, You go out and duel the bastard out on the stone bridge – but with me right next to you under your invisibly cloak. With my core magic to shield you - we can hold out long enough to draw that scum-bag and his pet snake into the courtyard – and away from his storm troopers. I kill the snake while its master is busy trying to kill you. Once you fall and the snake is dead - Tom becomes very mortal with only the Horcrux fragment in his chest - as his last bit of soul. Then I'll kill the bloody-bastard. Two flashed of core magic – and Tom is off to rot in hell."
"Alright I'll do it" Harry said in a resigned tone, "just make dam sure you get the bastard. Okay?"
"It will most likely be the last thing I do on this earth, - but yeah Harry," Ron said calmly. "I have foreseen that end for me since first year."
"Then we go to the next great adventure together - right?" - Harry said in an oddly encouraging tone
"Of course we go together - don't go daft on me now - - think-on-it - - Tom will not play fair in this duel, - he'll have some of his best lieutenant's with him under some sort-of invisibility spell. I kill Tom and they'll in turn …most likely ...kill me.
"This is why you allowed Hermione to severe your connection – isn't it.
"Had she insisted that we maintain our core-link joining, I couldn't fulfill my part in this plan," Ron said in the same resigned to his fate tone that Harry just used. "But when she insisted on helping Madam Pomfrey do triage, I saw my way to free her from our date with the grim reaper."
"Harry take a good hard look at me," Ron said as he prepared to briefly drop his glamour. "How old do I look to you?
"Late twenties," Harry said looking hard.
"No – that's just a-glamour. In actuality I'm well-over a hundred, nearly a hundred and eighty-five in fact. Abe checked my core twenty minutes ago I'm down to a mere eight ounces right now. My seven days is up. I can withstand one more big attack on the wards - and then I die - - a real old squib - as originally planned. If Tom doesn't agree to the duel before the next full scale attack, I order the resistance to evacuate Hogwarts - - except for me and I blow the core with them inside …again - as originally planned."
"And Hermione is twenty-something just as your glamour makes you appear?" Harry asked in a semi-concerned tone.
"She thinks our connection is only blocked – not permanently severed; and before I cut our last telepathic link – I pushed as much core magic into her as I could. She is back to about twenty-two years old now with a full fourteen ounce core. She is as free of me as I could manage.
"You lied to her,"
"No, but I didn't tell her the full truth either," Ron replied with a smug look. "Think-on-it… Harry. She has a great future to look forward to here. She'll be the most Famous Muggleborn in England, companion to the Chosen One, friend to the pathetic trio clown - turned by rejection and war into a heartless killer - sole survivor of the Potter trio; she'll be able to write her own ticket, get any job she wants.
"You believe that's how history will remember you? - - A tragically rejected figure – and heartless killer?"
"Of course, the surviving pure-bloods will need someone to blame - other than themselves - for the atrocities of this war," Ron pointed out calmly. "They'll blame fear of Tom for what they did and point to Ron Weasley as being just as bad a murderer - on the resistance side. Two negatives make a positive, Tom and I will cancel each other out. In what history will call innocent blood spilled on both sides, neither side will be able to claim the moral high ground. From that point, co-existence is at least possible. There won't be enough pure-bloods to rule, and once the Ministry is properly purged of that bigotry, so England under the half-bloods and Muggleborn's will have a real shot at justice for all.
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"Commander," Dean said solemnly from the back of the room, "there is a bloke holding a truce flag at the center of the bridge. He says the Dark Lord has accepted Harry's demand for a duel."
"Okay Dean – pull our people all the way back into the castle, Harry and I will do this alone."
"Yes sir – should I go find Granger?"
"Yes Dean – take four of your best men - put her under strict house arrest - confine her to the Hospital wing until the courtyard duel is fully over – understood.
"Yes sir.
"So we'll go to the next great adventure …together "– Harry said sounding enormously relived.
"After you die - wait for me, Harry; I sure that I won't be far behind you, "Ron said. "From our first meeting on the Hogwarts express - - to beyond the veil, - I've always suspected that this is how life would end for the two of us… side-by side …exit stage right - together"
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